Software Reviews

AVG Free Edition is the well-known antivirus protection tool which is easy to download, install and use and offers protection against viruses and spyware.

V7.5 ceased to be available after 31st May 2008, being replaced with V8. It is important that you update to this new version to maintain your level of protection. AVG 7.5 for Linux will still be available.

Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers.

Highlights include automatic update functionality, the built in Resident Shield, which provides real-time protection as files are opened and programs are run, free Virus Database Updates for the lifetime of the product, and the Virus Vault for safe handling of infected files.

Version 8.0.1 adds integrated spyware protection and a new LinkScanner feature that gives users safety rankings for their Google, Yahoo, and MSN searches.

AVG Free provides the bare necessities, including a real-time shield to prevent infections, antivirus and antimalware wrapped up in one program, Version 8.0.1 adds integrated spyware protection and a new LinkScanner feature that gives users safety rankings for their Google, Yahoo, and MSN searches.

This is an easy to use program and has low system resource requirements which will not slow down your computer. Also included is an automatic update function, the AVG Resident Shield, which provides real-time protection as files are opened and programs are run, free Virus Database Updates for the lifetime of the product, and AVG Virus Vault for safe handling of infected files.

Minimum System requirements:

Intel Pentium 300 MHz

30 MB free hard drive space (for installation)

256 MB RAM

Compatible with Windows Vista, Windows XP and Windows 2000

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is for private, non-commercial, single computer use only. AVG Free is available free of charge to home users for the life of the product.

Most systems are now shipped with a desktop littered with links, trialware, adware, and a variety of software that you may find completely useless. Some of the software can be useful, but the bulk of it is unnecessary and can only be referred to as crap, and getting rid of it can also speed up your computer as you will not be using unnecessary resources.

The PC Decrapifier will uninstall the majority of the most common trialware found on most computers. This superb little utility will automatically scan your PC for useless software and startup items, and then lets you choose from a list the ones you want to remove. This program cannot distinguish between trial and paid versions of some software, but anything that you might just need is deselected by default, which you can override so it’s safe even for newbies to use.

Simply download this little zip file, open it up and run the exe. Your antivirus may give you a warning because of the scripting language used, but it it totally safe to ignore this.

Once run you can pick and choose what you want to remove, it will not remove anything anything without prompting you first!

If you still have some junk after running this open Control Panel and select Programs and Features (in Windows Vista) or Add/Remove Programs (Windows XP). Most applications will have an uninstaller entry to remove the program and associated files. Programs like Microsoft Office allow you to remove any components that you don’t need. Also check the folders in Start/All Programs for uninstall utilities that may not appear in the Control Panel list.

Here is a list containing some of the programs it will remove:

AOL Install, AOL UK, AOL US, Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI, Corel Photo Album 6, Corel Snapfire Plus SE, Corel WordPerfect, Dell Search Assistant, Dell URL Assistant, Desktop Icons, Digital Content Portal, Earthlink Setup Files, ESPN Motion, Get High Speed Internet!, Google Desktop, HP Rhapsody, Internet Service Offers Launcher, McAfee, Microsoft Office Activation Assistant 2007, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007, Microsoft Office Standard Edition 2003, MS Plus Digital Media Installer, MS Plus Photo Story 2LE, MusicMatch Jukebox, MusicMatch Music Services, muvee autoProducer 5.0, NetZero Installers, Norton AntiSpam, Norton AntiVirus 2005, Norton Ghost 10.0, Norton Internet Security, Norton Protection Center, Norton Security Center, Norton Symantec Live Update, Office 2003 Trial Assistant, Orange Internet, PC-cillin Internet Security 12, QuickBooks Trial, Quicken 2006, Reset IE Home and Search Pages, Roxio Express Labeler, Roxio MyDVD LE, Roxio RecordNow, Sonic DLA, Sonic RecordNow Audio, Sonic RecordNow Copy, Sonic Update Manager, Startup Menu Items, Tiscali Internet, Travelocity Gadget, Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 14, Unnecessary Startup Items, Vongo, Wanadoo Europe Installer, Wild Tangent Games, Yahoo! Music Jukebox, Yahoo! Toolbar for Internet Explorer.

