Keeping your Windows computer virus-free doesn't have to cost you a lot of money. Heck, it doesn't need to cost you any money. There are plenty of good options available for those of you on the hunt for free antivirus software.

Wait - free? Don't companies like Norton make a good business out of selling antivirus protection? Why would someone give it away? Developers of free antivirus solutions like Avast and AVG are counting on a couple of things. First, that you'll like the free offering enough to want to buy an upgraded version of their product. Second, that if enough home users talk about how much they love it that their "computer guy" at work might want to use it on the company's systems.

The free options listed after the break offer the same kind of protection as the boxed software you can buy at the store.

Two things to keep in mind:

First, as with other free software, some of the developers ask for support in the form of a toolbar install. They're all optional, so make sure to un-tick the checkboxes during the install if you don't want the toolbar.

Second, a number of the developers offer a non-free version on the free version's download page via a service called TrialPay. The totally free version is normally on the left, the TrialPay offer on the right - make sure you're clicking the link you actually want.

Some of the best commercial Windows utilities, like FastStone Capture, or Reaper started out as freeware. If you want the latest versions of these programs with all the new features, bug fixes, and other updates you'll have to pull out your wallet. But if you're OK with using an older version or just want to try the program for a while before deciding whether to pay for the most recent update, you can often install the last freeware version.

There's even a web site dedicated to finding the last version of apps that you don't need to pay for. It's cleverly called Last Freeware Version. The site features brief descriptions of each application, a link to the product homepage so you can buy the full version or download a free trial if available, and a download link for the last freeware version of each app.

The user interface isn't that pretty, and there's no search feature. But you can always use Google to search for specific apps by restricting your search to site:www.321download.com.

I'm always on the lookout for apps that can ease my workload or free up some room in my budget, and open source applications are an excellent way for me to accomplish both.

If you're in the same boat as me, hopefully you're already utilizing some open source options. If not, I've put together this list of two dozen great applications that I can depend on to keep things running smoothly on my office LAN and customer systems as well.

Some of these you'll recognize, but I hope that there are some that are new to you as well.

1. PING - I may be beating a dead horse here with my love of PING, but it's just a great piece of open source. Drive imaging with network and spanning support, password blanking, it's just an excellent app.
   
   
2. NTRegEdit - The Windows Registry editor hasn't seen many changes over the years. NTRegEdit offers some great additional features like recursive export, color coding, improved searching, and quick edit window below the values list.
   
   
3. Safarp - A portable alternative to appwiz.cpl (add/remove programs), it provides a few extra useful features - like silent uninstalls and repairs of Windows Installer-based apps. It also opens in a flash, unlike the clunky appwiz.
   
   
4. WPKG - Maintaining software installs on computers in a small business environment can be a little frustrating sometimes. WPKG gives you push/pull installs and it can run as a service, so silent installs run transparently with no user ineteraction.

With the number of apps I'm downloading steadily on the rise, I'm always on the lookout for tools to simplify the process for me. QWinApt aims to give us poor Windows users a utility with the same killer functionality of Linux's Synaptic package manager. It's a great idea, and an improvement from Win-get (which Brad reviewed in 2007), but it's still not quite up to par with its Linux cousins.

Getting QWinApt running requires two small downloads, the core app itself and wget to actually do the downloading. Extract them both to the same folder, launch the executable and you're on your way. All that's left is to choose a location for your downloads, and the package manager will open.

The graphical frontend is clean and simple (we'll overlook grammar and spelling - it's free, right?) and breaks down applications into main categories. Those categories are repeated in your download folder, so when you check an app (or apps) and hit apply, they'll download into the matching folder.

Then you're on your own. Unlike Linux the installers won't launch silently, you'll have to soldier through them yourself, which is QWinApt's biggest limitation. If you maintain an app store on a file server, however, it does offer a simple way to bulk download a number of good quality apps without having to visit dozens of different websites.

Sure, Wikipedia may be one of the best places on the internet to find information on just about anything in a hurry, but what about when you're stuck in an elevator during a blackout and you can't remember who wrote The Republic? Relax! Pocket Wikipedia provides quick access to important articles offline - and on just about any kind of device.

The download includes about 24,000 images and over 14 million words covering about 5,000 articles. Each one has been carefully hand-picked from Wikipedia's massive repository of community-assembled knowledge to avoid some of the more important omissions from Wikipedia's own Cd-Rom version Pocket Wikipedia is currently available for Windows, Linux, and PocketPC only.

