The 20 Best Free PC Games

Puzzle Pirates
One of the more popular free games on the 'net, Puzzle Pirates is a persistent MMO with a very casual bent. You create a cute pirate that looks like a Playmobil figure, and sail the seven seas in search of pieces 'o eight. The catch is, each activity (and there are many, from manning the guns to repairing the ship to bilging out water) is performed with a simple puzzle game. Everyone on the ship plays their puzzle at the same time, and the cumulative performance determines how well your ship does. There are tons of community features, lots of help and tutorials, tournaments, clans, etc. There is a money angle, though—you can play for free forever, but you can also purchase a subscription or buy doubloons to access more advanced features.

Freeciv
It's Civilization, and it's free! Okay, so maybe this free and open-source strategy game "inspired by" the beloved Civ doesn't have all the nice UI features or pretty graphics of Civilization IV. Maybe Freeciv has more in common with Civ II than the modern entries in the series. Once you come to grips with the keyboard commands and the way the game presents information on research, diplomacy, and cities, it's really just as addictive as any other Civ game. Just…one…more…turn.

TribesNext
Remember Tribes 2? There was still a hardcore community of players when Vivendi shut down the authentication and game list servers last year. Fortunately, there's TribesNext, a free patch to restore multiplayer functionality with a new free authentication server and lobby. Oh, and the game's free too, so you can just go download both the client and patch at the TribesNext site. What are you waiting for? Party like it's 2001!

Ikariam
Take control of a town on a small Mediterranean island in this browser-based strategy multiplayer game. The pace is leisurely to the point of being something you only need to check in on from time to time. Set your people to gather some resources and start construction on a new building or two, then check in on your little corner of the world in a few hours. Ikariam is built for this—close your browser window whenever and your workers continue to work, your researchers continue to research…you get the idea.

You're playing with other real people, so there is opportunity for diplomacy, trading, and armed conflict. You can spend real-world money to buy "Ambrosia" which you then exchange for increased resource gathering rates or advanced features that let you see more of your buildings at a glance, but the whole game is essentially playable for free. It's actually a fairly deep, yet accessible game that's quite easy to play without a lot of time investment. Continued...

Fancy Pants Adventures
This is of the best flash games of the last few years. Fancy Pants Adventures is a side-scrolling platform game with slick animation and clever levels. Once you finish the first world, check out World 2. Honestly, with a few more worlds added this could easy go as a $10 Xbox Live Arcade or PlayStation Network game. Put yourself in the mood by listening to Jonathan Coulton's Mr. Fancy Pants (not related to the game, but it would make a great theme song).

Dyson
This beautiful, simple game certainly deserves its place as a 2009 Independent Games Festival finalist. Dyson's premise is simple, but hard to convey in screenshots. You start on a spherical planet, spending your Dyson seedlings to plant new trees (either for defense, or to produce more seedlings). Click-and-drag to send seedlings to nearby planets to attack their seedlings and take it over. You win when you have conquered all the planets in the area. With smooth mouse zooming, minimalist art and sound, and simple but addictive gameplay, you'll easily waste away an afternoon on this one.

Chalk
Joakim Sandberg's Chalk is good for a couple hours of free fun. The premise is simple—you guide your character around a chalkboard by right-clicking, and draw chalk lines with a left-click. Use your chalk lines to deflect bullets from enemies, remove obstacles, etc. The catchy tunes and sound effects help bring it all together into a nice, polished, scrolling "draw-er" of sorts.

Dungeon Runners
Looking for your Diablo fix but sick of playing Diablo? Lamenting the permanent "hiatus" status of Flagship Studios' Mythos? Dungeon Runners is there to fill the void. Technically, this is one of those "tiered" games where it's free to play all you want, but you'll have to subscribe for $5 a month to have access to some of the better items (subscribing also boosts your leveling rate and gives you some other perks). Even in its free mode, there's a lot of good stuff in there. The 3D graphics are more than passable, animation and sound is decent, there's voice chat and PvP—it's every bit a "full" game experience. It may or may not be enough to subscribe to, but it's sure worth playing for free. Continued...

Savage 2
Like Allegiance (see below), this is another one of those hybrid games where most players take on an action/FPS type role, while a commander plays a more traditional RTS game, selecting units and giving orders—only the units are all controlled by real people. Released for free about a year ago, Savage 2 is still supported (there was a patch in early February). There's ranged and melee combat, siege units, etc. There's a little catch, though: If you want extended online stat tracking, replays, and a couple extra inventory slots, you'll have to upgrade to a "prime" account for $9.99. Still, even the free game can be considered a complete experience.

Dad 'N Me
You know the Xbox Live Arcade smash hit Castle Crashers? It's great. The company that made it (and Alien Hominid) gets its unique, silly, hilarious art and animation from Dan Paladin. Much of their programming and game design comes from Tom Fulp. It just so happens that Tom Fulp and Dan Paladin have a funny, silly, quirky beat-'em-up game on Newgrounds called Dad 'n Me. You play a bully that runs around kicking down the sand castles and punching the faces in of all those dorks, dweebs, and boy scouts in the neighborhood. Okay, so it's not exactly wholesome, but it's a lot of fun.

Allegiance
Allegiance started out as a Microsoft Research project back in the days when internet multiplayer gaming was considered a considerable challenge. Allegiance was sold by Microsoft Game Studios at the turn of the century, and nobody bought it. It was critically acclaimed, often called "the best game nobody played" and the like. After a few years, Microsoft released the source code and files and now it's freely available and maintained by some fans. The nifty twist with Allegiance is that, while you're playing a sort of action space sim game, there is a Commander on each side—a real person—who gives orders to everyone RTS-style.

Ur-Quan Masters
One of the greatest games of all time is the venerable Star Control 2. The greatest version of that game is the one made for the ill-fated 3DO game system. The source code to that version has been used in an open-source project called The Ur-Quan Masters (Activision owns the Star Control name) and it's all there: smooth scaling combat, exploration and trading, kickin' music (even fan remixes are available). Only the 3DO version of the intro and victory movies are unable to be redistributed. You can use the keyboard or gamepads, you can play on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, you can play Super Melee mode over the Internet…just about the only thing you won't be able to do is stop playing. The developers have even added nifty new features like a searchable starmap and the ability to choose between the PC or 3DO-style graphics in certain parts of the game. Continued...

N
The same team that brought the incredibly hard (in a good way) jumping platform/puzzle game N+ to the Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, and Xbox Live Arcade first made a free PC version of the game simply called N. You guide your tiny ninja around levels, flipping switches, avoiding obstacles, wall-jumping and sliding your way to the exit. It's one of those games where you die over and over and over and you just can't put it down. With approximately one hojillion levels in the game, you'll be entertained for hours.

Cave Story
It's truly remarkable just how much game you can squeeze into a paltry 1 megabyte. Cave Story looks and plays a lot like an old 8-bit Nintendo game; the graphics and sound would be sub-par even on a Super Nintendo. But the gameplay is fantastic. Known by its Japanese name Doukutsu Monogatari, Cave Story requires you to run an English translation patch if you don't want to play in Japanese (and there's a lot of text). It's a side-scrolling action RPG in the vein of old classics like Wonder Boy, and it's a good enough indie game that a WiiWare version is under way. Why wait to pay to play it on the Wii when you can play it for free on your PC, right now? Gamepads are even supported.

Marathon Trilogy
Before Bungie made Halo, they made Marathon. Okay, actually they made the excellent Myth, its sequel, and Oni after Marathon and before Halo. Still, Marathon is a well-regarded shooter series from Bungie Studios. Originally developed for the Mac (I know, right?), you'll have to download the Aleph One code as well as the original source files—it's pretty straightforward, but there's a FAQ if you get stuck. Marathon is quite dated—it's like going back to Doom 2 with a better story—but it's a piece of gaming history that shouldn't be ignored. And now that it's free, it doesn't have to be.

Continuum
Once upon a time, there was a top-down 2D multiplayer space shooter called SubSpace that was enormously popular when it was a free beta test game, but crashed and burned when it was a for-pay retail product. Now it lives on as Continuum, a fan-maintained and run massively multiplayer online shooter. There are multiple ships with multiple upgrades you command in sort of an Asteroids-meets-Star Control kind of way as you fight to capture flags, defend resource points, and all other kinds of team-based activities. There are zones that maintain the old SubSpace look and rules, and custom zones with custom ships and rules. 12 years ago, this game kept us up to 3am far more often than we'd care to admit. Continued...

