Freeware

Command Line Utilities

  • blat – Command line tool to send email
  • wget – Command line tool to download files from the internet

Communication & Connectivity

  • FileZilla – FTP Server and Client
  • TightVNC – Remote Desktop Control & Viewer Software

Database Management Systems

  • MySQL – The world’s most popular open source database.
  • SQLite – The most widely deployed SQL database engine in the world.

File Management & Manipulation

  • 7-Zip – File Compression/Decompression Utility
  • Attribute Changer – Right-click to change multiple file attributes (I use it for changing dates on multiple files).
  • BRU – Bulk file Rename Utility.  Free for personal use.
  • Everything – A Very Fast Search Engine for Local Files and Folders (includes a simple HTTP and FTP server).
  • FreeCommander – A Windows Explorer Substitute
  • HFS – HTTP File Server (share selected folders and files)
  • Treesize – Utility showing the size of each folder on a drive (useful for determining where large files are located).
  • Unstoppable Copier – File copier that deals with CRC and other disk errors nicely.

Multimedia & Graphics Tools

  • AVC – Any Video Converter – Convert, clip, crop, merge, and make audio adjustments.
  • CamStudio – Screen Recording Software – Takes a video of your screen movements (optionally records voice).
  • Cropper – Simple Screen Capturing Tool
  • Exiftool – Reveals Exif details (settings) of multimedia files
  • Greenshot – Screen Capturing Tool and Annotator.  No “File-Open” option (configure Windows to “Open With”).  Good for quick picture annotation/tagging.
  • IrfanView – Full-featured Image Editor.  Free for personal use.
  • K-Lite Codec Pack – Video and Audio encoding/decoding package – includes Media Player Classic (concise alternative to big-name multimedia packages).  I thought this blurb from K-Lite was helpful to describe what a Codec is:

Codecs are computer programs that encode or decode videos, and different codecs work with various video formats. Your PC may require you to download a codec if you try to play a video format it cannot support. High-quality movies could be encoded in formats that your OS doesn’t support natively. K-Lite [or other Codec Packs] is the solution to that problem. When you take a codec pack, you get a software bundle to facilitate the process so you wouldn’t have to find each individually.

  • ScreenPal – Screen recorder/editor for Windows.
  • SUPER – A Versatile Multimedia Encoder and Player – Requires only one simple click to encode.
    NOTE: Be sure to click on the correct download link (there are a LOT of misleading ads).
    Here is a clip of what to click on:
    SUPER

Network Tools

Operating Systems

  • FreeDOS – A free DOS-compatible operating system for IBM-PC compatible systems.
  • Oracle VM VirtualBox – Open source VM platform.  Run multiple virtual machines (and OS’s) on a single physical machine.
  • Ubuntu – A Linux Operating System

Productivity Tools

  • AMP Calendar – Simple Calendar Tool – Shows 12 months.
  • AutoHotKey – Versatile scripting tool for Windows – Assign scripts to a “Hot Key” or run them stand-alone.
  • FreeCalc – A Nice Windows Calculator Substitute
  • FREE PDFill Tools – Merge, split, rotate pages, etc. Excellent PDF utility.
  • KeePass – Password Database – I used this freeware for years until switching to the more multi-platform friendly LastPass.
  • PDFCreator – Freeware PDF creator – becomes a printer on your system.
  • PureText – Clipboard “cleaner” that removes formatting of all copied text leaving only the text to be pasted.
  • Simple Sticky Notes – A sticky notes utility I like to use – has a “always on top” feature I like.
  • SP TimeSync – System Time Synchronizer (sync your PC time to an NTP server)

System Performance Utilities

  • Process Explorer – Microsoft Sysinternals utility showing real-time process information.
  • Process Monitor – Microsoft Sysinternals utility showing real-time file, registry, and process information.
  • ProcessQuickLink – A “plug-in” for Windows Task Manager – Click “i” icon to launch the Uniblue web page showing information of each process.
  • [Online Tool] Process Library – Database of processes running on your PC including warnings (if applicable) for processes that may be harmful.

System Recovery Tools

  • Recuva – File Recovery Utility
  • UBD4Win – Ultimate Boot Disk for Windows – Bootable CD image containing many system recovery tools.

Virus & Malware Tools

  • Ad-Aware – Anti-Spyware Software
  • AVG Free – AntiVirus Software
  • Avira Antivir – AntiVirus Software.  My favorite that I’ve used for years on our home PC.

Web Browsers & Tools