Is your system crashing unexpectedly? Have you been suffering from PC crashes for as long as you can remember? Does the computer crash at least once every day? If you have said yes to any one of these questions, you should listen up. Although a crash can occur at anytime and for virtually any reason, it doesn’t mean you should just ignore the problem. Hitting that restart button may solve the problem for the time being, but what will you do when it no longer works and your computer fails to boot up? Hopefully, it won’t ever come to that, as you will undoubtedly choose to take a more active role in your PC’s long term health. Right?

You have to understand that your computer doesn’t just “work”. In order for your PC to operate and remain functional, all the little parts and systems inside of it must work together and in perfect harmony with one another. If that doesn’t happen, well, the computer simply won’t function correctly. However, those are merely the two extremes — perfect or broken. In reality, most computers are somewhere in the middle — meaning that the systems and parts “usually” work together but occasionally conflict with each other. This “conflict” results in what you know to be a system crash.

With all the different parts and systems constantly running on your computer, it can be quite difficult to determine the root cause of a system crash; especially if there is more than one root cause and more than one crash. Having said that, the best thing for you to do is to come at the problem from every conceivable angle. Eliminate what isn’t the problem until you find what is.

Hopefully, this short list can get you started in the right direction.

• Run your basic spyware, virus, & adware scans to determine if malicious software is the cause of the system crashing. Many people assume the worst when actually, the crashing is just the result of a virus that slipped through the defensive cracks.

• Determine if the PC is regularly overheating by checking it’s internal temperature. The sheer number of computers that crash due to overheating is truly staggering. If it is the problem, add a few fans to the case and see if any improvements are made.

• Use your system tools to repair your computer. “Scan Disk” and “Disk Defragmenter” can be very useful for clearing up files and restoring valuable disk space — both of which can increase performance and speed.

• Check the registry for errors. A corrupted registry is probably the number 1 cause of system crashing; not to mention, everything else that can go wrong with a computer. The registry is the central processing center for all PC related information. So, if a monkey wrench gets thrown in there, the whole system will likely suffer. Keeping a close eye on your registry is very important — so be sure to run a thorough scan with reliable computer repair software at least once a week.

You may have heard the term ’spyware’ and people saying that you need to take every precaution to avoid it; plus that it can also be really difficult removing spyware from your computer. Naturally, when you think of spyware, one of the first things that probably enters into your mind is someone invading your privacy - spying on you. In a technological sense, that is exactly what is happening. There has been such a proliferation of spyware recently that it is not something that should be taken lightly or ignored.

If you are not completely sure what spyware is, it can be defined as a type of software that is used by individuals or companies to gain access to information about you. Whether it is your surfing habits or your private information that is being monitored, spyware is an invasion of your privacy. In many instances, spyware will also change the configuration of your computer, causing it to behave strangely.

Though people normally use spyware for malicious purposes, it is many times installed on your computer with your consent. When you download many of the readily available ‘freeware’ programs, often you get more than you anticipated. Most times, this situation can be avoided by simply taking a moment to read the user agreement. It is often clearly stated that you agree to install third party software along with the free software.

Sometimes, though, the user agreement may not state that you are downloading third party software so it is also important to carefully read stipulations on the site where you download the software. Also, you should never download software from anyplace other than the original site or a trusted source. If you download software from a torrent site, you are virtually asking for your computer to be infected with spyware.

Spyware can cause all types of problems for your system. Your operating system files may be damaged or the resources may be overloaded, which can cause your computer’s performance to slow down dramatically. Plus, certain types of spyware make it very easy for someone to steal your identity. While some companies simply want to spy on your surfing habits to improve sales demographics, the intentions of other abusers of spyware are not so transparent.

One of the most common types of spyware simply displays unwanted advertisements based on your surfing habits. Other more obtrusive types of spyware will hijack your browser’s start page and add unneeded components to your system which may cause your computer to crash. Some of the most malicious types of spyware take control of your computer and use it as part of a network to gain control of other computers containing sensitive data.

One of the most important things to understand about keeping your computer free from spyware is that you should have a complete understanding of exactly what you are installing on your computer before completing the install. Read all enclosures and agreements carefully and only download software from trusted sites. If you follow these basic guidelines, you will have a much easier job preventing spyware from taking over control of your computer.