Dwarf Fortress
The full name of this game is Slaves to Armok God of Blood, Chapter II: Dwarf Fortress, but everyone just calls it Dwarf Fortress. It has been in development for six or seven years and was formally released about three years ago, and in fact, it is still not considered "completed." Despite the ASCII-like text character visuals and obtuse keyboard-only commands, it remains quite popular.

The world is randomly generated prior to each game with a pretty sophisticated fractal system. In the main Dwarf Fortress mode, you start with 7 dwarves (how'd they come up with that number, we wonder?) to whom you must assign duties as they construct their subterranean fortress. Build and defend your fortress, produce food, trade with traders, and more…it's really rather complicated. There's an adventurer mode which lets you run around as an individual character in typical "Roguelike" fashion. This mode is rather basic, compared to extreme complexity and sophistication of the Dwarf Fortress mode. If you can get past the 1980 visuals, climb the steep learning curve, and navigate the obtuse and unintuitive UI, you'll be rewarded with a strategy game every bit as rewarding as Civilization or Sim City.

Cloud
Cloud from USC is now several years old, but it's just so charming and "poetic" that you should still experience it. The hook is simple—you fall asleep and dream of flying among the clouds. Steer your flying dream-self with the mouse as you gather together white fluffy clouds, and arrange them into shapes in the sky. When light and dark clouds fight, it rains. It's a simple concept very well executed, even if the graphics are primitive. It really captures that "feeling" of flying in your dreams.

Command and Conquer: Red Alert
As a promotion for Red Alert 3, EA released the original Command & Conquer: Red Alert as freeware that runs nicely on modern versions of Windows. Now you can play what started one of the best RTS game series on the market. Just the thing for some of those low-power netbooks. If you want to see the start of the entire C&C series, EA released the original Command & Conquer for free as well.

F.E.A.R. Combat
As you get ready for the PC release of F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, why not brush up on your skills with the free multiplayer component of the original F.E.A.R.? Though multiplayer was largely ignored by the community at large when the original game was released, it's actually quite good and there are still a handful of very active servers out there. The graphics hold up great—F.E.A.R. Combat is one of the best-looking free games on the 'net. Continued...

The Best Free Software of 2009

1. Circle Dock
circledock.wikidot.com
Windows
Who says a dock has to actually... dock? To the side of the screen, that is. Circle Dock brings up a spiraling launcher interface with all the icons you want to click. Rotate it with the wheel on your mouse and change the skin to suit your desktop.

2. ObjectDock
www.stardock.com
Windows
Replace the Windows Taskbar and Quick Launch toolbar with this Mac-like animated toolbar of icons for all your programs. It comes with a few "docklets" for displaying info like the time, weather, and a Web search form.

3. Launchy
www.launchy.net
Windows | Linux
"Keystroke launcher" is a fancy way of saying "command line," but if you like to type rather than click for control—a practice that goes well beyond app launching—Launchy is your best choice.

4. Quicksilver
www.blacktree.com
Mac OS
Quicksilver does more from the keyboard than just launch programs. It can act on any item you can find or drag on your Mac. Quicksilver plug-ins add even more functions.

5. Audacity [HALL OF FAME]
audacity.sourceforge.net
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
On a par with any commercial audio editor, Audacity is the free sound editor of choice. The latest beta (1.3.6) even supports MPEG-4, Dolby Digital, and Windows Media.

6. Banshee
banshee-project.org
Linux
iTunes is riffed upon again, this time in a Linux-only option that supports audio and video, Android phones, and older iPods (but not iPhones or iPod touch... for now).

7. EphPod
www.ephpod.com
Windows
It does whatever iTunes does in Windows—syncing, playlists, iPod firmware updates, and much more, including moving music from an iPod to your new PC.

8. foobar2000
www.foobar2000.org
Windows
Basic playback of just about any audio you can imagine is foobar2000's calling card, complete with an iTunes-like interface.

9. imeem (formerly Anywhere.FM)
www.imeem.com
Web
If iTunes were entirely in the cloud, it would be pretty close to imeem (formerly Anywhere.FM). Upload your music collection and videos to stream from any device. Digital photos, too. You can share them with friends you make on the service.

10. iTunes [HALL OF FAME]
www.apple.com/itunes
Windows | Mac OS
Do we have to explain iTunes as the (so far) ultimate media player, coupled with online store and the primary way to get media—from music to video to games to podcasts, which plays most file formats (except, unsurprisingly, Windows Media formats)—and puts them on your iPod or iPhone? Probably not.

11. Mojo
www.deusty.com
Windows | Mac OS
When you and some friends install Mojo, you're ready for a unique sharing experience. Browsing and downloading MP3s from each other's iTunes music libraries is suddenly a very easy proposition. If it's a DRM file from the iTunes store, Mojo highlights them in red so you won't be bothered trying.

12. Songbird
www.getsongbird.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Mozilla's knockoff of iTunes is free, open-source, and supports just about every kind of music file you can imagine. You can even download embedded MP3s on Web sites to your permanent collection. Extensions add support for iPods and Web services.

13. Screamer Radio
www.screamer-radio.com
Windows
You can download an app or run it from the Web, but either way, Screamer Radio accesses and lets you record Internet radio in a number of streaming audio formats (Shoutcast, Icecast, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, and AAC).

14. WavePad Sound Editor
www.nch.com.au/wavepad
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
WavePad puts all the usual bells and whistles of audio editing and effects at your fingertips.

15. Winamp [HALL OF FAME]
www.winamp.com
Windows
Still a primo MP3 player, Winamp is both customizable (it heralded the age of "skins" on software) and comes in multiple versions, including one that works with CDs.

16. DriveImage XML
www.runtime.org
Windows
Make a replica—an image—of your entire hard drive for easy backup and restore later.

17. MozBackup
mozbackup.jasnapaka.com
Windows
If you're a big user of Mozilla products—including Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey, as well as Flock and Netscape—use MozBackup to store your hard-earned settings and data like bookmarks and e-mail messages.

18. MozyHome Free
www.mozy.com
Windows | Mac OS
Don't even think about backing up: MozyHome will do it for you, in the background, for up to 2GB of data (you can pay to get unlimited space). Perfect for office docs, but you'll want to pay for more storage to back up pictures, music, or videos. Soon it will sync between PCs, too.

19. SpiderOak
www.spideroak.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
It's another 2GB of free online storage that backs up in the background, but SpiderOak goes Mozy one better by supporting Linux.

20. SyncToy v2.0
www.microsoft.com/downloads
Windows
This so-called PowerToy from Microsoft has the power to make sure folders across your multiple drives or even your home network stay fully synchronized.

21. SyncBack Freeware
www.2brightsparks.com/freeware
Windows
Set all the parameters and SyncBack will handle synchronization or backup between folders, FTP sites, or ZIP archives.

22. ScribeFire
www.scribefire.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
This add-on for Firefox is a perfect tool for posting entries to just about any blogging software or service in existence.

23. TweetDeck
www.tweetdeck.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Don't restrict Twitter to just a column when this Adobe Air–based software can spread itself across your desktop with multiple columns. Each column can contain replies, direct messages, or whatever you specify. As with any tweet tool, the columns auto-update as new tweets arrive. TweetDeck stores all tweets that arrive while the app is running so you don't miss anything overnight.

24. Twitteriffic
www.iconfactory.com/software/twitterrific
Mac OS| Mobile
A small desktop footprint is the hallmark of this reverse-type Twitter app, great for reading and posting to the popular microblogging service. All the features you expect, and more, are there—even in the free version, which includes advertisements.

25. Zoundry Raven
www.zoundryraven.com
Windows
Finally, standalone software that gives Windows Live Writer some serious competition for the pro bloggers. It handles full WYSIWYG editing on multiple blogs and can run portably from a USB flash drive to use with any Windows PC.

26. twhirl
www.twhirl.org
Windows | Mac OS
A desktop interface for Twitter, twhirl requires Adobe AIR to run but makes it infinitely easier to keep up with tweets and/or twits.

