Best Applications

[Mosselman]

What do you think is the best application for each of the following purposes? (Money Is not an option (only the best of the best not quality/price comparisons) )

Firewall:

Anti-Virus:

Advanced Windows Tuning (software like tweakXP):

Download Utilities:

E-Mail:

Webdesign:

Graphics Development:

Hard-Drive optimization tools (defraggers for example):

Windows error Checking (Like Norton Utilities):

Antything else that comes to mind:

[stickfun]

Firewall: ZoneAlarm

AntiVirus: Kaspersky (cost alot though )

XPtuning: TuneUputilities

Email: The Bat

WebDesign: Frontpage

Graphics: Photoshop (cost alot too)

Defragger: O&O defragger

Error checking: Norton Utilities

Instant messenging: Trillian

that's what i use after reading tons of review sites and magazines

[MCT]

Firewall:Kerio Personal Firewall (free, but after 30days ad blocking runs out)

Anti-Virus:Nod32 (paid for , u can get a 30day trial tho)

Advanced Windows Tuning: Xsetup Pro (free)

Download Utilities: Free Download Manager (thats the name of it, & its free)

E-Mail: Thunderbird (free)

Webdesign: frontpage or dreamweaver

Graphics Development: Photoshop

Hard-Drive optimization tools (defraggers for example): O&O Defrag Pro

Windows error Checking (Like Norton Utilities): there are many good commandline utilities that are free

Antything else that comes to mind:

notepad2 (free, better then windows notepad)

nlite

bottomline, there is VERY little u have 2 pay 4 2 get good working products, of course u can donate 2 the developer if u wish

[ODC]

Free Download Mananger eh? Gotta link? I'd just google, but I can guess the results...

[idle.newbie]

Downloader: NetTransport (FlashGet clone with extra features, free with tolerable popup dialog, paid for more features, unattended switch: /SILENT /SP-)

[MCT]

FreeDownloadManager:

http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/

[HalogenAndToast]

Firewall: My Face (yes joke intended)

Anti-Virus: McAfee v8

Advanced Windows Tuning (software like tweakXP): Resource Hacker

Download Utilities: FireFox's Built in Download tool (Unfortunatly the only one I use)

E-Mail: Thunderbird

Webdesign: DreamWeaver MX 2004 (almost anything but FrontPage in this case)

Graphics Development: (tie) Adobe Photoshop CS, Jasc Paint Shop Pro

Hard-Drive optimization tools (defraggers for example): NA

Windows error Checking (Like Norton Utilities): NA

Antything else that comes to mind: DVD Decryptor and Virtual Dub

[Aegeas]

Firewall : Agnitum Outpost Free version

Anti-Virus : AVG Antivirus Free

Advanced Windows Tweaking : REGEDIT.EXE

Download Utilities : FlashGet, HTTrack

E-mail : Foxmail, Thunderbird

Webdesign : Notepad, Arachnophilia, old Homesite version

Graphics Development : Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8

Hard Drive Optimisation : N/A

Windows Error Checking : None (For hardware checking/HDD tasks etc. I use what everyone else uses. Hiren's Boot CD 6.0)

Anything else that comes to mind: Total Commander (of course)

... oh, and domain management tools, which no one has bothered writing silent installs for. Hyena (www.systemtools.com) and Dameware NT Utilities (www.dameware.com) and at the top of my list B)

[Astalavista]

firewall/antivirus = norton internet security

downloader = getright or download accelerator

graphics = Corel Draw or Photoshop

email = Eudora Pro 6

webdesign = frontpage 2003

u missed one topic p2p = emule plus

[dandragonrage]

downloader = DLExpert (freeware, no ads!)

defrag = Raxco PerfectDisk (second best: O&O)

webpages = Notepad

[magicfly]

hello guys!!

here's my list

Firewall: NO FIREWALL (..YET)

Anti-Virus: NORTON ANTIVIRUS 2004

Advanced Windows Tuning (software like tweakXP): XSETUP

Download Utilities: DAP 7.20 (Download Accelerator Plus)

E-Mail: OUTLOOK EXPRESS

Webdesign: MACROMEDIA DREAMWEAVER MX

Graphics Development: CORELDRAW 12

Hard-Drive optimization tools (defraggers for example): DISKEEPER 8

Windows error Checking (Like Norton Utilities): NORTON UTILITIES

---------------------------------------------------------

Best Game (at the moment) : DOOM III

[edbro]

If you have broadband then there is no need for a download manager.

Not a category you asked about but the best browser is Maxthon if your IE6 is up to SP2. If not, use Firefox.

[nolookingca]

Here's mine, they're all free:

Firewall: ZoneAlarm

Anti-Virus: Avast! Antivirus

Advanced Windows Tuning (software like tweakXP): X-Setup Pro

Download Utilities: LeechGet

E-Mail: Thunderbird

Webdesign: Notepad

Graphics Development: N/A (not yet anyways )

Hard-Drive optimization tools (defraggers for example): various stuff from sysinternals.com

Windows error Checking (Like Norton Utilities): N/A

Anything else that comes to mind:

Browser: Avant Browser or Firefox

Compression Program: ZipGenius (handles a lot of formats)

File Splitting: Cutter (included with ZipGenius)

FTP: SmartFTP

Unattended XP Setup creation: nLite

Font management: Protaxies BestFonts

Hex editor: Hex Workshop

Spyware & Adware: "Spybot Search & Destroy", SpywareBlaster, and "MRU Blaster"

PDF Creator: CutePDF

Registry Editor: RegAlyzer

Office Suite: OpenOffice

Game Creation: Game Maker

MISC:

Download Site: SnapFiles.com

Software Recommendation: Fileoftheday.com (mostly shareware )

Edited August 19, 2004 by nolookingca

[shapiro2]

FIREWALL: ZoneAlarm Pro $40

ANTI-VIRUS: Don't need it w/ ZoneAlarm turned ON... use Ad-Aware SE Personal (FREE) every once in awhile until you figure out ZoneAlarm's settings.

DOWNLOADER: What!?! I remember messing with that on dial-up. Yea, I guess a Cable Modem or DSL would be a good start.

WINDOWS TUNING: TweakUI & FreshUI (FreshUI does a couple of cool things that TweakUI lacks) FREE

DEFRAG: O&O (makes it brainless, but most people seem to enjoy vegging out watching their computer defrag for some reason!) $50

GRAPHICS: JASC Paint Shop Pro ($70 online) -- If just viewing, then Irfanview (FREE) @ www.irfanview.com

EMAIL: Seriously, Outlook 2002 (on Office XP). Found that Outlook 2003 lacks rock-solid mail-merge with Excel & Word. You get what you pay for in this world.

[Mosselman]

If you have broadband then there is no need for a download manager.

Not true if you get a interupted download or want to pause it...

DOWNLOADER: What!?! I remember messing with that on dial-up. Yea, I guess a Cable Modem or DSL would be a good start.

Haha I guess its an American thing then to not think further then your nose is long...

Pausing downloads can be very usefull... Also having all your downloads managed by a more stable and reliable program than the standard IE downloader is very usefull... Firefox has a great downloader built in just like Opera but IE still has the same crappy instable one... Download managers arent for downloading faster these days but they are for fast managing of downloads and other usefull extras...