Recent Posts

851

General Software Discussion / Re: Win Patrol Plus (Bits Du Jour- Fri) Chameleon Startup Manager, Startup Organizer

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 27, 2009, 03:15 AM »

Hi Folks,

Here are a few thoughts and observations.

First, Anvir Task Manager has been fairly impressive in its startup change warnings.  Not that I have done any systematic checking, I simply notice quite informative pop-ups.  More research needed, this issue of startup change monitoring could use its own little review discussion, since in some ways this is can be the primary security function. 

So .. Who catches everything ? Who catches real-time ? Who is fast and who is slow ? Who catches what when and how ?

Startup Organizer by Metaproducts has a nice skill in that regard.  Even if the program is shut off for days, when it comes back it puts all the changes in one box for review.  It is the only software I have seen that makes the changes very clear even if you didn't use the product for a week.

Also there is the issue of changing how programs startup.  Personally I like non-security programs in the Startup folder -- easy to see in a File Manager and easy to change user-by-user or all users at anytime in the file manager like Total Commander.  Others like registry startups, others like to leave it the way the program set it up. 

If I remember, Startup Organizer took your change from one mode to another quite well.  It is possible Chameleon and/or StartEd does this nicely, too (similar interfaces) it is an aspect that I would like to look into more.  Does the program actually delete the registry key and create the start entry smoothly ? And vica versa ?  Or am I asking too much ?

Shalom,
Steven Avery

852

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Online Armor on Giveawayoftheday (May 26, 2009)

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 26, 2009, 11:34 AM »

Hi Folks,

Yes, Online Armor is fine, it has some fundamental HIPS protection, I especially note direct disk access prompts. And  I put two posts in on the GAOTD thread.  The OA forums are kewl, plus Wilder's has lots of discussion.

One restriction on the Free that I noted was that the restricted ports were unchangeable.  Plus backup stuff is I think lighter and easier on the Pro, you have to do some stuff by hand on the Free. Config flexibility, certain other techie features .. beyond port-by-port .. is Pro only.  So it is certainly advantageous to get the Pro, and they have some sort of $10 - 2 yr. thing available too.

Not sure what all the differences are, there is a chart, I have not run the Pro and am not too firewall-savvy, suffice to say that the Free is very good, the Pro is superb.  In the past I have used mostly Zone Alarm, Kerio / Sunbelt and I have Comodo ready to be deinstalled on a work puter. Today Outpost is the main solid freebie alternative to OA .. a recent addition to their line, PC Tools also possible.  Generally I would bypass firewalls that come from anti-virus companies trying to expand to a suite.  Unless you really like the Suite as a whole, which is a lot of eggs in one basket.

With OA you have a small, really competent company, I combine them with Avira anti-virus.  I was a little surprised to see GAOTD (expected more likely Bits Du Jour).

So unless you are very happy with what you now have .. e.g. a suite that fits you fine or a long-term accommodation to Outpost, Kerio-Sunbelt, PCTools, crikety old Sygate .. a bit dated now .. or another .. I suggest this as the best to do.  

Note: you want to put special attention to whether an existing firewall can be successfully turned off, or needs a full deinstall, and how to do a deinstall.  I would google that for any firewall ready to be decommissioned.  

In general, Wilders has a ton of info, and many there are OA simpatico.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

853

General Software Discussion / Re: Local backup like "Carbonite"

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 23, 2009, 10:29 AM »

Hi Folks,

 Jerome, 3 things on SFFS (good to know that it is such an excellent program).

 Would be nice to have an email or a web forum.  I know the developers have some valid reasons not to bother, but when they do (examples: Online Armor and now GFI Backup and FBackup and Syncback) the user experience can be greatly improved.

 This is a bit on the pricey side $40 standard, $70 professional.  Thus we would look high and low for the DonationCoder or BitsDuJour discount.  Maybe you can mention to Tobias that there are discount realms that are designed for visibility and discussion rather than just penny-saving.

  The name Synchronizer tends to make the user think the function is a bit different than backup (I gather it is backup and more - thus the name flexible :-) ).  Does this ever get discussed ?

Shalom,
Steven Avery

854

General Software Discussion / A Collection of Autostart Locations - Tony Klein -- Codestuff Starter Update

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 21, 2009, 01:49 AM »

Hi Folks,

ADDITIONS ABOVE

A Collection of Autostart Locations - Tony Klein (section with Merijn discussion also)
-  The single best security-related startup information article, explaining in layman's terms all the places malwares tries to come onboard for future startups.

Also "Silent Runners" similar help page of "Launch Points" is added.

Codestuff Starter new (05/2009) release, formerly it had been noted that there were no updates since 2006.

FreeFixer added.

Anvir Task Manager freebie special link added.

Chameleon Startup Manager having a free version added.

ProCleaner returns, as Emergency Soft has website with forum and product info.

Trilinea, your info on RegRun and its Startup Optimizer is appreciated and definitely on-thread, and I will add it to the list of special interest programs.  I may try to look at it more, as it may join Anvir as the Startup Manager that is integrated into a wider tool that is worthy of special consideration even in the straight niche of startup managers.   Even if it does not have a freebie version.

Personally I do not think the hope for a freebie should rule your decision too much in this niche. If the freebie fits you fine (e.g. WinPatrol Free, WhatinStartup by NirSoft, Anvir Free and others) excellent .. if you can use the features in one of the commercial programs (e.g. stronger security features in WinPatrol, strong multiple startup configuration and delay management in various programs, more support) then the $ outlay can be well worthwhile.  

