Some Useful Free Software

Throughout my day I tend to use several free pieces of software for various tasks and have also started using some of them on my home PC.  I use some of the software to clean up machines, some to increase security and some to even keep my personal computer from getting all cluttered up.  Here is a short list of some of the free software that I use and how I find it useful:

• Microsoft Virtual PC 2007: I could easily devote a whole post to using Virtual PC (VPC) and the many different applications I find for it.  Currently I use VPC for the majority of my web browsing and anything related to my blog or completing offers on CashCrate.  You do need an operating system available for install but it will run free versions of Linux if you do not have or want a Microsoft OS available.
• Ubuntu Linux: Need an operating system for your virtual PC?  Here is a good place to get one for free.  Download and use the ISO as an installation source for your VPC.  Microsoft Virtual PC allows you to select an ISO image as your virtual CD drive so you can install without a CD.
• OpenOffice: Sick of paying Microsoft up to $300 to have a copy of Office?  Well you do not have to anymore!  Sun’s OpenOffice provides full compatibility with Microsoft Office formats and is a free download.
• ISO Recorder: One of the most useful utilities I have found.  I often use this to create an image of a CD onto my hard drive.  After the image is stored I can use a blank CD to restore the image or other tools like Daemon Tools Light to mount the image into a virtual CD ROM.
• Daemon Tools: Creates a new virtual CD-ROM drive that allows you to mount ISO images as CD’s.  Very useful if you like to keep your software in ISO format in stead of on CD’s like I do.
• SysInternals: Sysinternals was recently purchased by Microsoft (well maybe it was more like a year ago) but the utilities that they have are extremely useful.  There are utilities for processes, disk usage and even system recovery and maintenance (ERD Commander now known as Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset).
• ZoneAlarm: A free software firewall.  I have not used this in a while so am not able to provide a lot of the merits.  I have moved more in the direction of hardware firewalls.
• AVG AntiVirus: One of the many free antivirus software programs out there.  I prefer this one to some of the others and generally find it does an adequate job.
• Ad-Aware: My first stop for spyware removal.  Generally does a decent job of removing most basic spyware but some malware still manages to reinstall itself after removal but still worth an initial attempt.
• CutePDF: A free PDF printer that will install and allow you to create PDF files just as if you were printing the file to a normal printer.

I use most of this software on a weekly if not daily basis (ZoneAlarm being the exception) and find them all fairly useful.  Plus they are all free – saving me money as well as my company and clients money when I am using them for work.  If you have any questions or would like a more developed “how to” guide on any of the software listed – please just drop me a comment and let me know!  I can then plan on getting together a future post on the software that has more depth.