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There are a lot of great freeware products out there. Many are as good or even better than their commercial alternatives. This list features the "best of the best." The best browser, the best free virus scanner, the best spam filters, and lots more, it's TechSupportAlert's 46 Best-Ever Freeware Utilities.
From This is True for 10 August 2005
Suggestions for further reading:
Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition (Missing Manual)
By: David Pogue
List Price: $29.99
Amazon Price: $19.79
Editorial Review:
Is Windows giving you pause? Ready to make the leap to the Mac instead? There has never been a better time to switch from Windows to Mac, and this incomparable guide will help you make a smooth transition. New York Times columnist and Missing Manuals creator David Pogue gets you past three challenges: transferring your stuff, assembling Mac programs so you can do what you did with Windows, and learning your way around Mac OS X. Why is this such a good time to switch? Upgrading from one version of Windows to another used to be simple. But now there's Windows Vista, a veritable resource hog that forces you to relearn everything. Learning a Mac is not a piece of cake, but once you do, the rewards are oh-so-much better. No viruses, worms or spyware. No questionable firewalls, inefficient permissions, or other strange features. Just a beautiful machine with a thoroughly reliable system. And if you're still using Windows XP, we've got you covered, too. If you're ready to take on Mac OS X Leopard, the latest edition of this bestselling guide tells you everything you need to know: Transferring your stuff -- Moving photos, MP3s, and Microsoft Office documents is the easy part. This book gets you through the tricky things: extracting your email, address book, calendar, Web bookmarks, buddy list, desktop pictures, and MP3 files. Re-creating your software suite -- Big-name programs (Word, Photoshop, Firefox, Dreamweaver, and so on) are available in both Mac and Windows versions, but hundreds of other programs are available only for Windows. This guide identifies the Mac equivalents and explains how to move your data to them. Learning Leopard -- Once you've moved into the Mac, a final task awaits: Learning your way around. Fortunately, you're in good hands with the author of Mac OS X: The Missing Manual, the #1 bestselling guide to the Macintosh. Moving from Windows to a Mac successfully and painlessly is the one thing Apple does not deliver. Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition is your ticket to a new computing experience.
Microsoft Office 2007: Introductory Concepts and Techniques, Windows XP Editi...
By: Gary B. ShellyThomas J. CashmanMisty E. Vermaat
List Price: $95.95
Amazon Price: $91.15
Editorial Review:
For the past three decades, the Shelly Cashman Series has effectively introduced computer skills to millions of individuals. With Microsoft Office 2007, we are continuing our history of innovation by enhancing our proven pedagogy to reflect the learning styles of todays users. You will find features that are specifically designed to engage learners, improve retention and prepare the user for success. Our trademark step-by-step, screen-by-screen approach now encourages the reader to expand their understanding of the Microsoft Office 2007 software through experimentation, exploration and planning ahead.
Windows XP For Dummies, 2nd Edition
By: Andy Rathbone
List Price: $21.99
Amazon Price: $14.95
Editorial Review:
Windows XP for Dummies does a good job in its role as the flagship of the Dummies line, providing Windows novices with a guided introduction to Microsoft's latest and most feature-rich operating system for everyday computer users. Its treatment of computer, Windows, and Internet fundamentals is among the best on the market, and author Andy Rathbone has an appealing way of writing that's simultaneously fun and detail-rich. If you're a Windows novice--meaning you don't know how to undelete a file that's been sent to the Recycle Bin, or what a Web browser is, or what it means to "cut and paste" text--you will get a lot out of Rathbone's work.Some aspects of this book could be better, such as the part of the networking chapter that calls for an Ethernet hub without noting that a switch, though possibly more expensive, would do the job better, without any additional hassle. The networking coverage also does an inadequate job of explaining how to share a cable modem or DSL connection among several computers. This is a serious shortcoming, and we're getting to the point in our evolution as a society of computer users at which we can assume that everyone knows what the "Cancel" button does and would rather read about the newer, more exciting things that Windows XP can do. Even the dummies aren't that dumb anymore.
But that said--and Rathbone does confine a lot of the really elementary stuff to a skinny introductory chapter--this book is a boon to people who aren't familiar with Windows XP or its immediate predecessors (including Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me). It's also great for people who have learned a little about Windows on the job or from their kids, and want to expand on what they know. --David Wall
Topics covered: Microsoft Windows XP for people completely unfamiliar with the operating system and other recent versions of Windows. Coverage includes how to run programs, move and delete files, connect to the Internet, and use applications like electronic mail programs, Web browsers, and multimedia players.Windows is the world’s most popular operating system, and Windows For Dummies is the bestselling computer book ever. When you look at Windows XP For Dummies, 2nd Edition, it’s easy to see why. Here’s all the stuff you want to know, served up in plain English and seasoned with a few chuckles. But make no mistake, this book means business.
Author Andy Rathbone listened to what you wanted to know, and this edition is loaded with additional information about E-mail, faxing, and troubleshooting Maximizing security features Customizing and upgrading Windows XP Multimedia applications—CDs, digital music and photos, video, and more Answers to questions asked by thousands of Windows users
If you’re just getting started with Windows XP, you’ll find Windows XP For Dummies, 2nd Edition is a lot easier than trying to get the fourth-grader next door to explain it to you. (Andy Rathbone is a lot more patient.) There’s a whole section devoted to “Windows XP Stuff Everybody Thinks You Already Know,” so you can get the hang of the basics quickly and in the privacy of your own home. And if you’ve been around a couple of generations of Windows, you’ll be especially interested in how to squeeze maximum security from the beefed-up anti-spam and firewall features in Service Pack 2.
Windows XP For Dummies, 2nd Edition is sort of like a buffet—you can sample everything, or just stick with the stuff you know you like. You’ll find out how to Locate programs and files, organize your information, and fax, scan, or print documents Get online safely, send and receive e-mail, work with Internet Explorer’s security toolbar, and steer clear of pop-ups, viruses, and spam Make Windows XP work the way you want it to, share your computer while maintaining your privacy, set up a network, and perform routine maintenance Transfer and organize pictures from your digital camera, edit digital video, and create custom CDs of your favorite tunes Use Windows XP’s troubleshooting wizards and become your own computer doctor
With its task-oriented table of contents and tear-out cheat sheet, Windows XP For Dummies, 2nd Edition is easy to use. You can quickly find what you want to know, and you just may discover that this book is as important to your computer as the power cord.
MCSA/MCSE Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-270): Installing, Configuring, and...
By: Walter GlennAnthony Northrup
List Price: $59.99
Amazon Price: $37.79
Editorial Review:
Fully updated for Windows XP Service Pack 2, this popular kit delivers in-depth preparation for core MCSA/MCSE Exam 70-270, including self-paced training, expert exam tips, full review, 425-question test bank, case studies, trial software, and more.
MCDST Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-271): Supporting Users andTroubleshoot...
By: Walter GlennTony Northrup
List Price: $59.99
Amazon Price: $37.79
Editorial Review:
Get in-depth exam prep for Exam 70-271, a core requirement for MCDST certification, as you build real-world job skills. Updated to cover Service Pack 2, this kit includes 425 practice questions, full review, case studies, troubleshooting labs, and more
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