Want it? Keep in mind the old adage "All good things come to those who wait." None of the mirrors we found were all that fast, but it's too good a download to ignore.

[via Best Freeware and Lifehacker]

So you're thinking, "Hey, I want to be totally irresponsible with my computer and load it up with crapware!" Really, isn't everyone getting tired of having to be so stinking responsible on the Internet all the time? We certainly are. We're ready for system protection that isn't afraid of our reckless browsing, indiscriminate downloading, and general apathy towards good computer usage habits.

...Which is why we love Windows Steady State. It creates a cache file in which your operating system operates, meaning any harmful changes can be undone by simply emptying the cache. After downloading it's a snap to install - just a few obligatory clicks and the usual EULA mumbo-jubmo and you're set.

Our first test was pretty a pretty low-intensity workout. We surfed, bookmarked, set up a POP account and downloaded a few messages, and cluttered up the desktop with a dozen or so hilariously named folders. After issuing the old Windows - U - R we waited anxiously for the system to reboot.

There it was, just as it had been before - no trace of any of our activity. The desktop was still tidy, no favorites or emails were anywhere to be seen. So far so good, but let's try some real abuse!

You've just downloaded that must have program only to realize that Windows has no idea what to do with it. After an hour of Google searching, forum posting, and being called n00b, you finally figure it out.

If only there was a guide that showed you how to get all those needed programs. We at Download Squad feel your pain and have put together a list of 10 free programs that will take care of those pesky "Windows cannot open this file" messages once and for all.

Note: See a blatant omission or oversight? Please add it to the comments. With your help, we hope to re-post a more complete list the future.

1. K-Lite codec pack
   
   File Types: DivX, XviD, AVI, Mpeg 1-4, AC3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, FLV, OGG, VOB, and tons you've never heard of.
   
   Description: Why there are 85,000,000 different audio and video types we have no idea. What we do know is trying to install codecs one at a time generally ends in a reformat.
   
   Thankfully, the good people from K-Lite (Koors Lite?) have bundled all the software and codecs you need into one executable. Cheers!
   
   
   
2. Real Alternative and QuickTime Alternative
   
   File Types: RM, RA, RAM, RPM, RMVB, RPX, SMI, SMIL, RT, RP, MOV, QT, 3GP
   
   Description: Before the days of Youtube, the Real Player and QuickTime were kings of Internet multimedia. Sure you had to deal with popups, reminders, updates, and bloatware, but that 1" video was so worth it.
   
   Fortunately, the Real and Quicktime Alternatives removed the real in Real Player and restored the quick to QuickTime. Enjoy your 1" video!
   

Audio players come in all shapes and sizes, from resource hogging beasts such as iTunes and Windows Media Player, to relatively more lightweight competitors such as Winamp, MediaMonkey. And if you happen to have an iPod or some other sort of portable media player, chances are you are sort of locked in to whatever application works best with your portable device. But let's say you don't care about support for a portable player and just want a capable, lightweight player that has frills but not too many.

Meet AIMP2. AIMP2 weighs in at a mere 2.88MB, has a slightly smaller memory footprint than Winamp and can do just about everything you want except sync with a portable device. It supports anything from AAC to WMA, allows you to record radio streams, has a fully fledged library to organize your music, allows you to manipulate playlists while listening to another, and even supports a number of Winamp plug-ins. And for those who like to wake up and fall asleep to music, AIMP2 also includes a timed start and an auto shutdown timer.

Although lacking some of the features that the bigger media players may have, AIMP2 has an impressive feature set for its size. Additional skins and plug-ins are relatively scarce, but the basic skin works so well other skins are almost unnecessary beyond mere aesthetics. It has also been localized for a number of languages (the default being Russian), which makes this a very international user friendly application.

Overall, AIMP2 just feels right, and is a good alternative for anyone that is looking for something that works the way it should.

Hinx Backup Easy is a free program for Windows that will back up your files to a remote server or local backup solution.

You know, it used to be that if our entire system crashed, and we had made no backups whatsoever, we could always blame the paucity of backup software on the market (and the resident difficulties of the few backup solutions available).

Today, we can no longer foist the blame on the lack of backup software. In the past few years, there has been a literal explosion of backup software (well, okay, it's actually metaphorical: we haven't seen any real software explosions lately. If you have, be sure to send us the YouTube link).

Now that we have finally realized that it doesn't take a monsoon or class 5 tornado to ruin our system, and now that there are lots of backup solutions out there, there's no excuse to neglect backing up anymore.

