How about a sticky for the best free downloads on the net?

[Checkboard]

My suggestions:

ZoneAlarm (http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/home.jsp) - everyone should know that this is one of the better free firewalls on the net. If you like a little more techno - access, perhaps Tiny Personal Firewall (http://download.com.com/3000-2092-10053671.html?legacy=cnet)

Free virus protection from grisoft.com (http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_downl.htm), AVG Anti-virus, a full virus protection suite for free.

To kill advertising spyware that may be hiding on your system, checking up on your surfing : Adaware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/)

WipeUrTrax (http://www.collakesoftware.com/), an internet privacy utility (not free, but a free trial)

To kill those pesky popup windows, Akiller (http://www.buypin.com/menu.php?group=1&page=akiller&lang=english)

Like many computer users, some of us gather a pretty large movie library, this utility keeps it all in order : movie catalogue (http://www.buypin.com/menu.php?group=1&page=amc&lang=english)

Increase your download speed with Metaproducts download express (http://www.metaproducts.com/mpDE-UY.html)

A system tweaker called xteq X-setup (http://www.xteq.com/downloads/) that allows you to adjust your system for higher speed.

A whole suite of "advanced" system tools at G-lock software (http://www.glocksoft.com/port_scanner.htm)

Weird 3-D clocks, at clock domain (http://www.clockdomain.com/cgi-bin/main.cgi#spl) (NB - I don't use these!), or the one I used originally, which I found here at World Time (http://www.pawprint.net/wt/)

[Evo]

Can I vote for...

http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/ftp.php3

removes the need for those other Windows downloads too ;)

:D

[gofer]

Nice idea, I'll get back with a few more at the weekend, must rush...:)

[touch&go]

Good program to check your system


The site is
http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/sandra

Program down load is
http://www.sisoftware.demon.co.uk/san_dem/html/dload.htm

[DX Wombat]

Copernic - a search facility which uses multiple search engines to find what you are looking for and displays the results so you can chose whose list you want to look at, eg Yahoo 10 Google 15, etc. It will also let you have two specific geographical areas for your search - mine is currently set to UK and Oz. The basic version is free but the more sophisticated versions have to be paid for.

[Eboy]

I have used the free "FileSync" file synchronization and "FTPSync" FTP synchronization utilities from Fileware several times a month for years. I use them so often I registered and sent them some money. Still, it's cheap.

http://www.fileware.co.uk/products.htm

[RomeoTangoFoxtrotMike]

Here's the first cut at a selection from my list of URLs which hopefully peopel will find useful. Not just downloads, but a micellaneous collection of thisngs I've found "useful". Where a commercial product is referenced, it comes with no warranty other than "it's worked for me in the past", or is included for completeness/balance.

Also, there are one or two links to sites delaing with "issues" that PPRuNers on this forum might be interested in ;)

I'll try to get around to annotating some of these to indicate why the may be useful / interesting. Please report broken links, etc. Enjoy :D


Networking

General help
http://www.wown.com/ World of Windows Networking -- All sorts of useful
help on Windows networking
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/ Bachground information on
networking and HowTos.

Wide area / Broadband
http://www.adslguide.org.uk/ All you ever wanted to know about ADSL in
the UK
http://www.bt.com/btbroadband/ BT's broadband info site.
http://www.bt.com/btbroadband/register Registration page for non-ADSL
enabled exchanges.

Windows Connection Sharing (WCS)
Connection sharing software.
http://wingate.deerfield.com/
http://www.twiga.ltd.uk/

See also Firewalls/Routers below

Firewalls / Routers
These are both combined firewalls (protecting your computers) and
routers (which allow you to connect multiple PCs, similarly to WCS).
You do need a separate computer to use these (but any old box will do).
Somewhat more work to setup than WCS (but does mean that the kiddies
don't have to switch your PC to get to the internet... ;)
http://www.smoothwall.org/
http://www.ipcop.org/

Firewalls
http://www.tinysoftware.com/
http://www.iss.net/products_services/hsoffice_protection/
http://www.zonelabs.com/

Anti-Virus
http://www.sophos.com/
http://www.symantec.com/
http://www.grisoft.com/
http://www.f-secure.com/
http://www.messagelabs.com/
(mcafee link removed due to the excessive and gratuitous use of popups.
Try DrSolomons)
http://www.drsolomon.com/

See also Myths and Hoaxes

Microsoft / Windows
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ Check that you have all those
zillions of patches that you need to keep a Windows box half secure...
http://microsoft.com/technet/security/tips/wfmsio.asp Primary resource
for MS security information; also
http://www.microsoft.com/security/
http://microsoft.com/technet/security/ Microsoft's security alerts
page.

Java
If you need to install a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) try here. For
the background, see Rants below.
http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4/jre/install-windows.html

Operating Systems
Free OSes (mainly Unixlike :)

Not Linux
http://www.FreeBSD.org/ PC oriented. Better for desktops.
http://www.NetBSD.org/ Any processor going, including i386 and SPARC. Better for servers.
Linux
http://www.debian.org Free Linux
http://www.suse.com/
http://www.redhat.com/
http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/

Hardware
http://www.tomshardware.com/
http://www.overclockers.com/

Myths and Hoaxes

http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/
http://www.vmyths.com/

General Software downloads
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download.htm
http://www.grc.com/

Rumours / NEws / Rants / Issues
MS and Java
http://www.microsoft.com/java/xp.htm
http://www.microsoft.com/java/issues/openletter.htm This link appears to be broken Try http://www.freelists.org/archives/ruxp/08-2001/msg00012.html instead.
http://iwsun4.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/01/07/19/010719hnjavaup.xml

Copyright
http://www.stand.org.uk/ For all those of you who like to copy music
for use in the car, on your PC, mix'n'match, etc... (see also the
TCPA/Palladium stuff below.)

Palladium/TCPA
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/tcpa-faq.html This is potentially scary
http://www.theregus.com/content/4/25415.html

I'll try and add to or update this list on an ongoing basis. Would people like me to add in their contributions to this list ? (I wouldn't want to seen be misappropriating other people's efforts.. :rolleyes: )