Assorted Favorites

This is the place for stuff not quite big enough to fill a dedicated folder.  For instance, the list of Freeware below contains links to the best free software that I personally use, and highly recommend.  I also try to keep it current with new discoveries. Just below that you’ll find Fessic’s Favorite Movies, a project I dare say took years to complete and was a great deal of fun.  Other entries include things like my favorite Pinball Tables, Firefox Extensions, Photo Editing software and even a zip file containing emoticons (smilies) collected over the years.  Once you’re finished browsing here feel free to peruse some of the other folders, which are located just over to the right.

To view the entire contents of this folder click HERE

Free Software

Finding the right tool for the right job can be a daunting affair, which is precisely why I maintain this list. It’s my own way of keeping track of the best (or least expensive) software for that special task or project. Maybe you’ll discover something you didn’t know was out there. Better yet, maybe you’ll even save some money.  Each name links directly to the software homepage.

Updated: 6/1/09

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Understanding ‘Portable’ software.  This is simply a term used to describe software that can run off a USB drive.  Most developers nowadays create a portable version of their program, or make it portable right from the get go.  This results in two flavors of portable software.  The first kind must be installed or unpackaged to a USB drive just as you would do on a PC.  The other takes the form of a fully self-contained exe file.  This second type is great since you can literally copy it over to a USB drive, no installation required.  Just double click and it runs.  The important thing is that no matter what type of portable version you’re dealing with all of the software in this list will run just fine on a standard Windows PC.
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7-Zip – A top notch compression utility for opening/creating zipped files and many other types of compressed files
• Portable version: Yes (Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

Audacity – Record, edit and mix audio tracks in multiple formats
• Portable version: Yes (Installation Required)
• User Level: Power Users Only

avast! Home Edition – Real time virus protection with auto updates and deep scanning.  Also supports Email and IM Clients.
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Beginner

BerBible – An ultra portable bible with integrated search function
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

CCleaner – Clean out the junk that inevitably accumulates
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Beginner

CDBurner XP – Create compilation CDs, backups or ISO files
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Average

Clementime – It’s a timer.  Simple, functional and portable.
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Beginner

CodeStuff Starter – A robust utility for managing start-up entries and running background processes
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Power Users Only

Convert for Windows – A wonderful and tiny unit and measurement converter that covers just about everything
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Beginner

CPU-Z – Get detailed info on your CPU, RAM and Motherboard
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

CutePDF – Create PDFs using the print function of any program
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Beginner

DateInTray – Put a handy little calendar right in the system tray
• Portable version: Yes (Installation Required)
• User Level: Beginner

Defraggler – Simple defragmentation done right
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Beginner

dsCrypt – Easily encrypt individual or multiple files
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

DSynchronize – Create a backup set of your data, and then keep it nicely synchronized using this outstanding utility
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Power Users Only

Eric’s Movie Database – A great program for keeping track of your movie library, ratings, and which movies you’ve lent out
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Average

Eraser – Powerful file shredding for sensitive documents
• Portable version: Yes (Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

ERUNT – Create a clean, stable backup of your Windows registry
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Power Users Only

Everything Search Engine – Windows’ built in search feature is no match against the amazing speed of this tiny search utility
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Beginner

ExplorerXP – A nice replacement for Windows Explorer that offers a little more flexibility and functionality
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Power Users Only

FastStone Image Viewer – An all around excellent tool for managing and working with all manner of image files
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Average

Firefox – The browser that’s fast, secure and customizable
• Portable version: Yes (Installation Required)
• User Level: Beginner

Foxit Reader – Lightweight, fast-loading, user friendly alternative to the much heavier and slower Acrobat PDF Reader
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Beginner

F-Secure Easy Clean – Easy rootkit scanning with a lightweight tool from one of the best names in computer security
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Beginner

GIMP – Highly polished, robust alternative to Adobe Photoshop
• Portable version: Yes (Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

HDD Health – Monitor the health of your Hard Drive
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Average

HWMonitor – Keep an eye on system core temperatures
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Power Users Only

JavaRa – Great tool for keeping Java up to date, cleaned up, and improving the overall security of your computer
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

Karen’s Computer Profiler – Detailed information right at your fingertips.  While there be sure to check out Karen’s other works.  I love your stuff Karen!
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Average

KeyScrambler Personal – Silent tool for combating keyloggers
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Average

Lupas Rename – Super handy tool for bulk renaming of files
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware – Spyware protection that’s easy to use and keep up to date.  Thank You Malwarebytes.
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Beginner

Media Player Classic – A tiny media player that can handle just about any kind of media: music, video, DVDs and a whole lot more
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

Miro – Subscribe to any number of video feeds or podcasts and then let Miro download, organize and play them back for you
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Beginner

