| OpenOffice Writer (F) | The Open Source powerhouse (Writer) with a universal file format and great usability. |
| TextMaker | The best word processor you've never heard of. Now you have. Get this; be productive. |
| Zoho Writer (F) | Zoho brings never-seen-before tools to the word processor. I love this. |
| Google Docs (F) | Fast, responsive, and doesn't let you make a mistake. No footnotes yet, though! |
| LaTeX (F) | A typesetting program for technical and scientific documentation. |
| | |
| EmEditor Pro | Well-designed for power, dazzling speed, and ease of use. Get this. |
| UltraEdit | Standard setting in almost every way, and great for writers, not just coders. |
| E Text Editor | Exciting, unique, powerful, and customizable. Wow. |
| PSPad (F) | The favorite freeware alternative that packs a full, advanced feature set. |
| | |
| Microsoft OneNote | The best outliner to date. More people should discover this gem. |
| Calendarscope | Broad options and print abilities define this app. |
| Google Calendar (F) | An online calendar that goes where you go. |
| | |
| Algebrus Calculator | A sophisticated scientific calculator for both general and science work. |
| MoffSoft Calculator | Simple, powerful, flexible, customizable. Does every damn thing. |
| Karen's Time Cop (F) | General countdown/count up timer for every use. |
| Master Converter | Now I know that kbps is a measure of bandwidth! |
| Visual Thesaurus | Oh god, this app will make you a word smackfu master. |
| | |
| OpenOffice Calc | The spreadsheet with the best file format. It's so good it knocked MS Excel off the list. |
| ASAP Utilities | Makes you an expert with Excel and accesses its database features. |
| Power Utility Pak | Adds functionality to Excel that Microsoft forgot. |
| statistiXL | Forget all the rest, this is the best statistical app you'll find for college or grad school. |
| Math911 | Are you math-stupid? Math911 will cure that right fast. |
| | |
| Autoruns (F) | Lets you control what programs run during system boot. |
| Chameleon Startup Manager | Fully controls startup by selecting the programs to be launched. |
| Process Explorer (F) | Shows you info about which handles and DLLs processes are opened or loaded. |
| VMWare Workstation | Virtualization app that allows you to evaluate software safely or use when needed. |
| Total Uninstall | Bulletproof uninstaller to keep your system safe and clean from crappy installers. |
| Your Uninstaller Pro | Combine this with Total Uninstall and you're in great shape. |
| Everest Diagnostic Utility | Incredible system diagnostics and benchmarking app. |
| TuneUp Utilities | Corrects problems and optimizes your system. |
| BartPE (F) | Helps you build a bootable Window CD or DVD. |
| nLite (F) | For permanent Windows component removal and pre-install Windows setup. |
| HDD Temperature | Protects your hard drive from melting. |
| Karen's Registry Pruner (F) | Removes ghosted and orphaned entries in your Registry. |
| Find and Run Robot (F) | Rapidly find programs or documents with one key press. |
| UltraMon | Software for running two or three monitors on one system. |
| ShellExView (F) | Removes those damn useless and unwanted context or right-click menu items. |
| ClearTweak (F) | Improves text display with ClearType and font smoothing. |
| TreeCopy (F) | Copies your folder structure, but not the files, to another location. Very handy. |
| BGInfo (F) | Quickly displays system info on any computer at a glance. |
| Quick Access Infobar (F) | Provides definitions of the processes running on your system. |
| BootIt NG | Powerful partition and boot manager, including managing multi-boot OSes. |
| CopyWipe | Securely overwrite data when retiring a HD or prevent data from being recovered. |
| Eraser (F) | Wipes clean all the free space on your computer, truly erasing all deleted files. |
| TreeSize Pro | Returns deep and detailed reports on the size and space of your system drives. |
| JDiskReport (F) | Somewhat similar to TreeSize Pro, only a light, free version. |
| | |
| FinePrint | Virtual printing utility that saves you a ton of paper every year. |
| PDF Factory Pro | Damn fine and highly accurate PDF printer utility. You'll love it. |
| Nitro PDF | If you need standard scale PDF creation and management, then Nitro is it. |
| Cfont Pro Font Manager | Super flexible and well-designed font manager loaded with features. |
| Foxit PDF Reader (F) | Small, clean, fast, and free, Foxit renders PDF files with great speed. |
| MainType Font Manager | A well-coded advanced font manager with full Unicode support. |
| X-Fonter Font Manager | A traditional powerhouse font manager that can hang with anyone. |
| | |
| ACDSee 10, ACDSee Pro | The best photo viewer, graphic converter, and image management tool. Period. |
