[h_a_t]

Is there such thing as a free pdf editor that doesn't require uploading your file to some site?
I'm only looking for basic text editing, as someone has sent a form and I want to fill in that information and send it back via email rather than printing, filling it out, and faxing.

I've tried a few PDF to Word converters and all seem to mess up the format of the form.

[Bboy AJ]

Is there anything good for Twitter? I'd like one that's Growl compatible.

[Threi]

Splayer http://www.splayer.org/index.en.html based on MPC.

yeah don't use this. It's a pretty awesome player (easily the best gui), but it completely messes with your associations, even if you use the portable version. Renames almost all filetypes (even non-video ones) to <splayer .extension>

if i didn't know about that issue it would still be my primary video player though.

if people are still using MPC-HC some dude made a nice little mod to one of the latest SVN builds so that it doesn't look like it's from windows 95 anymore. Also added a "hide menubar" option, something that was really needed IMO.



Just replace the MPC-HC in your program files folder, and the option to turn on the black theme is under Options > Tweaks > tick "Don't use XP theming"

http://drop.io/bobdynlan/asset/mpc-hc-2599-7z

[Angelus Errare]

It hasn't renamed any of my files names. My only issue with it is it's ridiculously slow speed at which it changes videos in my playlist when it reaches the end of one.

[Threi]

It hasn't renamed any of my files names. My only issue with it is it's ridiculously slow speed at which it changes videos in my playlist when it reaches the end of one.

that's what i thought as well until i ran ccleaner and showed that it did mess with the associations. It's rather simple to fix, but still it shouldn't be touching associations at all (especially non-video filetypes) unless you tell it to.

[hateradio]

This is a bit of a bump, but if there are any of you who extensively use FLAC, here's a nice program that will enable both 32- and 64-bit Windows version to recognize FLAC tags.

http://castlemadeofsand.wordpress.com/

[DonMigs85]

Just wanted to mention the FileHippo update checker - great little program that barely takes up any resources and warns you if most of your installed apps have updates available, from uTorrent to Flash Player to iTunes and more.

http://www.filehippo.com/updatechecker/

[tabsina]

Just wanted to mention the FileHippo update checker - great little program that barely takes up any resources and warns you if most of your installed apps have updates available, from uTorrent to Flash Player to iTunes and more. http://www.filehippo.com/updatechecker/

nice one! thanks

[NintendoGal]

A co-worker introduced me to Ninite last week. A very useful program if you ever need to reinstall windows and/or reformat.

+1 to Ninite. When I had to reinstall Windows 7, this helped save a bit of time.

[Prophet Steve]

I'm shocked i haven't seen this on the first page. This program is the only reason needed to justify total superiority of windows compared to linux/mac os :) Total Commander http://www.ghisler.com/screenshots/en/

What the hell, I was under the impression that this was a paid program. I used it always as a child to boot my games (do not remember why) and was sad I did not have it anymore on my new PC. I need it again.

EDIT: It is paid, I knew it. Shareware.

[Hazaro]

Just wanted to mention the FileHippo update checker - great little program that barely takes up any resources and warns you if most of your installed apps have updates available, from uTorrent to Flash Player to iTunes and more. http://www.filehippo.com/updatechecker/

Nice. Needed something like this (not for me though, I never update!)

[Threi]

A new media player: UMPlayer

www.umplayer.com

it's a frontend of MPlayer, so off the bat it's very solid at the core. What makes this one appealing is the nice GUI, and that it has a bar to search and view youtube vids built in.

[captmcblack]

I'm bumping this because I got a lot of great programs to update a new rig build I set up today. Thanks, OP and everyone that contributed!

Are there more programs that would be useful for a fresh PC setup besides the ones that have been posted to date?

[ghostofsparta]

OpenOffice.org - free office software that is entirely compatible with MS Office, I'm guessing most people know what this is.

Oracle isn't going to support OpenOffice.org anymore.

Go with libreoffice.

It's actually made by a group of people that helped make openoffice but left because Oracle is a bunch of bitches. The UI, and frankly everything else, is identical to open office, so give it a try!

[BosSin]

Screw it, I'm bumping this thread because I found this neat reader: Martview, its especially useful for reading magazines, comics etc.

[Gez]

I am looking for a Free program that is similar to Photoshop Elements where i can restore damaged photos from 40 years ago. (i want to repair cracks and sun damage in the photo itself via the program and then reprint it)

Elements has this feature where you can 'quick fix' a photo and it automatically repairs it to the best of its ability.

Does anyone know of such a program? I can across PhotoScape, but i'm not sure if its the best one out there.

[Monroeski]

I've been using DVD Flick for burning DVDs and it's worked great overall, but it doesn't seem to let me add more than one line of text to the title screen and I need to do that for this project. Any ideas?

[Threi]

I've been using DVD Flick for burning DVDs and it's worked great overall, but it doesn't seem to let me add more than one line of text to the title screen and I need to do that for this project. Any ideas?

Ever tried AVS2DVD?

[aggro crag]

Here's my list of software whenever I do a fresh install of Windows 7.

CCleaner
Microsoft Security Essentials
Google Chrome
Libreoffice
GIMP
Sumatra PDF
K-Lite Codecs with Media Player Classic
7-Zip
CD Burner XP

I guess MS SE and Chrome are debatable, since we're talking about best free software. But I do feel pretty strongly about most of the rest. I went from VLC to Media Player Classic, because of performance issues. It's been a while, so I can barely remember why I switched in the first place. Sumatra PDF is great because it's really a no bullshit PDF reader.

[Whogie]

For ISO tools, I just use ISO Recorder since it's only presence is some right-click menu tools.