Hinx Backup Easy is a program that will help ease the transition into backup of your important files. The interface is selectively sparse, with three main tabs separating individual program tasks. The first tab is for setting up local backups (e.g. to a removable hard drive). The second tab is for configuring your FTP server options. The third tab offers scheduling options, along with the option to backup only the files modified since the last backup.

You can easily perform set-and-forget scheduled backups, and select only the particular folders and files you want backed up.

So what are you waiting for? Download Hinx Backup Easy and get to backuping.

[via Online Tech Tips]

We didn't think we would find another entry in the "totally useless but very cool for a few seconds software" section so soon, but as luck would have it...

Internet Explorer Retitler is small, simple, and does what it says. Open the program up, type in any title you want, and hit the "retitle" button. The next time you open Internet Explorer you'll see your new title in the title bar (along with whatever site you happen to be visiting).

Now we'll construct an imaginary dialog between us and a loyal reader.

Reader: What else does it do?

Download Squad: Nothing.

Reader: Does it have any preferences, any customizations?

Download Squad: Nope.

Reader: So what good is it?

Download Squad: The only limit, friend, is your imagination. How about typing in a marriage proposal to your significant other (oh, that would be so geeky...)? How about playing a practical joke on your friend? Or maybe programming a reminder to yourself, so that every time you open IE, you are reminded of some event or some inspirational thought?

Internet Explorer Retitler is mercifully free, and Windows only.

[via Softpedia]

File this under the "totally useless but very cool for a few seconds software" section. Napalm is a small program inspired by Linux's Compiz window manager (specifically the "Fire" effects plugin) that displays burning text on your desktop.

Burning text. Words that are on fire. On your desktop. That's what Napalm does. That's all it does.

The developer seems to be keenly aware of the lack of utility of such a program (he notes as much on his website). Those looking for some clue as to why the time was spent making such a program will note his moniker: Firestarter.

It seems then that Napalm is a way to safely express his (and your) pyromaniacal tendencies.

Napalm has a wealth of customizations, so you can tweak your fiery words to your heart's content.

Napalm is a free download, and requires XP or Vista.

OpenWithView 1.0 is a bite-size utility that allows you to easily disable/enable the applications in the Windows "open with" dialog box.

The "open with" dialog has its use, naturally. But the chances are that if you've installed a number of applications on your machine, the open with list has become a bit unruly. What are the odds that you will need to open a file with Google Earth, for example? OpenWithView helps you tidy up the list to make room for applications that you actually want to find in the "Open With" dialog.

OpenWithView runs as a simple executable. Upon startup it loads all the programs that currently show up when you choose the "Open With" option. Pressing F8 will disable a program or selection of programs; by "disabled" we mean that it will no longer show up on the "Open With" list. If you want any programs back on the list that were previously disabled, F7 is the button for you.

OpenWithView 1.0 is a free download, and works with Windows XP, 2003 Server, and Vista.

If duplicate files are your resident pest, then DoubleKiller is your exterminator. This free program from Big Bang Enterprises (we're not making this stuff up!) will scan your computer or selected directory for duplicate files and allow you to easily remove them from your system.

If permanently deleting files makes your neck sweat, not to worry: DoubleKiller protects you from any mistaken or dumb deletions. First of all, DoubleKiller ensures the accuracy of duplicate files by checking the name, size, date, and CRC32-checksum of your files. You can also limit scans to particular masks and exclude files matching certain masks (by default, DoubleKiller excludes any .dll, .sys, .vxd, and .inf files).

Simple to use and easy to customize (not to mention free!), DoubleKiller is the ideal program to do your duplicate dirty work. Windows only.

[via TechnoBuzz.net]

Looking for a free spyware scanner with real-time spyware and virus protection? Look no further than Spyware Terminator.

Aside from the standard spyware scan, Spyware Terminator has some extra features not normally found in a free product:

• Real-time protection that intercepts spyware before it installs
• Includes antivirus protection, with an antivirus scanner and real-time protection
• Web security guard ranks a website's threat level and notifies you about potential security risks on the page

The spyware scan can be scheduled or manually initiated; you also have the option of a deep, quick, or customized scan. Once the scan is over, Spyware Terminator will quarantine or delete the files with one click; and in the words of a famous character with the same moniker, "it's terminated" (Austrian accent not included, see store for details).

Spyware Terminator is currently in beta, and Windows only.