fully free software utilities for biz use - discussion

[40hz]

For a small footprint & completely portable file search check out X-Find from Xteq.

-Stoic Joker (June 19, 2009, 06:09 AM)

Writes settings to the registry at:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Xteq Systems\X-Find\1.0
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Xteq Systems\X-Find

-PhilB66 (June 19, 2009, 06:45 AM)

Which makes your point what exactly?

-Stoic Joker (June 19, 2009, 11:38 AM)

He may mean if it writes to the registry then it is not a completely portable application cause it leaves its footprints behind in the registry.

-hamradio (June 19, 2009, 11:57 AM)

No problem. Download a copy of CleanAfterMe from Nirsoft and run it when you're done. This utility is a "must have" if you run portable apps on anybody's machine other than your own.

You don't want to be somebody who "left their watch on the nightstand," as the saying goes.

Link: www.nirsoft.net/utils/clean_after_me.html

CleanAfterMe allows you to easily clean files and Registry entries that are automatically created by the Windows operating system during your regular computer work.

With CleanAfterMe, you can clean the cookies/history/cache/passwords of Internet Explorer, the 'Recent' folder, the Registry entries that record the last opened files, the temporary folder of Windows, the event logs, the Recycle Bin, and more.

CleanAfterMe is a portable application. This means that you can run it without any installation and without leaving any trace in the Registry.
You can also run this program from a USB flash drive: In order to do that, simply copy the executable file of CleanAfterMe (CleanAfterMe.exe) into the USB flash drive, and run it from there.

Check out some of the other Nirsoft utilities while you're over there. They have something for everyone - and each is a gem!  

<Edit: @Steve - Let's add Nirsoft's utilities to the list. ( www.nirsoft.net/utils/index.html ) Sorry, I missed seeing your update on post 1. >

[mouser]

Though we don't make too big a deal about it, the official DonationCoder policy about commercial business uses is described here:
https://www.donation...r.com/Help/entry/23/

It basically says:

"Our software is free/donationware for personal use.  If you are running your own small home business, we consider that the same thing (as fellow voyagers in the world of small home businesses we know how hard it can be).

But if you are running a real business with more than one or two non-family employees, we do expect you to purchase a Site/Business License for the program you will be using.

Note: If you are simply an individual using the program at work, it doesn't matter if you are a member of a large business -- you do not need a formal commercial license (unless the program specifically says a commercial license is required for all profit making use).  Commercial Licenses are normally intended for the situation where many people at your business all use the program."

In other words, if you are a larger company that wants to install the software on many pcs, you should get a commercial license.  Otherwise, no worries.

[40hz]

Re: JKDefrag

Excellent and reliable product. But it needs a new hairdo and better clothes.

Enter JKDefragGUI. ( www.emro.nl/freeware/ )

JkDefragGUI is an Graphical User Interface which allows you to easily select all the features JkDefrag, a freeware defragmentation tool made by Jeroen Kessels has to offer.

But is can do a lot more.

JkDefragGUI can schedule a defragmentation, install JkDefrag or it's screensaver but can also do some small maintenance to you computer. It can be used to schedule a defragmentation of your systemfiles like pagefile and registry files. JkDefragGUI also supports CCleaner which can be used instead of the internal cleaning function.

JkDefragGUI was created for people who don't have the skills of an advanced user but still want to use the powerful features JkDefrag has to offer or for those people who like a GUI instead of a the command line.

Further JkDefragGUI is compatible with U3 memory pens and with BartPE pre-installed environment.

[PhilB66]

Thanks hamradio and 40hz for explaining my point... 

[40hz]

In other words, if you are a larger company that wants to install the software on many pcs, you should get a commercial license.  Otherwise, no worries.

-mouser (June 19, 2009, 03:46 PM)

@Mouser!

Here's something I've been meaning to ask, and maybe now is a good time to do it.

What about situations where you have someone like me who provides site support for a number of small to medium-sized clients. Many of these clients aren't too gung-ho on getting involved with licensing plans and variable pricing points. But all of them are quite comfortable buying individual copies of a product as needed.

I have arrangements with the authors of certain products whereby I can invoice my clients for a specific number of copies. Once I get paid by my client, I forward their remittance to the author (via credit card or PayPal), and receive PDF licenses and/or activation keys back by e-mail.

After I have the licenses and/or keys in hand, I can then go ahead and install the product on my client's machines.

This arrangement works best for all parties IMHO because it works just like a boxed SKU code product - except there's no box or SKU code.

Pros:

• My organization knows exactly how much each license will cost (before we include it in quotes or proposals) without needing to wait for the software publisher to get back to us with their own quote.
• Our client knows exactly how much it's going to cost before they're asked to commit.
  