I just wanted to note that there seem be two branches of ffdshow. The one linked in the OP is an old one that isn't updated anymore, and last I tried, isn't compatible with new versions of WMP. ffdshow-tryouts (just called ffdshow here,) is the currently updated version.

Personally, though I keep VLC and MPCHC installed on my computer just in case, I just use Windows Media Player since I really like its GUI. With a little help, it can run mostly everything:
Haali Media Splitter - Allows unsupported containers to open. Gives controls in the taskbar to change streams.
ffdshow-tryouts - Fills in missing codecs.
VSFilter - Adds subtitle support. Can be controlled by Haali.
Downsides:
If VSFilter sees subtitles in the container and loads, DXVA will be disabled.

For video conversions:
Handbrake - As already been mentioned, but my favorite encoding tool.
MKVToolNix - Contains MKVMerge for remuxing (changing audio/video/subtitle streams.) It can read most container files, but it will only write to MKV.
YAMB - MKV isn't always an option, so here's an MP4 remuxing tool. It's a bit finnicky and not as powerful as MKVMerge, but the best I've been able to find for MP4/M4V.

[Wichu]

I have to say Paint.NET is my favourite free image editor; I've been using it for years. It's faster and easier to use than GIMP and Photoshop IMO.

[Monroeski]

Ever tried AVS2DVD?

Looks like it's going to work great, thanks.

[Threi]

Also wanted to pimp PotPlayer again, it's come quite a ways (yet still doesn't have an official English website yet lol) and has some really nice skins.

for example:



(it disappears, WMP style. Caption buttons are at the top as well, also autohidden. You can also just make it use the regular window caption buttons if you want)

[VisitableElf]

Also wanted to pimp PotPlayer again, it's come quite a ways (yet still doesn't have an official English website yet lol) and has some really nice skins. for example: (it disappears, WMP style. Caption buttons are at the top as well, also autohidden. You can also just make it use the regular window caption buttons if you want)

What skin is that?

Im liking this player a lot. Loads up faster than VLC

[Threi]

What skin is that? Im liking this player a lot. Loads up faster than VLC

It's one of these two:
http://www.mediafire.com/?37e6uc8iaa7og90
http://www.mediafire.com/?720bs9weu11z76y

i just personally took all the skins from here though: http://www.deviantart.com/download/2...rm-d49c2em.zip

(just copy the skins folder, don't worry about anything else)

to enable transparency you just go to preferences > skin > control and select "Direct3D 9" for Method.

[Negaiido]

Does anyone know a open-source/free alternative for Acronis True Image? I would like to make a backup image of a partition.

[vaelic]

What's a good free app to convert file types so I can play movies on my 360?

[catfish]

A co-worker introduced me to Ninite last week. A very useful program if you ever need to reinstall windows and/or reformat.

needs to be quoted a bit more

[moojito]

What's a good free app to convert file types so I can play movies on my 360?

Hanbrake is a pretty decent program. Fast, too!

[vaelic]

Hanbrake is a pretty decent program. Fast, too!

thank you. btw, what IS the format needed to play movies on 360?

[vaelic]

please tell me I can get rid of the ad at the bottom of digsby......

[la_briola]

please tell me I can get rid of the ad at the bottom of digsby......

here you go seriously

but if you don't want to use this nice open source program:

As of 2010, Digsby optionally appends an advertisement to the end of a user's status message. While this can be disabled, it defaults to enabled when a user first installs the program. In December 2010, Digsby made an ad banner appear by default at the bottom of every chat window in use. This can be disabled by going through Preferences > Conversations and unchecking the first box.

via its wikipedia page

I got this from one of the many previous GAF free software threads, but in case anyone missed it: Katmouse It's a windows utility that allows you to use the scroll wheel on the window that the mouse is currently over, rather than whichever one is in focus (ala Linux). Very useful, especially for dual monitor people.

amazing, thanks a lot

[Sanjuro]

thank you. btw, what IS the format needed to play movies on 360?

Just use PS3 Media Server. Converts everything on the fly.

[Borinot]

Potplayer with x32 and x64 versions. 100% recommended.


http://www.dvbsupport.net/download/i...category&id=16

[ReXXXSoprano]

Also wanted to pimp PotPlayer again, it's come quite a ways (yet still doesn't have an official English website yet lol) and has some really nice skins. for example: (it disappears, WMP style. Caption buttons are at the top as well, also autohidden. You can also just make it use the regular window caption buttons if you want)

Had to come and cosign this. PotPlayer is my player of choice (KMPlayer refugee) and like Threi said skins make a world of difference. I'm still on a hunt for one that had an option that KMPlayer did for keeping track of previously and most played files to access at will. But if you have a player you should just drop it for this one and call it a day.

[Kyaw]

Does Pot Player has built in codecs and stuff like VLC?

I used to use Media Player Classic and the abundance of options made me scared and couldn't get some audio stuff working and get frequent stutters and what not in high bit rate sources.

VLC has been the saviour ever since then.

[scorcho]

if you thought the options in MPC were perplexing, you'd get downright lost with PotPlayer. stick with VLC.

i've found that the best quality and lowest resource usage for playing back a variety of media was LAV filters + MadVR + ffdshow. great stuff.

[Threi]

Potplayer has built in codecs, and the defaults work better than the defaults of any other player IMO (only thing is audio normalization is turned on by default, i don't really like it so i turn that off)

[cackhyena]

This is... amazing. It just works. Thank you sooo much.

This PS3 mediaserver thing is not working for me. I don't know what I have to do.

[br0ken_shad0w]

This PS3 mediaserver thing is not working for me. I don't know what I have to do.

I had to play with my settings for a while to get it to work.

http://www.ps3mediaserver.org/forum/...php?f=6&t=3507