Cool Free Tools

Development

Virtualization

Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 is good for most situations, but I have had some problems with performance using a laptop.  In this situation Sun’s VirtualBox will work just fine.

Files

WinMerge is my favorite diff/comparison tool.  Pretty and simple.

If TFS is not an option, definately use Tortoise SVN.  You can install a Subversion server to speed access for multiple users (Book).  Also use TracAdmin to manage your project’s issues, milestones, and documentation.   Continuous build is pretty easy with CruiseControl .Net.

Javascript

Developing and managing Javascript code is simplified with ScriptSharp.  This has a small learning curve associated with it, but it is worth it.    These javascript libraries are a must: jquery, prototype, and extjs.

The C# 2008 Poster is a nice wall paper (the real kind).

Internet

Firefox is my choice for best browser.  (Need to add plugin list).

Dump Adobe Reader for FoxIt Reader.

Utilities

Files

7-Zip handles all of my compression needs. 

Notepad++ is a handy notepad replacement.  To bad it doesn’t do hex.  Use HxD for hex.

Use Truecrypt for financial data.

Use Defraggler to defragment large files.  CCleaner really cleans your system. Recuva undeletes files.

Duplicate File Finder or Duplicate File Cleaner to clean duplicate files.

Space Sniffer finds where the space on your hard drive went to.

SyncToy 2.1 allows you to setup directories to be synchronized.  Useful to use a USB Drive as a briefcase or for simple backups.  Or go the other way with Microsoft USB Flash Drive Manager (Standard) to backup your USB Drive.

Copy Path

System

ScreenHunter is a simple yet effective replacement for print-screen.

Use this Background Switcher if you don’t have Ultramon.

Driver Backup backs up your drivers before you reinstall.

CD/DVD’s

ImgBurn is an excellent Nero replacement.  Use with WinCDemu Mounter or Pismo File Mounter as well. System Rescue CD is a handy tool to keep around as well for partitioning and system repair.

Handbrake

Dvd Shrink

Productivity

PDFTools joins, splits, encrypts, decrypts PDF’s.

JPG2PDF Converter also converts and merges TIF files.  Handy for scanning documents.

PDF->Word extracts a PDF’s content to word.

Image Editing

Photography

InfranView is a great program for batch conversions.

SmillaEnlarger is an excellent way to increase photo’s without very much distortion.

Paint.Net is a good alternative to Photoshop. (Need to add plugin list).

PTGui & PanoTools with Hugin stitches images together.  Consider using

RAW Codecs – installs the camera specific interpreters for the RAW image format.

Use Picasa to organize your photos.

Ico FX is an Icon Editor.  Convert PNG to ICO with ToYcon (change ftp to http when downloading or click here)

 

Video & Music

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/features.php?cat=video

http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/media-player-features.html

http://www.winamp.com/

 

http://rainmeter.net/RainCMS/

Xp 2 Win7