Shalom,
Steven

855

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: Backup4All Lite ... 4 Free

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 20, 2009, 05:44 AM »

Hi Folks,

Sounds good, Softland.  Will make me more confident about digging into Backup4All more. 

Another thought.  Any possibility of a cloud backup connection ?  Where one or two net backup providers are directly interfaced with Backup4All ?  Or if folks are successfully doing this -- and if so, with which providers ?  (There may be features or discussions I don't know about .. this is off the top of my head.)   

A little side-question.  Does your company ever bump into the Neobytes company (looks like you are both in the NW of the country, they are even more so by the Hungarian border .. one time I meandered through Bucharest for a few hours en route to Israel).  The "feel" of the companies is very different, I doubt that Neobytes will ever have a forum for any products.  Note: feel free to skip this question, or give a short answer, I am just curious with Romania being a bit of a software hotbed this day !

Shalom,
Steven Avery

856

Found Deals and Discounts / Backup4All Lite ... Titan and the Roumanian Rebranders

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 18, 2009, 11:14 AM »

Hi Folks,

Backup4All is nice stuff, I have a license, probably on a Bits Du Jour special, and the release lasts a long time.  A support and discussion forum would be a major help, in the style of Syncback and Genie.  Yes, it is a pain for the provider (especially if it is a smaller company) yet it allows such a different level of experience for the user.  I find myself using forums like Online Armor or Anvir or this or that as a primary learning tool.

Neobytes (Titan and the Roumanian Rebranders) has a lot less visibility than Backup4All.  How do you tell who is developing, is there any real, substantive support ? 

Those who use Titan, or a rebranded Titan, or other Neobytes products, do you get good solid, techie responses to an email support request ?  If you point out a bug, do they try to put out a new release with a fix.  Do you find any discussions about features and future directions and new releases and stuff like that ?

Shalom,
Steven Avery

857

Best Virtual Machine Tool / Re: VirtualBox - Top of the Lot

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 14, 2009, 08:03 AM »

Hi Folks,

Recently I had a techie recommend using a VirtualBox solution for my Linux install rather than a dual-boot. (Which is planned for Real Soon Now -- as soon as I reinstall the XP that GParted crashed out on the play puter, for which I need to handle a bootmanager problem.)

A full OS in a virtualbox does seem odd to me, however I do like the reference here, how should I use the VirtualBox ?  Linux, test environment sandboxing, this and that ?

Shalom,
Steven Avery

858

Found Deals and Discounts / NoteZilla and Stickies - leaders of the pack

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 14, 2009, 07:52 AM »

Hi Folks,

If stickies attaches to programs, that leaves "tagging" as the major feature (for me) in NoteZilla.  Major enuf.  However Stickies can get a try on my mildly-used work puter, and then I can brainstorm in a month or so :-). 

(No, I wasn't thinking of multi-tagging, but if NoteZilla does that, I will give it a whirl, I can see a small nicety of a note attaching to both the program and the web-page, or multi-web-pages, so it stays up when you are looking at either variety.)

Note that FreewareGenius (and his views are always interesting) has a preference for Shock Sticker as his freeware best, with the emphasis on display and editing.

http://www.freewareg...10/01/shock-sticker/
Shock Sticker

However it was apparently missing url linking, apps sticking and a notes manager, all in Stickies and NoteZilla (he doesn't look at NoteZilla because his genius-ness is in freeware).  And tagging, in the Zilla. And some of the comments pointed out the lacks. So it is a bit of a non-issue for most of us.

 -- NoteZilla and Stickies are the leaders of the pack.

When I originally considered all this -- I thought of sticky notes as oddities, partly based on my earlier limited use.  However now, understanding the linking aspect which defacto supplies both an auto-find and an auto-hide, I see these programs quite favorably.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

859

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: NoteZilla @ 50% off on BitsDuJour.com (13th May)

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 13, 2009, 09:58 PM »

Hi Folks,

A bit strange. Plimus always works well for me, although I am careful to save both a .pdf pic and the pertinent info (into Linkman) if questions come up, to have the purchase info.

I did appreciate learning how good is Stickies as well, however I went today's Notezilla route, since those two features above, tags and program attachment (actually attaches to the 'window' seen by the process manager) will be top everyday features .. plus I think it has a few other niceties.  Once I used it once I got the feel. Nice to have two fine programs to consider, one freeware, one shareware discount, for me NoteZilla is the more appropriate. The main thing is that the sticky fades away by itself, if you want it to, when the attached program is minimized, or webpage. Until today that feature had never even crossed my field of vision or mental synapses.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

860

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: NoteZilla @ 50% off on BitsDuJour.com (13th May)

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 13, 2009, 06:23 PM »

Hi Folks,

For me the "tags" is a big plus, if I start PIM-ing away.

I just went into Online Armor and attached the sticky to the "Online Armor" window .. the sticky has my current questions about the program and the URL to my posts on their forum.  Thus when I bring up the Online Armor config window the sticky pops up .. kewl .. is that feature in Stickies (program window attachment .. not URL).

Also note that I will plan on "tagging" that with something like "support questions".  Then that tag will have the questions for Online Armor, Avira, Firefox, etc. grouped together.  To me that is the essence of PIM-stuff.  So I am pleased, at least conceptually.  This is a level of direct note relationship that I miss in the Keynote type of program (not that it would be replaced, the functions are complementary).

