I often get asked what tools I recommend for various PC and internet activities.
Here's a list I've compiled, which puts my favorite toolkit together in one neat and orderly place!
Recommended web browser - FireFox. Pop-up blocking, Image control, Cookie control, tabbed multiple web pages, NO ACTIVEX, etc.
Recommended Spyware Scanner - Spybot Search & Destroy. Detects AdWare, SpyWare, all free and with web updates.
Recommended PC (File) Clean-up - CyberScrub. Secure delete, cleans up after several products i.e. Internet Explorer, Outlook, Yahoo!Messenger, etc.
Recommended FREE Internet Explorer cleanup - Spider 1.16. Free - cleans up after Internet Explorer - ALL PROFILES! Not just the logged-in user.
Recommended Personal firewall - ZoneAlarm. Inbound and Outbound protection, restrict to local network or internet, free for personal use.
Recommended News Group Reader - NewsBin Pro.
Recommended IRC Client - mIRC Read the manual - IRC is not for the weak.
Recommended ISO tool - UltraISO. Use to convert various disc images (i.e. .IMG) to an ISO image, browse image contents, etc.
Recommended DVD Burning software - Nero Burning ROM. Support for CD, (S)VCD, DVD5 and DVD9, huge range of supported DVD drives.
Recommended DVD and (S)VCD slideshow creator - ProShow Gold. Make a slideshow of your digital images with sound, etc. to play on your DVD player - VERY cool!
Recommended PC-based HD-DVD/Blu-ray/DVD/SVCD/VCD/multimedia video player - PowerDVD. Plays virtually all multimedia - awesome interface. Use with SlySoft's AnyDVD to bypass PC hardware restrictions when playing your HD-DVD/Blu-ray DVDs.
Recommended Video Encoding tool - TMpgEnc. Converts a source video to virtually all other video standard formats (DVD/Divx/Xvid/SVCD/VCD) relatively easily using templates, or as complex and configurable as you want to go.
Recommended image and graphics manipulation tool - PhotoShop. So fully featured, it requires course study to be able to use it all! If you want something a little more down-to-earth but still robust, try Paint Shop Pro.
Recommended File Encryption tool (for the truly paranoid) - ABI Coder.
Recommended Video documentation and How-To sites - Doom9.Net and VideoHelp.Com. You can get anywhere from here!
Recommended DVD ripping/backup/compression tool - freeware one-click CCE encoder: DVD Rebuilder. For an "Easy To Use" one-click *free* transcoder: DVD Shrink. Free and easy! Back up those DVDs before your kids get their hands (and feet) on them!
Recommended Hex Edit and disassembly tool - HackMan.
Recommended DVD Backup tools - DVD Decrypter (also does image burning) & DVDShrink (also shrinks DVD9 to DVD5). Acquire FREE from Doom9.Net.