• The software author(s) are guaranteed to get paid
• The client has a reliable record of the number of copies they have licensed
• It's fast. No waiting around a week for the Fedex guy to show up with a stack of boxes. Hand us a check and we can be installing the software (in most cases) within minutes. Talk about instant gratification! -and-
• There's no risk of pirated copies being installed because no media is ever given to (or left with) the client (This no-media provision is agreed to by the client up front. If they don't agree, we request they purchase directly from the publisher.) Note: as part of this no-media provision, my company agrees to handle product registrations, and provide product reinstallation, should it ever become necessary (i.e. drive crashes, machine replacements, etc.)
  

Cons:

None I can think of.



So...have you ever considered setting up a DonationCoder software store?

Just a thought!

---

P.S. Maybe this should be moved to a separate topic if you think it's worth discussing or brainstorming over?

[40hz]

Thanks hamradio and 40hz for explaining my point...  

-PhilB66 (June 19, 2009, 07:06 PM)

No hay de qué!

[widgewunner]

BB FlashBack Express - screen recording
  free, but you have to register within 30 days.
SIW - system information
  free for non-commercial use, $$$ for biz use
 
Although not free for biz use, I thought I'd mention it anyway: SIW is best of breed from my experience "everything you ever wanted to know...". Its "Secrets" tab has saved my butt on several occasions when I needed to retrieve a forgotten (but hidden) email server account:password combination.

[tomos]

Scan2PDF with install & portable version. Donation compulsory for commercial use

5. License of the software
All freeware programs are free for personal use only, in other case you have to donate an amount of your choice.

I'm not very familiar with this type of software, but I have used this one -
it's not high tech but you can easily make a multi-page PDF from scans and/or image files

[tomos]

not sure do you want to venture into word-processors -
because it's light and portable & I just checked the lisence I'll throw in Jarte into the mix http://www.jarte.com/

LICENSE GRANT. Carolina Road Software, L.L.C. grants you a license to use this SOFTWARE on any hardware product. "You" means the company, institution, entity or individual installing or using the SOFTWARE.

inspired by this thread I'm spring cleaning my portable software folder . .

[tomos]

memuse show memory in use and available memory. Also virtual memory (page file, I think)
It only works up to XP, seems to be okay for commercial - there may well be something better - I came across it at one stage when I was worried that some of my memory wasnt being used
EDIT(s)

Osiva viewer, again seems to be okay for commercial use

Osiva is free as in "free beer". If you want one free as in "free speech" send me an email.

whatever that means
Resize - 2005 - but very neat image resizer. Portable. Donationware, no restrictions
ToDoList (http://www.abstracts...m/tdl_resources.html) seems to be 'free'

Everything on this site is free, the only proviso being that if you use bits of the code, you may not say that you wrote them yourself . .

-http://www.abstractspoon.com/

Drive Manager

If you have lots of drive letters of different types of drives, such as mapped network drives, thumb drive (USB memory sticks), smart media and compact flash, CD-ROM and DVD then this utility is perfect to help you manage them

Just says Freeware

[tomos]

(various edits to previous post)

Re Lisence terms in general:
Having gone through my portable programmes folder and looking at lisences - many arent specific.
Would it not be up to the author to say in the lisence if there are restrictions on use e.g. if it just says freeware and no other comments about how you use it would that not mean usable anywhere by anyone?

[Steven Avery]

Hi Folks,

Word processing and office section added with Jarte, Abiword and Open Office to start. TextViewer from SoftViewer could use a check on the license wording.  Also ToDoList added, and Task Coach. And Xinorbis and Pyxis.

It is interesting how in so many categories excellent or the very best softwares are fully free.

When a program just says "Freeware" it can be included, however I would prefer that there is at least an attempt to find out more, including reading the license with the installer, any notes on the net by the author and most importantly contacting the author.  We simply want to be cautious, look at the ZSoft Uninstaller example where it would be a fine product yet for now the author says "not for commercial use" because of his concerns about his licenses on the other side ! (And while some may prefer to just be quiet about it, to keep some ambiguity, it is our responsibility to at least ask if we want the resulting list to be looked upon with credibility.) While all that is in process the software could be included with a note that more checking is in process or that we are unsure of license nuances.  

Note: generally we are avoiding defunct softwares (figger if there is no forum, no new release, no nuttin for 2-3 years) unless the software really has some significant advantages.  So far I have not seen any that cry out to be included.  A current forum  is a nice plus of course, and when there is one we try to include the forum URL since that tells so much about the software.