Shalom,
Steven Avery

861

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: NoteZilla @ 50% off on BitsDuJour.com (13th May)

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 13, 2009, 04:54 PM »

Hi,

The demo of NoteZilla is impressive, have you looked at it ?  I can see how it can function as a mini-PIM in a way that the normal sticky note app will not, most of those apps are simply notes here and there.  With Notezilla you can have categories and scheduling and such, and also cross-category groupings with a grouping-style for the notes (Were there tree-folder levels, maybe not.) Combined and selective.  In other words, you have a bit of a Keynote style app yet with the notes connecting to a webpage or an app or your own memoboard on an issue, rather than being within the note-tree structure only.  However you do not have niceties like multi-level groupings, as you would have in the better dedicated ToDo lists, and I am not sure if you have the fullness of scheduling that you have in calendar apps.  So there are trade-offs.  You do have a free-lance cross-categorization where you create categories and you say to which categories a particular note applies (I would say that was the favorable turning point, seeing that included). So I am tempted to simply give it a try and work with it with the $15 investment tonight on my main puter. If it works good, I am not going to worry now about the full investment on portable or a couple of puters.  I'd probably wait for the next deal (and encourage a DonationCoder discount).  If it stagnates, the $15 will be a learning experience.  However, I think it will have a long-term place, at least for certain functions, such as the ToDo list and webpage annotation. I do like color boards that have a bit of style, one on this puter concern, one on this Bible study, one on this financial doohickey, one on what I have to do today.  That aspect seems to make some sense, ad hoc memo-boards, independent yet selectively combinable.  Make sense ?

Oh, I liked the idea that you could make a note for a webpage, it is URL cognizant, and it allows wild-cards in the URL name so a note could for www.donationcoder.com/* and will appear only when I am up in any DC window.  I think that will get some use, notes attached to web-pages, and also applications, rather than simply independent structure. 

How much of this type of stuff is in Stickies and Presto-Notes and others.  I don't remember much, and it is the turning point for me giving it a tilt-a-whirl.

Shalom,
Steven

862

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: NoteZilla @ 50% off on BitsDuJour.com (13th May)

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 13, 2009, 10:44 AM »

Hi Folks,

I'm gonna play with it today.  I've tried a couple of freeware sticky notes in the past (Presto Notes, maybe Stickies) .. but they didn't stick.  At least they did not survive my XP reinstall with any compelling unction to reinstall.

It looks like NoteZilla has increased functionality, attaching to programs or web-pages -- making it interesting.  Also I may use it a lot with a screen capture program (yes, I know there are screen capture programs that include a text-note function .. but I generally don't use them ).

Ok, will give it a try today.

Shalom,
Steven

863

Found Deals and Discounts / the price to sell out to crapware ?

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 09, 2009, 06:56 PM »

Hi Folks,

 What has surprised me has been the lack of substantive action at SourceForge.  They have a very strong long-developed reputation that can easily be shredded if they don't take solid and quick action on situations like this.

  As for the crapware sources, apparently they pay a pretty penny. BillP of WinPatrol has a famous comment about how he could have retired if he took their offer. Clearly Comodo must be making a lot, there is little other explanation for their actions.  With Pdf Creator the numbers are much smaller, what do you think ?  "You get 10,000 to 50,000 installs, you will get a $1 an install" ?  (With Comodo the install numbers could be much higher.) Maybe somebody can expose the specifics of one of those contracts.

   Did you notice how the installs sometimes make the crapware look like a help in using the actual product.  "You will be getting Explorer and Firefox integration". (I just recently saw the PDF Creator pictures and it is something along this line.)  I wonder -- do the programs actually withhold some obvious integration feature in order to bundle it with the crapware, thereby making the normal product deliberately inferior.  Or do they simply deceive in the install about the "feature" utility of the crapware toolbar. It has to be one or the other.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

864

Found Deals and Discounts / the PDF Creator crapware fiasco

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 08, 2009, 06:04 PM »

Hi Folks,

Actually many folks, even techies, were burned by PDF Creator's toolbar crap.  The reasons are complex, apparently some silent installs -- and other problems -- foisted the crap even upon those who would normally just say no.   And made worse by being an open source project. And little from the developers came forth.

You can read about it on pdffforge, sourceforge and various blogs.

Automatic Yahoo toolbar install? Bye PDFcreator
http://www.pdfforge.org/node/2598

pdfforge Toolbar - browser hijack to vmn.net
http://www.pdfforge.org/node/2540

Also threads 2406, 2423 and 2626 and 2659, maybe more.

On Sourceforge

Tracker: Bugs - 5 Remove trojan from download! - ID: 2607106
http://sourceforge.n...7796&atid=485457

Tracker: Bugs
5 Malware and Yahoo toolbar and malwa installed no matter what - ID: 2719254
http://sourceforge.n...7796&atid=485457

There is more, but that will give you some idea why PDF Creator is no longer of interest to many, alternatives are sought, whether CutePDF or a future open source or a commercial solid product.

SourceForge-hosted PDFCreator Trojan/Toolbar Warning
http://www.mularien....ojantoolbar-warning/

Also on the Mozillazine forum and other blogs and sites you will find discussion, the article above, back in March, was one of the best.  (I learned about all this when GiveawayoftheDay did NovaPDFLite.)