The Internet is a wonderful source of information and entertainment and millions of people access it each day. However, these millions of people create millions of opportunities for others with malicious intent to create havoc. And if you are not protecting yourself while you are online, you may find that your computer falls victim to spyware.

Spyware is a very lucrative industry and in almost all cases, the end goal is profit whether or not the companies or individuals deploying the spyware have any malicious intent in mind. Sometimes, you agree to allow spyware to access to your computer (whether knowingly or not) and other times you have no clue that your security has been breached. For this reason, it is imperative that you monitor your surfing habits to ensure that you are being as careful as possible.

Just in case you may not have any clue what spyware is, it can be generally defined as threatening software that is deployed by some unscrupulous individuals and companies to secure access to information you may rather keep private. In most instances, you are unaware that spyware has even made its way to your computer.

Do you access your banking online? Have you ever entered your social security number on any site? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, then you are especially vulnerable to spyware attacks. Spyware software enables its users to retrieve any information that resides on your machine - this could be anything from sensitive personal data to information about your surfing habits.

If the threat of a spyware infestation has you a bit nervous, you should be. The first thing that you should be concerned with is keeping it off of your computer in the first place, since some types of spyware can be virtually impossible to remove. And protecting yourself from the threat of spyware requires an understanding of how it gets on your computer.

There are endless ways for spyware to find its way onto your computer. One of the easiest ways for spyware to infest your machine is by piggybacking on other software applications - mainly those that are freely downloaded. So beware of that supposedly free software - it may be more expensive than you thought. Once you installed the infected software, you have just opened your hard drive up to spyware.

You should be extremely careful when you are reading disclosures are terms of use agreements whenever you are installing any type of free software on your computer. In most cases, your failure to read these agreements is your undoing since you are plainly agreeing to install other unwanted software in addition to the free software you downloaded. While many times you are warned via these agreements, sometimes you are not. So you download and install at your own risk.

Another popular way for spyware to find its way on your machine is to trick you into thinking that it is actually some type of anti-spyware or computer security program. Often this occurs when you visit a malicious website where known security issues in the browser you are using have been exploited. And suddenly you are receiving fake massages warning that your computer has been infected by spyware that direct you to download a program to rid yourself of the issue. By doing so, you further compromise the security of your computer. For this reason, it is imperative to make sure that your browser is updated with the latest security patches.

There is an ever growing list of software to create a website and the challenge is working out which is best for your needs.

They range from the super cheap and super simple up to the top end where you will spend several hundred dollars on a complicated yet very powerful piece of software to create a website.

Having been building websites for over a decade now, I’m going to take a look at some of these pieces of software to enable you to have a better idea of the best solution for you.

1) NVU

Nvu is freeware - which means you can download it safely and legally off the internet without paying a penny making this the cheapest software to create a website (though there are a few other free options we will be discussing here).

Nvu has proven very popular because whilst free it is quite a powerful piece of software and the learning curve going from never having used it before to creating quite a nice website is quite short.

2) FrontPage

FrontPage is Microsoft’s attenpt at web design software and whilst it can be simple to use and comes with a range of features to make attractuve (if basic) websites, you must have a special web host in order to use this software.

In that way, while some people swear by it, others still try to avoid this software to create a website wherever possible as it limits your options when it comes to your web hosting account.

3) Dreamweaver

Dreamwevaer is the top of the range option as used by professional web designers the world over. I have to admit that I myself have a copy of this software and it is *amazing* to use. It’s a case of being to do pretty much anything you like without limitations. You come up with a concept and next thing you know you’re making it a reality.

On the flipside, even as an experienced web designer I found it quite a challenge to get comfortable using, and for the average website you may well be paying for features you never use.

So unless you’re looking for software to build a website of the very highest quality I would consider the other options first.

4) Site Build It

Site Build It is a package deal of software and services which icnludes not just the facility to create a website but also to register a website address, make a logo, insert forms and sell products.

It is an ideal beginners solution as it offers everything you need in one handy place together with plenty of handy tutorials in video and text format to help teahc you everything you need to know.

However, as your skills and experience grow, you may find the limitations of this system too great as you try to add extra features just not allowed with Site Build It. It’s also one of the most expensive options going.

5) Joomla

Joomla is just one example of what is known as Content Management Software for CMS. Generally this software to create a website is used in addition to one of the other pieces of software here like Front Page.