Mp3tag – A lite but powerful utility for managing MP3 tags
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Average

MyUninstaller – A more powerful tool for uninstalling unwanted software.  While there be sure to visit the many other great tools from Nir Sofer.  Thank You Nir.
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

Panda Anti-Rootkit – A rootkit scanner that’s simple to use
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Beginner

Partition Master Home Edition – Easily setup and manage partitions without having to reformat your Hard Drive
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Power Users Only

Photofiltre – A friendly photo editor that I can’t recommend enough.  Thank You for this Great software Antonio.
• Portable version: Yes (Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

Power Tools Lite – In depth registry analysis and cleaning
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Power Users Only

PStart – A handy Start Menu for launching USB apps
• Portable version: Yes (Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

Secunia PSI – Keep your computer secure and up-to-date by seeing which programs are outdated and vulnerable
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Average

SnoopFree Privacy Shield – A specialized deterrent for screen capture type malware
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Power Users Only

SpaceSniffer – Easily compare which programs or files are taking up the most space on your hard drive
• Portable version: Yes (No Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

Spybot Search & Destroy – Proven spyware detection and prevention from a community of dedicated developers
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Average

Startup Monitor – Runs quietly in the background, preventing malicious software from adding itself to Windows startup
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Power Users Only

Thunderbird – Retrieve, read, manage, organize and archive your email with a single client…that’s also customizable
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Power Users Only

TrueCrypt – Create an encrypted virtual drive for sensitive data and documents.  Can also be installed to USB drives.
• Portable version: Yes (Installation Required)
• User Level: Power Users Only

Unlocker – A highly specialized tool for those times when Windows refuses to let you work with certain files
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Power Users Only

Volumouse – Control Windows volume using the mouse wheel
• Portable version: Yes (Installation Required)
• User Level: Average

Wallpaper Changer – Change your desktop wallpaper at the click of a button, or let it select one for you at random intervals
• Portable version: No
• User Level: Beginner

WordWeb – Quickly pop up a dictionary/thesaurus using a simple hotkey combo.  Can also perform Wikipedia searches.
• Portable version: Yes (Installation Required)
• User Level: Beginner

Fessic’s Favorite Movies

The file below is a cleanly formatted, downloadable PDF document, created using Microsoft Access

This is something I’ve wanted to do for many years. It’s my top ten favorite movies in each genre, along with a brief explanation of either the movie itself or why I like it so much. The selection process turned out to be so difficult I ended up having to create a whole new category…resulting in a recommendation list of 133 movies well worth watching.

Download Fessic’s Favorite Movies PDF

Version Date:  5/16/09

To view the entire contents of this folder click HERE

Pinball Tables

To many pinball is little more than a silly pastime of a bygone era, one that preceded the age of video games as it were, being a natural precursor to better technology.  They came, they went, they’re a part of history.  For me, pinball is something more than that.  It’s a timeless and thoroughly enjoyable pastime that in many ways offers more fun than playing video games (and this coming from an avid gamer).  Unless you’ve played pinball for any length of time you might not realize the skill and subtlety involved.  Yes, believe it or not, pinball is very much a game of skill.  From timing & flipper control to executing special moves like “trapping” or the “dead flipper pass,” it’s a skill that really can improve over time.  Yes it’s largely true that Pinball is dead…but not entirely.  At least one company, Stern, still manufactures pinball tables; and the rare current or refurbished table can still be found in the occasional bowling alley or struggling arcade.  But really, my love (and appreciation) for pinball stems from having discovered some of the classic tables from pinball’s golden age – thanks to the modern miracle of emulation.  Just as with modern video games pinball tables came from a variety of developers and varied greatly in quality and content.  Many were top notch productions in gameplay, sound and style.  Others were…not so great.  Here is my personal list of the best that pinball has offered through the years, comprised mostly of those released during the 80s and 90s, and up through present day.

You’ll notice that each table name links directly to its corresponding page on the Internet Pinball Database, where you can find out more about the table and view rule sheets, flyers and photos of the backglass & playfield.

