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Software
as of 020206
Children's Software
Christina
Word
chrsword.zip
09-29-99
Help
kids to learn word-processor basics
Company:
John and Christina
Version:
1.0
Size:
2.50 MB
Requirements:
sound card, speakers, and Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Christina
Word is a free program geared toward teaching young children the basics of
word processing. Its interface is colorful and runs full-screen. As
characters are typed, the voice of a seven-year-old girl (the author's
daughter Christina) announces them. Her voice also provides audio help
when the mouse cursor is placed over a button. Favorite words can be
stored in a list for visual reference. Although the program can't print
and only one document can be saved, the little ones will enjoy pressing
keys and hearing their names spoken.
Reviewed
on Sep 29 1999.
Paramagnus
eWork
pmework.exe
09-26-00
Get
help with your homework
Company:
Paramagnus Developments, Inc.
Version:
1.01
Size:
1.07 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, 2000, or Me
Purchase
Information: Free
Need
help with your homework? eWork contains resources for all your classes
including chemistry, biology, physics, history, English, foreign
languages, and geography. Need help understanding a book? eWork has notes
on over 210 novels. Need an essay? The author's claim eWork will find an
essay on any subject for you. This program has not yet been reviewed.
123Learn:
Forest Fieldtrip
lrnfft.exe
01-23-01
Learn
about the sounds of the forest
Company:
Wyvern Studios
Version:
2.0
Size:
1.06 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
123Learn:
Forest Fieldtrip teaches children about forest animals. This is an
excellent program to help children learn matching skills through various
animals and associated sounds, and it also introduces them to preschool
computer skills that reinforce hand-eye coordination. You enter a forest
setting full of 18 varieties of animated wildlife -- including fish, bear,
ferret, woodpecker, and owl. Play the explore mode to hear corresponding
forest sounds when clicking any animal, or try the puzzle mode that
presents an animal sound and asks the user to identify to which forest
animal it belongs. If you select a wrong choice, you hear the sound of
that particular animal; narration then reminds you of the original sound
you had sought to identify. Note: The set program installs the Gator
password manager utility upon installation.
Reviewed
on Jan 23 2001.
123Learn:
City Sounds
lrncity.exe
01-22-01
Learn
about the sounds of the city
Company:
Wyvern Studios
Version:
2.0
Size:
1.29 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
123Learn:
City Sounds teaches children about city sights and sounds. This is an
excellent program to help children learn matching skills through various
city sights and associated sounds, and it also introduces them to
preschool computer skills that reinforce hand-eye coordination. You enter
a city setting full of 15 varieties of animated facets of city life,
including pigeon, helicopter, police whistle, train, and bus. Play the
explore mode to hear corresponding city sounds when clicking on any sight,
or try the puzzle mode that presents a city sound and asks the user to
identify to which city sight it belongs. If you select a wrong choice, you
hear the sound of that particular sight; narration then reminds you of the
original sound you had sought to identify. Note: The setup program
installs the Gator password manager utility.
Reviewed
on Jan 22 2001.
123Learn:
Barnyard Friends
lrnbarn.exe
01-22-01
Teach
your child about farm animals
Company:
Wyvern Studios
Version:
2.0
Size:
891.64 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
123Learn:
Barnyard Friends teaches children about farm animals. This is an excellent
program to help children learn matching skills through various animals and
associated sounds, and it also introduces them to preschool computer
skills that reinforce hand-eye coordination. You enter a barnyard setting
full of 13 varieties of animated farm animals, including cow, rooster,
sheep, pig, and turkey. Play the explore mode to hear corresponding
barnyard sounds when clicking on any animal, or try the puzzle mode that
presents an animal sound and asks the user to identify to which farm
animal it belongs. If you select a wrong choice, you hear the sound of
that particular animal; narration then reminds you of the original sound
you had sought to identify. Note: The setup program installs the Gator
password manager utility.
Reviewed
on Jan 22 2001.
Click
and Learn: Puzzle Pals
puzzpals.exe
01-18-01
Help
kids learn deductive reasoning
Company:
Wyvern Studios
Version:
2.0
Size:
1001.29 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Click
and Learn: Puzzle Pals gives kids a fun-to-play leg-up on problem-solving
skills. This entertaining game introduces deductive reasoning and is
easily played by children 5 and up. Each round challenges the child to
locate a "special guest" from a grid of 24 friendly faces. A
total of 64 unique character faces provide variety. Kids use the mouse to
make guesses, and the game gives clues to help narrow the field: "I'm
wearing a hat", "I'm not a girl", and "I have
freckles" are some examples of game feedback. A sample character
shows game progress -- dynamically adding each attribute to a generic
cartoon face as the player gathers clues. Note: The software is free but
is bundled with Web software that will occasionally offer products for
sale.
Reviewed
on Jan 21 2001.
Click
and Learn: Jungle Adventure
clcklrn.exe
01-18-01
Teach
your child about animals
Company:
Wyvern Studios
Version:
2.0
Size:
1.00 MB
Requirements:
sound card and Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Click
and Learn: Jungle Adventure teaches children about jungle animals. While
this is an excellent program to help children learn matching skills
through various animals and associated sounds, it also introduces them to
preschool computer skills, reinforcing hand-eye coordination. You enter a
jungle setting full of 16 varieties of animated wildlife, including tiger,
parrot, elephant, gorilla, monkey and more. Play the explore mode to hear
corresponding jungle sounds when clicking on any animal, or try the puzzle
mode that presents an animal sound and asks the user to identify to which
jungle creature it belongs. If you select a wrong choice, you hear the
sound of that particular animal; narration then reminds you of the
original sound you had sought to identify. Note: This program installs the
Gator password manager utility upon installation.
Reviewed
on Jan 19 2001.
Animated
Beginning Phonics
animphon.zip
07-25-00
Help
children to learn word sounds
Company:
Flix Productions
Version:
1.0
Size:
11.26 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $22 if you decide to keep it.
Animated
Beginning Phonics is a fun educational program for kids from preschool to
grade 2. With great sounds and animated graphics, it lets the student
practice phonics lessons on upper- and lower-case letters, beginning and
ending sounds, middle short vowel sounds, and beginning reading words.
With all menu choices spoken as well as read, the students choose their
own exercises and learn the relationships between phonetic sounds and over
200 3D pictures. As a reward after completing a study section, a
parent/teacher-controlled game room with animated puzzles and memory games
is offered. The parent sets the number of activities that must be
completed before access to the games. The student can then select between
puzzles and a Concentration-style memory game.
Reviewed
on Jul 03 2000.
Reading
Blaster Kindergarten
rbkinder.zip
09-28-99
Teach
kindergarten kids to read
Company:
Knowledge Adventure, Inc.
Size:
2.97 MB
Requirements:
Pentium 90 and Windows 95 or Windows 98
Purchase
Information: Demo: $29.95 for retail version.
Reading
Blaster Kindergarten teaches children how to read at kindergarten level.
Skills taught include the ability to distinguish between same and
different, recognize capital and lowercase letters, put letters in
alphabetical order, match a letter to its phonetic sound, match beginning
sounds to pictures and words, recognize opposite words, group words into
similar categories, match rhyming words and pictures, spell simple three-
and four-letter words, and put simple sentences together. Reading Blaster
Kindergarten contains nine activities at five different reading levels and
introduces 450 vocabulary words. The wonderful sounds and graphics make
learning fun, and the single, submarine game included in this demo will
give you a taste for more.
Reviewed
on Sep 13 1999.
Reading
Blaster 1st Grade
rbfirstg.zip
09-14-99
Teach
first graders to read
Company:
Knowledge Adventure, Inc.
Size:
4.02 MB
Requirements:
Pentium 90 and Windows 95 or Windows 98
Purchase
Information: Demo: $29.95 for retail version.
Reading
Blaster 1st Grade is another entry in the excellent series of educational
games from Knowledge Adventure. It teaches children how to read at a first
grade level. It includes skills such as recognizing short and long vowel
sounds; identifying nouns, verbs, and adjectives; writing and reading
friendly letters; following directions; using punctuation and
capitalization; spelling three- to six-letter words; building words from
sounds; sequencing words to make sentences; and sequencing sentences to
make a story. This demo contains a single, fun game that helps children to
recognize beginning and ending sounds. The full version contains 10 games
and features 1,500 vocabulary words. The pronunciation and spelling is
US-based. Like all Knowledge Adventure games, Reading Blaster 1st Grade
makes wonderful use of sound, graphics, and audio.
Reviewed
on Sep 13 1999.
Games
A1
Geo-Fit Game Pack
ageofit.exe
09-19-00
Be
challenged by falling triangles
Company:
Michael Treciokas
Version:
1.0
Size:
3.33 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95 or Windows 98
Purchase
Information: Free
A1
Geo-Fit Game Pack includes a series of three games that are easy, medium,
and difficult -- all based on variations of familar "falling
blocks" games, but with a triangular twist. While it is similar to
the popular game, the use of odd triangular shapes makes the task quite
entertaining and challenging. As each of the seven piece types fall, you
can rotate it to best fit into the shape of the rows of triangles at the
base of the playing field. Once a row is complete, it is removed.
Triangles can become translucent, which in some cases allows shapes
through. Optional music and sound effects can accompany play, and high
scores are maintained.
Reviewed
on Jul 12 2000.
Board
Games For Two
bgf2.zip
05-05-97
Play
classic games with friend
Company:
WinGames.Inc.
Version:
4.0a
Size:
733.62 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $10 if you decide to keep it.
Registration benefits include: expanded features.
In
Board Games For Two, you don't play against the computer. Instead, this
Windows 95 suite of eight classic board games is designed to be played
against a real live human being over any network, null modem cable, modem
-- or even side-by-side at your PC. According to the author, Board Games
For 2 was designed to be as close as possible to playing on a real board.
Only mundane tasks, like removing captured pieces or setting up the board,
have been automated. Use the button-bar interface to select the game, the
type of connection, and settings. Games include Checkers, Chess,
Backgammon, Goban, Flag Ship, Pipes, Race Chase, and Fox and Hounds.
Realistic digital sound effects (if you have a sound card) enhance the
playing enjoyment. This unregistered version lets you play 10 games before
disabling itself, however, for this game's modest registration fee the
developer will give you codes that unlock all of the company's games.
ChessBase
Light
cblight.zip
08-07-00
Save
Chess games for detailed analysis
Company:
ChessBase GMBH
Version:
Size:
2.63 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
ChessBase
Light is a free edition of ChessBase limited to 8,000 games per database.
It supports the new CBH format of ChessBase 6, along with Fritz5 and the
PGN format. You'll have no trouble navigating ChessBase regardless of the
language you prefer, since the interface is available in seven languages.