By comparison Ccleaner did not get a free pass. e.g Softpedia would properly label them as adware. At least their crapware was much clearer than Comodo - easier to avoid -and not done with the Comodo specialty of legal intimidation and bluster.  Nor with ultra-deceptive install wording and structure (again Comodo). And CCleaner is not a security app or an open source app, both of which are understandably held to an especially high standard. I never would have thought I could go to SourceForge and get crapware foisted with my open source.  Thus lot of folks who might continue with Ccleaner (with some concern) find Comodo and PDF Creator software non grata -- and are less trusting of SourceForge.

Note: I believe all these being discussed were "opt-out".  Generally speaking "opt-in" is far less likely to raise hackles and major concerns. Yet even there, on "opt-in" ... factors are:

how crappy is the add-on; who is doing it and why; how much finagling is there to try to make the "opt-in" attractive by falsely making it look appropriate and necessary. And how much was missed in the process (e.g. silent installs on a network) so that some may get taken unawares anyway.

The other day I was at a client and had to do some stuff on a PC loaded with crapware toolbars, including the infamous crawler toolbar.  What a disaster.  Those of us on forums like this should be aware of how these mercantile crap-items prey on those who do not have a large amount of puter savvy.  Those are the marks for Comodo and PDF Creator and others.  Much better to use a real freeware or buy a good product than try to wink at this stuff.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

865

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: NovaPDF Professional Desktop on Bitsdujour today

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 08, 2009, 05:01 AM »

Hi,

 Even if PDF Creator and Nova Professional were equal I would prefer to buy and register the Nova product.  For every person savvy enough to bypass the crapware since they read the forums carefully and know the installation trickeries there are 5 or 10 or 20 who have their system compromised.   Better to support a developer directly with an inexpensive purchase, using specials like Bits and DC.  My view, anyway.

 Note: there are plenty of good freeware PDF software products, generally though they will not be as hefty, simpler printer conversion stuff. If your need is light, there are now 5 or more to take over PDF Creator.  No need for supporting in any way foisting crapware on the unwary. 

  (Whether it is Comodo's CIS, PDF Creator or the NoScript fiasco, although I have a bit of empathy with Giorgio on the last one.  I mention those three because they are all fairly recent discoveries and all from companies with a strong freeware fan base.  Crapware from Symantec/Norton would barely be news, even being a paid software.)

Shalom,
Steven Avery

866

Found Deals and Discounts / NovaPDF Professional Desktop - Bitsdujour - May 11, 2009

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 08, 2009, 02:34 AM »

Hi Folks,

Returning on May 11, half-price at Bits.

http://www.bitsdujou...rofessional-desktop/
novaPDF Professional Desktop - Easily Create High-Quality PDF Files

I was quite impressed with the Lite which was a recent Giveaway of the Day. Although I do not do a lot with .PDFs so far, if I plan to do more in some upcoming web development, I may consider this one.  Anyway, its good software.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

867

Found Deals and Discounts / Re: X-Setup Pro at Bits Du Jour today Monday - 5/4/09

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 04, 2009, 05:29 PM »

Hi Folks,

X-Setup Pro - $10 today on Bits Du Jour
http://www.x-setup.n...features.asp?lang=EN
Forum
http://www.x-setup.net/forum/
Bits Du Jour
http://www.bitsdujou...oftware/x-setup-pro/

======================================

Regtoy
http://k-n.co.cc/
http://www.lifehacke...c_every_which_way-2/
(Uses Net 2.0 - Good tweaks with mediocre auxiliary apps - Vietnam)
Reg Toy Windows Tweaker (2008)
http://www.ghacks.ne...toy-windows-tweaker/
Snapfiles
http://www.snapfiles...s/regtoy/regtoy.html

TweakUI PowerToy
http://www.lifehacke...indows_xp_with_twea/
http://download.cnet...html?cdlPid=10767632

TweakNow WinSecret 2009 - Freeware
http://www.tweaknow.com/WinSecret.html
TweakNow PowerPack Professional - $30 about

Fresh UI
http://www.freshdevices.com/freshui.html
(A simpler product ... they give you an email registration)

Tweak 'N Tune - Acelogix (2005)
http://www.acelogix.com/freeware.html
http://www.majorgeek...ak_N_Tune_d4798.html

TuneXP (2004 - DriverHeaven - Final version)
http://download.cnet...2086_4-10290928.html
Forum
http://www.driverhea...en-tools-discussion/
Tech Support Guy
http://forums.techgu...ven-tune-xp-1-a.html

X-Setup 6.6 (2002) - Last Freeware version - (2002 or 2003)
http://www.321downlo...tFreeware/page5.html

Also there may be comparable functions in freeware tools like Glary Utilities and Advanced System Care and earlier versions of TuneUp Utilities.

=============================

PAYWARE mentioned on BitsDuJour site.
Tweak-XP Pro for Windows XP
http://www.totalidea...php?Product=Tweak-XP

=============================

After doing this review I am more impressed about the possibility of taking advantage of the deal today and just running with the active, proven, supported program.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

868

Found Deals and Discounts / X-Setup Pro at Bits Du Jour today Monday - 5/4/09

« Last post by Steven Avery on May 04, 2009, 12:31 PM »

Hi Folks,

X-Setup Pro at Bits Du Jour. $10 instead of $20.