Daffie, Williams (1968)
Contact, Williams (1978)
Stellar Wars, Williams (1979)
Superman, Atari (1979)
Alien Poker, Williams (1980)
Black Knight, Williams (1980)
Star Race, Gottlieb (1980)
Viking, Bally (1980)
Embryon, Bally (1981)
Fathom, Bally (1981)
Medusa, Bally (1981)
Pharaoh, Williams (1981)
Solar Fire, Williams (1981)
Mr. & Mrs. Pac-Man, Bally (1982)
Firepower II, Williams (1983)
Fireball Classic, Bally (1985)
Sorcerer, Williams (1985)
High Speed, Williams (1986)
Laser War, Data East (1987)
Space Station, Williams (1988)
Swords of Fury, Williams (1988)
Black Knight 2000, Williams (1989)
RollerGames, Williams (1990)
Whirlwind, Williams (1990)
Checkpoint, Data East (1991)
Star Trek 25th Anniversary, Data East (1991)
Fish Tales, Williams (1992)
The Getaway: High Speed II, Williams (1992)
Creature From the Black Lagoon, Bally (1993)
Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure, Williams (1993)
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Williams (1993)
White Water, Williams (1993)
Congo, Williams (1995)
WHO Dunnit, Bally (1995)
No Good Gofers, Williams (1997)
Cactus Canyon, Bally (1998)
The Champion Pub, Bally (1998)
Striker Xtreme, Stern (2000)
Monopoly, Stern (2001)
Lord of the Rings, Stern (2003)

Updated: 3/5/09

Firefox Extensions

Most computer users are comfortable with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser and, well…that’s perfectly fine. But for those who insist on having complete control over their internet experience (and enjoy the ability to customize) nothing beats Mozilla’s Firefox. Just the core version alone boasts far better security and performance than IE, and the improvements just keep coming. And when you start adding Extensions that’s when the real fun begins. Here are a few of my personal favorites…

Updated:  7/22/09

Click on the Extension name to go directly to the download page

Aardvark – Originally intended as a developer tool, this great little add-on lets you do some serious decluttering for much cleaner page prints.  And don’t worry about the webpage as none of your changes are permanent.  Simply use the Undo function or Quit Aardvark and click the Reload button.

Adblock Plus – Keep ads where they belong, off your computer; and improve page loading time in the process.

CuteButtons Crystal SVG – There’s something pleasant about seeing icons next to each menu item.  If you feel the same then this one may be for you.

deskCut – There are multiple ways of getting a shortcut onto your desktop.  If your browser floats around on a large screen you can simply drag the little icon (the one next to the web address) over to any blank area of your desktop.  If however, Firefox is taking up the whole screen (such as with a laptop) it helps to be able to create a shortcut from the right-click menu.  deskCut will let you do that.

Download Statusbar – Replaces the default Firefox download box by moving downloads to the Status Bar.  This way you can track the progress of a download while still browsing the web.

Firesizer – Sometimes you may find yourself resizing the browser window or find that something else has changed it without your permission.  With Firesizer you can set a default window size and instantly snap it back into place.

Fission – Adds a pleasant loading effect to the address bar.  This way it’s easy to see whether a page has finished loading or not.

GDirections – There are several extensions that do this but I like the simplicity of GDirections.  Once you go into the Options menu and specify a starting point, any address can quickly be Mapped with a simple right-click > get directions.

Ghostery – Keep an eye on the widgets and other hidden trackers associated with websites.  Not all of them are malicious mind you, but this is one good way to judge the integrity of a website, or satisfy your curiosity.  Whenever you visit a webpage Ghostery pops up a list of widgets, then slowly fades away.

IE View Lite – Some webpages use a controversial Microsoft technology called Active X.  Naturally, these sites don’t work so well in Firefox.  With IE View Lite you simply click the button and the page opens temporarily in Internet Explorer.  My preferred method over IE Tab.

KeyScrambler Personal – Because it was designed for native Internet Explorer and Firefox support the best way to install this one is to download the latest version direct from the vendor.  From there it walks you through the rest.  What does it do?  Basically, it encrypts your keystrokes as you type in a webpage.  The Personal version is free and one of my essential extensions.

Link Alert – Visiting a website may present you with any number of links, all pointing to various things, such as embedded web pages, PDFs or other documents, a JavaScript applet and other things.  With Link Alert you can see at a glance exactly what’s hiding behind a given link.

Locationbar – Spoofing and Phishing are all too common these days, which makes you start to wonder if you’re really visiting the site you intended to.  With Locationbar the answer becomes a little clearer.  Now the Top Level Domain (the one that represents the true website) will be bold and highlighted in green, or whatever color you designate.  If it still looks fishy, then it probably is…

Menu Editor – If you’re like me then you’re always looking for ways to reduce clutter.  Why should software applications be any different?  In this case we have an extension that does something wonderful.  It let’s you decide which menu and context items appear in the drop-down list.

NewTabURL – My favorite thing about this simple extension is that you can copy any URL, click the Open a new tab button, and it automatically opens with the copied web address.

NoScript – This one isn’t for beginners but listen…once you get used to the ‘whitelist’ method it employs your security level will probably increase tenfold.  Essentially it disables JavaScript on all web pages, until you tell it to trust the site.  Spend some time learning how to use it and you’re good to go.  Then, consider saying Thank You with a small donation.