27. Ustream.tv
www.ustream.tv
Web
Still the best way to broadcast yourself, live, across the Web. All you need is the webcam.

28. WordPress.com
www.wordpress.com
Web
You could install WordPress on your servers, or go right to this commercial, hosted site and set up a professional-looking blog in no time.
Read our review of WordPress.

29. Windows Live Writer
get.live.com/writer/overview
Windows
This desktop software for blog posting is a favorite with the pros who want a WYSIWYG editor that also posts photos, maps, and other content.

30. Camino
caminobrowser.org
Mac OS
Love Firefox but wish it was more ... Mac-ish? Camino solves that issue, offering "Mozilla power, Mac style." It has full support of Mac OS's Keychain, AppleScript, and all the typical Firefox goodies.

31. Flock 2
www.flock.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Flock 2 stresses the social along with surfing, integrating features like RSS reading and Twitter and media access right into the browser. Since it's based on Firefox, it can also use many of the same extensions.
Read our review of Flock 2.

32. Firefox [HALL OF FAME]
www.mozilla.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux | Mobile
Can't wait for the free update to IE8, which promises an enhanced address bar and upgraded privacy protections? In the meantime use our favorite browser. Firefox is beholden to no one and extensible to the nth degree. Upcoming versions will offer far more security and superfast JavaScript to make the browsing experience even better.
Read our review of Firefox 3, a PCMag Editors' Choice.

33. FoxReplace
code.google.com/p/foxreplace
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
If you work in a lot of Web forms or Web apps like Google Docs, this Firefox add-on is a must-have. It can search and replace text in Web pages quickly and easily.

34. Google Chrome
www.google.com/chrome
Windows
Everyone pays attention to what Google does, and when it made a Web browser, the world noticed. And for good reason: This streamlined, fast, secure software has true potential in the browser wars.

35. Internet Explorer 8 Beta [HALL OF FAME]
www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer
Windows
This is a freebie you're probably already using in some form, as IE is the most-used Web browser in the world. The latest beta adds fantastic (if overdue) features such as a stealth mode, better performance, and the ability to subscribe to "web slices" that are just parts of a full Web page.

36. Opera [HALL OF FAME]
www.opera.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux | Mobile
Opera can claim many "firsts"—tabs, speed dial, and more—and some say the best. It remains a fast browser with a presence available on just about any device in your digital arsenal.
Read our review of Opera 9.

37. OperaTor
archetwist.com/en/opera/operator
Windows
Combine the portable version of Opera with the anonymizing service Tor (The Onion Router) and you get OperaTor, a bundle (including Polipo as a proxy) that keeps your surfing secret.

38. Safari
www.apple.com/safari
Windows | Mac OS
Fast page load times are a hallmark of this browser, the default for Mac installations and also available for Windows. Safari offered private browsing before it was cool.

39. 30 Boxes
www.30boxes.com
www.30boxes.com
An online calendar that actually looks like a calendar. The buddies feature makes sharing schedules and to-dos a breeze.

40. Calgoo Calendar
www.calgoo.com/calendar
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Think of Calgoo as one calendar app to rule them all: The software provides desktop access to Google Calendar and 30 Boxes, and syncs data with Outlook and Apple iCal.

41. Doomi
doominow.com
Windows
This simple to-do list app requires Adobe Air to run, and floats on your screen or rests in the system tray—the very model of an unobtrusive application. Future plans include syncing with an online to-do list.

42. Google Calendar
www.google.com/calendar
Web | Mobile
With multiple views, simple sharing, and seamless integration with other Google products, Google's calendar, like most of its Web apps, stands a notch above the rest.
Read the full review of Google Calendar.

43. Lightning
www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/lightning
Windows | Mac OS | Linux | Solaris | OS2
Mozilla's calendar add-on for Thunderbird gives the e-mail client all it needs to take on all the features of Microsoft Outlook.

44. Chandler
chandlerproject.org
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
An open-source, sharable desktop to-do master, Chandler looks vaguely Outlook-esque, but it doesn't worry about communications—just tasks for those embracing the "getting things done" lifestyle.

45. Remember The Milk
www.rememberthemilk.com
Web | Mobile
This power to-do list site gives you many ways to get reminders (e-mail, SMS, IM) and even more ways to create them, from Google widgets to phone calls to IM bots.

46. Remember The Task
www.jashsayani.com/my-softwares
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
This Adobe Air–based app puts a small window on your desktop with one fantastic purpose: full-time access to your Remember The Milk task list.

47. TaskFive
www.taskfive.com
Web
Just five tasks a day? Take it as a challenge, not a limitation. TaskFive sports an elegant calendar interface, and you can enter tasks via Web, e-mail, or text message. Team to-dos will cost you, however.

48. Yahoo Calendar
calendar.yahoo.com
Web
An old-timer compared with many, Yahoo Calendar doesn't innovate a lot but provides solid features, shareable calendars, and synchronization with Outlook.

49. eM Client
www.emclient.com
Windows
Anyone familiar with Outlook or Thunderbird can master the basics of using eM Client freeware in no time. It already syncs with Google Calendar, and future developments will integrate social networks and IMs with your e-mail.

50. Gmail
www.gmail.com
Web | Mobile
The current bellwether in Web-based e-mail is still in perennial beta, but Google continues to innovate with additions via the Gmail Labs. The searchable and ever-increasing storage (up to 7GB now, up from 5.5GB last year) doesn't hurt. New themes make it pretty. And you can use it to IM or even send SMS text messages to friends' phones.

51. gAttach
www.gattach.net
Windows
Usually with webmail, you have to put attachments on a message after the fact. gAttach does it automatically when you select a file, or from within other apps like MS Word, all from the desktop. If you prefer Yahoo Mail, check out yAttach.

52. Google Contacts
hogi.a.orn.jp/en/gmcont.html
Windows
This extension for Thunderbird does one thing you need: It synchronizes contacts between Thunderbird and Google's Gmail.

53. iContact
www.dataload.com/icontact
Windows
Accessing your Gmail contacts is all the easier with iContact; it displays the normally browser-accessible-only list on your desktop and integrates those contacts into other communications software, like Skype.

54. Simple Mail
www.userlogos.org/extensions/simplemail
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
If you already have Firefox open all the time, why not have one of those tabs just for mail? The Simple Mail add-on puts a POP3/IMAP client right inside the browser.

55. Thunderbird [HALL OF FAME]
www.mozilla.com/thunderbird
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
The Internet's top e-mail client from Mozilla is (of course) extensible, but even without add-ons Thunderbird is simple-to-master software for anyone with a POP3 or IMAP e-mail account.
Read our review of Thunderbird 2.

56. Windows Live Mail
get.live.co
Windows
Outlook Express has morphed into the modern-day Live Mail, ready to check POP3, IMAP, and webmail accounts when you're not using it to read RSS feeds or plan your calendar.
Read our review of Windows Live Mail (Wave 3).

57. Yahoo Mail
mail.yahoo.com
Web
Our webmail Editors' Choice embeds the Yahoo Messenger IM and RSS reader, works on the Web with any browser or operating system, and has more features than anyone could hope to master.
Read our review of Yahoo Mail, a PCMag.com Editors' Choice.

58. Zenbe
www.zenbe.com
Web
Zenbe is a multi-account, Internet-based interface to check Yahoo Mail, Gmail, AOL, Windows Live, and POP3 messages. It throws in a shareable calendar, an address book, and other tools to make it extra-useful.

59. Dabbleboard
www.dabbleboard.com
Web
As simple as any whiteboard in a conference room, Dabbleboard's online app brings drawing and some real-time collaboration to your group.

60. SightSpeed
www.sightspeed.com
Windows | Mac OS
Now owned by Logitech, SightSpeed provides one-on-one video chat with unparalleled video quality, but more than two users at a time will cost you.
Read our full review of SightSpeed 6.0, a PCMag.com Editors' Choice .

61. Skype
www.skype.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Easy to use for phone calls (free between Skype users, with a minimal charge to call other phones), Skype truly shines when paired with a high-end webcam so you can see your friends and family.
Read our full review of Skype.

62. Tokbox
www.tokbox.com
Web
The Tokbox service turns your AIM buddy list into a videoconferencing buddy list directly in your browser. Separate apps make it work through Facebook or on your desktop. You provide the camera.