However the freeware market has a bunch of these tweak programs, although some have considered X-Setup the best. Worthwhile for the investment, which is relatively small for the license ?

Is this a market whose time has passed ? (I've never used one of these XP tweakers.)  Later I may list a few of these that are freeware.
 
Shalom,
Steven Avery

869

Living Room / browser use - frame frustrations

« Last post by Steven Avery on April 30, 2009, 08:24 AM »

Hi Folks,

  Frames are a bit of a mess to the user.  Often you don't get a specific link for a page, bookmarking becomes difficult. Often too much real estate is taken up, the page is hard to read, maybe you have to go back and forth to F11 mode. And sometimes they try to keep control when you click a URL to other sites (about.com uses that trick a lot, one reason I avoid their reviews).

  Yet perhaps they sometimes have redeeming browsing value.

  Here is an example from an otherwise quite excellent site.  I'm not sure if these are technically "frames" - the webdev folks can give us the nuances.

http://www.neatnettricks.com/
Neat Net Tricks

  Note that if you click "Software Reviews" your address bar remains unchanged. On the other hand you can put in:

http://www.neatnettr...reReviews/splash.htm
Software Reviews

  And get directly to the Software Reviews page.  (Yet it is still ugly-small.)  I'm not sure how you are supposed to get to that bookmark originally.

  So what are the solutions ?  (Some web-sites give you a "No-Frames" option, so that is a solution when available.)

  Well sometimes you can google-search some text on a page, and lo-and-behold, you can find the URL to the same page in full-screen no-hassle mode.  Ah, so much better, maybe I can find an example of that later. 

  Can you just put in a Firefox-Opera setting ?
  Can you use NoScript with the frame stuff checked ?
  Is there another way ?

  And if so, can you turn it on/off for a website ?

  How do you accomplish all this ?

Shalom,
Steven Avery
 

870

General Software Discussion / Untangling office network difficulties

« Last post by Steven Avery on April 29, 2009, 07:55 PM »

Hi Folks,

  Interesting to see Untangle mentioned.  After a recommendation I was considering whether it might serve as a good software gateway traffic cop for an office network.  Including things like implementing IP block lists to help prevent doofus-cruising (things that could lead to trouble, even stuff like sports sites with a gambling sub-tone).  Maybe do more like a software pseudo-firewall-help. 

  Note: we actually have an "InstaGate" (Esoft) appliance, but we really do not use all the complex VPN-FTP and this-and-that stuff there, and are deciding whether it really has a purpose.  (It came in as a bundle when we upgraded the iSeries mini.) So I am involved in this decision .. work more with the InstaGate ? Look at things like Untangle or other software helps ? Use both or neither.  .. disclaimer note.  I have not yet done the obvious .. read the Untangle forums.

  Any thoughts on how Untangle might fit into a light, friendly but a bit too-free office environment -- please share away.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

871

General Software Discussion / Re: JkDefrag further developed as MyDefrag

« Last post by Steven Avery on April 29, 2009, 06:56 PM »

Hi Folks,

 If you look at the thread with DiskTune, you find the possible explanation .. most of these softwares are doing all their actual defragging (copying and moving of files) using the same Windows API.  This is also discussed on the MyDefrag page.

   Thus the softwares are more involved with issues like file placement (optimization) and timing of the activity (e.g. dedicated or background) and user interface and auxiliary functions and whether or not they do a few of the ultra-techie aspects -- they do not write any new code for the actual movement and replacement of the files.

  Now there are times defragging messes up, I gather from reading forums .  One category would be software that places files or notations below the Windows OS, we know there are categories of software that are defrag-sensitive, perhaps in the virtualization or sandbox world, perhaps with some programs that write directly to disk, perhaps .. conceivably .. with special markers like serial #'s placed hidden that were ultra-security sensitive (I am guessing a bit).  Different softwares may handle those possibilities differently .. e.g they could actually check to see if such-and-such is on the system and/or they could be trained to play nice with certain files, not moving them.  I have yet to see a cogent list of the various types of apps and usages that qualify for this.   However your common house-garden-variety user probably won't get hit here.

  Perhaps there are other issues like recovery (power turns off) or looking for bad sectors (remember how the Windows defragger would often simply not function due to wanting the perfect chkdsk) where there are diffierences in how defrags work.  Again, I have yet to see a cogent list of the special situations.  And it is possible that your new beta is weaker in some special situations than a shaken-out software.  Possibly.

  There is also the special situation with system files that might only be touched in a dedicated boot-time defrag.  If this is not your house-garden concern, the issue does not even come up.  Or you might be using a special program, like NTREGOPT, for such functions.

  All-in-all the primary issue is that the file movement code (something like .. copy file .. copy new file pointer .. confirm .. change pointer in mini-nanosecond.. reconfirm) is not app-specific.  That, the most sensitive part, is a Windows API, apparently done reasonably well for a Redmond operation.

  Anyone who can explain real deficiencies better, maybe we can have a little thread (deficiencies and pitfalls of the garden-variety defragger).  Or here. I would like to learn a bit of the techie pitfalls.

  As for JKDefrag/MyDefrag, I look forward to giving it a whirl, it is spoken of very highly.  Apparently it does the optimization in a superior fashion than most other softwares, possible exceptions being the ultra-high-end like PerfectDisk.  You can have dueling algortithms ! Generally I just use the simple background products, Auslogics and Defraggler (Piriform/Ccleaner).  On the theory that the real issue is taking care of the 30K fragments that can develop -- and the file placement struggle is more nuance than substance (ducks .. YMMV). 

