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Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware

Windows Add/Remove programs replacements

Uninstallers
If you spend a lot of time trying out new software, you probably also spend a lot of time uninstalling software. And the thing is, Microsoft's add/remove programs applications just don't cut it. From the earliest days of Windows, Microsoft has bundled a handy utility for removing unwanted programs. And every version right up to Windows Vista seems to have a few quirks. The add/remove programs dialog is slow to load, often leaves registry entries behind, and sometimes just misses programs altogether.

Here are a few alternate uninstallers that we've run across. They're all free, and they all claim to be better than the Windows utility in one way or another.


Revo Uninstaller is more than just an uninstaller. it also lets you adjust your autostart program, clean your Windows and browser history, and delete junk files.

Absolute Uninstaller sports a batch uninstalling option, a search function, and the ability to clean up files left behind after you're done uninstalling.

MyUninstaller lets you open an application's installation folder, find registry settings, and features a search option in case you've got a ton of programs to sift through.

Safarp loads faster than most of the other utilities we've tried. And if you don't want one more application to install, you can download a zip file containing an executable version of Safarp. No installation required.

CCleaner may be known primarily as a utility for cleaning temp files and registry settings. But it also comes with a handy little program uninstaller. It's nothing to write home about, but it loads up faster than any other utility on this list, with the possible exception of Safarp.

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Featured Time Waster

Civiballs is a beautiful, soothing physics puzzle Time Waster

CiviballsI have an absolute weakness for physics games, and while Civiballs isn't the strongest physics-based game, what it lacks in the physics department it makes up for a few times over in style and fun.

In Civiballs, you are presented with a few colored balls, and your goal is to get those balls into the same-colored urn on the level. The "civi" part of Civiballs is that there are 3 sets of levels to play, each representing a different civilization. While the civilization doesn't affect gameplay, the artwork for each level is beautifully themed to it's appropriate era.

To play the game, you are given only one tool - a sword with which to cut the chains that are holding the balls. The puzzle part of the game is in figuring out what order, and with what timing to cut each chain. Do it right, and all the right balls end up in the right urns, with no stray balls entering an urn (a no-no). Do it wrong, and you get to start over again.

Civiballs is not terribly deep on gameplay; the entire game can be completed in about 15 minutes. But if you enjoy this type of game, it will be a very enjoyable 15 minutes.

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