63. CrossFTP
www.crossftp.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Built on Java, CrossFTP works and looks the same, no matter which OS you run. It features tabs for each connection, support for archives, and drag-and-drop transfer, and it comes in a free server version, too.

64. DownThemAll
www.downthemall.net
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Don't download just one item at a time from a Web page. As the name implies, this download manager for Firefox handles them all.

65. Filezilla
www.filezilla-project.org
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Slick and simple FTP that does the job, complete with drag-and-drop from local to remote or vice versa.

66. FireFTP
fireftp.mozdev.org
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Because it's a plug-in for Firefox, FireFTP behaves like any other tab in the browser, so you don't have to launch another application to transfer files.

67. Halite
www.binarynotions.com/halite-bittorrent-client
Windows
Instead of downloading an entire file, apps using the super-popular BitTorrent protocol break files into chunks and distribute them among several users. Free, open-source application Halite is a BitTorrent client focused on using as small of a memory footprint as possible.

68. net2ftp
www.net2ftp.com
Web
If you sit at a computer with no FTP software but need to upload a file, stat, this Web app comes to your rescue quickly as long as you have the server, username, and password information.

69. Rightload
www.rightload.org
Windows
Send a file to preconfigured FTP servers anytime you want with a simple right click. Rightload adds just a single line to the context menu, with fly-out menus for each FTP server you want

70. uTorrent
www.utorrent.com
Windows
Still the best—and smallest—BitTorrent client in existence, uTorrent will have you downloading big files in no time. (Well, do we still have available torrent seeds?)

71. Adobe Reader [HALL OF FAME]
www.adobe.com/reader
Windows | Mac OS | Linux | Mobile
Adobe's PDF reader is far from basic, with a number of extra features including online collaboration tools.

72. Foxit Reader
www.foxitsoftware.com
Windows | Linux | Mobile
Frequently preferred over Adobe's own reader for PDFs, Foxit has a reputation for speed. What's more, it can annotate files.

73. PeaZip
peazip.sourceforge.net
Windows | Linux
It'll create ZIPs, 7Zs, TARs, ARCs, and more; it'll open those and many other archives too, including RAR. It can do so with AES encryption of your files, and even split or join extralarge files to make them easier to transport.

74. Sumatra PDF
blog.kowalczyk.info/software/sumatrapdf
Windows
The perfect PDF reader for the minimalist, with a super-simple interface and fast start-up time. Sumatra is perfect to carry on a USB thumb drive.

75. Quick Media Converter (QMC)
www.cocoonsoftware.com
Windows
If you're frequently converting audio or video files to different formats, keep this tool handy for (as the name suggests) quick media conversion to a number of potential formats.

76. WinRAR
www.rarlab.com
Windows
We all know about compressing files with ZIP, but RAR is also quite popular; WinRAR will compress or decompress files in both.

77. YemuZip
www.yellowmug.com/yemuzip
Mac OS
Sometimes unzipping a compressed file on the Mac makes a mess. YemuZip makes archiving and decompressing a simple drag-and-drop procedure.

78. Zamzar
www.zamzar.com
Web
Upload just about any file (under 100MB) and you can convert it to just about any format that makes sense. This tool even grabs online videos from YouTube and turns them into files you can use.

79. Billeo
www.billeo.com
Windows
Install the Billeo toolbar on your Web browser and add your accounts, and you'll get fast access to assistance with online shopping, online bill payment, and reports on your spending.
Read our review of Billeo, a PCMag.com Editors' Choice.

80. Buxfer
www.buxfer.com
Web | Mobile
Sign up (or use an existing AOL, Facebook, Google, OpenID, or Yahoo account) to get started with tracking shared expenses, so divvying up the bills at the end of the month becomes a breeze.

81. Mint
www.mint.com
Web
Mint manages your money by sucking in data from all your bank, credit card, and other accounts, providing you regular reports on what you're spending and how to save.
Read our review of Mint.com, a PCMag.com Editors' Choice.

82. Wesabe
www.wesabe.com
Windows | Mac OS | Web
"Part money management tool, part community," where info—your comments about your spending—is shared (anonymously) with the group so everyone can find value. Of course, Wesabe also helps track your spending and income.

83. eBay Desktop
desktop.ebay.com
Windows | Mac OS
This app, which requires Adobe Air, looks like eBay replicated on your desktop, but for power buyers it adds special functions, like not needing to refresh the page and a clock synchronized with eBay's own.

84. Geni.com
www.geni.com
Web
There's no easier place to plug in your family tree, and being a Web app makes it easy to share with the rest of the family so they can fill in the gaps.

85. Google Earth
earth.google.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
If you like Google Maps online, welcome to that same kind of action on steroids. You can traverse the globe on its interlocking satellite images, or reverse it and look skyward, even travel to the past. Third-party add-ons continue to extend Google Earth's capabilities beyond what our puny terrestrial minds can imagine.
Read our review of Google Earth 4.3, a PCMag.com Editors' Choice.

86. Home Inventory
www.knowyourstuff.org
Windows | Mac OS
Insurance companies ask you to inventory your possessions prior to signing up for a homeowner's or renter's policy. Create a home inventory of everything you own on this site, a service of the Insurance Information Institute, and throw in digital pictures or even scanned purchase receipts to make sure what's yours is yours.

87. Penzu
www.penzu.com
Web
Hard to believe that in the age of blogging, some people still want journals and diaries they keep to themselves. Penzu is all about making that happen, online, with privacy as the first priority.

88. Springpad
www.springpadit.com
Web
Manage your life tasks with online notebooks filled with lists, photos, notes, and maps/directions you can share with the whole family. Perfect for tracking receipts, planning meals or trips, and getting your house organized.

89. Timetoast
www.timetoast.com
Web
Ever wanted to create a timeline for your site or a presentation, but couldn't decide what tool would best display the data? Wonder no more, as Timetoast adds this useful data with an attractive flair.

90. Artweaver
www.artweaver.de
Windows
If you want the freedom to paint, without the mess and without paying $359 for Corel Painter X, Artweaver is a good starter tool for artists.

91. DestroyFlickr
www.destroytoday.com/?p=Project&id=DestroyFlickr
Windows
This Adobe Air app puts Flickr on your desktop, but with a completely different interface. Why "destroy"? In the words of app creator Jonnie Hallman, "To destroy today is to make the most of the day—destruction as a form of creation."

92. flauntR
www.flauntr.com
Web
This online photo editor integrates with just about any picture service you can imagine, including Facebook and Flickr, and offers a suite of tools to manipulate images in ways specific to social networks and mobile handsets.

93. FastStone Image Viewer
www.faststone.org
Windows
Another image browser and converter that handles almost any file type, FastStone also has companion programs like the handy Photo Resizer, complete with a fast batch processor.

94. GIMP [HALL OF FAME]
www.gimp.org

GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) has provided Photoshop-like tools at no charge for over a decade.
Read our review of Gimp 2.4.7 .

95. Google SketchUp
sketchup.google.com
Windows | Mac OS
If you're new to 3D but want to build worlds anyway, a free tool like SketchUp is a great place to start; the latest version includes "self-aware" 3D models so the app knows, for example, to resize a virtual staircase by adding more stairs and extend a virtual fence by adding more slats.
Read our review of Google SketchUp.

96. IrfanView
www.irfanview.com
Windows
Perhaps the ultimate image viewer (with some editing tools thrown in), the latest IrfanView (version 4.20) received a nice cosmetic update. It also supports instant video and audio playback.
Read our review of IrfanView 3.85, a PCMag.com Editors' Choice.

97. Paint.NET
www.getpaint.net
Windows
This student project–turned–freeware masterpiece puts the power of higher-end graphics editors in anyone's hands.

98. Pencil
www.les-stooges.org/pascal/pencil
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
For the budding Chuck Jones at home, Pencil is a free way to get started in the world of traditional 2D animation–that is, draw each frame anew.

99. Picasa
picasa.google.com
Windows | Linux
Few free programs come close to handling photos with the skill of Picasa. Organize them, do quick edits (including red-eye reduction), and share pics online or e-mail them to friends.
Read our review of Picasa 3, a PCMag.com Editors' Choice.