It's easy to review, compare, annotate, print, and analyze games based on
moves, probabilities, opening, and endgame positions. You can study
tournament results and player habits as well as build your own scenarios
for practice, competitions, or comparisons. Here is a tool for the serious
student of the game; unfortunately, it doesn't come with any sample data
and the help file doesn't cover much more than an explanation of menu
choices.
Reviewed
on Aug 04 2000.
Computer
Puzzles Unlimited
compuzun.zip
09-07-99
Enjoy
a big variety of free word puzzles
Company:
Computer Puzzles Unlimited
Version:
1.0
Size:
2.02 MB
Requirements:
Visual Basic 5.0 Runtime and Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
If
you're a lover of word puzzles, download Computer Puzzles Unlimited today.
While the number of puzzles isn't quite "unlimited" (over 40 are
included), there's enough variety to keep even the most die-hard puzzle
solver busy for days. You get two levels of puzzles (easy and medium),
including Kryptoquiz, Cryptogram, Crossed Sums, Letter Choice, and Word
Division. The interface could use a lot of work, but once you get past its
quirks, you'll find a lot of fun wordplay. Additional free puzzles are
available from the developer's Website.
Reviewed
on Sep 06 1999.
FreeplayUSA
Listen and Learn games
freeplay.exe
06-29-00
Let
kids learn about animals
Company:
Wyvern Studios Inc.
Version:
1.0
Size:
4.10 MB
Requirements:
Internet connection and Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
FreeplayUSA
Listen and Learn games will keep the pre-schoolers and early elementary
school children entertained for hours. You get three modules in this
single download: Barnyard Friends, Forest Field Trip, and Jungle
Adventure. All of these games feature three different modes: play,
question, and 1-2-3. The play mode lets your child click on animals to
hear the sounds they make. The question mode asks your child to identify
animals by the sound they make. The 1-2-3 mode asks your child to repeat
in sequence, the order of animals or objects in an increasingly difficult
pattern. The graphics are cute and the sounds are accompanied by
animations. The free games are sponsored, but the advertising is
unobtrusive and doesn't require detailed questionnaires before playing.
Reviewed
on Jul 02 2000.
Gini's
Children's Bingo
ginchibn.zip
08-09-99
Introduce
your children to Bingo
Company:
Frank and Gini''s Freewares
Version:
Size:
547.83 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Gini's
Children's Bingo is a freeware bingo game with simple, “1D” graphics
designed to teach children how to play bingo. In this demo, you start by
playing a regular game (for a $25.00 prize) against Gini. Then you play a
“T” game -- one of Gini's Children's Bingo’s ten specialty games --
for a $100.00 prize. You can play with or without sounds. You can also
adjust ball-calling speed, from slow to very fast. As the game calls out
balls, arrows appear on the player’s card whenever the player has
matched the called number (We felt this feature takes some of the learning
challenge out of playing the game). While Gini’s Children’s Bingo will
not wow you with fancy graphics, it will provide a simple and fun bingo
experience for you and your kids. The game provides a brief tutorial.
Reviewed
on Aug 08 1999.
Hoyle
Card Games 2000
hoylcrdg.exe
11-23-99
Play
many popular card games
Company:
Sierra, Inc.
Version:
3.0
Size:
19.21 MB
Requirements:
Pentium 100 and Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Demo: $29.95 for retail version.
Hoyle
Card Games 2000 is a complete suite of card game favorites that feature
the outstanding graphics, sound effects, and animation we've all come to
expect from Sierra. The full version offers 14 different games for the
entire family -- including Gin Rummy, Poker, Bridge, Cribbage, Spades,
War, Crazy Eights, Old Maid, Pinochle, Hearts, Memory Match, Euchre, and
30 variations of Solitaire. Choose from 10 computer opponents or initiate
Internet play. Several of the card games allow up to four people to play
on the same PC. Plus, you can cutomize cards and characters. This demo
limits you to playing Gin Rummy, the Four Free flavor of Solitaire, and
Cribbage. Ethel, a grandmother who plays at the Intermediate level, is
your opponent in Gin Rummy and Cribbage. She offers challenging play and
keeps you on your toes. Games are peppered with her comments and general
exclamations, which makes for a lively game.
Reviewed
on Nov 27 1999.
Hoyle
Word Games
hwordgms.exe
11-23-99
Play
eight challenging word games
Company:
Sierra, Inc.
Version:
1.0
Size:
21.68 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Demo: $29.95 for retail version.
Hoyle
Word Games includes eight different word games of varying types, complete
with all of the slick graphics and cool sounds we've all come to expect
from Sierra. The full version includes Anagrams, Crosswords, DoubleCross,
Enigma, Hangman, Speedy Racer, Word Searches, and Word Yacht. (In this
demo, you can play only Word Yacht, Crosswords, and Hangman.) Play on your
own, against six characters, or over the Internet. Games may be printed
out to take or share. Use the Face Maker function to make unique personal
icons for in-game or online play. Other nice features include hints and
error checking, an electronic dictionary, and statistics tracking. Every
word game lover will find a lot to like about Sierra and Hoyle's take on
this nice mix of new challenges and and old favorites.
Reviewed
on Nov 28 1999.
Hoyle
Board Games
hoylbord.exe
11-23-99
Have
family fun with classic games
Company:
Sierra, Inc.
Version:
3.0
Size:
18.60 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95 or Windows 98
Purchase
Information: Demo: $39.95 for retail version.
Hoyle
Board Games is a suite of classic games that will keep your whole family
amused. You'll find Backgammon, Battling Ships, Checkers, Chess, Chinese
Checkers, Dominoes, Line 'em Up, Mancala, Pachisi, Placer Racer, Reversi,
Snakes & Ladders, Yacht, and Zen Bones. This demo allows full access
to Placer Racer, Zen Bones, and Backgammon. In Placer Racer, you shoot
colored balls out onto the board as you try to line up three balls of the
same color. Zen Bones is an adaptation of the popular solitaire Mah Jongg
game. In the Backgammon game, your PC opponent is Jasper, a talkative
fellow with a deep Jamaican accent. The full version provides a wealth of
opponents to choose from, all with different playing levels and
idiosyncrasies. The entire suite features outstanding graphics, 3D
animations, and realistic sound effects. It's bound to become a family
favorite.
Reviewed
on Nov 24 1999.
iSolitaire
isolitai.exe
04-13-00
Play
35 free Solitaire games
Company:
Crescent Vision Interactive, LLC
Version:
1.0.0.1
Size:
1.75 MB
Requirements:
Internet connection and Windows 95 or Windows 98
Purchase
Information: Free
iSolitaire
is a collection of 35 Solitaire games. It needs a few interface tweaks,
but thanks to banner ads retrieved through your Internet connection, it's
free. You'll enjoy old favorites such as Auld Lang Syne, Forty Thieves,
Golf, Klondike, Free Cell, La Belle Lucie, Pyramid, and Yukon, as well as
some not-so-common varieties. Cards are attractive, and you can choose
from several colored background textures. Other features include crisp
sound effects (but no option to mute them), concise rules, and an ongoing
record of the top 10 scores. You'll also find undo, redo, autoplay, and
replay commands.
Reviewed
on Apr 13 2000.
Mattie's
Preschool Math Games
mpmg.zip
12-10-97
Teach
4&5 year-olds math
Company:
LatticeWork Software
Version:
3.1
Size:
2.01 MB
Requirements:
Sound card and Windows 95
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $14.95 if you decide to keep it.
Mattie's
Preschool Math Games is a collection of mathematics-related games for 3-6
year-old, preschool children. In addition to learning to identify numbers
and shapes and learning to count, the program includes a variety of fun
activities. These hands-on games help children develop problem-solving
skills and analytical thought. The program offers colorful graphics,
voices, sound effects, and background music to add to the highly
interactive, very intuitive play. All incorrect responses are treated
humorously. The unregistered version offers a single level of 3 different
game activities. The registered version offers more levels and 6 game
activities.
PySol
pysol.exe
08-10-00
Play
298 free Solitaire games
Company:
Markus Oberhumer
Version:
4.6
Size:
3.70 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Free
Play
Solitaire has just about everything you'd want in a suite of Solitaire
games -- including freeware status. It offers an impressive 298 distinct
types of Solitaire, from familiar old favorites to challenging new
varieties. You'll find rules for each game in the help file. Enjoy crisp
sound effects and background music, and choose from several good-looking
card sets and table designs. Other nice features include unlimited undo
and redo, the ability to load and save games, player statistics, and a
hint system.
Reviewed
on May 31 2000.
Ray's
Spelling and Word Games
rayssple.exe
08-17-00
Help
children with spelling and more
Company:
Ray Le Couteur
Version:
3.1
Size:
881.50 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $19 if you decide to keep it.
Playing
Ray's Spelling and Word Games is an excellent way to help children with
spelling, reading, and vocabulary words. The spelling section offers three
elements: learning, practice, and test. You can add your own words, spoken
in your own voice, to the built-in word lists. These words are then played
back throughout the program as part of the exercises. In addition, the
program includes two challenging and fun word games, offering a range of
difficulty levels, plus bonus games for high scores. Options let you set
the spelling to U.S. or U.K. rules, change sound quality, set passwords,
and more. Registration offers loads of benefits, including extensive new
word lists and a database of commonly misspelled words. Great value.
Reviewed
on Dec 09 1999.
Rocky's
Math Games
rockgame.exe
08-14-00
Shoot
down complex equations
Company:
Fundamental Software
Version:
2.3
Size:
2.11 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Free
Rocky
may have to save the planet by demonstrating his ability to solve linear
and quadratic equations while simultaneously dodging bouncing solutions
and other threats. It sounds a bit hokey at first, but here's a set of
arcade-style games that challenge students to think about math while doing
what they like best -- playing computer games. Rocky's Maths Games are
accessed through the easy-to-use Rocky Control Panel. You get to play only
Bouncer initially, for free, but you can download a whole range of
additional challenging games from the Internet for less than $5 each.
Naturally, score is kept and you can choose from a range of skill levels
as you try the various games.
Reviewed
on Sep 07 2000.
Solitude
solitude.zip
02-10-00
Play
80 free Solitaire games
Company:
David Bernazzani
Version:
1.52
Size:
3.66 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Solitude
is a freeware assortment of 80 distinct Solitaire card games -- three of
which have been invented by the developer. You can launch each game from a
unified menu and sort by name, resolution, number of decks used, odds of
winning, length of time normally played, and game type. Since each game is
a nearly self-contained executable file, you can copy the .exe file for
just the games you like -- along with a .dll file and the help file -- to
another PC (say, a laptop). Each game features undo, replay, statistics,
and options. Both the interface and cards are cleanly designed. While you
won't find nice extras like sound effects and a big variety of card backs
and table designs, Solitude is a great collection of card games at our
favorite price -- free.
Reviewed
on Feb 11 1999.
