CFS Weekly Newsletter #565

Web Site:http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com
E-mail 1: editor@completelyFREEsoftware.com
E-mail 2: cfs@people.net.au
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We have some terrific programs in our line-up for you this week. My favorites are SpeedyFox, a small utility that speeds up the Firefox Web browser, GumNotes, an annotation tool for documents, Websites, e-mails, and contacts, Studio-Scrap, a scrapbooking and photo collage tool, Square Privacy Cleaner, a privacy protection tool, and MPC-2d-3d, offering real-time 2D to 3D video display.

We also have our regular columns -- Dr T's excellent Computer Tip of the Week, and our ever popular Smile of the Week.

To get access to the best downloads, why not take a minute and become a member of arguably the best freeware-only site in the world. More details from our members' page:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/join.html

What are you waiting for -- become a CFS "lifer" now, or try out the site with a 1-month, 1-year or 2-year membership. We are still half the price of most other sites and I think we offer the best value for your hard earned dollar.

One small point. If you sign up for a Lifetime membership through 2CheckOut.com you might be surprised to see that, according to them, a "lifetime" is only 12 years. That is because the number 12 is the highest number option they have -- 12 weeks, 12 months, 12 years. Don't worry, at the end of 12 years you will NOT be cut off if you are a CFS 'lifer' -- your membership will continue indefinitely...

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/faqs5.html#15

See you all next week.

Keep smilin'

Regards

Graham Pockett
Editor
Completely FREE Software


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Please note that this is for current members only and can be used at any time during the period of a membership. Don't put it off because this offer may not continue indefinitely.

Make the appropriate payment ($25 or $15) using your credit card and tell us your username so we know which account to update. Click on this address to update your membership through PayPal:

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COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE
RetroRaider II v20100712 -- Win98/ME/WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
RetroRaider II is a retro platformer with VGA-style graphics. It features 6 levels, a level editor to create additional levels, a good assortment of enemies to avoid, good traps & puzzles, some powerups to collect, and more. The author describes this as a "copyright infringing retro game". He also says that you take "one part Pitfall, one part Tomb Raider, and mix in a little Indiana Jones, and this probably wouldn't be the first thing that springs to mind". So true. This is a game with a mid-eighties look 'n feel. It is a basic platformer where you go from level to level collecting items. Along the way you come across a wide assortment of animals and birds that will rob you of your health. They can be jumped, or killed. Not always obvious, there are some lightweight challenges along the way to keep you playing, and the level editor will help you create your very own levels. While RetroRaider II could have been terrible, in fact it is a playable little game that could keep you amused for some hours. The retro aspect is both a positive and a negative -- graphics are chunky but the animation is surprisingly good for a game like this. It is not just for people who yearn for the "good ole days" when men were men and computer characters were a few chunky pixels that staggered across the screen (albeit a 12 inch 16-color CRT screen with text permanently burnt onto it -- you really did need screensavers those days!). We probably shouldn't have liked RetroRaider II as it does not live up to modern gaiming expectations, but we did. You don't have to remember those heady mid-eighties days to enjoy RetroRaider II. Grab a copy now! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 4.17MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gg41_w95.html#RetroRaiderII_32

SpeedyFox v1.5 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
SpeedyFox is a small utility that speeds up Firefox Web browser by compacting the SQLITE databases used to store many settings. This means that it loads faster, browsing history will become faster, and performing operations with cookies will be quicker than before. This optimization tool requires no installation and can select the profile to optimize if more than one is used on the computer. Our tests showed that SpeedyFox speeded up initial loading by 25%, though ours is a newly installed browser which means that the SQLITE databases should not be too fragmented. The author claims that it can speed up Firefox by up to three times (300%). Even though the author doesn't tell us, we assume that SpeedyFox should be used regularly (monthly?) to ensure that the databases remain defragmented. From our experience using SpeedyFox, we are happy to keep it as a once-a-month defragmenting tool. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or
ME. Access this 458kB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/ir3_w95.html#speedyfox32

Hanso Burner v1.4.0.0 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (4 doves)
Hanso Burner is a CD/DVD burner. It supports ISO & BIN/CUE disk images, disk copy, dual-layer DVDs, creates CDs from audio files (MP3, WMA, WAV, etc), generates audio & mixed-mode projects, creates rewritable & multisession disks, shell extensions, and more. This is a simple-to-use disk burner that offers much. We spent considerable time with this program and found that some tasks it did well, and others we could not get to work at all. For example, it copied disk-to-disk with ease and it burnt data disks without trouble. Unfortunately we could not get it to burn audio CDs and video DVDs. We aren't sure if it was us or the program, but as it carried out other tasks as specified we can only assume that there is either a flaw in this program, or an incompatibility with Windows 7. This was very much a disappointment because we liked the clean, simple interface and the promise to do so much. Even in areas where it did seem to work OK it presented problems. For example, you cannot  just select individual files from a folder to burn -- it must be the entire folder and then you manually remove the ones you don't want. Cumbersome. We tried very hard to like Hanso Burner but, in the end, we were too disappointed with its rough edges. We hope that they can sort out the problems with Hanso Burner because it is potentially a superb CD and DVD burner. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 2.12MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gp17_w95.html#hanso-burner32

Studio-Scrap v2.2.2 -- Win98/ME/WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
Studio-Scrap is a scrapbooking and photo collage tool. It features over 400 editable templates, 230 embellishments (buttons, labels, tags, flowers, frames, stickers, etc), 340 high-quality backgrounds (colored papers, imitation leather, sand, textiles, etc), 1000 picture shapes (for image cropping), freeform text labels, you can print/e-mail/PDF finished scrapbooks, and more. This is an amazing program with so many resources it is impossible to list them all. You can create traditional scrapbooks of your photographs, or build photo collages. There are additional backgrounds you can download (1.5GB!) or you can grab them directly off the Internet as you need them. The main program starts as a 316kB download, but that is just a download starter for the whopping 145MB you will be downloading. Studio-Scrap is enormous in every way. It offers a huge number of templates, picture shapes, etc -- so many that a hundred users could scrapbook the same photos and no two would be similar.
 There is an on-line tutorial video which is worth watching, and lots of gallery scrapbooks on the author's site to give you ideas. Studio-Scrap can also be used in place of regular DTP (desktop publishing) programs (like Microsoft Publisher) to create calendars and cards. We were amazed at the scope of Studio-Scrap. The huge download is justified by the depth and power of this program. In a word, awesome! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 145MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/grp5_w95.html#studio-scrap32

