I recently went on a software hunt to replace all of my software with free alternatives preferably open source software. The hunt took me months and i found a lot of dodgy software but by enlarge the software alternatives i found are better then the pay for apps i had before. Also i hated the fact i would install a app a app that does not need to operate on-line but yet it would still ask to get on-line(wtf is that all about) now that does not happen also i can now use my pc as soon as my pc starts rather then go and get a drink and wait 5 minutes for all the apps to start. Now thanks to faster more efficient apps and the fact i have found a app which allows me so remove start up apps. These are the results ![:D]()
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The following apps are all free contain no spyware and or adware, but(there is always a but) avast anti virus does require you to register which is free and they email a code which you put in the app, mainly because if you are a company you have to pay for it.
First is i found and now use a app called nLite(http://www.nliteos.com/) which allows you to remove windows applications which you do not use i.e. windows movie maker, windows messenger, system restore, outlook express, disability option, xp games(pinball etc) etc and create a bookable iso. Put it this way before tweaking my xp it weight in around 590Mb now it is 248Mb.(yes those number are correct)
Adware & Spyware protection:
Before=Ad-Aware SE Professional Edition*****After=Ad-aware SE Personal http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Adawa...nal/965718306/1
Scans your pc for adware & spyware and clears certain mru lists(i use CCleaner for that tho :-)i also was not aware there was a free version which does all i want but not the other stuff which i did not want.
Before=Msconfig*****After=AutoRuns http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Autoruns/1092024321/1
A lot more freedom and allows you to google the entries before deleting them. I also found the following site which allows you to type in the name of a .exe or .dll file and gives you advice whether to remove it or not. http://www.processlibrary.com/
Before=None*****After=Spyware Blaster http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Spywa...er/1056258294/1
Stops dangerous Active X from installing as well as other protection.
Before=Just Ad-Aware SE Personal*****After=Spybot Search and Destroy http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Spybo...oy/1043809773/1
Allows you to manual scan your pc for adware & spyware and adds a windows start up entry called a tea time which allows you to stop apps from adding them selves to you start up and SDhelper which stops you from download bad things from the net(Internet explorer only)
Anti Virus & Firewall protection:
Before=Panda one week norton the next etc etc*****After=Avast Anti Virus Home edition http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/avast_Home/1034566665/1
Brilliant anti virus app which does all the usual also it automatically updates the actual program as well as the anti virus definitions, allows skins and my fav it allows you to schedule a boot time time scan which is more efficient and faster.
Before=ZoneAlarm Security Suite*****After=ZoneAlarm http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/ZoneA...ee/1023831973/1
As strong as the security suite in terms of the firewall(which is all want) but without the spam, Instant messenger, Privacy etc protection.
Compression:
Before=PowerArchiver*****After=TugZip http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/TUGZip/1061582000/1
Looks and feels like PowerArchiver but its compltety free.
Pdf Reader:
Before=Adobe Acrobat Reader*****After=Foxit PDF Reader http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Foxit...er/1102316680/1
Smaller and a lot faster then acrobat and does not even need installing.
Media Player:
Before=Realone*****After=Real Alternative http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Real_...ve/1054136293/1
Allows me to still stream real content which is all i wanted it for but does not include the actual bulky player which i never used and can still play real media files thru windows media player.
Before Quicktime*****After=QuickTime Alternative http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Quick...ve/1049831315/1
Same as Real Alternative but for quicktime files.
Internet Browser:
Before=Opera*****After=Firefox http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Mozil...ws/1032985422/1
Brilliant, fast, secure, easy and highly customizable with themes and extensions.
File & folder backup:
Before=manual copy ![;)]()
*****After=SyncBack http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/SyncBack/1070420627/1
WOW this is one brilliant app basically you configure it to copy any number of files, file types and or folders to another location(Cd-rw, flash drive, server etc) in my case a compressed file to my internal backup hd. It also uses Windows Scheduler to Schedule your backups.
Office App:
Before=Microsoft Office*****After=OpenOffice http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/OpenO...ws/1009574294/1
Another WoW program think of something Microsoft Office can do and for me OpenOffice will do the same.
Maintenance:
Before=A load of rubbish apps*****After=CCleaner
Do i need to say anything.
Before=Nothing*****After=NTREGOPT http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/NTREGOPT/1075895356/1
Backs up and defrags your registry.
Before=Nothing*****After=PageDefrag http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/PageDefrag.html
Defrags(at system restart) files that are open for exclusive access.
Before=Windows recycling bin*****After=Eraser http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Eraser/1010751436/1
Can empty the recycling bin by erasing the contents with special erasing algorithms and allows you to overwrite the free space on a hd so files will not be recoverable. It also alows you to right click a file and erase it in the same way.
Before=Nothing*****After=Driver Cleaner Professional http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Drive...al/1056384838/2
Removes files left over after uninstalling a driver which can conflict with a new driver.
Email:
Before=Hotmail*****After=Gmail http://gmail.google.com/
Fast, Free, HUGE storage(2290 MB and growing) and for me easier to use.(I have invites if you want one just pm me)
The following 3 entries are my fav because i have completely got rid of apps on my pc, taking up close to 6Gb of Hd space. Also if you see the below screenshot and look at the question mark on the right side of my dock that is a link to Wikipedia's search page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search which acts like a shorcut to a app by when i click it it will launch firefox and directley take me to the search page.
Rss & Blog Reader:
Before=FeedDemon*****After=Bloglines http://www.bloglines.com/
Same again why have app with loads of feeds taking space up on your pc when you can someone else to store them for nothing.
Maps & Route Planner:
Before=Microsoft Autoroute*****After=Google Maps http://maps.google.com/ Again why pay for something you can get for free plus i live on a very small road that is no even in Autoroute(It does not have that much detail in it) yet low and behold i can find my road on google maps plus i love the interface, local search & directions features.
Encylopedia:
Before=Microsoft Encarta*****After=Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
It has everything encarta has yet it costs nothing anyone can make there own page about a subject they now about and as it is web based it does not take up 4.5Gb as encarta does. It also has a lot of things that encarta does not such as type a game in and 99% of the time there will be a page about and it is always up to date.
Visual:
Before=Nothing*****After=RK Launcher http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/RK_La...er/1110214441/1
A docking app see the bottom of the below screenshot.
Before=Nothing always forgot ![;)]()
*****After=Rainlendar http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Rainlendar/970572945/1
Customizable calendar which can remind you off important events which you set. see bottom right corner of screenshot.
My current desktop:
Hope they help, there are some apps which i could not find suitable alternatives to which are list below if you guys know any please post a link thanks.
Current=Easy CD-DA Extractor i use it for converting my music from one format to another.
Current=Paint Shop pro, photo editing.
Current=Nero, dvd-rw burning i found a couple alternatives but the discs were coaster fired straight after burning.