Spelling
Buddy Games
sbudgame.exe
04-12-00
Play
along and improve your spelling
Company:
Aboo Graphics
Version:
4.0
Size:
1.65 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Free
Spelling
Buddy Games is a package of four word games that will test your memory as
well as your spelling ability. With fun sound effects, a good variety of
activities, and a cheeky sense of humor, these games are certainly
entertaining, but you'll have to persevere with a rather confusing
interface. The games are Four Chins's Cookie, a Jeopardy style game;
Fightin Words, in which you must devise interactive stories; Racking
Memories, in which you try to remember where a word is located then type
that word correctly; and Word Upso, a soupy collection of anagrams. You
can edit the existing word lists, so the games maintain their freshness
over time.
Spelling
Games
splgme.zip
03-31-00
Teach
spelling the fun way
Company:
KIDware
Version:
5.0
Size:
2.35 MB
Requirements:
Visual Basic 4.0 Runtime (16-bit) and Windows 3.1
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $14.95 if you decide to keep it.
Spelling
Games is a novel educational program that helps children learn to identify
words and spell them correctly. Nine spelling games for grades K-6 are
included. Each game allows you choose a grade level and select from 10
word lists of 30 words each. A list editor enables you to build additional
word lists to keep your students challenged. Kids will be asked to
unscramble words, play word search or hangman, navigate a worm to create
spelling words, alphabetize lists, and much more. Each game is intended to
let your child have fun while learning. The program is well designed and
easy for young children to navigate, yet challenging enough to keep older
children interested.
Reviewed
on Aug 23 1999.
TypingMaster
Games
tmsgam.exe
06-12-00
Improve
typing skills with this freebie
Company:
TypingMaster
Version:
6.11
Size:
1.53 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Free
TypingMaster
Games is a freeware collection of three fun and challenging games designed
to improve your keyboarding skills, whether you're a beginner or an
experienced typist. They include Bubbles, Clouds, and Wordtris, each with
three variations. Graphics are attractive, and crisp sound effects add to
the playing experience. Just choose a game from the menu page. When the
game opens, the rules are provided. Press any key to begin. As you play,
the game will accelerate to challenge your skills. All three games have a
similar goal: You must type the numbers, letters, or word groups before
they move off the screen. These free games are an inducement to try the
author's more-complete TypingMaster keyboard training program, which is
also available in our library.
Reviewed
on Jul 28 2000.
WildTangent
BlasterBall
blastbal.exe
07-21-00
Blast
your way out of the bricks
Company:
WildTangent, Inc.
Version:
1.0
Size:
1.08 MB
Requirements:
DirectX 6 or later, Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator/Communicator 4
or later, Pentium 133, and Windows 95 or Windows 98
Purchase
Information: Free
WildTangent
BlasterBall is a scintillating remake of the classic Breakout/Blockbuster
arcade classic in which you destroy walls of bricks using a ball and
paddle. Featuring reverberating sound effects, excellent graphics, and
fascinating gameplay, this freeware program uses WildTangent's Web Driver
engine to provide gameplay directly inside your browser. The game features
over 50 levels of action, with numerous powerups and a wild array of block
types, each with its own capabilities. Dedicated fans of Breakout will
have a great time with this game, as will anyone who likes testing their
skill. Note that the Web Driver software uploads info about your browser
performance to WildTangent's servers as you use the program.
Reviewed
on Aug 17 2000.
ZDNet's
Solitaire 3-Pack
zdsol.zip
10-25-96
Play
3 popular solitaire games
Company:
Rhode Island Soft Systems
Version:
1.0
Size:
570.00 KB
Requirements:
Windows 3.x
Purchase
Information: Free
ZD
Net's Solitaire 3-Pack is a collection of three popular solitaire games:
Canfield, King Albert, and Friday the 13th. Included are both the 16- and
32-bit versions of each game.
Shapez!
shapez.exe
10-27-00
Form
lines, squares, or blocks of balls
Company:
Dmitri V. Kivilev
Version:
2.0
Size:
2.21 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Shapez!
is a challenging, free board game in which you try to move colored balls
into groups to remove them from the board. With each move, three new balls
are added to the board -- you must keep removing them before the board
fills up and the game ends. The next three ball locations are shown as
hints for each move. Plan ahead since you need a clear route to allow a
ball to move into position. Choose lines, squares, or blocks as your goal.
Sound effects accompany the moves, and a high-score honor roll gives you
something to work toward. The interface is colorful, with subtle icon
controls that have pop-up tooltips to identify them. You can change the
sounds or turn them off completely, and there are several skin variations
to keep the interface interesting. The game is easy to play and will
fascinate kids and bored workers alike. Note: This free software contains
advertising technology that will occasionally use your Internet connection
to receive and display ads.
Reviewed
on Sep 14 2000.
LaserAge
lasera.exe
02-10-00
Blast
your way through space
Company:
Freeform Interactive
Version:
1.9.1
Size:
3.79 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
LaserAge
is a speedy, Galaga-style game with detailed graphics and challenging
gameplay. Move your spacecraft from side to side to avoid being bombarded
by the oncoming waves of invaders, and shoot to destroy. When you first
start playing, you'll be horrified to find that you have only one life:
Lose it, and you're done for. However, as you progress through the three
levels and 45 attack waves and gather the essential powerups, not only
will your firepower increase but so, too, will your ability to sustain
enemy hits. The pace is furious, with no respite between waves, and the
gameplay engaging. The sound effects could use a little more variety, but
you'll find plenty of variety in the descending hordes.
Reviewed
on Dec 29 1999.
Free
Solitaire
freesol.exe
09-30-00
Play
10 well-done Solitaire games
Company:
Michael McCulloch
Version:
3.03
Size:
2.17 MB
Requirements:
minimum resolution of 800x600 and Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Once
you spend a few minutes with Free Solitaire, you'll never want to go back
to the Solitaire games that come with Windows. This suite of 10 free
(thanks to banner advertising) card games features gorgeous graphics that
look great in high- or true-color modes. Pick from Forty Thieves, Free
Cell, Indian Patience, Klondike, Montana, Pyramid, SeaHaven Towers, Golf,
Double Klondike, and Spider. Rules for each game are included. Options let
you choose from three card back designs or use your own from any .bmp, .jpg,
or .pcx file. You can also select small or large cards, customize the
background color, turn on/off the animation on deals, and take advantage
of unlimited undo. If you're a card-playing addict and have the video
horsepower (if your video card has at least 2MB of RAM, you should),
you'll love having Free Solitaire on your system.
Reviewed
on Sep 01 1999.
Caterpillar
carpillr.zip
09-21-00
Help
your caterpillar eat and grow
Company:
Po Tan
Version:
1.6
Size:
208.96 KB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Free
Caterpillar
by Po's Software is a smooth, free version of those Snake games everyone
used to play in the good old days when 16Kb was a lot of RAM. You control
a creature that moves around the screen and eats things. As you eat, you
grow, and you must avoid crashing into the walls or your tail. This is an
engaging incarnation of the title, although the gameplay can become
repetitive. A bit of originality comes in the form of food items with a
counter. They count down from 20 to -100, and affect your score
accordingly. If the counter reaches -100, you die. Caterpillar's classic
mode caters to the desperately nostalgic. The graphics are green and
black, and your caterpillar, its tail, and the food items are all
represented by squares. The gameplay in cute mode is identical, as are the
responsive controls, but your caterpillar has a face, eats cherries
instead of squares, and makes appealing little noises.
Reviewed
on Sep 12 2000.
Bike
Flyter
bikeflyt.exe
09-18-00
Fly
past the motorcycles
Company:
KAiNAi Entertainment
Version:
1.0
Size:
3.80 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Free
BikeFlyter
is a colorful and humorous (if somewhat repetitive) twitch-your-mouse
"driving" game in which you are a fat fly zooming at breakneck
speed down a Route 66-like highway trying to avoid oncoming traffic.
Gameplay consists of jerking your mouse at just the right times so you
don't become a grease spot on an oncoming biker's windshield -- which
isn't easy later in the game when those bikers start to swerve as they
bear down on you. You have eight lives, and you lose one of them every
time you get clipped by a passing biker. When you lose all eight, you are
treated to a funny animation of your fly going SPLAT on the game screen as
the Game Over message appears. The "enemy" bikers are pretty
cool-looking, ranging from grungy bearded hog-lovers to biker babes to
motorcycle cops with their sirens blaring. The twitchfest gameplay becomes
a bit repetitive, as does the desert scenery you fly through, but for a
simple, humorous diversion this freeware game is worth a look.
Reviewed
on Sep 18 2000.
M2
Math Tutor
m2math.exe
01-24-01
Test
your math skills
Company:
ChristopherL Design
Version:
3.2
Size:
3.00 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, 2000, or Me
Purchase
Information: Free
M2
Math Tutor is a series of three games that test various addition,
subtraction, and multiplication skills. Although the games enrich math
rudiments, they are workbook drills with limited feedback and no option
for random operations. In Missing Number, you select the missing variable
(addition or subtraction) to complete the equation, then repeat the
problem until you enter the correct answer. In Missing Operation, you
choose the operation that was used -- addition, subtraction, or
multiplication -- to complete the solved problem. In Time Trial, you race
the clock solving addition problems. You can track your score during
gameplay, up to five skill levels, on all three games. You can also hide
or reveal your score on the M2 scorecard, create custom worksheets with
the worksheet generator, and search other math categories on the Web with
the integrated M2 browser.
Reviewed
on Feb 01 2001.
Flash
Typing
ftdemo.zip
02-20-01
Learn
to type by using a fun game
Company:
Dixon Products, LLC
Version:
1.0
Size:
4.11 MB
Requirements:
Pentium 90 and Windows 9x, NT, 2000, or Me
Purchase
Information: Demo: $19.95 for retail version.
Flash
Typing is a fun way to learn keyboarding and touch typing. The learning
process is centered around a game, similar to much children's educational
software. It uses a visual progress bar and audible feedback to speed the
learning process. As you correctly type on the keys, the letters are
zapped with a laser. The game provides just three levels and the supplied
demo is limited to only the first lesson. Applying the game approach to
typing tutoring is apparently so novel that it is patented. Effectiveness
is questionable, but the technique is certainly more entertaining than
traditional typing tutoring programs.
Reviewed
on Feb 19 2001.