   Granted, on the other hand there is nothing wrong with a very intelligent file placement, especially one that looks ahead to the forthcoming new temp files and extensions and all.  (As discussed on the Mydefrag page.) One thing I liked about the DiskTune fella was that, to a certain extent, he seemed to be willing to speak about this bluntly.  That there was only so much all the optimization in the world would ever accomplish on a Windows system, and that so much was not huge.

  One way to look at it is that on our systems file I-O is so far below memory usage and CPU exhaustion and internet connections and other bottlenecks in causing any actual noticeable speed bumps .. that tweaking a bit faster file I-O, while nice, will make little practical difference.  Of course the unnecessary and cumbersome 50K fragments people get would do some harm .. since every file fragment can lead to an extra read on volatile files and one file can have hundreds of fragments.  Just as significantly, fragmented files can be a bear in a techie recovery operation, disrupting any hope.  So you try to strike a balance.  In my case, I have yet to be convinced that optimization is very relevant.

  This thread has even triggered my defrag scheduler !  (Whenever I read a post about defragging I do a defrag.)  ... Ok, before my reinstall of XP maybe I had a weekly defrag in the Splinterware system scheduler program that I use, and haven't yet reinstalled.  A good minor chore for now.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

872

General Software Discussion / Re: Comodo Software Removed from Softpedia (licensing problems)

« Last post by Steven Avery on April 29, 2009, 10:11 AM »

Hi Folks,

Wilders has had a big discussion on this, at times a bit unwieldy.  They did post the picture I sort-of remembered. (not sure of the inline pics yet, so I have it as the attachment .. still learning).

And I put in my comments here.
http://www.wildersse...52&postcount=192

Shalom,
Steven Avery

873

General Software Discussion / do we have a pot and a kettle ?

« Last post by Steven Avery on April 27, 2009, 04:45 AM »

Hi Folks,

===================================================
NOTE CORRECTION BELOW: (This experience was Foxit, not Comodo)

  Yep .. I installed the Comodo firewall (omitting the anti-virus) recently on one puter, and, if I remember properly, I felt that the wording and the way the checks and unchecks was handled was particularly tricky.  That they had abused 'the system'. And, if I remember, I ended up doing a full Ask toolbar uninstall with Revo, apparently successfully. 

(Note: this does not match the discussion on the page given, which has an Ask Toolbar embedded in a Safe Surf thing, which I definitely would not have allowed .. I use Web of Trust for that and if I saw the words Safe Surf I would try to continue with an uncheck or I would have aborted the install.  If I remember, the problem I saw was that Comodo had made it appear that you were OK'ing the general license, even if unclicking some other stuff, but what looked at a moderate glance like the simple install had more involved. It is possible I saw the work "license" and missed "Safe Surf".)

   If someone has the pics involved it would be helpful for precise discussion.  Maybe I will take the pics shortly, although best I would also check if the file where I loaded about a week ago is the same as what is downloadable from Comodo today.  In fact, better yet, I likely have the installer I used on my work puter and can take the pics there.

  To confuse the issue a bit more, perhaps I am mixing my Comodo experience with another .. so I am looking for my uninstall log, if I have one .. (I'll find the Ask uninstall and then use file creation dates to find out what was installed before.)  No obvious log in Revo, perhaps Event viewer has more info.

(ADDED: Yes, newsflash, that was probably my Foxit (PDF reader) experience.  PDF Xchange-viewer seemed to be crashing Firefox so I went back to Foxit. So with Comodo now I am really curious how good or bad is the installer, I probably did say no there without incident.  Softpedia does list Foxit as "Adware", and I think that is a 100% appropriate way of describing ad-installer-pull products. (The company would not be giving them $$ unless they thought a lot of folks would install without careful thought.)  Note that Softpedia today still does have some other Comodo products, like the System Cleaner, available, saying those are Freeware.)

==============================================

  This is a bit of the "slippery slope" syndrome as well .. once it is ok for unrelated adjunkware to be offered, there will be an incentive to try to trick the user -- even if the default is unchecked, or even if a user is savvy enuf to do some unchecking.

  While I am happy to see that Softpedia is taking an integrity road here  (good work, guys) there is a bit of an irony, since they have a reputation for lifting copy from others.  I remembered that from before, about two years ago, so I just put in a couple of googles and this one :

  Softpedia "steal content"

  Surprised even me, since after one DonationCoder reference (app103 in August 2007) about this problem.

https://www.donation...index.php?topic=9450
Article: Please don't steal this Web content

 You also get an article from a net-friend (Brandon Staggs) whose software I use .. (I had no idea that he had been hit by this problem as well).

http://www.brandonst...-hurting-developers/
More download site scams - stealing content and hurting developers

 Note, this goes back to 2007, I have not found the original articles I read from other developers about this. Overall, I wonder if anything has improved.

  Generally, beyond the content-lifting problem, I do not see that Softpedia is very reliable, they rarely have the types of excellent comments that you see especially in Snapfiles and Fileforum. Snapfiles and Fileforum (and Major Geeks) have an integrity quotient way above Softpedia in my book.  There are a number of aspects of weighing these companies (e.g. do they allow the google scareware ads, a place where the Major is deficient, do they give bogus awards without substantive reviews) -- so perhaps, if Softpedia would clean up their act on the lifting copy, I could reconsider them as a download site. However, as of now, I softpedal around Softpedia.