| XnView (F) | Freeware viewer and editor that holds its own against anyone. |
| FastStone MaxView (F) | Fantastic little app for opening photos for a customizable quick views. |
| PicaJet FX | An image management and organization tool that is similar to ACDSee. |
| IrfanView (F) | A perennial crowd favorite for good reason — it works very well with any format. |
| VuePrint (F) | Versatile viewer with some editing capabilities. Great for sifting through collections. |
| FastStone Image Viewer (F) | A strong browsing and editing features have quickly made FastStone a leader. |
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| PhotoFiltre Studio | Solid image editor that can do most of the tasks you'll need every day. |
| Noiseware | Makes digital photos better by filling in grain or smoothing out rough spots. |
| Screenshot Captor (F) | Incredible donationware screen capture utility that will instantly impress you. |
| SnagIt Screen Capture | Sets the standard for all other screen capture utilities. Takes some setup. |
| Multiple Image Resizer (F) | Easy, fast, accurate — that's what I like! |
| AutoStitch | Allows you to stitch together many photos in wide angle to create a panorama. |
| Pixeur (F) | Finds and displays the RGB, Hex, and Long value of any color you select. |
| | |
| VirtualDub (F) | Extremely efficient video capture and processing program. |
| ConvertXtoDVD | Converts any video file format (DivX, AVI, WMV, etc.) to a DVD-compliant video. |
| TMPGEnc (F) | MPEG-1,2 encoder that can convert and compress your video file in high quality. |
| GSpot Codec Info App (F) | Allows you to see what codecs you need installed to watch a video. |
| ProShow Gold | Allows you to create stunning and professional slide shows. |
| GOM Media Player (F) | Media player to die for. Highly customizable. |
| Media Player Classic (F) | You can't go wrong with this one; it plays every damn thing out there. |
| Video Edit Magic | Video editing tool that includes advanced features, but is easy to use. |
| AudioGrabber (F) | Useful tool for CD-ripping and producing MP3s. |
| Exact Audio Copy (F) | Advanced tool for CD-ripping and producing MP3s. |
| Audacity audio editor (F) | Solid audio editor that makes editing easy. |
| Nero Burning ROM | Highly reliable CD/DVD burning utility. I love it because it works every time. |
| DVD Shrink (F) | Tool for fitting a DVD-Video disc on a single DVD. |
| AnyDVD | Allows you to decrypt CSS-encrypted DVDs and remove their region codes on the fly. |
| ImgBurn (F) | Enables you to burn CD/DVD images with ease. |
| IsoBuster Pro | Powerful utility that can extract, create, edit, and convert CD/DVD image files. |
| UltraISO | Powerful utility that can extract, create, edit, and convert CD/DVD image files. |
| MagicScore Maestro | Music notation software for musicians. Great for collegers. |
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| AutoHotkey (F) | Scripting utility to create your own macros and hotkeys. Get this. Learn this. |
| HotKeyz (F) | Excellent utility for creating Windows-wide hotkeys, expanding your keyboard. |
| | |
| Colour Contrast Check (F) | Helps determine the whether colors for your website are correctly contrasted. |
| Color Coordinator (F) | Helps determine the right color scheme for your website. |
| MetaLink Creator (F) | Allows users to connect to different download sources for your programs. |
| Lorem Ipsum generator (F) | A site that generates greek text in various fonts. You'll see it's use. |
| Google Calendar (F) | Simple but highly useful online calendar. |
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| KompoZer (F) | An excellent HTML/CSS editor built on the NVU architecture. |
| Style Master CSS editor | Updated frequently and following the latest W3C standards, this is the one. |
| Microsoft Expression Web | Much better than its given credit for being, and damn easy to use. |
| Feed Editor | Build any RSS feed using this well-designed tool. |
| Opera browser (F) | The most accurate CSS browser ever built, to a fault, and my personal favorite. |
| Mozilla Firefox (F) | Wildly popular browser that is extensible, customizable, and updated frequently. |
| GreatNews RSS Reader (F) | Simple, elegant RSS reader that does no wrong. |
| Website-Watcher | Allows you to monitor changes in any website, while doubling as an RSS reader. |
| EmFTP Pro | Small, tight, well-designed FTP client. |
| FTPRush | Great FTP client that has set a new standard for all. |
| AI RoboForm Pro | A password utility and automatic form filler for your browser. Get this. |
| PADGen (F) | Creates perfect PAD files (Portable Application Descriptions) for your programs. |
| AM-DeadLink (F) | Detects dead links in your browser's bookmarks or favorites folders. |
| REL Link Checker Lite (F) | Detects dead links in your website's external links. |