Misc. Software
Microviet
Kids Explorer
kidsexpl.zip
11-29-99
Give
your children a Net starter kit
Company:
Microviet
Version:
3.1
Size:
7.61 MB
Requirements:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or 5.0 and Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Microviet
Kids Explorer is a multipurpose password-protected software package
designed for kids. It consists of a word processor, Internet Web browser,
FTP client, email client, news client, drawing program, zip/unzip
utilities, and financial calculator. In ability and complexity, the word
processor is somewhere in between WordPad and MS Word. It allows you to
insert objects such as drawings, and includes a spell checker. A toolbar
provides access to commonly used features, such as justification, font
characteristics, color, and Clipboard operations. The Web browser window
loads a page designed by the author with lots of kid-related Website
links. All in all, Microviet Kids Explorer seems like an odd mix of very
broad-based functions. The word processor is too complex for young
children to negotiate, the zip and FTP utilities are even more difficult,
and then there's the financial calculator, which isn't half bad, but seems
a rather odd addition. The drawing program pales in comparison to the MS
Paint utility that ships with Windows. The single component that seems
truly aimed at children is the Web browser, which puts a fine collection
of kid-related links at your disposal.
Holy
Bible King James Version
bibjam.zip
12-14-00
Enjoy
the KJV Bible w/several study aids
Company:
Craig Richmond
Version:
5.1.4
Size:
10.64 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x or Me
Purchase
Information: Free
The
Holy Bible King James Version is a free, 32-bit, electronic edition of
God's Word. Along with the complete KJV text, you'll find a variety of
reference resources to aid your Bible studies. Included are Easton's Bible
Dictionary, the Matthew Henry Commentary, Hitchcock's Bible Name
Dictionary, Nave's Topics, and Torry's Topics. The program also offers
links to 12,000 topics, parables, prophecies, and maps; Microsoft Word and
Internet support; as well as font and color customization. If you're
looking for an electronic edition of the most popular version of the
Bible, this offering is well worth the download.
Reviewed
on Feb 18 1999.
King
James Bible Online
kjvbibl.zip
09-07-00
Get
a free HTML-based KJV Bible
Company:
Freelancepro
Version:
2000
Size:
2.47 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Free
The
King James Version Online Bible presents the "classic" version
of God's Word in HTML format, ready for you to enjoy with any Web browser
that supports frames. Navigation is fairly easy, and a basic search
function is provided. Each chapter is saved in a separate HTML file. You
can print and copy through your browser. Once you have unzipped the
archive, just click on start.html to begin.
Reviewed
on Sep 08 2000.
Koran
thekoran.zip
11-22-00
Read
and study the Islamic holy book
Company:
Yildun.com
Version:
5.2
Size:
2.54 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Free
Adherents
of Islam, or those interested in reading the Islamic holy book, will want
to take a look at this English translation of the Koran. A very attractive
interface (with animation if desired) lets you read the Koran at your own
pace. You can search for specific text, jump to individual chapters, copy
text to the Windows Clipboard, or save portions of text and later reload
them as a bookmark. You can choose from a number of different page
backgrounds or easily create your own. An excellent printing and
print-preview option is also available. The program supports MP3 sounds,
and the author makes additional sound files available at his Website,
along with translations in several other languages.
Reviewed
on Nov 15 2000.
PC
Magazine's Page1
page1.zip
10-20-98
Create
a start page for your browser
Company:
PC Magazine
Version:
1.0
Size:
272.59 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Page1
lets you create custom start pages for your internet browser without
having to learn HTML code or buy expensive tools. It also makes it easy to
modify your start page as your needs and interests change. You can
customize the appearance by selecting the fonts, colors, and bitmaps to
use. Add new links by dragging or pasting them from your favorite Web
browser. Page1 was written by Steven E. Sipe, and first appeared in PC
Magazine, November 17, 1998 (v17n20).
Quick
Editor
quickedt.zip
08-27-98
Edit
large text files quickly--and free
Company:
Steve Hutchesson
Version:
1.4
Size:
88.56 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0
Purchase
Information: Free
Quick
Editor is a fast (and free) 32-bit text editor that takes up only a small
amount of memory and hard disk space. It doesn't require any Visual Basic
or other runtime files. Despite its size, it can load and edit files up to
4 MB. It features a toolbar and status bar; supports drag-and-drop; has
search-and-replace functions; gives you shortcuts to an MS-DOS prompt,
another instance of itself, and a Run dialog box -- and it can launch
other programs from a pull-down menu. You can also strip leading blanks
and carriage returns, as well as convert tabs to spaces. What's missing?
Word wrap and printing functions, right-click menus, and some of the other
whiz-bang features many other free Notepad replacements offer. However,
for simple and fast text editing in a little bit of space, you can't go
wrong with Quick Editor. Reviewed on Apr 18 1998.
PageFocus
Pro
pgfpro32.zip
08-20-99
Perform
power-packed publishing
Company:
Creative Stars, Inc.
Version:
3.02
Size:
4.12 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $69 if you decide to keep it.
Create
brochures, letters, drawings, documents, forms, databases, and database
applications with PageFocus Pro. This 32-bit "kitchen sink"
publishing package contains two modules: the main program, PageFocus Pro,
and the runtime program, Expo. The main program gives you tools to create
drawings, documents, and forms. You can import graphics in nearly all
popular raster-and vector-based formats. You'll also find TWAIN support
for scanners, password protection for drawings, and a built-in fax
command. Expo is used as a form filler, form database manager, and a
document viewer for files created by the main program. Information entered
in the forms can be saved and set up in your own database, which can be
cross-referenced in several ways. Several usable sample databases are
included. Both modules contain spelling-checker functions. If you need
more publishing power, check out PageFocus Pro today.
Reviewed
on May 29 1999.
Website
and Ezine Promotion Made Easy!
ezinepro.zip
01-25-01
Pick
up some tips for a hot Web page
Company:
Dirk Dupon
Version:
2000
Size:
488.82 KB
Requirements:
Internet Explorer 4.0 and up and Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Website
and Ezine Promotion Made Easy! is an etext that does exactly what the name
says. Here's a model for newsletter and ezine publishers with quality
text, attractive layout, and loads of links that will help you make the
most of your online presence. You'll learn about search engines, metatags,
affiliate programs, promotions, and lots more. Make sure you are online
when you read this book, because you'll definitely want to jump to the
various Web sites that are offered. The author is selling his programs,
but the hype doesn't get in the way of the info. Spend some time with this
one.
Reviewed
on Oct 17 2000.
Workout
workout.exe
A
fun toy for your desktop
Company:
Miroslav Nemecek - www.gemtree.com
Size:
1.2 MB
Requirements:
Win 98
Purchase
Information: free
The
program does not need to be installed. Download it to where you will run
it from. click on start, run, locate the program click on OK. Thanks to
Jim Putnam for this gem.
Reviewed
on: 01.05.17
Heat
heat.exe
What
happens when you over heat your computer
Size:
163 KB
Requirements:
Win 98
Purchase
Information: Free
The
program does not need to be installed. Download it to where you will run
it from. Click on start, run, locate the program click on OK. Thanks to
DEHEC for this gem.
Reviewed
on: 01.05.17
RCEdit
rcedit.zip
10-30-00
Use
a feature-rich yet free HTML editor
Company:
Robert Chapman
Version:
1.0
Size:
7,344,882 bytes
Requirements:
Internet Explorer 4.0 or later and Windows 9x, NT, 2000, or Me
Purchase
Information: Free
RCEdit
is a handsome freeware HTML editor that's brimming with goodies. Although
it's primarily designed for users with some experience under their belts,
it provides a host of helpful wizards for less-experienced Web authors. It
has a Homesite-like appearance, with toolbars on top, directory/file panel
on the left, and coding/browser preview window on the right. The wizards
and assistants will give you a leg up in designing images, links, scripts,
and tables. Other tools and features include tabbing of multiple open
files, extended find/replace, hexadecimal color conversion, tag stripping,
special characters palette, the ability to create a template from the
current file, and more. We especially liked the quick-access link buttons
to three frequently used Windows components -- Notepad, Calculator, and
Windows Explorer. With its well-laid-out interface, helpful wizards,
comprehensive documentation, and other handy functions, RCEdit should
appeal to both newer and more-accomplished HTML coders.
Reviewed
on Sep 14 2000.
Teach
Me HTML
tchmehtm.zip
02-01-01
Learn
the basics of HTML coding
Company:
PinSoft
Version:
1.6
Size:
232,250 bytes
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Teach
Me HTML is a small tutorial program that uses interactive dialog boxes to
take you step by step through 14 lessons on the basics of HTML coding.
Although it only cracks the surface of HTML, it's a great place to start
if you're an HTML newbie. The lessons include Headings, Lines, Paragraphs,
Links, Lists, Images, and Text Presentation (text decoration, font size,
and so on). When the author says, "step by step," he means it --
the lessons are presented at a very basic level, with the assumption that
the user has absolutely no knowledge of HTML coding. Color syntax
highlighting is included, and users will appreciate the fact that at the
end of each lesson they're given the chance to view their results in a
browser.
Reviewed
on Feb 25 2001.
Bio-Rhythm
biry32.exe
01-21-01
Rate
your day
Company:
JSoft Consulting
Version:
2.06
Size:
4.14 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
The
next time you're having a down day, take a look at your personal biorhythm
rating. Bio-Rhythm calculates your personal biorhythms for given days or
months, starting with your birthday and following the emotional, physical,
and intellectual cycles. Enter a birthdate to start the program, and
you'll see a 2D or 3D screen with your biorhythm for the day. Move the
sliding bar beneath the date to change the date forward or backward one
month. Specify the physical, emotional, or intellectual aspects of your
rhythms, and the program will give you an interpretation (in English,
French, or Spanish) of what happens to you when your rhythms are high,
low, or critical. You'll find up to 12 different biorhythm charts --
including bar, point, and line charts-- which can be printed for offline
reference. You can even compare cycles for two charted individuals to
check on compatibility. There is help to explain the features, but the
interface is easy to figure out. Note: This free software contains
advertising technology that will occasionally use your Internet connection
to receive and display ads.
Reviewed
on Jan 20 2001.
Biorhythms (Smedley)
biorhsme.zip
01-08-01
Predict
how you are going to feel today
Company:
Richard Smedley
Version:
1.6.28
Size:
2.54 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $15 if you decide to keep it.
Biorhythms
is a basic biorhythms charting program that allows you to compile up to
fifty birthdates and display the physical, emotional, and intellectual
cycle curves with just a mouse click. Controls let you select which curves
to view and present the option to create a composite curve for any two
birthdates. An interpretation option returns a brief synopsis of the kind
of day you can expect, based on your biorhythm curves. You can save any
plot as a .bmp file. There are no frills in this program and no database
of famous-person birthdates.
Reviewed
on Sep 21 2000.
Universal
Biorhythms
univbrth.zip
01-02-01
Plot
biorhythms and compatibility
Company:
Retro Software Designs
Version:
2.02.1
Size:
2.07 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $28.90 if you decide to keep it.