MPC-2d-3d v2.0 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
MPC-2d-3d is a media player, based on Media Player Classic (MPC), which can carry out real-time video conversions from 2D to 3D. Similar in appearance to the standard MPC player, it displays videos in an electronically created 3D format. The author says: "MPC 2d-3d uses a real-time algorithm to recover the depth information from the common 2D video. The recovered 3D video is not as good as the true 3D video. But it's a good method to play the 2D video in 3D mode." We used the program to open a number of AVI videos to judge the quality of the resultant 3D video, and we were impressed. It cannot save a video to 3D -- it is a real-time converter that takes a 2D video and converts it on the fly. Unfortunately, on our test computer the video ran slower than normal, distorting sound and making the video jerky. However, the 3D effect was superb, much better than we had anticipated. It might run smoother on a faster computer that is not multi-tasking. The biggest problem with MPC-2d-
3d is that you need red/green Anaglyph 3D glasses, and the right eye should be viewing through the red side. More common are red/cyan glasses, with the red on the left. While they are partially inter-changeable, for the best results you need the correct glasses. We were amazed at the quality of the 3D rendition, though the jerky video spoilt the effect for us. If you want to see Aunt Bertha in all her 3D glory, then grab a copy of MPC-2d-3d and have fun. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 18.0MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/mp6_w95.html#mpc-2d-3d32

Square Privacy Cleaner v1.1.0.0 --WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)Square Privacy Cleaner is a privacy protection tool. It features extensive cleaning of traces (Windows, Internet, IE, Firefox, Opera, Google Chrome, Registry MRU lists, Windows temp directories & log files, application histories, etc), terminates running processes, commandline support, cleans on next re-boot, cleans when Windows shuts down, and more. There is also a portable version available (347kB). This is one of the most extensive privacy cleaners we have seen. It covers a massive number of items and is configurable so you need not delete all traces, just the ones you want. Of course, if you are using an Internet cafe or public Internet source you may wish to delete all traces, histories, lists, logs, etc. In that case you would probably want the portable version. One of its options is to try to delete index.dat files on the next reboot, and also locked files. One of the best privacy cleaners we have seen, Square Privacy Cleaner is a "must have" if you are using public co
mputers. Get it now! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 696kB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/du3_w95.html#spcleaner32

GumNotes v0.9.6.544 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
GumNotes is an annotation tool for documents, Websites, e-mails, and contacts. It optionally stays on top, notes are saved in an XML data format, and more. This is an interesting "sticky note" type program except that this one links the notes to their associated documents, etc. Open up a Webpage, make a note, and next time you visit that Website you will be reminded that there is a note attached. You can add notes to your e-mails, to ordinary documents -- to virtually any program you require. Simple in operation, and extremely handy in usage, GumNotes is one of those "how did I ever live without it" type programs. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 5.04MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/tp4_w95.html#GumNotes32

Big Solitaires 3D v1.4 -- Win9x/ME/WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)Big Solitaires 3D is a collection of 3D solitaire cardgames. It features 40 games in 10 main groupings (Canfield, Doubles, Forty Thieves, Freecell, Golf, Klondike, Montana, Rail, Spider & Yukon), a choice of 4 decks, a choice of 4 backgrounds (or use your own PNG file), 2 camera angles (3D & 2D top down), full undo/redo, optional automatic card movements, a Helpfile for each game, and more. The games are: Canfield; Canfield Two Decks; Canfield Superior; Corona; Doubles; Doubles 13; Easthaven; Emperor; Forty Thieves; Forty Thieves and Eight; Forty Thieves Three Decks; Forty Thieves Four Decks; FreeCell; FreeCell Two Decks; Golf; Golf A-K; Golf A-K Two Decks; Indian; Klondike (one & three cards); Klondike Two Decks; Lucky Fans; Montana Three Redeals; Ocean's Eleven; Rail One Deck; Rail Two Decks; Russian; Russian Relaxed; Scarab; Scorpion; Simple Simon; Spider; Spider One Suite; Spider Two Suites; Spider Three Decks; Spiderette; Spiderette Relaxed; Towers; Yukon; Yukon Relaxed;
 and Z-Four. This is a nice collection of popular solitaire cardgames. There is a quasi 3D effect, specially when starting a new game, but we felt that the 3D effect in the game itself detracted from the gameplay. Fortunately, there is an optional "Standard View" which is the usual top-down, 2D format. There is little real choice in decks, but the default is quite acceptable with good clear cardfaces that are easily read. Overall, Big Solitaires 3D is an excellent solitaire cardgame collection with sufficient variation between the games to keep you playing, and playing, and playing. Worth checking out! Access this 6.69MB download from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gg39_w95.html#BigSol3D32


UPDATE

Fotobounce -- a photo organizer, with built-in face recognition -- has been updated to version 3.1.0 with a slightly larger download size of 14.9MB. The author advises that changes in this version include: photo sharing with privacy; more user-friendly features without sacrificing function; and high-quality photo products (printed direct from Fotobounce via the LifePics network). Get this update from:

http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/grp12_w95.html#fotobounce32


COMPUTER TIP OF THE WEEK
from Dr T -- RTemlak4dds@aol.com

Q. How do I remove McAfee from my computer completely, to install a different anti-virus?
A. McAfee offers products for home and business users alike. Both can be removed from any computer, but sometimes it takes more than just a few steps. Products available for home computer use include; Internet Security, VirusScan Plus, and Total Protection, to name a few. For business computers, there are a multitude of downloads for corporate products, betas, virus definition files, patches, and even removal tools for viruses.

Most downloads available through McAfee can be used on a trial basis, before you decide to purchase them. If you decide to buy one, subscription renewals are provided for each product. This will allow you to continue using the security product you prefer - instead of it expiring, causing you to have to download something new. There's even an option to upgrade a trial, in case you require a different type of security for your computer. Whichever type of software you've chosen, you should be able to uninstall it with relative ease.

Updates for each type of product are offered, when they become available. If you don't update often, sometimes your software won't provide as much protection as you'd hoped. This can allow viruses through and make it seem like your software isn't as good as you thought it was. This is often why many people decide to uninstall their current anti-virus program. They feel it isn't doing its job, when all it actually needed was an update.

Uninstall in XP

To begin removing McAfee, you'll need to click on the Start button at the bottom left corner of your desktop. When the box opens up, go to the Control Panel link and click on it. In the Control Panel, click on Add or Remove Programs.

The list of programs to add or remove will appear in a smaller box on your monitor. You can scroll down the entire list, until you find the McAfee program you want to uninstall. Click on the desired program once and there should be a button or two that appear as the program name is highlighted. The buttons are usually Change or Remove, but sometimes there is only a Remove button. You'll want to click on the Remove button.

Once the uninstall is complete, close all the programs that you have running and then restart your computer. After the computer has rebooted itself, check to see if the program has actually been removed. You can look in the Add/Remove programs list. If it is still there, then it has not been removed and you can again try the removal process described above, or download a removal tool. A McAfee Consumer Product Removal tool is available and described on the McAfee Website athttp://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?id=TS100507, but they apparently no longer provide, or support the device.

Uninstall in Windows 7

To remove McAfee from Windows 7, you also begin at the Start button and the Control Panel. However, the Control Panel will be slightly different (see below). Click on Uninstall a program, and the list of programs described above will appear. You can then select McAfee and begin the removal process.

