In a few cases I recommend more than one application for a particular computing task. The detailed explanations are given on the corresponding pages for freeware, PC Mag utilities, and shareware/commercial applications.

An asterisk by a PC Mag or shareware/commercial title means that I recommend its use over the corresponding free application. If there's no application with an asterisk, then I recommend use of the freeware application.

Computing tasks are listed within a category by the frequency with which I perform the computing task (most-used at the top). Change history and explanation of why there are multiple entries in a category are provided in the respective Freeware, PCMag and Shareware recommendations pages.

Revised 23 October, 2004.

General Purpose	Programmer	WebMaster
Graphics	Internet	Security
System	Games	Music	Change History

If you have a software title or computing task category that you think deserves to be on the list, feel free to let me know.

General Purpose Rank Computing Task Freeware PC Mag Shareware/Commercial 1 folder navigation WCD     2 text editor NoteTab Light   *NoteTab Pro 3 dictionary WordWeb     4 local weather WeatherWatcher     5 calendar AMP Calendar *DaysEase   6 folder size TreeSize DiskPie Pro *TreeSize 7 folder comparison Comparator, Files Comparer WMatch 2 *Beyond Compare 8 text file comparison ExamDiff   *Beyond Compare 9 duplicate files Duplicate File Finder Dupeless *Duplic8 10 print folder content Print Folder TreePrint   11 compression JustZipIt   *WinZip 12 clipboard CLCL ClipTrak   13 rename files Renamer Fairy MultiRen   14 reminder MiniReminder NoteWhen   15 keyboard controller CapsLockOff, KeyTweak *TradeKeys   16 text find & replace < .. in work .. >     17 change file attributes Attribute Changer *FileTouch 2   18 clock Chimer, World Time Clock ClockRack, Rouser 2   19 timer < .. in work .. >     20 unit conversion Convert     21 filename case recase     Graphics Rank Computing Task Freeware PC Mag Shareware/Commercial 1 graphics viewer XnView   *ACDSee 2 screen capture MWSnap ScreenSeize   3 image resizer Image Resizer, picTray     4 graphics editor IrfanView   *Paint Shop Pro 5 color picker Color Cop   6 icon editor SnIco IconEdit32 *MicroAngelo 7 icon extractor Icon Snatcher IconJack32 *MicroAngelo 8 print control PrimoPDF PCBook2 *FinePrint, *pdf995 9 3D text X-Fonter   *Xara3D 10 font viewer X-Fonter *FontViewer2   11 3D graphics Blender     System Rank Computing Task Freeware PC Mag Shareware/Commercial 1 system info Everest Home Edition   Systemworks 2 registry tweak X-Setup Pro Registry Detective, Registry Robot   3 startup Startup Control Panel *Startup Cop Pro   4 uninstall Add/Remove Pro   UnClean2 5 context menu Fast Explorer *ContextEdit, *ContextMenuPlus   6 registry clean Easy Cleaner     7 file association - *AppLauncher   8 process monitor Process Explorer *Task Power   9 remote PC control TightVNC   *PCAnywhere Programmer Rank Computing Task Freeware PC Mag Shareware/Commercial 1 code librarian gbCodeLib     2 hex editor Frhed, HexMad *FileSnoop 2   3 installation InnoSetup   *Install Creator 4 programmer's editor Crimson Editor     5 resource files PE Resource Explorer     6 dependencies Dependency Walker     Internet Rank Computing Task Freeware PC Mag Shareware/Commercial 1 browser tool Google Toolbar     2 email checker Poppy, ePrompter MailCall   3 email client Pegasus   *MS Outlook 4 news reader Free Agent   *Agent 5 webcam (viewer) Web Cam Viewer, Webcam Watcher     6 web site download WinHTTrack Web Historian *Offline Explorer Games/Kids Rank Computing Task Freeware PC Mag Shareware/Commercial 1 bridge EZBridge   *Bridge Baron WebMaster Rank Computing Task Freeware PC Mag Shareware/Commercial 1 HTML editor Notepad, NoteTab Light, 1st Page 2000   *NoteTab Pro 2 FTP client SendtoFTP, FileZilla   WS_FTP Pro 3 webcam (uploader) gbFreeCam, WebCam Publisher   WebCam32 4 link checker LinkProver, Xenu Link Sleuth     5 server log analyzer Analog     6 web server Abyss Web Server     7 search position Free Monitor for Google     Security Rank Computing Task Freeware PC Mag Shareware/Commercial 1 anti-virus AVG   *Norton Anti-Virus 2 firewall Zone Alarm     3 backup Karen's Replicator     4 spyware locator Spybot, Ad-Aware     5 cookies IECookiesView Cookie Cop 3   6 encryption Mince *Filewarden   7 secure erase Eraser *Filewarden   Music Rank Computing Task Freeware PC Mag Shareware/Commercial 1 mp3 player Cool Player     2 music ripper CDEX     3 music creation Obliviion