| Xenu's Link Sleuth (F) | Also detects dead links in your website's external links. |
| XSite link extractor (F) | Load and parse any webpage into a simple structured view, seeing every link. |
| Search Engine Buddy (F) | Creates the best meta tag combinations for search engines to find your site. |
| | |
| USENET, P2P/FILE SHARING TOOLS Some of these apps are also listed in other categories | |
| NewsLeecher | Top-of-the-line newsreader that downloads anything via Usenet. |
| Giganews | The proven best Usenet server you'll find. Get the Unlimited account, too. |
| WinRAR | The master of all archive tools, WinRAR can do almost everything. |
| QuickPAR (F) | Utility for creating, checking, and extracting Parity Volumes (PAR files). |
| NetLimiter Pro | Limits your download/upload bandwidth speed during peak times per app. |
| PowerPost-A&A (F) | An app for consistently and intelligently posting files to Usenet. |
| FastStone MaxView (F) | Fantastic little app for opening photos for a customizable quick views. |
| ArtCine NFO Creator (F) | The best NFO creation app available, hands down. |
| SFV Checker | Tool that ensures your multi-volume file archives are complete and accurate. |
| QuickSFV (F) | A tool for SFV (simple file verification) checking and creation. Just wonderful. |
| File Splitter and Joiner (F) | Allows you to quickly split and rejoin large text or binary files. |
| Miranda IM client (F) | A flexible, modular open-source multi-protocol instant messenger. |
| ImgBurn (F) | Enables you to burn CD/DVD images with ease. |
| HFS, HTTP File Server (F) | Fantastic file-sharing software which allows you to send and receive files. |
| μTorrent (F) | Efficient, feature-rich BitTorrent client. |
| | |
| XYplorer File Manager | Best all-around customizable file manager with great support and offers a Lifetime license. |
| Directory Opus | Advanced and highly customizable file manager that can do virtually anything. |
| | |
| Locate File Search Utility (F) | Saves the names of all files in your hard drives to a small file database. |
| FileLocator Pro | Excellent tool for searching your documents in numerous ways. |
| Advanced Find and Replace | Make global changes across many files and folders to any file. |
| Directory Lister (F) | Generates listings of files from user-selected folder in HTML, TXT or CSV format. |
| Beyond Compare | Essential utility for comparing text files, folders, archives, and FTP sites. |
| Bulk Rename Utility (F) | A well-designed fast, easy renamer with all its functions on one screen. |
| Flash Renamer | Flexible tool for renaming any file or folder. |
| CloneSpy Duplicate Finder (F) | I've tried and used many, but CloneSpy is my favorite. |
| Unlocker (F) | Tool to help delete locked files and folders. |
| KillBox (F) | A tool to delete in-use files or processes that won't close. |
| Copy It Anyway (F) | Tool that allows you to copy locked files and folders. |
| | |
| Super Flexible File Sync. | Advanced, full of high-end features, and is the class of the category. |
| DirSync | A highly accurate synching and backup tool. You can rely on DirSync. |
| SyncBackSE | Allows you to backup or synchronize your files and directories. |
| WinRAR | The master of all archive tools, WinRAR can do almost everything. |
| 7-Zip (F) | Nifty little archiver that lets you move to 7z format if you choose. |
| Squeez archiver | The most feature-rich archiver available. |
| Image for Windows | Backup and restore entire partitions/volumes for any hard drive. |
| UltraISO | Image utility for creating, editing, and converting CDs/DVDs. |
| File Splitter and Joiner (F) | Allows you to quickly split and rejoin large text or binary files. |
| Teleport Pro | High-end, easy-to-use tool for getting (leeching) data or entire websites. |
| Star Downloader Pro | Accelerates your downloads by splitting the files into several parts. |
| Free Download Manager (F) | Download files and whole web sites from any remote server. |
| NewsLeecher | Premier newsreader to download anything posted on Usenet. |
| NeoDownloader | Download photos, music, movies, and walk away. |
| | |
| TrueCrypt disk encryption (F) | Keeps your secrets secret and tell snoops to bugger off. |
| CCleaner (F) | Removes unused and temporary files from your system. |
| Spybot Search & Destroy (F) | Remove spyware and adware from your computer. |
_______________________________
__________________
The Great Software List is an advocate of great software along with notable Open Source software. It is composed of high quality programs that share most or all of the following features:
(1) Ease of use based on a well-designed user interface;
(2) A generous array of keyboard shortcuts (preferably customizable);
(3) Customizability where applicable; and
(4) Affordability.
