Most hams use computers for some aspect of their lives. In an emergency the radio/computer combo is going to be essential for data logging and also for digital mode communications and EchoLink communications.
Herewith, some programs to help maintain your computer, keep it running at peak speed, avoiding viruses, cleaning up wasted hard drive space, etc.
For CPU temp monitoring I use Core Temp http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/
For backup I use Create Synchronicity. (http://synchronicity.sourceforge.net/)
For video and music playing I use VLC media player. (http://www.videolan.org/)
For malware protection and security I use ESET Smart Security 5. (http://www.eset.com/us/)
For housekeeping I use:
Kingsoft PC Doctor (http://www.kingsoftsecurity.com/)
and PC Pit Stop PCMatic (http://www.pcpitstop.com/store/pcmatic.asp)
and Revo Uninstaller Pro (http://www.revouninstaller.com/)
and Driver Max PRO (http://www.drivermax.com/
and CCleaner (http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner).
and Tweaking.com Windows Repair (All-In-One). (http://www.tweaking.com/)
For anonymous surfing I use Hide My IP (http://www.hide-my-ip.com/hidemyip.shtml).
For screen captures I use Snagit (http://www.techsmith.com/snagit.html).
For finding WiFi networks I use inSSIDer (http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/).
For PC-2-PC remote access I use LogMeIn Free (https://secure.logmein.com/)
For ThinkPad-2-PC remote access I use Splashtop Streamer (http://www.splashtop.com/streamer/do...remotedownload) and the webOS client.
For PDF tasks I use PDF-XChange (http://www.tracker-software.com/).
For CPU core temps I use Core Temp (http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/).
For HTML editing I use Microsoft Expression Web (http://www.microsoft.com/expression/..._overview.aspx).
For web hosting I use myHosting (http://myhosting.com/).
For my laptop OS I use Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium. (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...mpare?T1=tab04)
For office software I use I use Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010 (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/ee390818).
For digital picture management I use Picasa (http://picasa.google.com/).
For web browsing I use Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Internet Explorer when necessary.
For torrent files I use uTorrent (http://www.utorrent.com/).
For ZIP files I use ZIP Genius suite (http://zipgenius-suite.en.softonic.com/).
For eBook management I use calibre (http://calibre-ebook.com/).
For access to an IBM i system I use IBM iSeries Access for Windows.
For picture viewing I use IrfanView (http://www.irfanview.com/).
For iPad management I use iTunes.
For MP3 volume management I use MP3Gain (http://mp3gain.sourceforge.net/).
For MP3 tag management I use MP3Tag (http://www.mp3tag.de/en/).
There are a few dozen other less important or less oft used, including some from www.karenware.com (RIP Karen).
The above list is from a blogger named RTWIGG.
========== FROM GOOGLE ====
http://www.iobit.com/press/free-anti-malware-iobit-security-360.html
Free Anti-Malware Security 360 Has Won Great Popularity
Oct 2, 2009 – Advanced security software provider IObit has been receiving widespread acclaim among almost all professionals, editors and users worldwide for the latest release of its free anti-malware product, Security 360. All the reviewers evaluate IObit Security 360's ability to block the installation of almost all malware, to clean detected malware more thoroughly than any other product, to keep malware from regaining a foothold on the system and to update in the background with no user interaction as reasons for its good reputation.
=============== O. D.'s Favorites ==============
360Amigo System Speedup Free
http://download.cnet.com/360Amigo-System-Speedup-Free/3000-18512_4-75206713.html
At first, 360Amigo System Speedup Free seemed to be of the more-tease-than-tool school of free system cleaners, and certainly its developers would like you to buy their premium package. But the free tool proved to be a good performer that will help many users keep their PCs running smooth and safe.
As with so many freeware versions of premium system utilities, 360Amigo's interface is stylish and heavy on the graphics and captions that explain what each feature does. The program consists of a system cleaner and a system optimizer, with a number of extra utilities, though some of the advanced tools are only available with the paid software. As with similar software, 360Amigo's System Cleaner scans for junk files and invalid or orphaned registry entries, runs a privacy sweep, defragments your disk drives, and restores your system to a previous state (if necessary). We performed a scan, and 360Amigo displayed its results along with some alarming graphics suggesting our well-maintained system's status was "bad," which free system cleaners are prone to do. We could de-select items for cleaning by unchecking their boxes, and the folder views let us see which files in each category the program was targeting for removal; in fact, 360Amigo's utilities offered more information about the files to be cleaned than many premium tools we've seen. After making our selections, we ran the first cleaner. Here's where many free tools clean a few errors and offer to clean the rest for a price, but 360Amigo powered through all three tools. Next we tried the System Optimizer, which includes an unusually detailed Startup Manager, a NetState tool that identifies all open connections and lets users terminate connections instantly, and a process manager, services manager, and uninstaller. The Tools menu offered an impressive array of extras like a Duplicate File Finder, a full Backup & Restore application, a drivers manager, a file recovery tool, and many others.
After we'd run 360Amigo's scan but before we let it fix the errors it found, we ran similar tools, including a premium package, for comparison. While the results were similar, 360Amigo's scan turned up some files the others didn't. The acid test came after we rebooted: 360Amigo's changes did no harm, and while our system didn't run noticeably better, we had the satisfaction of knowing the junk was gone from our system.
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KeePass Password Safe
www.http://keepass.info/
What is KeePass?
Today you need to remember many passwords. You need a password for the Windows network logon, your e-mail account, your website's FTP password, online passwords (like website member account), etc. etc. etc. The list is endless. Also, you should use different passwords for each account. Because if you use only one password everywhere and someone gets this password you have a problem... A serious problem. The thief would have access to your e-mail account, website, etc. Unimaginable.
KeePass is a free open source password manager, which helps you to manage your passwords in a secure way. You can put all your passwords in one database, which is locked with one master key or a key file. So you only have to remember one single master password or select the key file to unlock the whole database. The databases are encrypted using the best and most secure encryption algorithms currently known (AES and Twofish).
I use KeePass dozens of times a day. So does everybody in the office. So does everybody at home. I only know ONE password, the one that opens KeePass. It knows all the rest. In fact, it knows the URL of every website, the login name and the login password. If there are authentication questions such as "Mother's Maiden Name", it can keep those also.
Best of all, if you are on a machine that has an evil keylogger program installed to steal your passwords, KeePass defeats it. KeePass does not TYPE login info, it PASTES in your login. No keys are pressed and the evil keylogger does not even know that you have logged in.
You can also Google and download "Portable APPS" and the portable version of KeePass. Now you can put the whole thing on a thumb drive and login from anywhere. Don't worry about loosing the thumb drive, Keepass is useless without the startup password or token.
By the way, KeePass can also generate passwords that are almost impossible to crack using password crackers. Passwords like this - LQ&?ydBFr%)} or this - Da($RSU@[#c3. It would take the biggest computer in the world several trillion years to crack a password that contains upper and lower case letters plus numbers plus punctuation characters. There have been several articles written about this.
Have fun and keep those computers humming at peak performance.
Until next time, 73 from N7OZH.
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