Once the removal is successful, you can install the anti-virus software of your choice. If the new software is on a disc, just insert the CD and follow the prompts on the screen. Downloading new software takes you through the same process. The screen will tell you which buttons to push and when it's time to restart your computer.

A word of warning; before you can remove McAfee Security Center, you need to uninstall SpamKiller, Privacy Service, Personal Firewall, and Virus Scan first. If any of these components are left in place, the uninstall process won't be completed and the new program installed won't work properly. Make sure you are actually removing the McAfee program and aren't accidentally clicking on something else. This might cause another program to quit working, which can lead to a huge mess.

I hope this removal process is helpful and you are able to uninstall your McAfee program successfully!

[Source: Worldstart.com & The Angellmore Newsletter]

SMILE OF THE WEEK

(contributions for this section are most welcome)

=: How to Photograph A new Puppy :=

1. Remove film from box and load camera.

2. Remove film box from puppy's mouth and throw in trash.

3. Remove puppy from trash and brush coffee grounds from muzzle.

4. Choose a suitable background for photo.

5. Mount camera on tripod and focus.

6. Find puppy and take dirty sock from mouth.

7. Place puppy in pre-focused spot and return to camera.

8. Forget about spot and crawl after puppy on knees.

9. Focus with one hand and fend off puppy with other hand.

10. Get tissue and clean nose print from lens.

11. Put cat outside and put peroxide on the scratch on puppy's nose.

13. Put magazines back on coffee table.

14. Try to get puppy's attention by squeaking toy over your head.

15. Replace your glasses and check camera for damage.

16. Jump up in time to grab puppy by scruff of neck and say, "No, outside! No, outside!"

17. Clean up mess.

18. Sit back in chair with lemonade and resolve to teach puppy "sit" and "stay" the first thing in the morning.

[author unknown]

CFS Weekly Newsletter #567

(Mailing list information, including unsubscription instructions, is located at the end of this message.)
___________________________________________________
CFS Weekly Newsletter #567
[ISSN 1441-6840]
Web Site: http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com

My favorites are Wondershare DVD Slideshow Builder, a program that turns digital photos into movie-style slideshows, Chameleon Window Manager which adds up to six customizable buttons to the titlebars of all program windows, Steel Storm: Episode I, a frenetic, top down arcade shooter, Word Artist, a small tool that creates excellent 2D & 3D text effects, and... Well, check them all out because what floats my boat may not float yours.


We also have our regular columns -- Dr T's excellent Computer Tip of the Week, and our ever popular Smile of the Week.


To get access to the best downloads, why not take a minute and become a member of arguably the best freeware-only site in the world. More details from our members' page:


http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/join.html
COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE
Steel Storm: Episode I v1.00.01723 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
Steel Storm: Episode I is a frenetic, top down arcade shooter with score oriented competitive gameplay. It features single & multiplayer modes, deathmatch & coop game modes, 6 missions of various difficulty, mission editor, hordes of enemies to destroy, vast numbers of destroyable structures & obstacles, huge territories to reclaim, quick games, highly configurable, and more. This is a game for people who have limited time and want fast-action shooter. You control an advanced hovertank, packed with the most advanced and sophisticated weapons (of course) which is set in an alternative universe. You are fighting with, as the author says, "presumed extraterrestrial invaders". The action is fast and furious, and you must expect to lose many battles before you can hope to win this war. If you don't have a gamepad you can play using mouse and keyboard, but the default movement keys are WASD. These can be changed to, say, the arrow keys if, like us, you find the arrow keys easier to use. Graphics are excellent, animation very good, and the game has a high addictive index -- you'll find yourself coming back to Steel Storm: Episode I regularly as you master the strategies required to overcome the enemy. If you enjoy fast-action games that are over in a few minutes (one way or the other) then Steel Storm: Episode I is for you. We do, and we loved this not-so-little shooter. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 258MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gg18_w95.html#steelstorm-ep1_32


Chameleon Window Manager v1.0.0.113 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
Chameleon Window Manager is a small utility that allows the user to add up to six customizable buttons to the titlebars of all program windows. These allow the user to minimize a window to the tray, minimize a window to the title bar, keep a window always-on-top, it offers variable window transparency, and it will position a window at the left or right of screen (with an optional half screen window so you can run two program windows side-by-side). It adds a group of buttons next to the normal titlebar buttons on the top right hand side of a program's window. These allow the user to better control the window. The buttons are customizable, you can change the order of the buttons, and Chameleon Window Manager will auto-start with Windows. This is an extremely handy tool that, once used, you will wonder how you lived without. Simple to use, Chameleon Window Manager puts more power back in the hands of the user by allowing better control over program windows. We loved! Note: we ha
ve been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 3.77MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/we3_w95.html#cwindow32


Yadis! Backup v1.9.17 -- Win98/ME/WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
Yadis! Backup is a simple file/folder backup. It features a Wizard-style interface, it copies files or folders anywhere on the computer, marked folders are backed-up real-time (no scheduling needed!), and more. This is a neat little backup program that copies selected files or folders to a specified location (often a USB drive). Backed up files do not need Yadis! Backup to access them as they are simply copied to the new location. If that location is not currently available, the backup will occur when the location next becomes available (ie a USB pen drive is inserted). While Yadis! Backup lacks many of the bells and whistles of many other backup tools, its appeal is in its simplicity -- you don't need to hold a PH.d in Computer Science to use it. If you are looking for a basic backup tool that does not archive or compress files (ie copies them without change) then Yadis! Backup could be exactly what you are looking for. We liked! Note: we have been advised that this program
is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 1.07MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gp9_w95.html#YadisBackup32


Driver Identifier v3.0 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
Driver Identifier is a small tool that scans a PC for outdated drivers. It features automated driver installation, driver update capability, updates previously installed drivers to their latest versions, simplifies downloading new drivers from the Internet, and more. Updating drivers on a computer can be a laborious task, but Driver Identifier helps to take the pain out of it by scanning your computer, comparing your existing drivers with its database on the Internet, and giving you a list of all drivers with links to updated versions if any exist. Simple. Of course, like most products of its type, you get a few false readings and, when you download those driver sets (often more than 50MB each) you may find they are not for your computer. However, generally the driver list is accurate and you can update your computer's drivers with the minimum of fuss. Driver Identifier requires an active Internet connection so it can access the updated database. One of the easiest to use dri
ver updaters, Driver Identifier is worth checking out. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 411kB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/du10_w95.html#driveridentifier32


