Products I Use

Posted by Srijit at 7:52 PM

I have quite an extensive list of products that I use, aside from the usual (MS Office etc…).  Most listed here are free and/or open source. Because I'm sure I'm forgetting something, I am going to keep adding to this post, and add a permalink to it on the Links section.

Please leave a comment and share what programs you cannot live without!

 

 

Compression

 

WinRAR

  • Website: >http://www.rarlabs.com
  • Cost: $29.00 (Pocket PC version is free)
  • Platform: PC, Mac, Linux, PocketPC
  • Purpose: File Compression
  • Notes: Great all around compression utility. I use on all my PC's. They had a one day deal a while back that allowed you get a free key – one day only – I grabbed it.

 

7-Zip

  • Website: http://www.7-zip.org
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
  • Purpose: File Compression
  • Notes: Good, Free, Excellent compression (if using the 7zip format)

 

Remote Access

 

LogMeIn

  • Website: http://www.logmein.com
    Cost: Free (also has paid services)
  • Platform: PC, Mac
  • Purpose: Remote control of computer that you own
  • Notes: Basic service is Free, has other features for an additional cost, but for remote control, this is perfect, secure (SSL) and free!

 

Teamviewer

  • Website: http://www.teamviewer.com
  • Cost: Free (For personal use)
  • Purpose: Remote control of computer
  • Platform: PC
  • Notes: Mostly for support of remote users – not on your LAN. Works though firewalls, and does not require, although it can, an installation on the remote user. Has the ability to reverse the host direction on the fly – for example, I am remote controlling your computer, and want to show you what is on my screen… click one button, and you now see my screen. Press it again, and I'm controlling your PC again.

 

Cross Loop

  • Website: http://www.crossloop.com
  • Cost: Free (For personal use)
  • Platform: PC
  • Purpose: Remote control of computer
  • Notes: Much like TeamViewer, Cross Loop is remote control software that works though firewalls. It does require an install on both ends, and is based on Tight VNC.

 

Hamachi

 

UltraVNC

  • Website: http://www.ultravnc.com
  • Cost: Free
  • Purpose: Remote control of computer.
  • Platform: PC (Mac and Linux do have VNC Support, but some Ultra features do not work)
  • Notes: There are many flavors of VNC. I like this one the best because it has NT authentication, screen scaling, remote monitor blanking, disable remote keyboard and mouse, and can lock the screen when disconnected. Great for remote administration of any machine that does not have Terminal Services (Remote Desktop).

 

PuTTy

 

File Synchronization

 

FolderShare

  • Website: http://www.foldershare.com
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC, Mac
  • Purpose: Sync files and folders over the Internet
  • Notes: This is a GREAT product, recently purchased by Microsoft. I use it on EVERY machine I own.

 

Microsoft Sync Toy

 

Firefox - Foxmarks Bookmark Synchronizer

  • Website: See Firefox Extensions
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
  • Purpose: Sync Firefox Bookmarks between machines
  • Notes: Must have for multiple computers

 

Firefox - Google Browser Sync

  • Website: See Firefox Extensions
  • Website: See Firefox Extensions
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
  • Purpose: Sync Firefox Cookies, Saved Passwords, History, Tabs and Windows, and Bookmarks between machines
  • Notes: I only sync passwords / cookies with this – not happy with the way it syncs the bookmarks, and I don't ever keep history.

 

File Transfer

 

FileZilla

  • Website: http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC
  • Purpose: FTP Client
  • Notes: Great FTP Program. Easy to use. There is also a FileZilla FTP Server, although I have not used.

 

Quick'n Easy Server

  • Website: http://www.pablosoftwaresolutions.com/html/quick__n_easy_ftp_server.html
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC
  • Purpose: FTP Server
  • Notes: I use this if I am working on a machine that I need to get files from, or if someone needs to get files from me. Extremely easy to setup, and don't need to change any security in Windows, no user accounts to setup – just run, transfer the files, and close the server. Best part is, you don't even have to
  • install! Just run it! Can run from USB drive as well.