Universal
Biorhythms plots the three basic lifecycles -- physical, emotional, and
intellectual -- with a series of algorithms. Plotting biorhythms with this
program couldn't be any simpler, though the graphics could be more
eye-catching. In addition to predicting the three lifecycles, you can
chart your compatibility with friends, family, or famous people. Simply
enter your birth date to view the high, low, and critical points of your
biorhythm. Enter and save custom profiles of family and friends to compare
compatibility, or choose from the extensive databank of celebrities and
even states. You can toggle between the two views of biorhythm and
compatibility or scroll through forecasts of biorhythms to see how you'll
be affected in future days, months, or years. You can also categorize
these profiles into groups, add/delete them, or copy/paste them to the
Windows Clipboard for import or export. Additionally, you can plot and
measure Intuition, Aesthetic, Compassion, Awareness, and Spiritual
biorhythms. The program includes thorough documentation on the theory of
biorhythms.
Reviewed
on Jan 07 2001.
My
Biorhythms
mybiorhy.zip
11-17-00
Compute
and view your biorhythm cycle
Company:
Science Sportsware
Version:
2.0
Size:
4.79 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $18 if you decide to keep it.
My
Biorhythms shows you how your day will go based on your biorhythms. Enter
your date of birth, then see the cycles flow for your physical, emotional,
intellectual, and intuitive curves. Note the high points and critical
periods as you go from active to passive phases. The curves can be viewed
month by month for any period -- either by scrolling the graph or picking
a period of interest from the calendar. Upcoming critical dates are listed
for easy viewing. Create bio charts for as many people as you like, then,
in the registered version, check compatibility to see if you'll be up or
down on the same days. The interface is intuitive, but online help is
available to explain the operation as well as the theory.
Reviewed
on Nov 20 2000.
Biorhythm
bioryth.zip
05-19-00
Calculate
your biorhythm cycles
Company:
Intellysoft
Version:
2.1
Size:
4.20 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Biorhythm
checks the highs, lows, and critical days for your emotional, physical,
and intellectual cycles. It's also easy to look up famous folks in the
well-populated database to see what kind of cycle they're in. Then add
your own family and friends using the fill-the-blanks wizard. You can
filter names using the editable category list. Compatibility between two
people in the database can be displayed, and a table view of any group can
be generated to check on your coworkers or sports team. You can explore a
graph of the cycles, advancing by days, weeks, months, or years. A click
on the details button will give you a text explanation of what the cycles
will mean in your daily activities. Clear documentation explains it all.
Office or School Software
Super
Cal
supcalkb.zip
01-09-01
Get
a free calculator
Company:
Sharnsco
Version:
2
Size:
177.72 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95 or Windows 98
Purchase
Information: Free
Super
Cal is a very simple desktop calculator that falls well short of providing
the basic functionality offered by the calculator application that ships
with Windows. The basic interface consists of a haphazardly arranged
keypad and an smattering of operator buttons. Use Super Cal to perform
simple arithmetic, determine percentages, and work with exponents and
square roots.
Reviewed
on Jan 08 2001.
Vocabulary
Wizard
vocwizar.exe
12-08-00
Study
for extensive vocabulary exams
Company:
Prosigner
Version:
6.3
Size:
3.53 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Vocabulary
Wizard is an intensive vocabulary tutor for high school, college, or
adult-level learning. It offers a 6,000-word dictionary (supports 60,000
when registered), with word lists categorized by standard vocabulary tests
such as SAT and GRE. Each word offers nine information components,
including pronunciation, definitions, sentence examples, and reference. A
study index tracks the number of times you answer correctly in testing
mode. You can mark words that you've either mastered or would like to
study more intensively. There are audio pronunciations of the words as
well as options to study in several different ways. You can be quizzed to
answer the definition when given the word, or vice-versa. Multiple-choice
format gives you the word/definition of the misleads after you answer.
With all this power, this tool is bound to build your vocabulary. Note:
This free software contains advertising technology that will occasionally
use your Internet connection to receive and display ads.
Reviewed
on Dec 08 2000.
Sun
Calculator
sunclc.zip
01-16-01
Get
a prettier, more powerful calculator
Company:
Slavko Ilic
Version:
3.6
Size:
3.81 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x or Me
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $15 if you decide to keep it.
SunCalculator
is a visually enticing, technically advanced calculator that's an
excellent, much more powerful substitute for the more ordinary-looking
calculator shipped with Windows. This mathematical brain, which is an
attractive cobalt blue, features several modes of operation, each
accessible with the click of a button. Advanced Mode (the default) is for
standard calculations as well as operations involving trigonometry,
logarithms, and reciprocals. Complex Mode is for multiple-window
trigonometric and complex-number figuring. Finally, Graph Mode is for
plotting functions, roots, critical points, and
integral/derivative/average values. An Expression Evaluator lets you
evaluate any drawn function, and a Function Analysis feature calculates
roots and critical points. There's even a useful MathPad text editor. This
trial version is limited to 50 uses.
Reviewed
on Dec 28 2000.
PC
Magazine's PCBook2
pcbook2.zip
04-05-00
Create
booklets, or print multiple pages
Company:
PC Magazine
Version:
1.2
Size:
1008.74 KB
Requirements:
Visual Basic 5.0 Runtime and Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: PC Magazine programs are copyrighted and cannot be
distributed, whether modified or unmodified. Use is subject to the terms
and conditions of the license agreement distributed with the programs.
Printing
text files such as readme files or internet standards documents can use up
a lot of paper. PCBook2 can help you save our forests. It can print up to
eight pages on a sheet of paper (four on each side). In 2-up mode, a
booklet option lets you print the pages in the proper order to stack up
the sheets, fold them in half, and staple them at the fold to create a
booklet. A signature option lets you print out large booklets as sets of
smaller booklets. PCBook2 also supports headers, footers, word wrap, and
tab expansion, and lets you use any TrueType font on your system. Note
that the utility requires the Visual Basic 5 runtime module. You can
obtain this file, if you don't already have it, from Microsoft's Web site:
(click here).PCBook2 was written by Jay Munro, and first appeared in PC
Magazine April 6, 1999(v18n07).
PC
Magazine's Days Ease
daysease.zip
05-11-99
Create
custom calendars
Company:
PC Magazine
Version:
1.1
Size:
357.67 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Days
Ease lets you create and print monthly or yearly calendars in a variety of
formats. A unique "day notes" feature lets you add daily
reminders. You can add a title to your calendar, and set the font type and
style. You can place images above or adjacent to your calendar, or overlay
the calendar on top of the image. A built-in event file includes all major
holidays. You can add to this list, or create a new, custom event file.
DaysEase was written by Richard Ellingson, and first appeared in PC
Magazine, December 1, 1998 (v17n21).
Freebies
let you upgrade without excessive cost
Software
602
pcs2k.exe
Star
Office
so-5_2-ga-bin-windows-en.exe
Photo
Plus 6
photoplus6free.exe
By
CHARLIE PASCHAL
Special to The State
A
few months ago, I did a column on free stuff on the Web, but a few new
ones have cropped up since then. And don't quit reading until you've
learned about the free photo editor I've found! It's a jewel.
If
you're computing on a shoestring and can't afford the world's most complex
piece of software, Microsoft Office, there are a couple of options
available to you.
As
we all know, Microsoft Office has the world in its grip, even more so than
Windows itself. It's the standard tool in many places and no other
operating system stands a chance to unseat Windows unless there's an
office-like application.
In
my earlier column, I mentioned Star Office, which is a free download from
sun.com. Now, there's a second free one that could be a serious challenger
to Office -- and the free version is small in size.
This
free alternate to MS Office is compatible with Word/Excel files, has
integration with Outlook Express and digital camera/scanner support.
What's
nice about this free suite of a word processor, photo editor and
spreadsheet is that the download is only 14 megabytes. Naturally,
Software602 hopes you'll bite on some of the other software on the site.
The company also wants you to register the software and when you do, all
pop-up windows about registration will stop and the spell checker will be
enabled.
There's
a new version of Star Office and there is some improvement in the database
component, the weakest part of the suite. You also can exchange documents
with people who own the "real Office" so you don't lose much
functionality.
Using
these free office products beats using Wordpad and Notepad, and the price
is right for just about anyone, especially Scrooges.
Star
Office contains the same components as MS Office, including Writer, Calc,
Impress (presentations), Draw, Base (a database component), Schedule, Mail
and Discussion, a piece designed for news reading.
Now,
the free photo package I saved for last.
When
I teach people how to do their own Web pages, there's always a gap when it
comes to photo packages. Sure, you can use Notepad to assemble the pages
and there's a free FTP program to help you send your files to a Web
server.
There's
even some free Web servers around, if you search hard enough.
But
when it comes to photos, everyone has to buy one of the lower end packages
(PhotoImpact or PaintShop Pro), shelling out $69 to $99 or spring for the
extensive Photoshop, which can cost close to $500.
Company
officials promised me that the offer would extend at least through today
so make sure you visit the Web site as soon as you read this to download
your copy of this excellent program.
Once
you open photoplus6free.exe<http://www.myfreephotoplus.com/>
you'll find a fully featured version of PhotoPlus 6, a fully working
version, not a trial version or time-limited in any way, company spokesman
Joe Ossai said. The application, which normally sells for $49.95, does
animations and has a wizard to help users find the best file format for
Web graphics.
Although
not as powerful as Photoshop, it has a Photoshop-like look and includes
such high-end features as levels. Some tools are limited, with only drop
shadows and bevels available for special type effects but that's probably
all basic Web sites need anyway.
There's
a wealth of other tools, such as distort, blur, edge, noise, render and a
red-eye fixer that's pretty good.
Take
the time, too, to visit the company's regular Web site at <http://www.serif.com>
and look at its other products. One of Serif's top sellers is a desktop
publishing component, PagePlus, for $39.95. With it you can create
stationery, cards, letterheads, fliers, newsletters, etc.
Since
the company is giving you a free photo editor, you might want to consider
later purchases from the site. As usual, you can download working trial
versions of the other programs.
Open Office
OOo_2.0.0_Win32Intel_install.exe
PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY SUNDAY • August 4, 2002
OpenOffice a free rival to Microsoft
Matthew Fordahl - Associated Press
Sunday, August 4, 2002
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Microsoft Corp. should
feel supremely complimented by the OpenOffice.org suite of software.
And, perhaps, just a tad worried.
OpenOffice's sleek word processor, spreadsheet and presentation
programs capture Microsoft Office's look and some of the most popular
features --- without the $479 price tag and anti-piracy measures.
OpenOffice is free. The 57-megabyte download costs you nothing. Unlike
most other ''free'' programs, it doesn't require an advanced degree to
fathom.
More importantly --- since Microsoft has more than 90 percent of the
productivity software market --- OpenOffice reads documents that were
originally created with Microsoft's programs and can save in those formats
as well.
So what's the catch?
There are some rough edges and a few omissions, notably a calendar
program, an e-mail application and a database. They'll be missed mainly by
power users and businesses.
There's also no tech support by phone. That's not to say no help is
available. Each program has built-in assistance, and much more can be
found by surfing the www.openoffice.org Web site.