  Suggestion: improve their own house while they encourage Comodo to improve theirs.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

PS.
I kept the Comodo firewall on, since I really want to compare it with Online Armor free.  However, I may have to reconsider .. a "cease and desist" letter .. stop taking a consistent integrity stance .. sheesh ! Amazing.  Tacky to the max.  The Comodo CEO was recently on Paltalk, he may be a semi-regular there, maybe he needs some public confrontation.  If he wants to get the egg off his face, one way would be for him to dialog directly with Softpedia and throw his lawyers in the Comodo-clink.  A month with bread and water, or a new set of lawyers.

874

General Software Discussion / Re: What's your preferred File Manager

« Last post by Steven Avery on April 26, 2009, 04:20 AM »

Hi Folks,

Cmpm, good reference, I will add AC Browser Freeware above, my notes only had the paid edition, even though it is discussed right above. Yet as he says "The only difference is that the free version can't have more than 3 browse windows opened at a time" which is a feature that is often not in a file manager. I had recently noted that Konrad Papala has a good-looking scheduler, all his software seems well-done.

Also added:

Accelman, with some very positive reviews, now freeware.

Servant Salamander's last freeware version, available from the Altap site.

xplorer² — free version - from the author site.

PowerDesk Free, for some of us it was the original non-Explorer file manager. 

Pablo Commander

ExplorerXP

And added a note at bottom about pricing Total Commander for commercial purposes for comparison.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

875

General Software Discussion / File Managers - 10+ almost absolutely freebies

« Last post by Steven Avery on April 25, 2009, 05:55 PM »

Hi Folks,

Thanks for the Double Commander info. 

Here are some solid and close to "absolutely free" (even for business or corporate users or your own dozen puters).  Although they may like a donation, they are not crippled or nagware and are mostly dual-pane or more file managers - most under current support/development/forum/discussion. 

For this usage you do not need the extra beauty and complexity of Total Commander or Dopus anyway (although you may have those in your arsenal as well) virtually everybody struggles with Explorer and needs an upgrade.

And thus the portable aspect is less important, something good should be on every puter . There are tons of features not discussed here, just an overview list of the almost absolutely freebies.

They are listed in a cursory top-down interest fashion, with the top three (one open source) worthy of extra-special interest, and the next six all have interesting aspects, three are open source.

Note: I am not checking each of these programs extensively, so please do not consider all as fully reliable without additional checking.

=================================================

THREE HUM-DINGERS (or potentially)

Free Commander - Marek Jasinski (Tabs, Configurable)
http://www.freecommander.com/
Forum
http://www.forum.freecommander.com/
"free of charge for private and professional purposes"

Q-Dir
http://www.softwareo...seite=Freeware/Q-Dir
Freeware Genius
http://www.freewareg...-program-that-could/
"suitable as a direct replacement for windows explorer "

Double Commander - Open Source - Windows and Linux
http://doublecmd.sourceforge.net/
Forum
http://doublecmd.sourceforge.net/forum/
"inspired by Total Commander and features some new ideas."
Likely the most developed of the multi-platforms
Roadmap shows pluses, including TC plugins, and needs.
http://doublecmd.sou...ite/eng/roadmap.html

===================================================

muCommander - Windows/Mac/Linux
http://www.mucommander.com/
Lifehacker
http://lifehacker.co...ine-with-mucommander
Forums
http://www.mucommander.com/forums/
Free Software (GPL) - (Java- Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, BSD, Solaris...)
Java application may be sub-optimal speedwise for a file manager.

Nomad.net - Open Source
http://www.nomad-net.info/about
FileForum reviews are helpful
http://fileforum.bet...omadNET/1205541909/1
.net views differ widely, a review here would be welcome !

SurF File Manager - Open Source
http://surf.svprogramming.net/
Not dual-pane, active development, may have some good features.

SE-Explorer - Free portable file manager for Windows (Russia per Snapfiles)
http://www.se-soft.com/Explorer.aspx
.Net 2.0 needed -- Version: 0.0.27.531 Release Date: 16 March 2009
Helpful FileForum comments
http://fileforum.bet...xplorer/1215802773/1
Lack of developer info is a negative, three softwares listed, all the last few months.

Commander - Michael Vinther (March, 2008)
http://meesoft.logicnet.dk/Commander/
"If you like this software then please support my work and the future development of the program"
Forum
http://meesoft.logic...t/viewforum.php?id=6

Explorer++
http://www.explorerplusplus.com/
Forum
http://www.explorerplusplus.com/forum
So those in the office who absolutely must have an Windows Explorer lookalike, with more functionality, are not left out.

TabbyFile (2007)
http://www.tabbyware.com/node/10
Forum (very light)
http://www.tabbyware.com/forum/2
Popular in portable apps

=============================

This next group is more or less dormant, Gyula's and UE and AC Browser may do more development.

UltraExplorer (12/2007 - other software there more recent)
http://www.mustangpe...t/ultraexplorer.html
"UltraExplorer is the testbed for Mustangpeak Delphi and CBuilder Components.It is designed to be the ultimate File Manager for Microsoft Windows."
Receives some nice positive DC references.
Clif Notes Newsletter
https://freewarewiki...otesNewsletter080601

AC Browser Plus (May, 2007) - Konrad Papala (Poland)
http://www.konradp.c...bplus/free_index.htm
Discussions on p. 13 & 14 of thread
"The only difference is that the free version can't have more than 3 browse windows opened at a time."