Wondershare DVD Slideshow Builder v6.0.2 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
Wondershare DVD Slideshow Builder is a program that turns digital photos into movie-style slideshows for DVDs, YouTube and mobile devices. It features over 130 Hollywood-like movie styles, more than 60 DVD menu templates, includes a timeline to organize & edit content, text effects create animated titles, an image editor, you can add music with or without voice-over, it offers a full-screen preview, supports 4:3 & 16:9 aspect ratios, captures photos from cameras or other connected devices, and more. It isn't often we see a program that makes us simply say "Wow!" Wondershare DVD Slideshow Builder is one such program. It creates professional slideshows of still images, with full fade-in and fade-out effects (select from a list or use the random option), full control over DVD menus, and much more. Images can be edited within Wondershare DVD Slideshow Builder and there is even an automated image "repairer". You can add pre-audio (a sound clip at the very start), clip art, and lots of other effects. It includes a large number of clip art and pre-audio clips. The final slideshow can be burnt directly to a DVD, saved as an ISO file (great for making multiple DVDs to share with your friends), or as a video file. It supports FLV, F4V and SWF Flash video formats suitable for YouTube, FaceBook and most mobile devices (PSP, Android & Nokia phones, etc) and it also supports common AVI, WMV. MPG, etc video formats, including HD versions of them. There are some limitations which are lifted in the Pro version, but we found little that wasn't available in this free version. There is so many features and functions included with the free version of Wondershare DVD Slideshow Builder that we could not list them all. Let it be suffice to say that this is a superb program and one that anyone with a digital camera will love. Grab a copy now! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 41.8MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/mp2_w95.html#freedsb32


CodeLobster PHP Edition v3.6.1 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
CodeLobster PHP Edition is a PHP, HTML, CSS & Javascript editor. It features code highlighting, HTML inspector, debugger, dynamic help, advanced autocomplete, portable option, pair highlighting, browser preview, and more. Unfortunately CFS was unable to review this program. The author says: "Codelobster PHP Edition streamlines and simplifies PHP development process. You don't need to keep in mind names of functions, arguments, tags and their attributes; methods etc -- we've implemented it for you in the autocomplete feature for PHP, HTML, JavaScript and even CSS. Also, you can always get necessary help information by F1 or using special Help control. Internal free PHP Debugger allows validating code locally. It automatically detects your current server settings and configures corresponding files in order you can use the Debugger." CodeLobster PHP Edition can be used with a a number of plug-ins which are available for purchase. These are CakePHP plug-in, CodeIgniter plug-in, D
rupal plug-in, Facebook plug-in, JQuery plug-in, Joomla plug-in, Smarty plug-in, and WordPress plug-in. CodeLobster PHP Edition requires free on-line registration before it can be used. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 13.7MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/ir6_w95.html#CodelobsterPHPEdition32


Word Artist v1.2 -- Win98/ME/WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
Word Artist is a small tool that creates excellent 2D & 3D text effects. It features over 170 editable effects' templates, an effects' editor to create your own effects, the effects can be varied by changing font/color/attribute, it saves effects to any of 5 popular image formats (BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG & TIF), text effects can be printed, and more. This is a cool little program that creates amazing text effects. You can use any of the preset templates (all of which can be edited) or you can create your own effect with the effects' editor. Even using the preset templates, your text can be altered dramatically by changing the font, font size, font attribute, or any of the three basic text colors plus the background color. The angle of the text (and its background) can be altered, and even the background canvas size can be changed. We were most impressed with Word Artist. For such a simple little tool, that anyone could use, we found the effects amazing. If you are looking to creat
e text effects then Word Artist should be high on your list. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 526kB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/grp5_w95.html#WordArtist32


Babobab Solitaire v1.0 -- Win98/ME/WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
Babobab Solitaire is an unusual solitaire cardgame where you must get a score of 21 either vertically or horizontally. It features timed gameplay, it is easy to play but challenging, good instructions, has excellent graphics, good background music & sound effects, and more. This is a great way to kill an hour or two. In this game you are faced with a 4 x 4 grid and a stack of cards. Click on any of the 16 squares and the top card will be moved there. Get exactly 21 points (Aces are 1 or 11, court or picture cards are 10, and all others are their numeric value) either vertically or horizontally. If you go over 21 points in either direction (column or row) you lose those cards, and some points. With its good graphics and pleasant background music (which can be muted if you like), Babobab Solitaire is one of the better solitaire card games we have played. Simple in its gameplay, but challenging to gain high scores, Babobab Solitaire makes a good change from the perennial Freecel
l, or Klondike. Grab a copy and see what everybody's talking about. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 3.27MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gg27_w95.html#baobab-solitaire32

UPDATE
TranslateMe -- a translation & dictionary utility - has been updated to version 0.1.0.3 with a slightly smaller download size of 1.94MB. The author advises that changes in this version include: adding a settings option in the tray icon context menu, and some bug fixes. Get this excellent little program from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/tp2_w95.html#TranslateMe32

COMPUTER TIP OF THE WEEK
from Dr T -- RTemlak4dds@aol.com
Q: I lost my icon in bottom right hand corner that shows I'm connected to the Internet. How do I get it back?
A: Sometimes your Internet connectivity icon (located in the bottom right hand corner of your screen) can seem to disappear as if by magic. This is annoying when you want to find out information about your Internet connection like speed, packets sent and received or even just which provider you are connected too.
It's solved quite simply, though. It's different depending on which version of Windows you are currently running.
Windows XP:
- Click Start icon
- Scroll up to Settings
- Then click on Control Panel
- When the screen has loaded, click on the Globe icon called Network Connections
Now this part might be a little tricky if you use several Internet providers, but should not be a problem for most users.
- Right click on your preferred network then click Properties (It will be the one which has "Connected" status)
- When the new screen loads, make sure you are in the General tab.
- At the bottom, make sure the box is ticked which says "Show icon in notification area when connected". While you are here, you can also choose to get your computer to start or stop informing you about limited Internet connectivity by ticking the other box.
- Click OK and the icon should now appear.
Windows Vista/7:
If you are using Windows Vista or 7, then it is a completely different set of instructions, but just as simple.
- Click the right mouse button on the Windows task-bar
- Click Properties
- Change the tab over to Notification area
- Now, you have several options here. You can choose to show or hide Clock, Volume, Network and
Power by ticking or removing the tick from the boxes. (Note: Windows 7 has drop-down boxes)
- Put a tick in the Network box and make any other changes you wish
- Whilst here, you may also want to change the option where icons are removed from the task-bar if they are not clicked often. This should not be a problem if you click the Internet icon regularly though but is worth consideration.
- Click Apply
- Click OK and the icon should now appear
Also...
Just because the Internet Icon has disappeared does not necessarily mean the Internet is not connected. I always find it easier to open a Web Browser, search something and see if it loads to check connection. If you were looking to check connection speed then there are plenty of free tests available online with a Google search for "Free Internet Speed Test".
Your computer also might be set up with a setting that hides icons that are inactive. This is helpful if you have a lot of icons at once but can be an annoyance when you are trying to find one. This is easily solved by right clicking the task-bar, going to properties and looking for a ticked box which says something along the lines of "Hide Inactive Icons" and removing the tick.
If none of the above techniques work there are a few things you can do. If you have the settings of your system saved then you can revert back to those. This is likely for those of you with programs like Norton Anti-virus. Also, as a very last resort, you can save your files to an external hard-drive and reinstall your Windows system as the original settings include the icon on the task-bar.
[Source: Worldstart.com]