100. MobaPhoto
mobaphoto-en.mobatek.net
Windows
Portability is the key here. This lightweight photo editor (only 1.6MB) puts photographs into great-looking photo galleries, and naturally has all the usual tools to fix red-eye, crop, and resize. It'll even batch-process images.

101. Photoshop Express
www.photoshop.com/express
Web
It's not the full power of Photoshop on the Web, but it does offer rudimentary editing, basic photo sharing, and 2GB of storage for your photos. Partnerships with sites like Picasa and Facebook make Photoshop Express fun as well as useful.
Read our review of Photoshop Express .

102. Photosynth
www.photosynth.com
Web
Photosynth does so many unique things with photos that we gave it a Technical Excellence award. It takes multiple photos, finds where they overlap, and creates an almost 3D image; it can even make a 3D replica of an object from shots at multiple angles.

103. Picnik
www.picnik.com
Web
Picnik is the gold standard in online image editing these days: It fixes photos without confusing users and works with a number of photo-sharing sites, and best of all, you don't have to register to get started using it—unless you want to save images online.
Read our review of Picnik.

104. Pictomio
www.pictomio.com
Windows
Handling all your photos with a simple but powerful interface, Pictomio browses in many styles—including a carousel mode similar to iTunes' Coverflow, which benefits from a good 3D video card—organizes shots, and creates instant slideshows. It will even handle audio and video.

105. Splashup
www.splashup.com
Web
You don't even need to sign up to get instant access to this Flash-based image editor with all the features (and more) that you'd find in a downloadable app.

106. SUMO Paint
www.sumo.fi/web
Web
Not every Web-based image editor can claim to be high-end, but SUMO can by carefully mimicking the look and feel of Photoshop, maybe a little too well. Try it before this free Flash app gets sued out of existence by Adobe.

107. AIM [HALL OF FAME]
www.aim.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux | Web | Mobile
AOL's Instant Messenger is the most-used network in the U.S., and the software—only the Windows version gets regular updates these days—packs in as much as possible. You can access the AIM network with just about any multi-protocol IM software.
Read our review of AIM 6.5 .

108. Dexrex
www.dexrex.com
Windows | Mac OS | Mobile
This add-on records your IM conversation transcripts and stores them online for later reading and analysis. It works with AIM,Digsby, Yahoo Messenger, and many others.

109. Digsby
www.digsby.com
Windows
Brand new this year, Digsby may be the ultimate way to stay in real-time touch with friends. It incorporates multiple IM networks, social networks (including Twitter), and e-mail and Web-mail notifications. You can even send mail through Digsby. Mac OS and Linux versions are promised soon.

110. Meebo
www.meebo.com
Web | Mobile
When you want to avoid installing software but still want to chat on all the major IM networks, Meebo is your site of choice. Sign up for a Meebo account to access multiple IM networks all at once and log all conversations.

111. AccelMan File Manager
www.flexigensoft.com/accelman
Windows
As much a file viewer as a file manager, AccelMan's multiple windows offer up info galore on each file and its contents. The app can even play back media files when you don't want to launch another player.

112. Desktops
technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/cc817881.aspx
Windows
Desktops is a virtual desktop manager in a small package; the app is only a 62K download. Personalize hotkeys for quick switches between desktops.

113. DExposE2
devrexster.googlepages.com/dexpose2
Windows
This app is a Windows clone of the Mac interface treat Exposé, which makes opening and closing apps and getting to the desktop a fast process. Windows XP and Vista users can also set up DExposE2 to work on multiple monitors.

114. Emerge Desktop
emergedesktop.org
Windows
You think the Windows desktop looks too busy with that system tray, Taskbar, and Start button? EmergeDesktop does away with them all, replacing the Windows shell (the interface, that is) with the minuscule emergeTray. Launch apps with a right click, or couple Emerge Desktop with a launcher like ObjectDock.

115. GreenPrint
www.printgreener.com
Windows | Mac OS
Stop printing that extra blank page when you need a hard copy of a Web page, or for any printout. GreenPrint saves the paper, even letting you output a PDF sans the blank sheets. A tree somewhere will thank you.
Read our review of GreenPrint .

116. muCommander
www.mucommander.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux | Mobile
muCommander is unique: It's a file manager that looks the same on all operating systems. A standard dual-pane, it also has support for archived files, FTPs, and previews files.

117. PlacesBar Tweaker
www.ioisland.com/placesbar
Windows
Every time you open or save a file in Windows XP, the dialog box gives you a few select options, like Desktop or My Documents, to choose from in the Places bar. You can personalize that list with this tweaker, putting your most-used folders in the lineup.

118. RBTray
moitah.net
Windows
RBTray does one thing and does it well: It makes it possible to minimize any application you like to the system tray as an icon, rather than as a taskbar button, without even doing a full install (RBTray can run from a thumb drive).

119. StandaloneStack
www.chrisnsoft.com/standalonestack
Windows
Mac OS X Leopard introduced cool towers of icons to the interface, with shortcuts to frequently accessed folders, called stacks. Now you can put stacks in Windows as well. There's even an add-on to put stacks on the RocketDock launcher.

120. Start++
www.brandontools.com/content/StartPlusPlus.aspx
Windows
A nice addition in Vista to the Windows environment was the Start Menu's search box. Start++ turbocharges it with extras like online searches with results in the menu, and its own set of widgets and plug-ins (for example, displaying the weather is an option).

121. TrayEverything
www.winapizone.net/software/trayeverything
Windows
You've got a lot of applications open, but only so much space in your Taskbar... so why not minimize them directly to the system tray on the lower right-hand side of your screen? TrayEverything will do it for you.

122. UltraExplorer
www.mustangpeak.net/ultraexplorer.html
Windows
Another replacement for Windows Explorer, this one sports a command-line interface to go with the dual-pane view of files, plus a preview window so you can quickly check the contents of a file before opening it.

123. Yahoo Widgets
widgets.yahoo.com
Windows | Mac OS
The world's biggest collection of widgets—over 5,000 of the things—is yours through Yahoo. Some are more useful than others, but with the right combo your desktop can be an information powerhouse.

124. Google Desktop
desktop.google.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Put the power of Google's search engine to work on finding your own files. The software indexes in the background, while in the foreground you get to put all the Google Gadgets (widgets) you like on your desktop.
Read our review of Google Desktop 4 (beta).

125. Everything
www.voidtools.com
Windows
Don't need the extras? Everything really does just one thing in its small package: It indexes your PC in real time for lightning-fast search.

126. Locate32
www.locate32.net
Windows
The Locate32 project is all about indexing the contents of your hard drives and other storage to run fast finds on local data.

127. Adobe Buzzword
www.buzzword.com
Web
This online-only word processor has one of the best-looking minimalist interfaces going, since it was built entirely with Adobe Flash, and each page looks as good as any formatted in Word.
Read our review of Adobe Buzzword .

128. blist
www.blist.com
Web
Web lists (aka "blists") are little databases for all your data needs. The Flash interface makes this fast for newbies and powerful enough for everyone else. You can even put your blists on your blog or social network pages.

129. EtherPad
etherpad.com
Web
You don't even have to sign up to create a new pad, a shareable text document stored online for you by EtherPad. Don't expect fancy formatting, but do expect real-time, color-coded editing between all collaborators.

130. Evernote
www.evernote.com
Windows | Mac OS | Mobile | Web
Take a clipping of anything you see—online or off—for later reference. Built-in OCR makes text inside images searchable.

131. GMDesk
www.robertnyman.com/gmdesk/
Windows
Bring Google's Web apps to the desktop with this site-specific browser interface that requires Adobe Air. You'll have access to Gmail, Google Reader, and Google Docs just as you would in a browser, but GMDesk stays alive when your browser crashes.

132. Google Docs
docs.google.com
Web | Mobile
If you're ready to move your work life to the cloud, Google's word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation suite is ready for you, complete with storage for all docs. It also comes with forms you can fill out to gather data from outside.
Read our review of Google Docs, a PCMag.com Editors' Choice.

133. Incollector
www.incollector.devnull.pl
Windows | Linux
Note-taking doesn't have to hog the whole desktop, or even the whole browser window. Incollector runs in the background, letting you call up a new note page from the system tray when you want, tag it, and easily find it later.

