I know there are some attempts for windows to track updates to installed software (can't remember the name now!).

-urlwolf (May 02, 2009, 03:40 AM)

Here's a review of some of them on Gizmo's Freeware.

I've used Software Informer, one mentioned briefly as "annoying" in the Other Software Update Monitors category.  (It was bundled with Free Download Manager.)  I do concur with his complaints, but where his top pick boasts "More than 60,000" apps, Software Informer has "661,469" programs in its database.  Of course, it relies far more on the "1,388,362" users to keep things updated with reviews, working download links, etc... but I like the decentralized model.

But I agree, none of these can hold a candle to apt.  And for the reasons Rarst mentions, it's not likely they ever will.

There's a bunch more of this kind of app that haven't been mentioned yet, but here are two free implementations:

• Folder View <http://www.folderview.com/folderview/> is freeware, and enhances Explorer in several useful ways to help find often-used folders easier.  It's very configurable, and I've found it quite useful once I got used to it.
• DM2 <http://dm2.sourceforge.net/> is open source, and provides a bunch of unrelated little Explorer enhancements, one of which is a simple favorites list for open/save dialogs.  This one doesn't yet seem to work with Office dialogs, however it appears that it is still being actively developed.

While I'm at it, here's some additional shareware ones that were pretty good that I found before discovering Folder View, in case it doesn't really do it for you:

• Dialog Box Assistant <http://www.win-utilities.com/dba/>
• Direct Folders <http://www.codesector.com/directfolders.asp>
• Folder Cache <http://www.nesoft.org/foldercache.shtml>

See the Girder website, below, for more links to possible solutions.

You could always buy a Slink-E or something similar which lets you use any old remote you have lying around to control your computer.

Alternatively, if you like the do-it-yourself technique, see the WinLIRC homepage on Sourceforge <winlirc.sourceforge.net>.  The website features a small piece of software which will recognize IR codes received from a homebuilt IR detector which plugs into your serial port, with links to how to build such an IR detector (and/or transmitter).  I had almost no experience with building electronics or soldering, but I was able to get one working in an afternoon after a trip down to Radio Shack (I wonder if there's an Argentine equivalent?).

Either way, whether you buy a detector or build one, you'll need some kind of automation software (though if you buy a package, it will likely come with it).  Either way, Girder <www.proximis.com> is very good, very robust, but unfortunately no longer free.

Now I use an old all-in-one remote I had lying around to control my TV, DVD player, audio system, *and* computer, and it works rather seamlessly.

This way, if you don't mind trading off ease of initial setup, you can get any combination of size and features you like, with nearly infinite expandability, and *never* any driver stability issues if you change hardware.