SMILE OF THE WEEK
(contributions for this section are most welcome)
=: 14 Signs You're Drinking Too Much Coffee :=
~ Starbucks is accepting bids for a franchise located in your house.
~ The National Bank of Columbia has offered you a Platinum Visa card with zero percent interest.
~ Folgers has offered you a "distributors" franchise for your block.
~ Your co-workers are getting rich buying stock in companies that manufacture foam coffee cups.
~ You just went to the store and bought ten cases of non-diary creamer "to get you through the week".
~ Those strange footprints in the ceiling of your office.
~ You haven't slept in a week and no one notices, not even you.
~ You find yourself sneezing Folger's Crystals.
~ Juan Valdez starts sending you hand-written Thank You notes.
~ You eat garlic to overcome coffee breath.
~ Your dentist upgrades to a belt sander.
~ Alvin & the Chipmunks start to sound like Barry White.
~ Auctioneers begin to make sense.
And the number 1 Sign You've Had Too Much Coffee...
~ YYoouu ssttaarrtt ttyyppiinng lliikkee tthhiiss..
[author unknown]

COMMENTS
We would like to thank the regular visitors to the CFS site who have told us their favorite freeware. If you have a favorite program which isn't listed on the CFS pages we invite you to share that information with everyone through this site and this newsletter.
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CFS Weekly Newsletter #566

CFS Weekly Newsletter #566


3D Ant Attack v1.02 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
3D Ant Attack is a retro arcade game where you rescue people from a 3D city swarming with giant ants. It features challenging gameplay, simple 3D graphics, multiple camera views, multiple color schemes, multiple screen resolutions (including widescreen), and more. This is a remake of the classic 1983 Sinclair ZX Spectrum arcade game of the same name which was seen at that time as a breakthrough in 3D graphics. 3D Ant Attack is much harder to play than its simple graphics might indicate. You have to wend your way through a city infested with these giant ants, rescuing people as you go. As you progress through the game the people you save are harder to find. You can use a grenade to stun or kill the ants, or you can jump on them to stun them long enough to get to the next place of safety. Controls are simple, with the arrow keys for movement, the spacebar to jump, and the right Ctrl key to throw grenades. When throwing grenades, the distance they travel equates to how long you hold down the Ctrl key before releasing. Release too soon and the grenade will fall short and kill you. You will also get killed if the ants bite you often enough -- and you will become ant food. Even though this is a relatively faithful reproduction of this old game, 3D Ant Attack holds up well today. What it lacks in fancy eye candy it makes up for in challenge, and this is one remake that is very much still playable today by people who never played the original (unlike many remakes that rely on nostalgia for their popularity). 3D Ant Attack is a great way to kill an hour or three. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 5.73MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gg24_w95.html#AntAttack32




Easy Image Modifier v3.0 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
Easy Image Modifier is a batch photo editor. It processes single images or entire folders, supports common image formats (JPG, BMP & PNG), offers basic image editing (resize, realign, change format, set watermark, rename, sort, resize unproportional, remove meta information, filter images, change file date, set JPG compression level, etc), and more. This is a simple photo editor which is designed for batch processing. It will resize all your images (optionally keeping the proportions correct), add a watermark, rotate images, and more. While Easy Image Modifier is not an alternative to Photoshop or other sophisticated image editors, for basic editing it is very good, and very fast. It supports three popular image formats, loading and saving to them, and converting between them. We also noticed that it processed GIF and TGA images too, but didn't allow you to save to those formats. The watermark feature was appreciated, but you could not change the opacity of the watermark, though you could change the location of the text, the font, and the font attributes (including color). While Easy Image Modifier is not designed to be a competitor to the commercial photo editors, as a batch image processor it works extremely well within its own limitations. Small, fast and efficient, Easy Image Modifier is worth having around for those quick batch jobs on your digital photos. We liked! Note we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 375k download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/grp8_w95.html#EasyImageModifier32


BitDefender Rescue CD -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
BitDefender Rescue CD is an ISO disk image that creates a bootable, Linux-based CD. It is designed to scan and disinfect all existing hard drives when the operating system is not working properly because of virus infections. The ISO image can also be mounted on a USB drive after following the instructions on the program's support page. Useful when virus infections have crippled your computer, this is a tool you will need to have downloaded before you have a problem. After the disk has been created, simply ensure that your computer will boot from your CD drive (this is set in the BIOS) and allow the computer to boot up using this Linux-based rescue disk. Once booted up, it will seek the internet to download the virus definitions, etc to be able to scan your computer. This is about a 15MB download. It will then scan your computer (all drives) and resolve any virus issues. While we were able to successfully boot up using BitDefender Rescue CD, we didn't have any virus activity that needed to be removed so we cannot comment on the value or otherwise of that part of the system. The Linux interface you see once the disk is booted up is very close to what you normally see with Windows, so most non-Linux users should have no trouble using this rescue CD. However, we suggest that, once the disk is created, a new user should boot into it and see what happens. You can stop the scan once it has started if you don't want to wait while it scans the entire computer. Once you have familiarized yourself with the disk you will feel more comfortable using it if there is a problem on your computer. The CD includes a few other tools, like a Web browser, but its primary task is to scan and clean your computer of malware. The biggest problem with BitDefender Rescue CD is that it needs an active Internet connection to get the updates, and there have been instances where it hasn't been able to access the network. This makes a pre-problem test all the more worthwhile. We were impressed with BitDefender Rescue CD. It is a large file to get, and you will have to burn the disk image onto a CD or DVD, but if you ever have problems with viruses (virii?) you will be pleased you took the trouble to be prepared. Grab a copy of BitDefender Rescue CD now! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 319MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gp5_w95.html#bitdefender-rescue-cd32


SSDLife Free v1.0.12 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
SSDLife Free is a compact SSD (solid state drive) diagnostic tool. It displays general & technical information about an SSD, checks the SSD health status, displays a detailed on-line SSD health status report, and more. Unfortunately CFS was unable to review this program. The author says: "Today, more and more users decide to replace conventional hard drives in their desktop PCs and laptops with modern, silent and fast solid state drives (SSD). Since the price of these new devices is still rather high and they are often used for storing sensitive data, regular checks of the status of these drives can be an efficient means of early problem detection and can prevent potential data loss. Among all other disk management tools, there are specialized applications that are created specifically for SSD devices and support the majority of controllers and storage devices available on the market. If you take SSD's seriously and have already replaced conventional hard drives with SSD units, don't forget that their life expectancy is considerably shorter than that of regular hard drives. The age of these devices is relatively short and you should be financially and organizationally ready to replace them when the time comes." There is a Pro version and a Free version of this product. The author says: "The main feature of the paid version is the possibility to run disk checks (scheduled) in the background mode, display detailed information about SMART attributes and tweak the system for use with SSD drives." If you have a solid state drive (SSD) then grab a copy of SSDLife Free. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 1.55MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/du8_w95.html#SSDlife-Free32