 

FireFTP – See Firefox Extensions

 

WinSCP

  • Website: http://winscp.net
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC
  • Purpose: File transfer over SSH
  • Notes: Next best thing to SSL FTP.

 

Documentation

CamStudio

  • Website: http://www.camstudio.org/
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC
  • Purpose: Screen Recording
  • Notes: Compare this to TechSmith's Camtasia – great for creating screencast.

 

FastStone

  • Website: http://www.faststone.org
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC
  • Purpose: Screenshot Capturing
  • Notes: Compare this to TechSmith's Snagit – Great for capturing screenshots

 

Screen Marker

 

Firefox

Download - and give me credit J

Extensions I use:

 

Portable Applications

PortableApps Menu - An easy-to-use system tray launcher

All below apps can be downloaded from: http://www.portableapps.com

U3 Apps

U3 is only available on certain USB drives

http://software.u3.com/softwarecentral.aspx

  • Mozilla Firefox for U3
  • Putty fo rU3
  • WinSCP
  • Foxit Reader
  • FileZilla
  • Trillian
  • EditPadLite
  • IrfanView
  • MobileWebServer
  • eFax for U3
  • TeamViewer for U3

 

Misc Programs:

 

UltraMon

  • Website: http://www.realtimesoft.com/ultramon/
  • Cost: $39.95
  • Platform: PC
  • Purpose: Dual/Triple Monitor management
  • Notes: By far, the best multiple monitor management software I have ever used. UltraMon puts a taskbar on each monitor, easy to move apps from one display to another. Great wallpaper tweaking for multiple monitors is a big plus too.

 

Notepad ++

  • Website: http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC
  • Purpose: Notepad replacement
  • Notes: I use everyday.  No really, I use this every day.  It sports line numbers, great Find/Replace function, and multiple language color coding formats

 

BitComet

  • Website: http://www.bitcomet.com/
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC
  • Purpose: Torrent downloader
  • Notes: Easy program to download torrents.

 

 

Adobe Acrobat Reader

  • Website: http://www.adobe.com
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
  • Purpose: Portable Document Format Reader
  • Notes: I didn't like previous versions (before 8.0) but Adobe has created a much better reader now.

 

Microsoft - Free products:

 

Security / Network diagnostics

 

FountStone Free Tools

  • Website: http://foundstore.com/resources/proddesc/ superscan.htm
  • Cost: Free
  • Purpose: There are many tools – each with its own purpose
  • Notes: I personally use quite a few of their tools, but the one I use the most is SuperScan – a network port scanner. Also, most are portable.

 

PSTools

  • Website: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/PsTools.mspx
  • Cost: Free
  • Platform: PC
  • Purpose: There are many tools – each with its own purpose
    • PsExec - execute processes remotely
    • PsFile - shows files opened remotely
    • PsGetSid - display the SID of a computer or a user
    • PsInfo - list information about a system
    • PsKill - kill processes by name or process ID
    • PsList - list detailed information about processes
    • PsLoggedOn - see who's logged on locally and via resource sharing (full source is included)
    • PsLogList - dump event log records
    • PsPasswd - changes account passwords
    • PsService - view and control services
    • PsShutdown - shuts down and optionally reboots a computer
    • PsSuspend - suspends processes
  • Notes: I do not go through a week without using these tools, especially psexec, pslist, pskill, psloggedon, and psshutdown. A MUST have for all Administrators. Also nice – all these can be run as a portable app from a USB drive.

 

Backup

Mozy

  • Website: https://mozy.com/?code=JYR3CH - Hook me up with a referral - J
  • Cost: 2GB for Free – Unlimited for $4.95/month
  • Platform: PC, Mac
  • Purpose: Online Secure backup
  • Notes: I started with Free, and have been referring people (256MB per referral) and am now up to 6 GB. It has saved my rear several times when I accidentally deleted a file.

 

Google Applications