Plus, anyone who wants a more powerful suite without paying Microsoft's
prices could still shell out $76 and buy StarOffice, on which OpenOffice
is based.
Sun Microsystems Inc., which sells StarOffice, has released most of the
code to a community of programmers who work on developing OpenOffice in
their spare time.
Why is Sun doing this? Besides selling servers and workstations, Sun is
also in the anti-Microsoft business. Alternative software is a key
component, as is litigation.
Until now, Microsoft had nothing to fear from StarOffice, which Sun
formerly gave away. The previous version was disappointing.
But that's not the case with OpenOffice, which is surprising given the
reputation most open-source software has for being buggy and targeted only
for gearheads. Such is the case with most programs written for Linux.
OpenOffice incorporates many of the same shortcuts used in Microsoft
Office. For example, want to create a new file? Hit Control-N.
The program is also available for operating systems other than Windows,
including Linux and Unix.
A Mac OS X version is under development.
OpenOffice does have some problems.
Some complex Word documents, especially those with embedded graphics,
are misformatted in OpenOffice's Writer. And macros developed in Microsoft
Office don't work at all.
Still, OpenOffice handles with aplomb most everyday tasks, such as
composing a letter or balancing a household budget.
© 2002 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kelsea's
Classroom
kelseacl.zip
01-29-01
Teach
kids reading, math, computers
Company:
Michael A. Shaffer
Version:
1.0
Size:
2.74 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95 or Windows 98
Purchase
Information: Free
Kelsea's
Classroom offers math and alphabet lessons, while helping the child become
familiar with the computing environment. Enjoyable lessons, coupled with
an easy-to-use interface, will have your child returning to learn more in
this educational setting. This program basically childproofs your system
as children can only control the keys required by the program's lesson.
Learners can activate letters and numbers, change shapes and colors, draw
pictures, run basic math operations, and more on this rich teaching aid.
Solve multiple-choice questions that drill numbers operations on two skill
levels. Additionally, students can create their own letters and choose to
customize the font, background, and text color.
Reviewed
on Jan 28 2001.
Text
Shield 2000
txtshiel.exe
02-20-01
Get
a feature-packed free word processor
Company:
Onis, Inc.
Version:
build 144 7-2001
Size:
1.69 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, 2000, or Me
Purchase
Information: Free
If
WordPad is too wimpy, but you don't feel like springing for a bulky word
processor such as WordPerfect or MS Word, check out TextShield 2000. This
nice freebie gives you many of the formatting features found in the
"big boys" (including a spelling checker) and throws in a few
surprises too, such as built-in file/folder navigation windows and
ZIP-compatible compression. You can insert interactive links and shadowed
text effects with ease; convert documents to HTML, rich text, and plain
text; and open and edit multiple documents simultaneously. You'll also
find print preview, email support, find-and-replace, and a built-in media
player. TextShield 2000 should behave just fine on Windows 2000 and Me,
but an update from the developer's Website is needed to run the program on
Windows 95/98.
Reviewed
on Nov 13 2000.
SAT
English Level 1
satengls.exe
10-25-00
Learn
English basics
Company:
LeeWare Development
Version:
2.0
Size:
2.47 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $25 if you decide to keep it.
SAT
English Level 1 is a suite of ten English lessons offered in interactive
format. This colorful, but repetitive, study aid for English grammar
includes modules suitable for late elementary or middle-school students.
You'll find exercises on Homonyms, Antonyms, Synonyms, Syllables, Prefix
and Suffix, Contractions, Possessives, Subjects and Predicates, and Types
of Sentences. Each module includes 30 frames, and the frames hold from one
to four fill-in-the-blank questions. Students can check to see if they
have the correct answers or continue through the questions until the end.
A performance report tracks the number of questions asked, the number of
correct answers, and the number of questions missed or answered
incorrectly.
Reviewed
on Oct 28 2000.
SAT
English Level 2
satlevlt.exe
10-25-00
Learn
English grammar
Company:
LeeWare Development
Version:
2.0
Size:
2.51 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $25 if you decide to keep it.
SAT
English Level 2 is a suite of ten English lessons offered in interactive
format. This colorful, but repetitive, study aid for English grammar
includes modules suitable for late elementary or middle-school students.
You'll find exercises on Simple and Compound Sentences, Sentence Ending
and Punctuations, Punctuation in a Series, Quotation Marks, Nouns, and
more. Each module includes 30 frames, and the frames hold from one to four
fill-in-the-blank questions. Students can check to see if they have the
correct answers or continue through the questions until the end. A
performance report tracks the number of questions asked, the number of
correct answers, and the number of questions missed or answered
incorrectly.
Reviewed
on Oct 28 2000.
SAT
English Level 3
satengl3.exe
10-25-00
Learn
parts of speech and grammar
Company:
LeeWare Development
Version:
2.0
Size:
2.50 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $25 if you decide to keep it.
SAT
English Level 3 is a suite of ten English lessons offered in interactive
format. This colorful, but repetitive, study aid for English grammar
includes modules suitable for late elementary or middle-school students.
Choose from topics such as noun/verb, basic sentence construction,
adjectives, and prepositions. Each module includes 30 frames, and the
frames hold from one to four fill-in-the-blank questions. Students can
check to see if they have the correct answers or continue through the
questions until the end. A performance report tracks the number of
questions asked, the number of correct answers, and the number of
questions missed or answered incorrectly.
Reviewed
on Oct 28 2000.
Utilities
Belarc
Advisor
advisor.exe
01-18-2001
Inventory
your PC hardware and software
Company:
Belarc, Inc.
Version:
6.1
Size:
1451 KB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, 2000, or Me
Purchase
Information: Free
Belarc
Advisor audits a PC's installed software and hardware and then reports its
findings in your Web browser. This single-user demo version provides a
decent preview of the complete program, giving you a good summary of
hardware and software on a given PC. The report, which is delivered
relatively quickly, shows your PC's processor, cache, memory, memory
modules, BIOS, bus clock, etc. -- along with installed and connected
hardware. It also lists software installed on the PC, with a click-through
to each program's file location. No Internet connection is required, but
at the conclusion you can click through to the author's site for
additional information. Personal use of Belarc Advisor is free. A licensed
version of an expanded edition, BelManage (available for audition and
purchase), can collect data in a client/server or intra-Internet
environment, or even using a "walk-around method," where you
collect data on a floppy disk. That version also can collect and report
data in a database-friendly format.
Reviewed
on Jan 17 2001.
SecureIt
Pro
secitpro.zip
01-17-01
Lock
your desktop
Company:
Quantrix Corporation
Version:
4.58
Size:
935.76 KB
Requirements:
Visual Basic 5.0 Runtime and Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
SecureIt
Pro is a system tray utility you can use to secure your desktop when you
step away from your computer. It's secure, easy to use, and -- best of all
-- free. Just enter a user name, a password, and select Lock to hide and
deny access to your desktop to anyone without the proper password. You can
set the program to launch automatically with Windows, lock your desktop
from the system tray, log access attempts, and apply a custom background
image. When enabled, SecureIt Pro even allows visitors to your PC to leave
messages for you. Enable cold-boot protection and disable your boot keys
to apply maximum protection that's difficult to get around. For safety's
sake, SecureIt Pro offers a custom back door, keydisk support, and a host
of other options.
Reviewed
on Oct 06 2000.
Virtual
Drive 2000
virtd32.zip
01-05-01
Access
CD-ROMs without the CDs
Company:
Far Stone Technology Inc.
Version:
6.01
Size:
6.62 MB
Requirements:
CD-ROM drive and Windows 9x, NT, 2000, or Me
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $39.95 if you decide to keep it.
Virtual
Drive 2000 is an impressive CD-ROM emulator -- optimized for home and
personal use -- that lets you run or play CD-ROM games and applications
without having to put the actual CDs in the drive. Capable of running up
to 23 virtual CD drives, this application creates new drive letters
accessible through Explorer like any other drive. When you launch the
program and insert a disc into the drive, clicking on Build VCD transfers
the contents of the CD to a virtual file that can be compressed to save
space. The built-in Rapid Cache Manager optimizes the CD-ROM speed and
caching capabilities of the virtual and standard drives. Drag-and-drop
support makes inserting, ejecting, or adding VCD files even easier than
before. And if you're a gamer at heart, this emulator even supports the
latest games such as Flight Simulator 2000, NBA Live 2000, Command &
Conquer: Tiberian Sun, Age of Empires 2, and Dungeon Keeper 2. A network
version called Virtual Drive Network Edition is also available in our
library.
Reviewed
on Jan 11 2001.
Support-Works
PC Audit
pcaudit.exe
01-05-01
Audit
your computer
Company:
Hornbill Systems Limited
Version:
2.0
Size:
473.00 KB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, 2000, or Me
Purchase
Information: Free
Support-Works
PC Audit Version 2.0 Personal Edition is a complete, easy to install,
stand-alone inventory tool that provides detailed hardware, software,
network and configuration information about your computer. PC Audit 2.0
Personal Edition is free for personal home or business use
This
program has not yet been reviewed
Lens
lensmagn.exe
06-20-00
Magnify
an area of your desktop
Company:
ABF Software
Version:
1.31
Size:
508.23 KB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Free
Magnify
part of your screen up to 64 times with Lens. This freeware tool looks
like an attractive magnifying glass with four small buttons (Zoom In, Zoom
Out, Minimize, and Exit) on its handle. Its stay-on-top viewing area is a
bit larger than similar utilities we've reviewed, plus it's skinnable.
Just right-click anywhere in its interface to bring up a context menu.
Reviewed
on Jun 08 2000.
PC
Magazine's CookieCop Plus
ccopplus.zip
04-05-00
Block
offensive Websites and graphics
Company:
PC Magazine
Version:
1.2
Size:
1.07 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Free
Browsing
the World Wide Web is entertaining and educational. But some sites and
images can be annoying or offensive. Sites may contain pornographic
material, or display distracting images that impair your viewing of a Web
page. CookieCop Plus lets you block unwanted Websites, or block just the
graphics on a site. Blocked sites or graphics are replaced with the HTML
page or bitmap of your choice. The CookieCop Plus Event Log lets you view
every connection made while you are online, and every cookie passing to or
from your computer. CookieCop Plus is an enhanced version of PC Magazine's
CookieCop, which lets you automatically accept or reject cookies by site.
Since the program runs as a proxy server, it can be used with virtually
any browser. CookieCop Plus was written by Mark Sweeney, and first
appeared in PC Magazine March 7, 2000 (v19n05). Source code is included.
