Alaron has been interested in computers for the past 10 years. He started out with no knowledge of how computers worked, knowing only that instant messaging and online games were fun. But over time he became dissatisfied that his store bought computer was not powerful enough for the games he wanted to play. In his search for a new system, he decided to build his own and discovered PCMechanic. Over a few years, the hobby grew on him and he spent more time on the Forums. He started writing the weekly Freeware Frenzy column in August 2005 and became a forum Moderator in 2006.
When not online, Alaron divides his time between college and two other jobs. He is perpetually tinkering with his PCs, Linux, and programming, while listening to music and catching up on all the latest news.
You can contact Alaron at the above address.
Alaron
Ever felt the need to use your creativity and express your inner artist? There are a myriad of options for art related programs on the net, and I have reviewed a few of them. But there is always room for one more in the world of freeware. So for this week’s Freeware Frenzy, I will be taking a look at Artweaver v0.4.6. Though it is prior to an official 1.0...
This week’s Freeware Frenzy is dedicated to the PDF. PDF stands for Portable Data File and is very popular online for distributing published information in a professional format. Due to this popularity, many of us use PDF readers such as Adobe Acrobat or Foxit Reader: http://www.pcmech.com/article/foxit/ . But how do we create PDFs without pricy...
In this week’s Freeware Frenzy, I’ll be examining a handful of Windows Explorer replacements. These applications are geared toward the power user, who needs to manage their files and folders with more than what Windows can offer. So if you are in need of some serious reorganization, read on. Commander http://meesoft.logicnet.dk/Commander/ During...
Ad-Aware SE Personal, the free anti-spyware program from Lavasoft, has been one of the most popular solutions for battling malware on the PC. I have been using it for years to protect my systems and would recommend it to anyone. Lavasoft has just released an updated version, complete with new features, a new look and a new name. So let’s take a closer look...
Newly released to the public, Safari is Apple’s own browser found in OS X. While still in Beta, Safari for Windows offers another inside look to that other camp: the Mac computer. Many of us already use a few Mac applications. Even the most devout PC user has QuickTime and/or iTunes. Let’s see if Safari offers enough to sway any Internet Explorer or...
For today’s Freeware Frenzy I will examine AntiVir PE Classic 7.0 from Avira. Avira AntiVir Personal Edition Classic is a virus scanner, much like AVG. This is the only function of both programs; you’ll have to look elsewhere for firewall and spyware protection. For those I recommend XP’s built in firewall and a combination of AdAware SE,...
Ever find that your start menu is so full of programs and files that you just can’t stand hunting for things every day? If so, check out one of the ultimate power user programs: the launcher. With a few quick keystrokes, you can find and launch any program on your system. For this week’s Freeware Frenzy, I have rounded up four of the big name...
Billed as the simple yet powerful, audio-lover’s audio player, Foobar2000 is this week’s Freeware Frenzy program. Let’s take a look at what it can do. During installation you’ll want to peruse the options briefly; they are all hidden in one tree. I chose to install the extra tools that are not included by default to experience everything...
Note: This review was updated July 25, 2007. “The only video player you need.” That is the tagline for this week’s Freeware Frenzy program: Miro. Formerly known as Democracy Player, Miro has been renamed and is nearly ready for a full version 1.0 release. Billed as your window to the online media scene, Miro plays and collects nearly any...
In my travels through cyberspace, I’ve become increasingly aware of the myriad programs that purport to be the one-stop-shop for all of your computer’s security and upkeep needs. Frequently these programs are expensive, much too expensive sometimes. This being your source for all things free, I’ll be examining one of these suites that happen to...
This week’s Freeware Frenzy will be a follow up to a Head-to-Head I wrote earlier this year. So without any further ado, let’s take a look at Copernic Desktop Search 2. After you agree to the license, the program will install itself immediately. But the process will continue with a quick configuration. You’ll need to choose between Typical and...
For this week’s Freeware Frenzy, I will be taking a look at SUPER, build 22. SUPER is a multimedia conversion tool. Using popular converters, and adding an easy to navigate GUI, you can quickly and easily convert your media; music or video, from one type to another. We see this issue crop up often these days due to the popularity of personal media players...
Today I’ll be look at a four program set, from Fresh Devices. Though mostly unrelated, each application has its own unique abilities that deem them worthy of a look. I’ll be covering Fresh Diagnose, Fresh Download, Fresh View and Fresh UI. Each program has standard install procedures, including a choice of all three short cut icons. Download requires...
Lately I have been having some post IE7 upgrade woes. Sure, I avoided the upgrade as long as I could, but eventually I upgraded just to stop having to worry about canceling it every time Windows Update popped up. Long time readers will know that I am a regular user of Avant Browser, a shell for Internet Explorer that adds all of the tools we’ve come to...
Have you ever found it difficult to layout newsletters or brochures, even with the expensive desktop office software you bought? I know Word just cannot handle complex page layouts. Microsoft created MS Publisher just for this reason, and that makes it much easier to create publishing projects. But Publisher is expensive, so I’ve got you covered with the...
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