We have the DonationCoder wording, which I will include on the front post (since it clearly will qualify for "inexpensive" and easily available for company use) also others who post here (e.g. Veign, are you here?) could make clear their policy.  Even if it is "case-by-case inexpensive" - that would help.

On a lot of the softwares, especially the utilities, it is great to see them on the thread. Many tend to make it to the front post in small packets, I like to check out the genre and alternatives and reputation first.  And a lot of the smaller utilities may be listed in a more condensed fashion.

Since we are covering lots of different multi-computer uses, from personal multi-use to portable apps to businesses with 5 to 25 to more PCs a lot can be included for discussion.  However anything that turns out to be real $$ on a biz install will not make the master list. (Recognizing that $15 per user might be a huge amount for a utility yet pocket change for an office suite or accounting package, the low cost designed for biz stuff might get a little addendum if they show up, or they may just get mentioned en passant like Ace Money and Moneydance and StarOffice.) The thread can still use the info though and a lot of times we have to check out the details.  All assistance and leads and insight appreciated.  

Shalom,
Steven

[tomos]

And while some may prefer to just be quiet about it, to keep some ambiguity, it is our responsibility to at least ask if we want the resulting list to be looked upon with credibility.

-Steven Avery (June 20, 2009, 08:32 PM)

agree absolutely regards list -
but me, (speaking with self-employed hat):-
I'm going to continue using software unless it states in the lisence, or programme webpages, that it is not for commercial use (or that it's only for personal use, or to contact author, etc)

[40hz]

Did we want to include "enterprise" type software in this list? I'm thinking in terms of: servers, application appliances, gateway/portal software, NAS, etc.? Things many businesses could benefit from, but also a bit "outside the box" for many SB owners. (Which is a shame IMHO.) Or should we primarily stick to discussing desktop apps just to keep things under control.

Also - enter the big issue of platform. Do we (should we) keep it restricted to Windows apps, or should we open it up?

I'm guessing that the desktop apps probably should be confined to software running under Windows, since that's what most businesses are currently using. However, if we open the list up to include the free enterprise category, most of the best stuff (actually more like all of it) is going to run under some version of NIX.

Your thoughts? 

[Steven Avery]

Hi Folks,

40hz - yep on the Enterprise stuff.  I have been playing with Spiceworks and other programs, considering Untangle, and also added a database Pyxis that is used for monitoring inventory stuff.  Oh, I always wonder about a good messaging system.  Sure we will have to draw some lines, but all this stuff is in the ballpark.

And I was wondering about quick database ad hoc development tools too -- where the runtime is free or almost free, even if the tool is free or has a relatively modest cost (e.g $100). That would definitely qualify. Maybe a nice combo of MySQL tools are available, maybe that Visual Studio Express thing, maybe others.  This is all enterprise or small biz oriented, the key thing is that you can place the results on 5-10-20 or more desks without hitting $$ considerations.

However for Linux (or Mac or other) suggest do another thread.  I simply cannot (at this time) do it competently on the list, so somebody else has to go to town in adding and subtracting and notating.  I will be all ears, and maybe able to contribute in a few days, but on this thread we would get too cluttered !  And I wouldn't know what to do.

Tomos, I agree on using the stuff that looks good but the license is not definite.  It can even be notated in the list, I simply want to be sure that we make the effort. And if we make the effort and still do not know then the software can be on the list with a little note that the details of licensing are not confirmed. However, I am not at all discouraging such use, a lot of such software has a prima facie "OK".

Nothing added today, mainly due to the XP reinstall taking priority (mentioned in the living room).

Shalom,
Steven Avery

[cmpm]

A lot of windows enterprise freebies here-
And the links on this page-a Zoho project it seems.

http://www.manageeng...twares-download.html

Most free enterprise software I found was for Linux and related in a short search.

[Steven Avery]

Hi Folks,

ManageEngine is actually the one I have liked the most so far, they have a fine knowledgebase on their agent install that helped me understand (Windows Firewall being the main issue) and they have given me tech support during the trial-test-who-knows period.  The limitation of free up to 10 users (on their Desktop Central) is sufficient for many small businesses.  I dunno if we will stay with the software at this client, however they will are kewl and will be included.

Double Driver added to list, after my nice experience using it on XP reinstall.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

[40hz]

40hz - yep on the Enterprise stuff.  I have been playing with Spiceworks and other programs, considering Untangle,

-Steven Avery (June 21, 2009, 06:24 PM)

Just wanted to +1 on Untangle. I use the dedicated server version as opposed to the reRouter Windows version. I did that more because I had a spare PC floating around when I decided to set it up than for any solid technical reasons. I did do up the Windows version for my sister, however, and so far (knock wood!), it's been running exactly as advertised.