PC
Magazine's FontViewer
fviewer.zip
07-15-98
View
all your fonts at once
Company:
PC Magazine
Version:
1.1
Size:
302.49 KB
Requirements:
Windows 9x or Windows NT 4.0
Purchase
Information: Free
Word
processors and desktop publishing packages offer an abundance of
snazzy-looking fonts, but they don't offer a simple way to browse through
them. With FontViewer, you can browse all the fonts on your system at
once, compare selected fonts to each other, and use a variety of filters
to quickly find the font you want. FontViewer was written by Jake Richter,
and first appeared in PC Magazine, 26 May 1998 (v17n10).
CDex
cdexcdex.zip
01-10-00
Turn
CD tracks into .wav or .mp3 files
Company:
Albert L. Faber
Version:
1.20
Size:
789.06 KB
Requirements:
CD-ROM drive, sound card, and Windows 95 or Windows 98
Purchase
Information: Free
CDex
is a free app that can record digital audio tracks directly from compact
discs, without going through your sound card (a process known as
"ripping"). You can save tracks as CD-quality .wav files, or use
CDex's built-in encoding library to convert them into the space-saving
.mp3 format. CDex also supports third-party encoders for .mp3, .vqf, and .aac
files. One especially nice touch: CDex can extract just partial tracks
from compact discs. Other cool features include the ability to encode
existing .wav files to .mp3 format; basic CD playing functions; and CDDB
support. If you're looking for a totally free solution to CD ripping and
MP3 encoding, CDex is a "must download." Note: Your CD-ROM drive
must support digital audio extraction using Adaptec's ASPI library
Manager.
Reviewed
on Mar 13 1999.
WebWalks
webwalks.zip
Verison
3.3
What
is WebWalks? It is a password protected Internet Browser which comes with
several preset URL Address with the ability to add more. When using
WebWalks the user only has access to the URL’s provided on the program.
Published
by Bratz-Utilities
License:
Free
Note:
This is a free program! The first time you use the program it will ask you
to register, this is only to keep track of how many people will be
accessing the web site.
Requires:
Windows
Filesize:
1,156 KB
Requirements
Win 95/98 or Win NT, Disk Space Req'd 5 MB, System 120MhZ Pentium or
better Other Software Needed Internet Explorer 3.02 or Netscape Navigator
3.02 or better
Installation
Comments:
After
the download is complete, using your Windows Explorer,you must go to the
directory where you have saved the file We-Blocker and double-click on the
Weblock.exe icon to begin the install process. Overall the program was
easy to install and set up. Every step was very well documented.
Use
Comments:
There
were several warnings that not all sites were blocked. They warned you
that many sites were being added daily. They also encourage you to submit
sites that you found that are unacceptable. I first tried the infamous
www.whitehouse.com and it was blocked. It sent me to their list of
recommended sites. I next tried a site that was redirecting to a
pornographic site, I was able to access it. I was also able to search for
and get to bomb making instructions. I did appreciate how easy it was to
block the sites I found. Also, when submitting a site to be blocked on
their database, they said they would review it before removing it. For
each individual user, you could select from 7 different categories for
blocking.
Overall
Impression:
Overall,
I was impressed with this free product. It did fail to block me from
objectionable sites, but I (as a parent and first time user) was fully
warned that I would not be blocked from all sites. I appreciated the
attitude that the program was there to help protect kids, not blow the
whistle on them. It did keep a nice history log though, were I, as a
parent, could check up on their activities. (comments are the reviewers)
SocketWatch
sswatch.exe
Version
Reviewed: 2.0
SocketWatch
is one of the best clients available for helping you synchronize the time
clock of your local computer with standard Internet time. One of the
reasons SocketWatch stands above the competition is that the client
handles everything for you, from placing itself in the Windows start-up
group to automatically connecting to and disconnecting from the 'net using
the Windows 95 Dial-up Networking utility. While the client can be run
manually, SocketWatch is at its best when running by itself. Operating in
the background, SocketWatch monitors for when you connect to the 'net and
then automatically connects to a time server and synchronizes your clock
once you are connected. SocketWatch also uses the time zone and daylight
savings features of Windows 95 to further ensure that your computer's time
remains accurate without the need for reconfiguring your settings each
time a remote server is contacted. Perhaps its best feature, SocketWatch's
Smart Server Search automatically scans through a list of more than 100
public access time servers and quickly finds the one that will give you
the quickest and most accurate time synchronization. Because of its large
database of time servers, rarely if ever is SocketWatch affected by the
performance of a busy or inactive server. If you happen to have a Timex
DataLink watch, SocketWatch will help keep it up to date as well --
whenever you download data to your watch, as long as SocketWatch has first
sent its information to your computer, the correct time will also be sent
to your watch. A final feature in SocketWatch allows the client to be run
as a Windows traybar icon. Overall, at just $10, it would be hard not to
recommend SocketWatch as a must-have 'net app -- this is one app that is
definitely worth its weight in gold.
Pros:
Efficient and automatic synchronization of your computer's time clock with
standard Internet time
Cons:
There are less expensive clients available, but none offers as many
features as SocketWatch
Date
of Review: 8/11/97
Offline
CD Browser
ocdbrwsr.exe
01-08-01
Create
images of your data CDs
Company:
Anders Petersson
Version:
2.0.6
Size:
301.37 KB
Requirements:
Windows 9x or Me
Purchase
Information: Free
Offline
CD Browser is a very simple utility that catalogs the contents of CD-ROMs,
removable hard drives, and floppy disks. It's free, easy to use, and is
well worth a look if you don't want to bother with anything beyond the
basics. You can catalog as many disks as you like, and explore your
catalogs in an Explorer-style MDI interface. You're also given the option
of password-protecting and encrypting your catalogs on an individual
basis. File size and time/date stamps are also recorded. Offline CD
Browser offers no context menus, file access, annotation, or archive
support.
Reviewed
on Jan 07 2001.
PC
Magazine's Icon Lock
iconlock.zip
09-24-99
Lock
down your Desktop arrangement
Company:
PC Magazine
Version:
1.1
Size:
862.06 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Are
you tired of people adding, deleting, renaming, and rearranging the icons
on your Windows Desktop? Perhaps you're responsible for the computers in a
school, a computer lab, or a store. Or maybe you share a home computer
with your kids. IconLock lets you freeze desktop icons in the arrangement
you choose without interfering with normal Windows operations. It also
lets you quickly save and restore different desktop layouts. IconLock runs
under Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT 4. Some features require the
Windows Desktop Update. Under Windows NT, some features require Internet
Explorer 5. IconLock was written by Mark Sweeney, and first appeared in PC
Magazine August, 1999 (v18n14). The Visual C++ source code is included.
Childproof
childprf.exe
03-08-99
Childproof
your computer
Company:
Renasoft
Version:
2.1
Size:
990.30 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $19.95 if you decide to keep it.
Childproof
is a security program that allows you to effectively restrict access to
your computer. It allows you to establish "playgrounds" that
contain only programs that you specifically add. An Explorer-style
interface allows you to create new playgrounds and to drag and drop
programs as you see fit. You can add password protection, load the
selected playground when Childproof loads, and automatically load
Childproof when Windows loads. When up and running, it replaces your
desktop and disables your function keys. Childproof is effective, very
easy to use, and includes ample documentation.
Reviewed
on Mar 10 1999.
SOS
Kid Proof
soskidpr.exe
03-10-00
KidProof
your PC
Company:
Sterling Strategic Solutions, Inc.
Version:
1.6.5
Size:
5.28 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $29.95 if you decide to keep it.
Kids
Will Be Kids... Whether they're toddlers or teenagers, boys or girls, kids
have a talent for getting into everything. So you set limits. Make rules.
Teach. You put latches on all the cabinets ... Keep breakables out of
reach ... You monitor the TV shows they watch and warn them about
strangers... But if your kids use the Internet, it's like hanging a big
"WELCOME" sign out for anyone and anything to come right
in—and you might not like who shows up... And if they have free-run of
your PC, you might come home to find that five years of Quicken files have
been replaced with the newest release of DOOM. You've childproofed your
home—doesn't it make sense to KidProof your PC?
WinZip
8
winzip80.exe
Zip
and unzip files with this great tool
12-14-00
Company:
WinZip Computing, Inc.
Version:
8.0
Size:
1.20 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, 2000, or Me
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $29 if you decide to keep it.
WinZip
has been the leading Windows-based archive utility for years -- and the
8.0 version continues this tradition. You'll still find the tight
drag-and-drop and context menu integration with Windows Explorer; the
choice of the WinZip Classic or Wizard interfaces; and built-in support
for .zip, .tar, gzip, UUencode, XXencode, BinHex, and MIME formats (plus
support for .arj, .lzh, and .arc files through external programs). The new
Zip and Email feature compresses documents and folders and attaches the
zip file to an email message without leaving Explorer. The Wizard can now
create and update zip files, as well as extract and install from MIME and
similar encoded files. An optional Explorer-style toolbar is now available
in the WinZip Classic mode. When creating or updating an archive, WinZip
automatically stores the same subfolders and folder information that
Windows Explorer would use for a similar copy operation. Plus, WinZip's
new automatic theme and screen saver installer makes setting up desktop
themes and monitor protectors from Internet downloads a piece of cake.
Reviewed
on Apr 26 2000.
Adobe
Acrobat Reader
ar405eng.exe
Read
Adobe PDF files with this freebie
01-06-00
Company:
Adobe Systems, Inc.
Version:
4.05
Size:
5.42 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
The
free Adobe Acrobat Reader enables you to view, navigate, and browse PDF
files inside a Web browser or in a slick, standalone viewer. Why should
you upgrade to the latest version of this "must have" utility?
New features in version 4.0 include improved integration with Web
browsers, faster and more reliable printing to both PCL and PostScript
printers, and better support for longer and more-complex documents. You'll
also find support for the latest version of the Acrobat file format (Adobe
PDF 1.3); support for all versions of PostScript, including the new
PostScript 3; better color handling, including support for ICC profiles;
and compatibility with previous versions of Acrobat Reader. Plus, Asian
font packs can be downloaded from the developer to enable you to view PDF
files that contain Chinese, Japanese, and Korean fonts on non-Asian
operating systems. (Of course, to create .pdf documents, you'll need to
purchase the Acrobat program from Adobe or its resellers.)
Reviewed
on May 11 1999.
Dimension
4: What Time Is It, Really?
d4time43.exe
Barry
Simon
If
you have several PCs, you may have noticed that they rarely show exactly
the same time. One will lose a few seconds a day while another will pick
up a few seconds a day. That doesn't sound like much, but after a couple
of months, your PCs can become separated by several minutes. Whether
you're compulsive about what time it really is or want all your PC clocks
to be synchronized, Thinking Man Software's freeware program, Dimension 4,
Version 4.0, is the solution.
The
program synchronizes your computer's clock to your choice of
Internet-based chronometers to within 0.05 second.
Innovative
and custom-configurable, Dimension 4 can be set to run hidden so that it
resets your PC's clock each time you connect to the World Wide Web with a
dial-up PPP connection. If you prefer, you can configure it to initiate a
dial-up connection, reset the clock, and exit.