Pleasantly Joomla is free software and controls how your website functions. So you can use your other web design software to make an attractive template so your site *looks* how you want (or just download one of the free templates for Joomla) then use Joomla to make your site *do* what you want it to.

Joomla makes it reasonably easy to add advanced features like discussion forums, link directories, guest books and contact forms to your site with little technical knowledge. You can even automatically translate your website into dozens of other languages!

6) Blogger

The last piece of software to create a website that I want to look at today is Blogger, a free service from Google.

Blogger let’s you choose from a range of different templates and sets you up with a free blog. You can go to nothing to having your own blog in a matter of minutes so it’s another free, beginner option to consider.

So you have always wanted to be a celebrity in the music industry; join the club, so has everyone else out there with any singing or musical talent whatsoever. Even those who don’t especially enjoy music entertain the thought of what it would be like to set things off for a great record label and really make sure that everybody in the world knows who they are. Whatever category you belong to, if you have a musical dream studio recording software for your computer is one surefire way to go about getting to work on that dream. So many people wish for something and don’t take any steps to actually achieve it. If you can get a good studio recording software program for your computer, you can begin to play around with your own vocals and background vocals, mix them with music, and create the professional style effects that people who matter want to hear.

You may think that your old microphone and recording software are doing just fine, but listen to the way that your music sounds after it has been recorded like that and listen to the way that those who have successfully recorded music from home sounds like. Chances are that it will not be difficult for you to see a substantial difference. Studio recording software allows you to do the same things that are done in the professional studios that can cost hundreds of dollars for a few hours of time. Of course, you have to figure out what the best software program is for you and which of the many out there will work the best for your needs.

The more features that your studio recording software has, the more expensive it is going to be. Then again, those who are looking at making a profit from their music career rather than just doing the recording as a hobby can easily view the purchase of such equipment as an investment. Many times, it can even be written off of your taxes, but you should talk to an accountant or tax expert on that one.

Studio Recording Software Programs to Try

If you are purchasing recording software for the first time, there are probably several different programs that you have been tempted to try. Depending on what your budget is, there are some different credible recording studio software programs out there that you may want to try. Here are a few to get you going in the right direction:

n-Track Studio

MixCraft 2.5

Acoustic Labs Multi Track recorder

WavePad (Master’s Edition)

Audio Terminator

Wave Creator

RipEditBurn

Easy Audio Editor

McFunSoft Audio Studio

These are just some of the many different recording studio software programs out there that you can try. Depending on who you are, what you want to get into, and how serious you are about your music career you may have quite a bit of shopping to do before you find just the software program that you need.

Today’s organizations continuously walk the thin line between cost and productivity. There is a perpetual challenge to deliver the best possible business value to clients before the competition wins them over.

Given this scenario, the quality and effectiveness of the software applications deployed in an organization becomes a critical factor. The market is saturated with various players offering software services, but the challenge is to identify the right one.

There are certain factors that you must keep in mind while selecting a vendor for application development:

Experience: It is understandable that for such a critical assignment, you would not like to risk your money and time with a start-up firm. The safe bet is to contact an established software company that has some years of experience behind it.

Expertise: It is important to evaluate the software platforms that the company is adept in using. You must also consider the qualifications and experience of the key people involved in the project to evaluate whether or not they have the right kind of skill and expertise for the assigned work.

Portfolio: Nothing speaks like success! If you are in negotiation with a vendor that boasts of big names in its client list, your job is half done. It always pays to tie-up with a vendor who has successfully developed and deployed software applications for known and established companies. It’s even better if you can collect recommendations from previous clients to be doubly sure.

Certifications: It’s always a good idea to check if the vendor has quality certifications. Though it’s not a sure-shot formula, yet it definitely ensures that the vendor has specific levels of expertise to have achieved the recognition. So you don’t have to worry about unfinished projects or delayed timelines.

The ability to provide free access of information to everyone is very important to our society. As a result, most software development companies are striving to make technology accessible to disabled persons. They have made great strides in addressing various types of disabilities and creating solutions that allow for these individuals to freely access the information they desire.

The Vista Ease of Access Center presents features that broaden accessibility for numerous types of disabilities. The Vista Ease Of Access Center is a centralized location where a user can modify accessibility settings and manage accessibility programs by asking the user various questions related to daily tasks (like the difficulties encountered when hearing voices on TV or using a pencil). Based on the responses, a user profile is created, and some basic settings are recommended, which a user has an option to modify at a later time.