Looks cool up on screen too! Always a plus since I'm a firm believer in The Shiny Principle.

The Shiny Principle:

"Looks aren't everything. But where the choice falls between two or more competing products, which are virtually identical in form and function, the vast majority of consumers will invariably buy the product that comes packed in the shiniest box."

"Everything's shiny, Captain!"

[Steven Avery]

Hi Folks,

I am calling one section "Administration" because it is programs that you will not be installing on many puters but can be used in various ways for every puter in the biz. The starters are:

UBCD4
Double Driver
Untangle

More coming, share your finds ! (Well, you might install Double Driver on each puter, but once you back up the drivers in a functioning PC to some place off the PC you are pretty much done ... well ok, the new monitor comes in and you might want to have it on disk ready for a new install.  Maybe Untangle installs an agent on each puter, but that doesn't really count (some of these programs are agent oriented, some are agent-less, I found that Spiceworks seems to struggle to recognize the puters on our workgroup, possibly being agentless is a factor).

Shalom,
Steven Avery

[fenixproductions]

Imagine is free (donationware) without any limitation:
http://www.nyam.pe.k...pic.php?f=2&t=14

[40hz]

There are times when you need to hide a folder (or folders) on a PC.

Interestingly enough, it's a lot harder to do than you'd think under Windows.

Obvious uses for  hidden folders may come to mind immediately. But once you get past tucking your collection of Curious JPEGs for the Discriminating Connoisseur safely out of sight, you might want to consider some other good uses for a hidden folder. You could store your financial or other personal information in a hidden folder. Or your password list. Or you accounting backups. Possibly even your supplemental collections of Curious JPEGs for the Discriminating Connoisseur since you're a subscriber!

There are several commercial apps that will do this. Most of them are bundled into a suite with other security applications you may not need. There are also various hacks you can do to make something disappear from WinExplorer. But they all involve registry tweaking or other ill-advised maneuvers.

A company called Cleanersoft (www.cleanersoft.com ) makes a nice little free utility called (appropriately enough) Free Hide Folder that does exactly that. This is a true hide utility. Once hidden, folders cannot be found by Windows Explorer, nor are they visible from the command prompt. This is an important distinction, since many freeware file hiders only keep things invisible on the GUI level.

Free Hide Folder can optionally be set up to require a password in order to use it.

I created a folder (cleverly called) Secret Folders containing two subfolders. One I want to be visible, and the other I want to be invisible.

Here they are in Explorer and under the command prompt:





Now I add them to Free Hide Folder's control panel and click the button to hide the first file:



And voila! Now you see it - now you don't. It's securely hidden until I run Free Hide File and make it visible again:





I'm not sure if folders protected by this utility would remain hidden from every other file utility or tool. But I tried locating the hidden folder with Everything, the Windows search function, NexusFile, and a few other file managers. I'm happy to report it didn't show up in any of them.

The EULA states (rather charmingly IMHO) that Free Hide Folder is a 'FREEWARE product, for commercial and not commercial use."



Registration and donations are requested, but not obligatory, as explained by the above screen which appears when you first open the app.

Sweet!

[fenixproductions]

240hz
This application is a joke IMHO.

Hiding folders is done by using Windows environment mechanisms: folders are renamed to RECYCLER˙˙ and have attributes set to system and hidden. This way they are not visible in explorer (and cmd.exe) but their content can be easily seen in Total Commander. What is even worse: files are not even encrypted!

Of course, this application needs password but only for making it possible to uninstall. It's so called "security through obscurity".

This would be a nice tool if it could encrypt data but default installation doesn't do that.

P.S. Maybe there are more options for hiding but default installation shown what I wrote above. I assume that other tools rely on explorer functionality too much and get blinded. Try TC then

[PhilB66]

http://crystalmark.info/?lang=en

CrystalDiskInfo -
CrystalDiskMark - a disk benchmark software
CrystalCPUID - a CPU utility software
CrystalMark 2004R3 - a 32bit total benchmark software

Software License Information @ http://crystalmark.i...rmation/index-e.html

All of my softwares are freeware. A part of my software is distributed under The modified BSD license.
Redistribution

All of my softwares can be freely distributed.

[Steven Avery]

Hi Folks,

Image utility section opens up with Imagine and Resize.  Rainlendar joins ToDoList and Task Coach in the ToDo, Reminder, Calendar section.

Crystal a nice find, should mosey in on a soon-update.  Sometimes a good one takes a while to make the list, which has its own dynamic of addition.

Shalom,
Steven

[wraith808]

@40Hz

I use TrueCrypt and rename the file to something else, but there's also AxCrypt (http://www.axantum.com/AxCrypt/).  I'm not sure how well it works, but it's an option...