Nuke Anything Enhanced – Sometimes, even with ad-blockers, an occasional ad will slip through the cracks.  With this little extension it’s just a right-click away from going bye bye.

Sage – If you don’t know what RSS Feeds are then you may not quite be ready for this one.  If you’d like learn about and start using them, then this is a great way to start as Sage integrates seamlessly within Firefox.

Scrapbook – An outstanding utility for making offline backups of individual web pages, or even entire websites.

SmoothWheel – For me this was one of those ‘once you try it you can’t go back’ experiences.  Don’t worry about the weird version number or even adjusting the settings.  Simply install, scroll and enjoy.

Stop or Reload Button – Just as you might suspect this extension combines your Stop and Reload button into one, depending on what a webpage is doing.  Just a simple way to reduce buttons.

Tab Counter – Your browser getting a little bogged down?  Perhaps it’s got something to do with all those open tabs…just how many of those things do you have running anyway?

Tabs Open Relative – Causes new tabs to open up next to the active tab, instead of all the way down on the end.

TinyUrl Generator – Planning on sending someone a webpage link?  Consider shrinking it down first with TinyUrl Generator.  Just click on the link creator in the bottom right corner of Firefox .  Then paste the resulting, shortened link into your message.  They’ll thank you for it.

Undo Closed Tabs Button – Firefox already has this feature buried in the History menu.  But I like how this gives you quick access to a button.

Update Notifier – This one adds a little button that changes color when you have extensions ready to update.  You can also use it to quickly check for updates, or restart Firefox (which is good to do after long browsing sessions).

WOT – There’s no shortage of shifty websites out there just waiting to pounce on unsuspecting passersby.  Get some reliable help avoiding them with Web Of Trust, a community of internet users dedicated to warning the rest of us about dangerous websites.  This extension replaces the aforementioned SiteAdvisor from McAfee, which I’ve uninstalled due to recent information about the reliability and timeliness of that rating system.

Xmarks – Losing one’s bookmarks (say, from a hard drive crash) can be a harrowing affair.  With Xmarks you can keep a backup set stored online…and even sync them between multiple computers.

And, if you’re looking for a new Theme that doesn’t stray too far from the classic Firefox feel, consider giving Camifox a look.

PhotoFiltre

Throughout the years I’ve discovered a lot of really great freeware programs, many that I use quite regularly. But there’s one in particular I’ve become so attached to I can hardly imagine not having it installed on my computer. PhotoFiltre is a light-weight photo editor that features just the right mix of functionality and ease of use. It lets you work on single photos for quick touch-ups or dive in for major repair work. The tools are simple to use and the interface is about as friendly and inviting as any I’ve encountered so far. Yet despite its unassuming appearance there are plenty of eye-popping effects tools just waiting to be discovered. One of my favorite features is the one that lets you work with an entire folder. Thumbnails of all the images line up at the bottom, letting you work on each one-by-one. And still the program is so light it launches instantly (on my machine) making for quick cut and paste jobs, and slips quietly away the moment you close it.

My deepest appreciation and thanks to Antonio Da Cruz for this truly outstanding piece of free software. It is a work of art unto itself, and well worth any donation you’re willing to offer.

Get PhotoFiltre

Wallpaper Changer

This is easily the best Wallpaper Changer utility I’ve ever used. It’s lite, simple, functional and best of all Free! Set it to monitor a directory, change wallpaper at start-up, throughout the day, or at the click of a button. It can cycle through a list or pick an image at random. Best of all is the fact that you don’t have to use a proprietary image format (unlike those other wallpaper utilities). Developed by Frank Pleitz.

Download Wallpaper Changer

Visit the Official Homepage

Smilie Pack

Ah Smilies, those cute little graphical emoticons. Use em in your email, message forums, or even in a Word document. They help us add feeling, context or humor to our messages. This is just a little zip file I put together to create a basic smilie collection (think of it as a starter pack). I take no credit for the actual images however as that goes to all the talented individuals who created these.

Download Smilie Pack

Version Date:  4/5/09

A New Blog is Born

This story has two beginnings…

On October 3rd, 2005 the Scripture Wallpaper project was conceived.  A short while into it I began hoping that at some point I might be able to share it with others; though at the time I wouldn’t have considered using a blog.  As for posting publicly available content in general, that came about on July 24, 2006.  This was the day a simple PDF file was uploaded to a file sharing site for casual passersby searching for quality freeware, or a noteworthy piece of commercial software.  It was called Fessic’s Favorite Freeware and Software and listed some of the great software I’d come across over the years.  That PDF file no longer exists, since having been replaced by a post titled simply Free Software, which I try to maintain more regularly.  Follow the link to visit my top picks for quality freeware, in use on my personal computer.

I have created this post to mark the beginning of Fessic’s blog.