If your app is listed above, feel free to display this award on your site each year.
In my experience, most software programs are missing two to three key features or options that would make them significantly better. This page is provided so that you don't have to spend weeks finding the perfect program. The Great Software List stands in praise of small software, and why it has become important. Offer developers your honest, critical feedback. Support great Open Source and Freeware programs by donating to their developers. Perhaps one of the best software apps I've come across is the XYplorer File Manager by Donald Lessau, who combines the best of both worlds by offering a true Lifetime license to XYplorer, but providing a donation page for those of us who donate small amounts each month to independent developers.
Although there are often two or more apps within each broad category, each app is worthy and it's better to let the user decide which may be best for them. All screenshots are captured using Screenshot Captor by DonationCoder.com. All programs were tested on a 64-bit Intel Quad-core X6800 2.9GHz nForce 680i SLI machine with two 750G HDs and 4G RAM under either Ubuntu 7.x or Microsoft Windows Vista.
Check the list, and if you know of other great software, or if you want feedback on your own, let me know. I'm terribly derelict with email. Otherwise, developers please use the simple award PNG above for your website. The content of this site is constantly changing as apps come and go, even across versions, so come back at least once a month to see what's new. Ratings are good for each year that your software is listed. If I've copied; that is, plagiarized your description, it was out of accuracy and clarity over my own poor descriptive writing and penchant for run-on sentences.
Here is a more expansive discussion of these points, along with what makes software great and why this site exists. And these time-tested tips cover suggestions for both users and developers. And finally, for an example of great genetic code writing, go here! I support their inspirational work to say the least.
CONTACT Zaine Ridling at:
zridling@gmail.com
SUPPORT
— Open Standards and Free Libre Open Source software (FLOSS). We need both, so advocate and promote both.
— The OASIS OpenDocument (ODF) format
— Great software by purchase, registration, donations, and upgrading
— Great software by advocating, blogging, supporting, teaching others it to others
— Developers with informative bug reports and critical feedback
— 1-year license options and 30-day trial periods (some software has to have time to grow on you)
— Developers who make it easy and cheap to donate frequently to their work. Impulse donations!
— Users who provide honest criticism, praise or feedback in forums, reviews, and blog posts
— Helping others solve their software problems in forums and newsgroups
— Fast-loading, lean software that uses memory efficiently
OPPOSE
— Software piracy — it kills the small developer more than anyone else
— Snarky, mean, bitchy, needy, greedy, miserly users
— DRM (Digital Rights Management) and the RIAA
— Spyware, Adware, or Product activation and validation devices, phone-home schemes
— Closed, proprietary, redundant, or incompatible file formats (Let's just say it: Microsoft.)
— Slow-loading, memory-hogging software (Adobe, this has your name written all over it.)
— Feature-bloated software or slow, buggy software
— Programs that eschew user customization, notably a lack of keyboard shortcuts
— Complex, noisy, or senseless user interfaces in applications
— Complex and restrictive EULAs
— Obvious, frivolous, and invalid patents that crush creativity and encourages a "lawyers-gone-wild" world
________________________________
REMOVED IN 2007 FOR VARIOUS REASONS (47):602PC Suite
Adobe Acrobat 7 Pro
Adobe Photoshop CS2
AutoGK
Batch It! Photo Resizer
BlogJet Blog editor
ClipMate
Coolbeans NFO Creator
CorelDRAW X3
Dexpot Virtual Windows
EasyCleaner
ExplorerPlus File Manager
FastStone Image Viewer
FeedDemon RSS Reader
FileSplit
FileZilla FTP
HDCopy
Image Factory
Investment Wizard
Karen’s Registry Ripper
Loan & Mortgage Calc.
Maxthon
MediaCoder
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft IE7
Microsoft Word 2007
NFO Sighting
O&O Defrag
PAR-n-RAR
PCmover
Picaca 2
Post2Blog Blog editor
RARslave
REL Link Checker Lite
Rename Master
SciWriter
Search Engine Buddy
ShareDirect
TaskTracker
The Tweaking Experience
TweakUI
UltimaCalc Calculator
URL Discombobulator
Windows Defender
workrave
X-Setup Pro
xplorer2