*Geek post alert*

Having recently been on a bit of a “get organised” spree (the contents of my bag provides ample evidence), I’ve been slowly creating my own little software toolkit which I’m keeping on a pen drive (thumb drive, USB drive, flash drive… why don’t these things have a common name!). I use all of these applications on both my home PC and at work and can vouch that they are worth the download.

You may, or may not, find some of the following useful and as with most software YMMV:

• 7-ZIP – 921KB – zip file extractor handles all the common formats.
• Ad Aware – 2.5MB – spyware detection and removal. *
• Acrobat Reader 7.0 – 20.3MB – much faster than earlier versions. Reads PDF files.
• Agent Ransack – 792KB – file searching utility.
• AVG Anti-Virus 7.0 – 10.5MB – free anti-virus app. Make sure you keep it up-to-date.
• Burn at once – 3.9MB – CD burning software.
• Crap cleaner – 377KB – cleans out system of temp files and such like.
• Registry Cleaner – 2.7MB – (BACKUP your registry first!!) Handy if you install and remove a lot of programs.
• Everest – 3MB – PC audit software, lists hardware and software on your system.
• Mozilla Firefox – get a better web browser!
• Windows Grep – 625KB – search multiple files easily.
• Image Resizer powertoy – 521KB – Right-click and resize an image, simple.
• Microsoft AntiSpyware – 6.3MB – Exactly what it says on the tin. *
• Move files on boot – 596KB – workaround for deleting locked files on XP.
• Notepad2 – 242KB – Text file editor, improving on Notepad.
• nPOP – 84KB – a tiny POP3 email access tool. No install, so great when not on your own PC.
• Karen’s Directory Printer – 1.8MB – print a list of filenames and their attributes from a folder.
• Karen’s URL Discombobulator – 1MB – understand those cryptic web addresses.
• Karen’s WHOIS – 1.7MB – discover who owns Internet Domain Names, and how to contact their owners (use with above for nefarious websites!).
• SC-PassUnleash – 165KB – displays hidden passwords in windows dialogs (not in websites though, still to find that one).
• System Info – 1.2MB – Advanced System Info tool. Know EVERYTHING about your PC
• Space Monger – 103KB – lets you see what files are using the most space in a nice graphical fashion (similar to SC-DiskInfo).
• SpyBot – 4.2MB – spyware detection and removal. *
• Mike Lin’s Startup Control Panel – 34KB – control the programs that start with Windows.
• Mozilla Thunderbird – 5.9MB – alternative Email client
• TweakUi powertoy – 147KB – extremely useful “tweaking” app for Windows XP (other versions available).
• RealVNC Server and Client software – 850KB – for remote access (two apps)
• Zone Alarm – 6.5MB – free firewall software.

Ohh and all of the above applications have one thing in common, they are all free (at time of writing at least).

* Recent reports suggest that Microsoft is now leading the way, but it is still recommended that you run at least two or three spyware/adware detection programs as none of them catch everything. You should keep these programs up-to-date with the latest detection packs.

P.S. If this kind of thing is of interest I’d strongly urge you to subscribe to the langalist.

P.P.S. A short list of apps designed to RUN from a USB pen drive thingy.