If
you have a PC that resides on a network with a TCP/IP Internet link, you
can configure Dimension 4 to reset the clock periodically--every 24 hours,
for example.
Dimension
4 comes with a large number of SNTP (simple network time protocol) servers
for you to connect to, from the Naval Observatory to the Center for
Seismology; you can add additional ones.
After
you download this innovative piece of Internet-based software, you won't
need to ask what time it is.
Dimension
4, Version 4.0. Requires: 4MB RAM, 1MB hard disk space, Microsoft Windows
95 or Windows NT.
SYNCHRONIZE
YOUR WATCHES: Dimension 4, Version 4.0, allows you to set all the
timekeeping options in a single panel.
Visual
Basic 5.0 Runtime
vb5runol.zip
12-29-98
The
VB5 runtime files
Company:
Microsoft Corp.
Version:
5.0
Size:
1.26 MB
Requirements:
Windows 95
Purchase
Information: Free
This
is the VB5 runtime module, which includes the following files:
Asycfilt.dll, Comcat.dll, Ctl3d32.dll, Msvbvm50.dll, Oleaut32.dll,
Olepro32.dll, and Stdole2.tlb. A simple install program is included with
the module, which is required to run any program written in the Visual
Basic 5.0 programming language.
Visual
Basic 6.0 Runtime
vbrtsix.zip
09-13-99
The
runtime files for VB6
Company:
Microsoft Corp.
Version:
6.0
Size:
991.89 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
This
is the VB6 runtime module. A simple install program is included with the
module, which is required to run any program written in the Visual Basic 6
programming language.
VB5
Runtime Disconnector
vb5rtmdr.zip
06-23-98
Avoid
VB5 runtime conflicts
Company:
Maquisistem Ltda
Version:
1.0
Size:
1.85 MB
Requirements:
Visual Basic 5.0 and Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $25 if you decide to keep it.
VB5
Runtime Disconnector enables you to disconnect applications created in VB5
from Msvbvm50.dll, and make them run without installation. This helps you
to avoid conflicts involving different versions of the VB5 runtime.
Runtime's
System Info
rsysinfo.zip
08-08-00
Retrieve
system information
Company:
Runtime Software
Version:
1.0
Size:
940.11 KB
Downloads:
1,744
Requirements:
Windows 95 or Windows 98
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $19 if you decide to keep it.
Runtime's
System Info offers an attractive interface that provides lots of hardware
and configuration information regarding your computer. Processor, Bios,
Video, Memory, Ports, Mouse, Keyboard, Modem, and more are readily
available. The program retrieves detailed information regarding your fixed
and removable drives, including geometry, sectors, size, and file system.
It also provides a list that details registered software, and mirrors the
Device Manager tab of the Control Panel System applet. You can easily send
retrieved system information to your printer.
Reviewed
on Jul 20 2000.
Trumpet
Winsock
trump.zip
02-03-97
Connect
to the Internet
Company:
Trumpet Software International
Version:
3.0d
Size:
557.05 KB
Requirements:
Windows 3.1x
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $25 if you decide to keep it.
Registration benefits include: bulletin board support.
Trumpet
Winsock, which includes the Windows Sockets 1.1-compliant WINSOCK.DLL, is
the type of TCP/IP protocol handler necessary for making a SLIP or PPP
connection to the Internet. Such a socket is necessary for use of
Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape, and similar World Wide Web
browsers. This is a full installation package, including TCPMAN (the
terminal control program for the socket) and startup lists of HOSTS,
PROTOCOL, and SERVICES to provide lookup information for TCPMAN, as well
as sample CMD scripts. In operation, WINSOCK.DLL is transparent, with the
runtime Internet client providing the user's access control interface. The
package is easy to install, well-documented, and has active support in its
own Internet newsgroup. Version 3.0 is drastically different than version
2.1 but major changes include better on-line registration, on-line help
and demand loading plus new scripting commands and an installer.
Sonique
Enjoy
your MP3, CD, WAV, MOD, and WMA tracks with superior audio quality and
impressive visual effects.
soniq190.exe
02-07-01
Company:
Team Sonique
Version:
v1.90
Size:
2.56 bytes
OS:
Windows 95/98/NT/2000
License:
Free
Sonique
is an audio player capable of handling MP3 files, Microsoft Windows Media
files, audio CDs, and more. It features a dynamic, windowless interface,
complete with a fully animated menu systems. Additional features include a
full-featured playlist editor; a variety of unique output visualization
modes; plug-ins; a robust control set featuring pitch, jog, and shuttle;
support for skins; a balance and amplification adjustment; and a 20-band
equalizer with spline-based level adjustment. Sonique supports many audio
formats, including WMA, MPEG, MP2, MP3, WAV, MOD, XM, IT, S3M, and CD
audio. Version 1.90 updates the MP3 decoder to AE 4.8. It also includes
processor optimizations, a new tag editor, full screen scaling, and
various other improvements and bug fixes.
Musicmatch
Jukebox
Create
MP3 files, play music, and more
musicmatch_6.10.0165.exe
01-06-17
Company:
Musicmatch Corporation
Version:
6.10.0165
Size:
10,096,847 bytes
Requirements:
speakers and/or headphones, Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 or later,
SoundBlaster-compatible sound card, 32 MB RAM, Pentium 200, and Windows
9x, NT, 2000, or Me
License:
Free
MusicMatch
Jukebox is one of the best jukeboxes on the Internet -- and it's free! Use
it to convert tunes from your favorite audio CDs to .mp3, .wav, or .wma
format. Rip tracks digitally, or record them in real-time analog mode --
even through your sound card's line-in jack. Free, CD-quality Fraunhofer
encoding lets you convert an unlimited number of .mp3 files up to 320 kps;
.wma encoding is possible to 160 kps as well. MusicMatch Jukebox also
provides integrated CD burning, a database with CDDB support, and a slick
multimedia player with visualizations and skin customization. Recently
added features include a Radio component that lets you create custom
stations and hear CD-quality audio over broadband connections; an improved
interface; an enhanced Music Guide; new visualizations; and much more. A
$19.99 upgrade promises additional features, such as faster CD burning,
display of cover art as wallpaper, and jewel case insert/Music Library
printing.
Reviewed
on Aug 16 2000.
Irfan
View
irview.exe
02-15-01
View/edit
images & play multimedia files
Company:
Irfan Skiljan
Version:
3.33
Size:
708.00 KB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Free
If
you do any work at all with graphics, you should have IrfanView on your
hard drive. This fast, powerful, and totally free (for personal use) image
viewer and multimedia player supports a ton of graphics formats, including
multiple-image icons, animated .gif files, and multipage .tif files.
IrfanView also lets you play audio CDs and many types of sound, animation,
and movie files (including QuickTime formats). Its impressive feature set
includes thumbnail creation, drag-and-drop support, fast directory
viewing, a slide-show mode, and batch conversion. You'll also find screen
capturing, cutting/cropping, image effects, .dll and .exe icon extraction,
file management, support for plug-ins, and more -- all packaged in a small
.exe file that requires no .dlls or runtime libraries. Plus, its slim main
window won't hog your desktop. Make no mistake about it -- IrfanView is a
true freeware gem. Commercial users will need to register it for a paltry
$10.
Reviewed
on Feb 15 2001.
Digital
Camera Enhance
dcenhan.zip
07-31-00
Clean
up crummy photos for free
Company:
MediaChance
Version:
1.1
Size:
524.77 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95, 98, or NT
Purchase
Information: Free
Digital
Camera Enhance is a free tool that helps you clean up your photos, whether
you have a digital camera or not. With a push of a button, it
automatically reduces noise, performs skin smoothing, and adjusts color
balance. We thought it did an especially nice job on our problem test
images, although we wish the program had minimize and maximize controls on
its title bar. The program works best with pictures that were taken under
poor lighting conditions. If an image is already fine, you won't see much
of a difference. Sliders for Auto Balance, Midtones, Color, Enhancement
Details, and De-noising let you make precise adjustments, with the
difference clearly shown in the "Original" and
"Result" panes. Digital Camera Enhance opens images in the .bmp,
.jpg, .pcx, .png, .tga, .tif, .wmf, and .pax formats.
Reviewed
on Jul 10 2000.
DLSuperCX
dlsupcx.zip
10-27-00
Compare
folders and files
Company:
Donald Ludlow
Version:
1.4b
Size:
413.85 KB
Requirements:
Windows 95 or Windows 98
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $29.95 if you decide to keep it.
Compare
files and folders with DLSuperCX. Using a variety of options, you can
select individual files or folders to compare. The differences reported
depend on a large number of preferences that determine how the files are
processed. Special support for HTML, Delphi, C++, and Visual Basic files
allows code comments to be ignored during the scan. Results can be printed
or saved to a text or .rtf file. DLSuperCX is fairly easy to use and
includes ample documentation.
Reviewed
on Apr 24 1998.
Directory
Compare
dcw.exe
02-02-01
Compare
and sync folders, manage files
Company:
OMG
Version:
2000.0.0.8
Size:
13.91 MB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, or 2000
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $30 if you decide to keep it.
Directory
Compare for Windows is a powerful 32-bit file-management tool. This fine
tool would be especially helpful when updating peer information in a
network or workgroup, moving files between desktop and laptop computers,
or creating and comparing test/development directories. Using a
synchronized, split-column matching display with a full toolbar and
right-click menus, it displays the contents of two folders side by side
and lets you synchronize all folders and subfolders below, either manually
or automatically. You can easily view, print, run, and filter files, as
well as get statistical information. You can also copy, move, and delete
files as needed. Other features include multilevel undo; user-definable
layout, colors, fonts, and date and time formats; command-line support;
and a fast, letter-by-letter file-list search engine. A 16-bit version is
also available.
Reviewed
on Feb 05 2001.
Beyond
Compare
beycomp.zip
01-30-01
Easily
compare files and folders
Company:
Scooter Software
Version:
1.9d
Size:
791.51 KB
Requirements:
Windows 9x, NT, 2000, or Me
Purchase
Information: Shareware: Free to try, $30 if you decide to keep it.
Beyond
Compare lets you quickly see the differences in the recursive contents of
two folders. It's highly configurable, easy to use, and an excellent way
to compare folders. It displays two selected folders side by side and lets
you view folder information a number of ways through filters. You can view
all files, matching files, mismatched files, and so on, with differences
color-coded so that you can spot them easily. You can synchronize, copy
and move files from one folder to the other with ease, rename and delete
files, and even apply time zone settings to one folder or another. Text
files can be compared using the built-in side-by-side file viewer, which
also uses color coding to highlight differences. Other features include
fast comparison of binary files, print support, Clipboard support, and
optional automatic backup.
Reviewed
on Jan 29 2001.
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