134. Jarte
www.jarte.com
Windows
No one loves the Notepad included in Windows, and there are many replacements. Jarte goes most of them one better, being completely self-contained and portable (you can run it from a thumb drive!).

135. KompoZer
www.kompozer.net
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
This free WYSIWYG Web page authoring package builds on the abandoned Nvu project. It supports CSS, file management (including FTP), and tabs for multiple pages.

136. Lotus Symphony
symphony.lotus.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
IBM's entry into the world of office suites is based on OpenOffice, and is currently in beta for Mac and Linux. It covers the three big suite tools: word processing, presentations, and spreadsheets.
Read our review of Lotus Symphony .

137. LucidChart
www.lucidchart.com
Web
Why make flowcharts complicated? This Web app goes back to basics with simple, black-and-white charts that anyone can make—and better yet, anyone else can easily understand.

138. NeoOffice
www.neooffice.com
Mac OS
NeoOffice comes with most of the same tools as the Mac version of OpenOffice but carries a more Apple-friendly look and feel.

139. Notepad++ [HALL OF FAME]
notepad-plus.sourceforge.net
Windows
Notepad++ is the standard by which all replacements for Notepad—that weak little app that comes with Windows—are measured. It sports full text styles, tabs, drag-and-drop, and super-speed and is suitable for any coding or writing you can throw at it.

140. OpenOffice [HALL OF FAME]
www.openoffice.org
Windows | Mac OS | Linux | Solaris
Version 3 of the freebie office suite ups the ante against Microsoft's hegemony, becoming fast and polished enough to warrant serious consideration by all, especially small businesses. It looks like MS Office 2003 (for those not in love with the Ribbon interface in Office 2007) and has all the tools—except e-mail—you'll ever need.
Read our Review of OpenOffice.org 3.0 .

141. SlideRocket
www.sliderocket.com
Web
Promising more than PowerPoint and Keynote is bold, but this Web-only presentation tool seems to deliver the goods with amazing animations, support for embedded video, and 3D transitions between slides.

142. SoftMaker Office 2006
www.softmakeroffice.com
Windows
This free version is meant to entice you to upgrade to the 2008 version, but if all you need is basic text editing and a spreadsheet, you're set.

143. Springnote
www.springnote.com
Web | Mobile
Whether you want a personal notebook or a shareable group notebook, this wiki-based note-taking site could give Microsoft's OneNote a run for its money.

144. Widgenie
www.widgenie.com
Web
Sick of making meh-looking graphs in Excel? Visualize the same data through Widgenie and create a beautiful graph widget, even one with animation, that you can share online. Text clouds, artful presentations of the most popular words on a page, are always a favorite with bloggers.

145. Zoho
www.zoho.com
Web | Mobile
If there's a tool in the arsenal of office suites that Zoho doesn't include, we can't think of it. Not all the Web apps are free, but those that are—word processor, spreadsheet tool, presentation app, mail, wiki, and many more—all bring the goods.

146. gOS 3.0 Gadgets
www.thinkgos.com
Linux
With its emphasis on easy access to tools from Google, it's easy to see why some think of this lightweight Linux—renowned for powering cheap PCs from Wal-Mart—as the Google OS.

147. pure:dyne
code.goto10.org/projects/puredyne
Linux
Consider this the creative Linux distro: Boot just about any Intel PC (even MacBooks) from a Live CD with pure:dyne, and you'll get instant access to free tools for editing audio, video, and images (many already in this story).

148. Ubuntu [HALL OF FAME]
www.ubuntu.com
Linux
The easiest Linux to install, now in version 8.10 (aka "Intrepid Ibex"), not only is suitable for (somewhat knowledgeable) consumers, but also comes with all the software you need to be productive.

149. AirSnare
home.comcast.net/~jay.deboer/airsnare
Windows
Turn your Wi-Fi–equipped laptop into an info sniffer. AirSnare pulls down info on computers and game consoles and just about any device on the network, even delivering devices' MAC addresses.

150. AirRadar
www.koingosw.com/products/airradar.php
Mac OS
AirRadar goes beyond what the Wi-Fi utility in Mac OS X can do by showing extras like signal strength and the 802.11 network's channel.

151. Axence NetTools
www.axencesoftware.com
Windows
Want a quick look at everything happening on your home network? NetTools scans the network, and reports back on what ports are in use and the inbound and outbound connections. You can use it to test your networking connections over TCP or UDP protocols.

152. GBridge
www.gbridge.com
Windows
Set up a relatively painless VPN between computers for sharing and syncing files and folders, using your Google account as the connection point (though Gbridge is not affiliated with Google).

153. InSSIDer
www.metageek.net/products/inssider
Windows
Taking up where the venerable NetStumbler left off, InSSIDer is a Wi-Fi network scanner that runs under Vista and XP— even the 64-bit versions. You can use it to find out what's wrong with local 802.11 networks.

154. LogMeIn Hamachi
secure.logmein.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Set up a secure tunnel between two PCs using a virtual private network (VPN), just like the ones the pros use to access the server at work. Only this one is free.
Read our review of Hamachi for Windows .

155. NetSetMan
www.netsetman.com
Windows
Stop using Vista's convoluted interface to change network settings. NetSetMan takes over and creates profiles for different networks you might connect with, changing your need for static or dynamic IPs, or hostnames or workgroups, on the fly. If you've got multiple network cards, NetSetMan is a huge help.

156. Network Notepad
www.networknotepad.com
Windows
It's more than a notepad: This software is specific to creating flowcharts of your network layout. Put in the IP address for each device and you can use the interface to quickly ping devices to confirm they're online.

157. PrinterAnywhere
www.printeranywhere.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Why print just to your printer? This utility lets you print to any printer on the Internet (through another PC with PrinterAnywhere installed), or you can open your printer to others.

158. Google Reader
reader.google.com
Web | Mobile
After three years, Google's RSS feed reader is tops, not only mimicking the best of what desktop readers can do but also mashing up nicely with other Google services, like the iGoogle home page.
Read our review of Google Reader.

159. Netvibes
www.netvibes.com
Web
A personalized start page with an emphasis on widgets and feed readers, Netvibes also aggregates podcasts for you.
Read our review of NetVibes.

160. FeedDemon
www.newsgator.com/Individuals/FeedDemon
Windows
The preeminent desktop newsreader for Windows was recently overhauled to be faster and easier, while remaining extremely customizable to suit how you read feeds.
Read our review of FeedDemon, a PCMag.com Editors' Choice.

161. NetNewsWire
www.newsgator.com/individuals/netnewswire
Mac OS | Mobile
FeedDemon's sibling on the Macintosh platform has updated its interface and more, and now integrates with several other Mac apps like iCal and iPhoto to help you share as well as read.

162. RSS Bandit
rssbandit.org
Windows
Directly sync this reader with your online feeds at Google Reader or NewsGator Online. You'll get fast browsing on the desktop, but still have access to your feeds over the Web using other PCs.

163. Snarfer
www.snarfware.com
Windows
It won't win awards for visual innovation, but Snarfer does provide simplicity. It's arguably the best way to handle straight-up RSS info gathering and reading, and it's available in over 20 languages.

164. Dropbox
www.getdropbox.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux | Web
One of the few sync/backup tools to support Linux (Fedora and Ubuntu), Dropbox always gets kudos for its design and simple setup. Online backup space is free for up to 2GB.

165. Windows Live Sync
sync.live.com
Windows | Mac OS | Web
The replacement for FolderShare continues to do one thing and do it well: sync folders (up to 20) across multiple PCs over the Internet.

166. Windows Live Mesh
www.mesh.com
Windows | Mac OS | Mobile | Web
Microsoft's latest method for syncing folders on different PCs does FolderShare one better by including 5GB of online storage accessible from any PC, plus the ability to mesh special collaborative applications (like a group crossword puzzle!).

167. Syncplicity
www.syncplicity.com
Windows | Mobile | Web
Synchronize up to 10,000 files (or 2GB, whichever comes first) on up to two computers free. Sign up friends and you can add another 1GB per new user recruited.

168. Mozilla Weave
services.mozilla.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
A product of Mozilla Labs, Weave is meant to synchronize anything and everything related to Firefox among all the computers you use, plus extend some features to others for sharing. Registration is closed as of this writing, but should be back soon.