The login screen is also affected by accessibility settings, the end user should have no trouble logging in.

The Speech Recognition feature enables a person to interact with the computer using only their voice. This lessens dependence on the mouse and keyboard while maintaining overall productivity. Speech Recognition allows a user to dictate documents and e-mail, browse the internet, and command programs by verbalizing what is seen. The interactive training leads the user through a simple setup process and familiarizes the person with the voice commands.

The Captions feature turns on text captioning for animations and video.

The magnifier allows the user to increase the screen by levels from 2 to 16 times the original size. The user can choose to scroll with the mouse, keyboard, or text editor. However, the visual changes do not seem to be effective for users with Macular Degeneration, as hoped. It seems the pixels don’t allow for smooth reading, and the pixels can and sometimes do cause eye strain. Some websites force the viewing the website in color. (The traditional Screen Reader still seems to be the best option for persons experiencing Macular Degeneration). A person can enlarge a portion of the screen to make things easier to see with the magnifier.

The High Contrast feature increases the contrast for text and images that were meant to be distinct and easily recognizable. This feature reduces eye strain and is effective for persons that suffer with color blindness.

The Narrator is a text-to-speech program. It reads the on-screen text to the user and describes some events (such as error messages) that happen while the computer is in use. It also reads Narrator menus without leaving the active window and has a natural sounding voice.

The Mouse can be switched to accommodate people who are left handed or missing an arm or hand.

An on-screen keyboard is available, making the physical keyboard unnecessary. This aids individuals with poor fine motor skills, which are necessary in order to type well. The on-screen keyboard has all the standard keys that are on the physical keyboard. The On-Screen Keyboard also allows a user to type utilizing an alternative input device.

Visual Notifications is a feature geared toward the hearing impaired. The end user has the ability to replace the system sounds with visual cues, such as a flash on the screen. The system alerts are announced with visual notifications instead of sounds.

All of the above mentioned features are accessible in two ways. A user either chooses to turn them on for one session or to have the features turned on every time they log on.

All of the options in Vista Ease of Access work very well for the use for which they were intended. It has provided many users freedom to access information without dependence on other individuals, allowing a tremendous amount of self reliance, which is extremely important.

How would you like a free plug-in for your Web browser that protects everything you type from keyloggers. One that defeats keyloggers by encrypting your keystrokes at the keyboard driver level, deep within your operating system. When the encrypted keystrokes reach your browser, this software then decrypts them so you see exactly the keys that you have typed.

Keyloggers can only record the encrypted keys, which are completely indecipherable and useless to them. It supports Internet Explorer, Firefox and Flock, as well as the majority of email clients. It protects you on all websites where you have to enter any details such as username and password, credit card numbers and even search terms typed into search engines.

With email clients it encrypts each word as you type, so a keylogger would only see a meaningless string of indecipherable code. When you consider that phishing is on the increase as are malware attacks on computers, then you really could make use of this unobtrusive program, even if your system has been compromised.

Phishing attacks in the United States alone soared in 2007 as $3.2 billion was lost to these attacks. 3.6 million adults lost money in phishing attacks in the 12 months ending in August 2007, as compared with the 2.3 million who did so in 2006.

This technology provides a breakthrough in battling keyloggers online and is able to defeat all keyloggers in every test. Working with IE, Firefox, WinVista, and a wide array of applications, this tool safeguards online input without requiring any change in the user’s computing behavior or to a company’s existing infrastructure.

Unlike anti-virus and anti-spyware programs that depend on recognition to remove keyloggers that they know about, this will protect you from both known and unknown keyloggers. You don’t have anything to learn about the program and you don’t have to do anything differently, but your important personal information will be a whole lot safer.

Simply download the program, install it and forget it as everything you type will be encrypted. The free version does NOT support Password Managers which use auto-login features, but it can be turned off either by implementing the use of Hot Keys or through the program icon which sits in the taskbar.

You also have the option to show an overlay which will sit unobtrusively on your browser window at your chosen location of either top Left, Top Right, Bottom Left or Bottom Right, so you can also see the encrypted keys.

Free download here