Accelman - Flexigensoft (Version: 3.5 - 2007-04-21) 
http://www.flexigensoft.com/accelman
Lifehacker
http://lifehacker.co...with-robust-features
GiveawayoftheDay (2007) - with their edgy comments back-and-forth
http://www.giveawayo...m/accelman/#comments

Gyula's Navigator (commercial use: $20 for 5 licenses, close enuf to free)
http://www.wanari.co...ynav/Index.jsp?isNS=
Email Forum
http://tech.groups.y...oo.com/group/winnav/
User's tend to like. - Tekzel comment on DC.
https://www.donation...?topic=5372.msg39845

A43 (2007)
http://www.primitus.us/a43/

Bon Commander
http://boncmd.php5.cz/
"absolutely free software"

Pablo Commander (2004 last updates, active with others softwares and forum)
http://www.pablosoft...pablo_commander.html
Snapfiles
http://www.snapfiles...Pablo-Commander.html

File Matrix (3/2008)
http://www.gardenero...filematrix/index.htm
"The development of this program has been frozen"

ExplorerXP (2005)
http://www.explorerxp.com/
Forum (last activity 2007)
http://www.explorerxp.com/phpBB2/

Turbo Navigator - "Last Freeware Version"
http://www.321downlo...tFreeware/page6.html
Current Status uncertain

File Commander 5 (2007)
http://www.godlikeso...oducts&product=2

===================================================

LESSER-VERSION-WARE

Last freeware versions of active (or semi-active - PowerDesk). 
Although a couple of reviewers consider the earlier Servant Sal as greater-ware. Note the difference where, e.g. xplorer2 and servant sal encourages their download, XYplorer considers it as ancient history.

Servant Salamander 1.52 (Czech) (may go back to 1998)
http://www.altap.cz/...lam_en/freeware.html
Last Freeware Program
http://www.321downlo...Freeware/page29.html
Forum
http://forum.altap.cz/
A well-liked program, chart shows how features surpassed by current commercial program.
Gizmo Comment
http://aroundcny.com...texts/giz103101.html
"Version 1.52 of Servant Salamander, which wins the doctor's "Worst Name for a Good Product" Award, is completely free. ) Version 2.0 is not free, and it's also not as good as version 1.52. (Yes, the doctor agrees that it's a crazy world.) ... Servant Sal is a great file manager whether you make use of the CD-copying feature or not. The doc uses Sal all the time he is at his Windows PC, and even has a few interesting tricks he does with Sal.

xplorer² — free version
http://zabkat.com/x2lite.htm
Feature comparison table.  Not for commercial use. Unsupported but with active forum.
http://netez.com/bbs...540a2fc45c0ce2fe90f4
Lifehacker
http://lifehacker.co...-xplorer2-258730.php

XYplorer 5.50.0001 - Last Freeware Version (2006)
http://www.321downlo...Freeware/page22.html
"XYplorer Freeware Edition (aka XYplorerFree) has been discontinued "
http://www.xyplorer.com/free.php
The commerical XYplorer has a lot of fans, earlier freeware product is now discouraged.
Multi-tab, not dual pane.

PowerDesk Free (2006)
http://www.snapfiles...rdesk/powerdesk.html
Good explanation of history in Karma-D Snapfile comment.

===================

A couple of these now get a bit spacey and unusual, more for techie and fun play.  Development status varies.

Unreal Commander v0.95 - 01/2009 - Russia
http://x-diesel.com/
(recommended as best keyboard-user freeware below by Fenix)
"With TC's plugins support"
Has good page showing translators around the world and has dumbo "awards" page.

Cubic Explorer
http://www.cubicreal...xplorer/screenshots/

Zirpher (formerly File Surfer)
http://www.zirpher.com/

Nexus File
http://www.xiles.net/

Waztree
http://home.comcast....roducts/waztree2.htm

Without trials and more comments it is hard to say if these will also double in a simpler ultra-practical mode.

===========================

My sense is that if you wanted to replace Explorer on a bunch of puters, and keep it fairly simple for other people yet give them real dual-pane capability with much stronger functionality, the main competitors would be FreeCommander, Q-Dir, UltraExplorer. Q-Dir may have to be tamed from its 4-pane mode (although Freeware Genius puts it as a fine direct Explorer replacement). I don't think it was mentioned in this thread, it is the one that I plan to give a spin shortly (I use Free Commander normally, and Total Commander.) Double Commander is the likely next trial after Q-Dir.

(And the next post, quite informed, bumps Unreal Commander into this prime-time mix.)

=============================================

Oh, one last point.  The main commercial alternative for many budget-conscious small businesses will be Total Commander - a 10-user license (10 users at any one time is the concept, install can be on more puters) runs a smidgen over $200.  Clearly it is easier to get a $0 purchase through the bureaucracy than $200, however for many multiuser uses Total Commander must be given a good comparison run. We consider TC robust and strong and flexible and under very active development and support.

Personally, I really think even the everyday non-techie office worker will appreciate any good dual-pane manager (free or commercial) with simple function keys to move and copy. (One reason I did this overview was to really shake out the alternatives.)  TCUP - total commander ultra prime as an add-on I think is free for registered TC users, their website has a hold today so more info would be helpful.

Shalom,
Steven Avery