169. CamStudio
www.camstudio.org
Windows
This open-source program for capturing videos of your screen turns what you do on your desktop, as well as the audio to go with it, into a movie, suitable for future demonstrations.

170. HandBrake
www.handbrake.fr
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Want to back up all those DVDs you own before they get scratched? This open-source tool does full DVD-to-MPEG-4 conversion, which you can play back later on media centers, even the Apple TV.

171. Miro
www.getmiro.com
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
Miro's a video player that promises to play back just about any video media file, organize files in playlists, and incorporate BitTorrent downloading to become a de facto PC-based TiVo.

172. TipCam
www.utipu.com/app
Windows
Another tool for capturing videos of your desktop, TipCam lets you take big, beautiful videos (up to 800 by 600 pixels)—you can even zoom in on specifics—and upload them direct to YouTube. Frequent users can get an account to store and display up to 250MB of video.

173. VLC media player
www.videolan.org/vlc
Windows | Mac OS | Linux
VideoLAN's open-source software plays back, well, just about everything. It can also serve up streaming video and music to other PCs on your network.

The festival of free software doesn't have to end! Skim through last year's compilation of free software, or take a look at these other app collections for various other platforms.

Cisco to focus on security camera market

The network camera products are under rapic development nowadays. After acquiring LinkSys, Cisco is planning on dominating the further market. In a recent action, Cisco and video and security systems company Pelco have announced a technology agreement to jointly develop new high-definition internet protocol video security cameras built on Pelco's Sarix technology platform.The video security cameras will bring together Pelco's imaging expertise and Cisco's IP networking expertise. Pelco, a subsidiary of Schneider Electric, will initially supply Cisco with a complete line of HD imaging technologies to extend Cisco's existing camera line and network-centric video surveillance systems.The co-branded cameras, to be available from the end of 2009, will feature full-frame-rate video, H.264 compression, advanced low-light performance, embedded analytics, auto focus, and easy installation.
In January, Cisco announced a building automation partnership with Schneider Electric, under which Schneider will provide a more efficient and green networking infrastructure for buildings, data centers and industrial processes.

Apache sheds the lights

Just went across a wonderful summary of Apache technologies that changed the IT world. To think about this again, it does make sense that we give all our thankfulness to the shining Apache brand in the Open Source world.

The original link is here: http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Application-Development/11-Apache-Technologies-that-Have-Changed-Computing-in-the-Last-10-Years-469693/?kc=EWKNLEND09052009BREAKINGNEWS

11 Apache Technologies that Have Changed Computing in the Last 10 Years

• Apache Web Server—The Apache HTTP Server Project
• Apache Tomcat
• Apache Lucene is a high-performance, full-featured text search engine library written entirely in Java.
• Apache Struts is an open-source Web application framework for developing Java EE Web applications. It uses and extends the Java Servlet API to encourage developers to adopt a model-view-controller (MVC) architecture.
• Apache Geronimo
  The goal of the Geronimo project is to produce a server run-time framework that pulls together the best open-source alternatives to create run-times that meet the needs of developers and system administrators. The project's most popular distribution is a fully certified Java EE 5 application server run-time.
• Apache Ant is a Java-based build tool for automating software build processes. It is similar to Make but is implemented using the Java language, requires the Java platform and is best suited to building Java projects.
• Apache Cocoon is a Spring-based framework built around the concepts of separation of concerns and component-based development.
• SpamAssassin is an Apache project released under the Apache License 2.0 used for e-mail spam filtering based on content-matching rules.
• Apache Axis is an implementation of the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) submission to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Axis is a follow-on to the Apache SOAP project.
• The Apache Logging Services Project creates and maintains open-source software related to the logging of application behavior.
• Apache Commons
  The Commons is an Apache project focused on all aspects of reusable Java components

There here is a list of 10 Apache technologies that WILL change the IT world in the next 10 years.

• The Apache Hadoop project develops open-source software for reliable, scalable, distributed computing. Hadoop enables applications to work with thousands of nodes and petabytes of data. It was inspired by Google's MapReduce and Google File System (GFS) papers.
• Apache CouchDB is a document-oriented database that can be queried and indexed in a MapReduce fashion using JavaScript. CouchDB also offers incremental replication with bidirectional conflict detection and resolution.
• The Apache Directory Project provides directory solutions entirely written in Java. These include a directory server, which has been certified as Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) v3 compliant by the Open Group (Apache Directory Server), and Eclipse-based directory tools (Apache Directory Studio).
• Apache Maven
  Maven is a software project management and comprehension tool. Based on the concept of a project object model (POM), Maven can manage a project's build, reporting and documentation from a central piece of information.
• Apache Jackrabbit
  Apache Jackrabbit is a fully conforming implementation of the Content Repository for Java Technology API. A content repository is a hierarchical content store with support for structured and unstructured content, full text search, versioning, transactions, observation, and more.
• Apache Harmony
  Apache Harmony is the Java SE project of the Apache Software Foundation . The aim of the project is to produce a large and healthy community of those interested in run-time platforms tasked with creation of:
  • A compatible, independent implementation of the Java SE 5 JDK under the Apache License v2.
  • A community-developed modular run-time (VM and class library) architecture.
• Apache ServiceMix
  Apache ServiceMix is an open-source ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) that combines the functionality of a service-oriented architecture (SOA) and an event-driven architecture (EDA) to create an agile enterprise ESB.
• Apache MINA
  Apache MINA, the Multipurpose Infrastructure for Network Application, helps users develop high-performance and high-scalability network applications easily.
• Apache Roller
  Apache Roller is a full-featured, Java multiuser group blog server. Roller is a Java Web application that should be able to run on any Java EE server and any relational database. Currently, Roller is best supported on Tomcat and MySQL — but users have reported success running Roller on Glassfish, WebSphere, JBoss, Resin, Geronimo, Derby, PostgresSQL, Oracle, etc.
• Apache Sling
  Apache Sling is a Web framework that uses a Java Content Repository, such as Apache Jackrabbit, to store and manage content. Sling applications use either scripts or Java servlets, selected based on simple name conventions, to process HTTP requests in a RESTful way.

Wow, Microsoft+Yahoo>Google?

Microsoft just signed a partnership with Yahoo to have a 10 year cooperation on the search engine services in order to beat Google. Ms is now hiring Yahoo employees to work on the transition. It seems that

Under the deal, Yahoo gets to use Microsoft's Bing search engine rather than its own, and Microsoft gets to pay Yahoo 88% of search revenues arising from Yahoo sites for five years. It also gives Microsoft exclusive license to Yahoo's search technologies, which it is free to integrate into its own. It also gains access to Yahoo's customers, while Yahoo's self-serve advertising will migrate to Microsoft AdCenter.

Let cross our fingers and see what happens in 1 or 2 years.

Teradata sales loss

Just browsed an interesting news here:

"Data warehousing software provider Teradata has reported a 10% decline in net income to $62m for the second quarter 2009, compared to net income of $69m in the year-ago quarter, on revenue down 7% at $421m.

Operating income fell 9% to $84m, while diluted EPS fell 5% to $0.36. The company had cash from operating activities of $103m, and during the quarter repurchased approximately 1.4 million shares for $30m.

Product revenue declined 16% to $185m, while professional and installation-related services revenue grew 1% to $127m, and maintenance services grew 1% to $109m. Geographically, Americas revenue fell 3% to $229m, EMEA revenue fell 8% to $118m, and Asia Pacific and Japan revenue fell 19% to $74m.

For the first half it reported a 4% decline in net income to $107m compared to $111m a year ago, on revenue down 5% at $788m. "

Although Teradata has very excellent product and has been proved by many industries that it is up-to-now the best data warehouse platform on large-scale demands, people are now considering those more interesting offers from IBM, Microsoft, Oracles, etc. I think this financial crisis will also teach CIOs to learn how money can be saved with just considering another tool.

Well, shall we expect a "lite" edition of Teradata at a later time point?

Top websites of the year

Here is a list of top websites used this year.

Picnik
An online Photoshop? Maybe it's not quite that powerful, but Picnik is amazingly robust for a Web-based image editor. That it has tight integration with lots of great photo sharing sites like Flickr, MySpace, and Facebook is a bonus.