Hewbo Video Converter v1.50 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
Hewbo Video Converter is a tool that converts videos to AVI, DivX AVI, XviD AVI, 3GP, 3G2, MP4, WMV, MKV, TS, FLV, SWF, MOV, GIF, MP3, MP2, OGG, WMA, WAV, AAC, AC3, AU, MMF & M4A formats, as used on iPhone, iPod, iPad, Apple TV, Android devices, PSP, PS3, XBOX360, ZUNE, Nokia, BlackBerry, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, LG, Samsung, Blu-ray disc, NTSC DVD, PAL DVD, and more. This is a video to video (and audio) converter that covers virtually every filetype you can imagine. It will even convert a DVD's VOB file to any of the supported formats, though most movies have multiple VOB files (usually of 1GB each) so you might have to convert them separately and then combine them using a video editor. Hewbo Video Converter is extremely simple to use, and is suitable for both novice and experienced PC users. We had a couple of issues with Hewbo Video Converter. We assume that you must have all the appropriate codec library (like K-Lite) preloaded on your computer to attain the full range of
supported conversions. This is not outlined within the program, or on the author's Website. However, some codecs are included with the program, and some come with Windows, so most basic conversions should be covered. We were also disappointed in the consistent nagscreen for you to register (and pay) for the Pro version. Apart from the nagscreen, we could not find any restriction in the use of the free version, even though the nagscreen says that registering will: "Remove all limitations of free version." Maybe that is talking about the lack of batch processing... With its bland interface, a lack of any real information, and the annoying nagscreen, we didn't want to like Hewbo Video Converter. However, it works so well, and is so simple to use, it is hard to dislike. If you don't mind being nagged, and not being able to carry out batch processing, you will find Hewbo Video Converter an excellent conversion tool. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 3.55MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/mp8_w95.html#hewbo-video-converter32


KeepNote v0.6.5 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
KeepNote is a note taking application that stores all types of notes. It features rich-text formatting, you can include images, it uses an hierarchical organization for notes, it offers a full-text search, you can add an integrated screenshot & file attachments, it offers backup & restore, auto-saving, and more. This is a great way of storing class notes, TODO lists, research notes, journal entries, paper outlines, etc. Using an hierarchical system, you can sort your notes easily, but still find what you are looking for quickly using the search function. You can add a screenshot to your notes, add highlighting to the text, and even share your notes with users of KeepNote using other operating systems (Linux & MacOSX) as notes are implemented in Python and PyGTK. You can also archive your notes to a ZIP file. One of the better hierarchical notetakers, KeepNote is worth a look. Check it out now! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 7.43MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/tp3_w95.html#keepnote32


Tapin Radio v1.20 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
Tapin Radio is an Internet radio station player. It features over 10,000 preset stations sorted by country & genre, includes worldwide air traffic control & rail radio traffic transmissions, you can record the active station (including separate song files), save stations as Favorites, it supports most Internet radio formats (MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC+, etc), there are regular station preset updates, and more. This is a great way of accessing radio stations from around the world -- and even recording their output. It offers over 60 categories of station (genres), each sorted by country, and a growing list of Internet radio stations. You can also listen to many air traffic control transmissions from around the world. To make it even better, it can record individual song tracks, automatically separating them. Cool. Sound quality is generally excellent, though this does depend on the quality of the transmitted audio of the individual station. While the interface is a little bland, it is very functional and the program can be minimized to the tray and run in the background. We were impressed with Tapin Radio. The navigation is a little clumsy but you can easily select the station you wish to hear and even save it as a Favorite for fast access next time. If you enjoy listening to the radio through your computer then grab a copy of Tapin Radio. We liked! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 7.70MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/ir4_w95.html#tapinradio32


Mudding Racer v1.0 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (4 doves)
Mudding Racer is a top-down, dirt track, 4x4 racing game. It features an intelligent opposition that is able to recover from scuffles with greater ease & get back onto the course, improved physics, customizable 4x4, and more. In Mudding Racer you use the arrow keys to move your vehicle -- up/down for forward and reverse, left/right for steering. You play the game looking down on a very bland track with some straights and a few hair-pin bends. Because you are trying to control your 4x4 with the arrow keys from a different perspective it is awkward to play. Combined with boring scenery and childish vehicles, Mudding Racer is not a game that will bring you back to play it again unless you have masochistic tendencies. We don't, so we were happy to uninstall Mudding Racer from our computer. Save your download bandwidth for a better racing game (of which there are many!). Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 2.50MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gg56_w95.html#muddingracer32

COMPUTER TIP OF THE WEEK
from Dr T -- RTemlak4dds@aol.com
Q:
I would like to remove some programs from my computer, but when I go to the Add/Remove Programs section of the Control Panel, the Change/Remove button that's normally there is missing. What can I do to get it back so I can get these programs uninstalled from my PC? Any help you have would be greatly appreciated!
A:
Wow, that has to be so frustrating! I have to admit that I have never had this happen to me before. (On another note, I also have to admit that I don't go through and remove my programs like I should sometimes. Shhh! Don't tell on me!) Either way, I still feel your pain with this one and after a little research, I was able to find a quick fix for this. Let's check it out, shall we?!
First of all, if some of you aren't quite sure what I'm talking about, go to Start, Control Panel and select the Add/Remove Programs link. There you will see a list of all the programs you have installed on your computer. If you run down through that list and highlight your programs, there should be a Change/Remove button for each of those applications. With that button, you can control all that you do with your programs.
You can either change them or completely remove them from your computer. So, as you can see, if that button isn't there, all your control is gone and that is what's ailing the person who asked today's question. With all that said, let's get on with the show!
Warning: For this tip, you will be working in your Registry Editor, so before you begin, make sure you're comfortable using it. The Registry Editor is not a tool to just play around with. If you make a mistake, you could risk messing up other parts of your computer and so on. If you're not 100 percent sure you can do this, please ask someone who is for some help.


When you're ready, just simply follow these steps to get your Change/Remove buttons back:


1.) Go to Start, Run and type "regedit" (without the quotes) into the box. Click OK and the Registry Editor will open for you.


2.) Then navigate to this location: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\<Program Name>." (Note: for the program name, you'll want to look for the program you want to remove from your computer).


3.) In the right pane, double click the NoRemove choice (REG_DWORD) and set the value to 0 (zero). If it happens to be set to 1, the Remove button will not be available.


4.) Back in the right pane, double click the NoModify option (REG_DWORD) and set it to 0 (zero) as well. If this happens to be set to 1, the Change button will not be available.
Now, you will need to do this for each program you want to remove, but once you change those two values, click OK and close everything else out. Then go back to the Control Panel and look through your list of programs.
All of the Change/Remove buttons should be back for you and you can then continue removing all those unnecessary programs from your computer. No more missing buttons. Oh yeah!
[Source: Worldstart.com]


www.completelyFREEsoftware.com

CFS Weekly Newsletter #553

HOWDY
Great to be back with you for another week of fabulously fresh freeware. I'd like to extend a warm welcome to the new subscribers. I hope you enjoy this weekly newsletter.


