EXTRAORDINARY APPLICATIONS

Having recently used Format C: in an effort to fix some quite fundamental problems on my WinXP install I had a thought (or 3) regarding applications that I can't live without. I'm not talking about Microsoft Office or Pain Shop Pro, though they do go on by default. These are the things that just about everyone uses. No, what I'm talking about are the slightly more unusual programmes that you always install that make the machine feel like yours and make it work just so.

In an effort to give a fair crack of the whip to all sorts of programmes I polled the staff here on their personal choices. The results are interesting and include several programmes I have never heard of, so there is scope for all to learn something or try a new utility that might help make your computing experience better. Without further ado the suggestions in alphabeical order are:

• Ad Muncher. It blocks all ads without annoying me, kindly replacing them with [munched] text.
  It operated 100 times more efficiently than the inbuilt filtering in my browser MyIE2, which often blocked legitimate pop-ups. TBL.
• DVD Profiler. I have a fairly large DVD collection to go with my home cinema setup. It a pain to keep track of, but this programme allows you to add them to a data base on your Hard Drive and upload to a personal website ensuring backup and a little publicity. Additional benefits include the ability to log any you lend or have ordered. Seahorse.
• Favorg. Harder to find than a big hard thing on the internet, so I have added a copy here. You know those little special Icons in you web browser favourites lists that dissapear for no reason (they are deleted from Temporary Inter files folder in fact). Favorg downloads them and makes them permanent. Seahorse.
• Iconoid. Is a little util which saves desktop icon positions! Useful if you have no wish to have them all up in the top left corner. It also adds transparent backgouds to Icon text for owners using something other than WinXP. the wiLik.
• Norton Ghost. Essential! If you get bored of reinstalling, then don't! Simply have it all setup on CD in the first place. the wiLik.
• Objectdock. A great looking application launcher/Taskbar replacement (depending on how you set it up) featuring smooth looking animation, and more recently animated icons. A no brainer to use and gorgeous to look at. Eye-candy at its best. Seahorse.
• Send to X. One of the elements of the origianl Windows Powertoys that is indespensible. It still works fine with WinXP and adds RIght Click a navigation requester with memory for copying or moving file using Windows Explorer. Seahorse.
• Taglines! I like having different Taglines for posting to newsgroups. I have used this programme which stoes & sorts them and give a new Tagline every day without my intervention once setup. Works regardless of client.
• Treesize. A smart program that scans your logical drives (including removable media) and tells you the location of huge files or large folders. the wiLik.
• TweakUI. One of the most useful things I've found to come out of MS! Handy for turning auto-insert notification off among other things (I just HATE CD's starting automatically... and it's also how some copy protection works). Personally I use it to alter defaul paths for Documents etc, disabling 'Shortcut to' and so on. Seahorse/the wiLik.