1Up.com
In a crowded field of gaming Web sites, 1Up.com stands out for its expert game reviews, news, and videos, and its active community. Read up on the gaming world while you're resting your thumbs.

BoingBoing
This "Directory of Wonderful Things" keeps getting wonderfuller, with spin-offs like BoingBoing Gadgets, BoingBoingTV, and BoingBoing Offworld. Each of them use the same quirky BoingBoing sensibility to dig up treasures around the Web

Hulu
Hulu's advertising campaign calls the site an evil plot to destroy the world; with the amount of time you can lose watching the free shows and movies offered, it might just be true. Who needs a TV when you have Hulu?

IMDb
IMDb is the Web's best source for finding out who that guy was that was in that thing with that other guy. Beyond solving bar bets, the site offers movie and TV news, clips, trailers, and even full-length video

io9
Hey, nerds! How about a nerd blog for your nerd interests? io9 covers everything science fiction and otherwise less-than-hip. Comic book superheroes, television time-travelers, and real-life robot-controlled rat brains; io9's got them all.

Nick.com
Nick's Web site has information on your kid's favorite shows (or your favorite shows¡ªadmit it, you like Avatar: The Last Airbender), full-length episodes, and browser-based games. Why waste time with Solitaire when you could play cards with SpongeBob?

The Onion
This venerable source of satire has moved beyond snappy headlines into the realm of Web video and audio. Tech fans will appreciate pieces like this not-quite-safe-for-work bit of hard-hitting reporting.

Someecards
Someecards has a wry e-card for every occasion, from birthday wishes ("Happy birthday to someone I feel incredible close to when I'm intoxicated") to cries for help ("I can't handle the pressure of making my own salad.") You can even create your own cards, if you think you're clever enough.

Pandora
Bored with shuffling through your iTunes music? Pandora throws a bit of the unknown and unexplored into the mix. Enter a song or artist, and Pandora creates an Internet radio station with similar songs. Try putting in Weird Al's "Fat." It'll be fun¡ªtrust us!

Boxee
A New Way to Enjoy Entertainment on your TV & PC
Online TV, movies, music, and photos - made easy for couch potatoes.

Kayak
Traveling would be a lot more fun were it not for all of the, you know, traveling. But just because every other part of the process is a nightmare doesn't mean booking your trip has to be. Kayak crawls hundreds of travel sites and tracks current promotions to help you get the best fare for your flight.

Mint
It's a scary time to be thinking about money, so you may as well get a little bit of help from our Editors' Choice for online financial services. Mint can track your income and spending, and help you build a budget you'll be able to stick to.

Simply Hired
In the current economic climate, it's probably best to cast your net as wide as possible. Simply Hired aggregates results from thousands of job and company sites, making job hunting as easy as its name implies.

Yelp
Want some Persian food in New York with a side-order of snark? Looking for a review of a Thai restaurant in San Francisco, prepared in iambic pentameter? Anyone who thinks business reviews can't be fun needs to Yelp more.

Digg
The ultimate user-submitted content site. Actually, it has no content, just links, all of which are voted upon¡ªdugg¡ªby visitors to the site, or any site that puts a Digg badge on its pages. Still one of the hottest places to visit to see what's...hot.

EW.com
Entertainment Weekly's online home remains one of the best all-around entertainment sites, with some real reporting on some fluffy bits of news, not to mention fun columns (its Lost analysis can't be beat), reviews, and even video. Thankfully, it's fluff we all enjoy.

Slate
The Washington Post's online current affairs magazine¡ªwhich was founded by Microsoft¡ªcontinues to deliver on much more than politics (entertainment and tech coverage is especially good), and with far more wit and clarity than is typical online.

Etsy
This excellent online store lets you both buy and sell handmade items, and has tons of one-of-a-kind treasures available at good prices. It's the Internet equivalent of a cottage industry, and we absolutely love it.

Trulia
An afternoon of browsing Trulia's real estate listings will either make your day or destroy your week, depending on whether you're shopping for a home or considering selling. Housing booms and busts will come and go, but through it all, Trulia is our favorite real estate site.

Ars Technica
The standard practice for news sites these days is to be a mile wide and an inch deep-write as many short posts as possible. Ars has always gone in the opposite direction, with refreshingly insightful reporting and commentary on the tech industry.

Engadget
In many ways, Engadget is setting the standard not just for the blogosphere, but for the whole tech media world. The site covers the world of tech gadgets with a level of skill and enthusiasm that is hard to match.

Instructables
Build things of limited usefulness out of household objects! That's the idea behind this fun, geeky DIY site. Browse for project ideas or just enjoy the weird obsessions of the DIY community

Lifehacker
I can't remember what life was like before Lifehacker, but I'm pretty sure it involved lots of wasted time, wasted money, and wasted closet space, and not nearly enough keyboard shortcuts. Optimize your entire online and offline life with this site's incredibly useful tips and how-tos

Phone Scoop
I don't know of another site that covers developments in the mobile/wireless world with as much depth as Phone Scoop. And if you're in the market for a new handset, check out the site's cool Phone Finder

TechCrunch
Though the dollars aren't swirling around Silicon Valley like they were a couple years ago, there are still leaks and rumors to report, mergers to scrutinize, and startups to evaluate. TechCrunch is on top of it, with an unparalleled network of loose-lipped informants that ensures that Michael Arrington gets the story first

Aviary
This site is giving Picnik a run for its money, offering online, Flash-based image editing, color editing, vector editing, image hosting, and even image capture of Web sites (using a Firefox add-on) which you can instantly open in the image editor.

Gizapage
Privacy might be the biggest problem with modern social networks. That and the fact that there are too damn many of them. Gizapage wants to fix both problems by giving you a single dashboard from which to control your social network profiles across sites like Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and your WordPress blog.

TinyChat
You need to have a quick conversation with multiple co-workers. Except some of them are working from home, the lucky bastards. Rather than try to get all your various IM services to cooperate in creating a multi-person chatroom that probably won't work anyway, jump on TinyChat and make an instant chat room that even supports audio and video.

1000 Awesome Things
You know what's awesome? Thinking it's Thursday when it's really Friday. Or the light turning green just as you get to the intersection. Or placing the last piece of the puzzle. This happy blog doesn't have 997 more awesome things just yet, but it counts down another bite of awesomeness every weekday. And that's awesome!

b@ TV
This crazy site is a collection of multi-angle videos of DJs spinning at popular clubs around the world, with an annotated progress bar so you can comment or tag different songs in the set. b@ TV won't appeal to everyone, but we're including it in our list for two reasons: 1) If you're into house music, it'll be your new favorite site; 2) We desperately want a site like this for live rock shows.

BookArmy
This social network site for readers features a recommendation engine and user reviews geared toward finding you a good book to read next

WorldWide Telescope
The Web client version of the WorldWide Telescope project puts the entire known universe right into your browser window. The site lets you travel around Earth, space, and other planets, sight-seeing via photos from ground- and space-based telescopes

MeeHive
Let's face it, The New York Times just doesn't get you, does it? MeeHive lets users build customized online newspapers based on their personal interests.

World Digital Library
Check out a treasure trove of some of the world's most important artifacts from 8,000 B.C. to 2009 A.D. World Digital Library features high-res images and a plethora of information on a number of priceless treasures, maps, and documents.

namechk
Worried that someone else will grab the journeyfan5757 username on your favorite social networking site? NameChk cross checks usernames across 122 sites, from the obvious (Facebook, MySpace, YouTube) to the more obscure (Fanpop, BallHype, ThisNext).

CarComplaints.com
If your 1979 Pontiac Trans Am is making strange noises like it's haunted by angry ghosts, you could take it to a mechanic, or you could go to CarComplaints.com to see if it's a common ailment and how much it might cost to fix. The site has a database of complaints searchable by make, model, and year, and even has special sections for the worst and most amusing complaints.

Voyij
Sometimes the price of a getaway is more important than the destination. Just tell Voyij what airport you want to leave from and it'll provide you with a list of the cheapest flights going anywhere. For the absolute best deals, leave your travel dates flexible, too.

AlternativeTo
Who has money to spend on software nowadays? Skip the pricey software packages with AlternativeTo, which lets you search for free software alternatives. The site makes it easy to find free replacements for Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Nero, Microsoft Office, and just about any other Windows, Mac, Linux, or online application.