We have an excellent selection of freebie programs for you this week. My personal favorites were Kaspersky Rescue Disk, a bootable Linux-based rescue disk, FotoMorph, a photo animator, and Mini Desktop Stopwatch, a stopwatch and countdown timer. Your favorites might be different, so check out all the reviews below.


We also have our regular columns -- Dr T's excellent Computer Tip of the Week, and our ever popular Smile of the Week. Both are reasonably large, but we deemed them worth the extra space.


To get access to the best downloads, why not take a minute and become a member of arguably the best freeware-only site in the world. More details from our members' page:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/join.html


What are you waiting for -- become a CFS "lifer" now, or try out the site with a 1-month, 1-year or 2-year membership. We are still half the price of most other sites and I think we offer the best value for your hard earned dollar.


Is your CFS membership going to expire soon? If you wish to extend an existing membership (without creating a new account) read this FAQ:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/faqs5.html#15
Have a great week and...
Keep smilin'
Regards
Graham Pockett
Editor
Completely FREE Software

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COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE


The Atlantis Series -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
The Atlantis Series is an underwater shooter presented in 2 parts (Project: Atlantis & The Fall of Atlantis). It features over 20 levels, many different scenarios including a tour of Atlantis, tells its story by in-game cut scenes & data, save game, and more. This is a simple little shooter that is basically two games in one. While they share a similar look 'n feel, it is obvious that they were created at separate times, with The Fall of Atlantis being the second game (and, arguably, the better of the two). Graphics are simplistic, animations basic, and your underwater craft is controlled by the arrow keys, with the S and D keys for firing. If you go outside the screen you are lost, though if you don't change direction and use the down arrow to reverse, you can find your way back onto the screen. Simplistic, it lacks the eye candy or the big bangs that make similar shooters popular. The Atlantis Series does not rate well in many areas but, in spite of that, it has an addictiv
e aspect that is hard to explain -- it draws you back to play again and again. It may not be in your top 10 favorite games of all times but it is very playable. We liked. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 5.60MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gg9_w95.html#atlantis32


AquaSoft SlideShow for YouTube v6.6.0.1 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
AquaSoft SlideShow for YouTube is a tool that creates professional slideshows or animations for posting on YouTube. It features a built-in YouTube uploader, it can optionally add music, there is a multi-track timeline, you can add text with more than 100 effects, includes many animations (turns, zooms, fadings, panoramas, etc), it supports both 4:3 & 16:9 video formats, has various camera angles & pans, offers non-destructive image editing, it supports more than 50 image formats, it supports EXIF data, and more. This is a superb tool for creating YouTube videos of your photos, etc. It offers so many professional tools that we could not list them all in the space we have available. There is an optional Helpfile and PDF manual which you are given the option to download when the program is being installed, but these are larger than 22MB (a point not mentioned when you are given the option to download them). However, we believe that they are worth the bandwidth as AquaSoft SlideS
how for YouTube is not the simplest tool to get started using -- in fact, there is a steep learning curve to get the best from this program. Probably the most annoying aspect of the program (deliberately so) is the promise of so many other ways to export your finished project -- to CD or DVD, as a program to run on your computer, etc -- but these are not available in the free version, which is limited to posting your project on YouTube. Of course, the author expects that once you have created your masterpiece you will want to do more than simply post it to YouTube and will be prepared to spend the money on purchasing the full version. AquaSoft SlideShow for YouTube produces a superb, professional looking result, as long as you are prepared to spend the time to master the program. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 18.6MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/ir3_w95.html#SlideShowYouTube32


Kaspersky Rescue Disk v10.0.21.5 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves) Kaspersky Rescue Disk is a bootable Linux-based rescue disk that scans and removes threats from an infected computer. It features configurable object scanning, Internet updates the for malware database, a built-in file manager & Web browser, support for all popular file systems (FAT32, NTFS, Ext2, Ext3, Ext4 & Reiser), 80-page downloadable user guide (1.39MB), and more. The Kaspersky Rescue Disk is downloaded as an ISO image file that must be burnt to a CD or DVD. The resultant disk can then be used to boot the computer into a Linux environment where scans can be carried out to find and quarantine malicious software (malware). When you boot up your computer using the Kaspersky Rescue Disk you must update the malware database so it can find the latest risks. There is no need to understand how to work with Linux because this disk uses a Windows-style interface. Kaspersky Rescue Disk should be created before you experience any problems, and we suggest that you download, create,
and store the disk in case you might need it. After an infection you may not be able to download or create the disk -- you might not even be able to boot into Windows! We consider that Kaspersky Rescue Disk a "must have" tool for all PC users. Get a copy now before you are infected. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 193MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gp1_w95.html#kav_rescue32


Cute Screen Recorder v1.3.0.1 -- Win98/ME/WinXP/Vista/Win7 (4 doves) Cute Screen Recorder is an easy-to-use video screen capture that saves to MP4, FLV, SWF or WMV video formats. It features fullscreen or customized capture area, variable output quality (BitRate, FrameRate & audio sample rate), captures audio in mono or stereo, and more. This should be an excellent video screen capture tool, but it isn't. Output quality for a fullscreen capture, even when set to maximum quality using the WMV format, is poor, and Cute Screen Recorder does not use hotkeys to start and stop. This means that the program is visible in the capture when using fullscreen! Likewise, when you stop the recording you must bring the program to the front to click on the Stop button. When a smaller area of the screen is used, you can hide the program window outside the capture area. If the Cute Screen Recorder window is visible in the first and last few frames of the video, you could use a video editor to trim those parts and just leave the bulk of the recording (the part yo
u really want) but this workaround should not be necessary if the program was able to be minimized to an icon in the tray and the recording activated by hotkey. Even if that was done, more work is required to improve video quality. We were very disappointed in Cute Screen Recorder. It has so much unfulfilled potential that it was a major disappointment when the program was actually used. Not our first choice for screen capture to video. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 4.02MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/mp4_w95.html#screenrecorderfree32


Mini Desktop Stopwatch v1.0 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves) Mini Desktop Stopwatch is a stopwatch and countdown timer. It offers accuracy to 1,000 of a second, counts to & from 100 hours, it has the ability to go fullscreen, it has pause & reset controls, is fully portable (no installation required), always stays on top (unless minimized), and more. This is an excellent way of monitoring your time, whether you wish to be notified at the end of a specific period of time (the program beeps when it counts back to zero) or if you wish to time an event (use it as a stopwatch). On the countdown you simply insert the numbers using the mouse-control keypad in the program, and click on the Start button. Mini Desktop Stopwatch autoconverts base-10 numbers (ie 97 minutes becomes 1 hr 37 min). You can make the program go fullscreen for large numbers that can be read at a considerable distance. For example, on a 22 inch widescreen monitor the numbers are over 1.5 inches (4cm) high, making them easy to read from well over 20 feet away. Mini Desktop
Stopwatch is a great tool to have on hand for those times when you need a timer. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 4.11MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/du2_w95.html#mini-desktop-stopwatch32


FotoMorph v11.1 -- WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves)
FotoMorph is a photo animator which can morph images, warp (distort) an image, or zoom/pan within an image. It can import popular image formats (BMP, JPG, PNG, TIF & GIF), export to popular video formats (FLV, AVI, SWF, animated GIF, etc), add scrolling & fading text, print the current animation frame, and more. This is an awesome photo tool which can create professional looking animations of your photos. Of course, the most popular is morphing (image metamorphosis) when you can change the photo of, say, a cat into a lion, a child into an adult, etc using a sequence of images. These can be extremely complex, or quite simple. Some of the controls are not obvious on first glance but, as you use the program, you realize that it offers a level of power you would expect from an expensive commercial program. FotoMorph looks good, is very powerful, and creates awesome image videos in a number of formats. If you choose the popular SWF format, it will even provide the HTML required to
post it to your Website! Cool. As with any high-end program of this type, FotoMorph has a reasonably steep learning curve to get the best from its many controls and features. Fortunately, there is good on-line assistance offered through the author's site. This includes a tutorial using the included sample file which incorporates all three of the main functions of this program -- morphing, warping and zoom/panning. If you are looking for a program to create image morphing then you should start looking with FotoMorph. It is an amazing program! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 2.68MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/grp1_w95.html#FotoMorph32


Microsoft Reader v2.1.1 -- Win98/ME/WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves) Microsoft Reader is an eBook reader that can read eBooks out loud. It features on-screen readability using ClearType display technology, text enhancement (highlighting, bookmarks, notes & drawings), thousands of books available (free & purchase), and more. If you enjoy reading books you will find that there are many books available in the LIT format used by Microsoft Reader. These can be read on your computer screen, or through your Pocket PC device. You can even create your own LIT books using the Word add-in, Read in Microsoft Reader, which is available from Microsoft (819kB download, suitable for Word 2000, XP & 2003). Microsoft Reader displays your library of LIT books and you can select a book to read. The next time you want to read more of your book simply select "Most recent page" to go back to where you were. While reading text on-screen is not always easy, Microsoft Reader uses ClearType to improve the reading experience, specially on LCD screens. If you are visually
impaired, or just like listening to someone reading a book to you, there is a built-in audio reader. Microsoft Reader is a superb eBook tool and one worth grabbing. We liked. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 3.58MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/tp2_w95.html#MSReader32


Falco Blood v1.0 -- Win98/ME/WinXP/Vista/Win7 (5 doves) Falco Blood is a classic top down shooter where you are besieged by monsters. It features 12 levels of action, lots of cool weapons & reinforcement bonuses (powerups), dynamic gameplay, and more. Limited to a confined space, you must try to stay alive long enough to get to the next level. Fortunately you have 15 lives per level, and you will often need that many! Gameplay is fast and furious, and made harder because while you control the gun and the angle the gun is firing through the mouse, movement of your character is through the cumbersome W, A,S and D keys. As you would guess from its title, Falco Blood displays lots of cartoon-style blood, so caution should be used with younger players. Falco Blood is pure escapism. It is a fun way to kill a few minutes, and a lot of monsters. Worth a look if you like fast-action shooters. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95. Access this 6.14MB download from:
http://www.completelyFREEsoftware.com/gg9_w95.html#FalcoBlood32

COMPUTER TIP OF THE WEEK
from Dr T -- RTemlak4dds@aol.com
When are they going to discontinue Windows XP?
Good question! Microsoft designed the Windows XP operating system to work in desktop and laptop computers, as well as in media centers. It first made an appearance to the computer world in August 2001 and became one of the most popular versions of the Windows operating system. Due to it's extended life, people often wonder when they are going to discontinue Windows XP. Ever since Windows 7 came into existence, more and more consumers have started to make the switch to this new system.


Computer operating systems are constantly being updated, which means there will always be something newer and better right around the corner. The most difficult part is getting used to the new system without dealing with a few frustrations now and then.


The 'XP' in Windows XP is short for 'experience' and this type of system has multiple editions, two of which are the home and professional editions. The home version is, of course, for basic household use. The professional edition has extra features that may be too advanced to be considered necessary for use on a home computer. These additional features include; remote desktop server, an encrypting file system, 2 CPUs, and offline folders and files, just to name a few.


Even though this system has been the most popular version for nearly a decade, Microsoft has decided to do away with it. The homepage for Windows XP even has a link that connects consumers to a page listing the top ten reasons to switch over their computers to Windows 7 including:
1.Quicker Access to Content
2.Easier to Manage
3.Faster to Locate Files, Emails, or Other Programs
4.Can Share Information Among Other Computers
5.Effortless Entertainment
6.Create Movies that Can Be Shared
7.Connects Quickly to Wireless
8.Faster Response Time
9.Runs Most XP Programs
10.Offers Better Protection for PCs
This does happen to be a fairly impressive list of reasons to make the switch. The chart that allows consumers to compare the XP, Vista, and 7 versions of Windows is actually a better view of why there's no reason to continue selling and servicing Windows XP. The latest Microsoft operating system for PCs that is offered does everything that the previous editions are capable of, but includes nearly twice as much capability.


Windows XP users don't have access to Windows Search, which enables programs and files to be located instantly and it takes more than a couple of clicks to open these features once they are found. Navigation through open windows is much slower and sharing music, photos, and other files with additional household PCs isn't possible. It's also difficult to manage external devices and organize easily with the XP edition. In addition, connecting to wireless networks takes some work, and the XP edition doesn't have parental controls - which most parents find necessary today with the plethora of information available on the Internet.


Movies and games are a big part of many people's lives. Windows XP doesn't have the capability to provide game graphics that are as vivid and realistic as the newest version is able to offer. Creating and sharing movies within minutes after they are made is also impossible with Windows XP. 


Music collectors aren't able to stream their music around the house with the XP operating system and, since traveling is also becoming more integrated with most jobs, portability is the new priority. Since many computer users store most of their data on their home desktop, taking this on trips is near to impossible. Being able to remotely tap into this information source from locations away from home is possible with the newest operating system, but not with Windows XP.


Microsoft is ending support for Windows XP with SP2 (Service Pack 2) due to take place on July 13, 2010. 


Once support is discontinued for this edition, there won't be any additional security updates coming through making your system more vulnerable to malicious viruses that can easily destroy a PC unless you have a free combination of Avira (http://www.avira.com/en/pages/index.php), Malwarebytes (http://www.malwarebytes.org/), and SUPERAntiSpyware (http://www.superantispyware.com/).


There is a service pack for Windows XP that will buy users a bit more time with this operating system. Service Pack 3 is available for consumers who just aren't ready to make the switch over to Windows 7, but support for that will end April 8th, 2014.
[Source: Worldstart.com]