Reviews

Spyware Terminator

Fri, 22 May 2009 21:10:00 -0400

This is one of the most exciting free programs I’ve come across in a while. Finally a very good antispyware program that you can install and forget, knowing that you have effective real time protection with automatic live updates.

This might not sound so revolutionary but it is, because most good freeware antispyware programs, including well known titles such as Spybot Search & Destroy, Ad-Aware, and Spyware Blaster do not feature automatic updates unless you switch to the paid version. For me this always meant that there really isn’t a good freeware antispyware, and that a better option would be the (commercial) SpySweeper or Spyware Doctor. Until now, that is.I’ve been using this program for a while and am very satisfied with it. My brother recently had a nasty spyware infection that some of the other (free + non-free) antispyware programs could not effectively handle, but that Spyware Terminator resolved beautifully.

Note: Spyware Terminator integrates a free open source antivirus software named ClamVir to scan your computer. Although this is a good feature that I recommend, ClamVir does not offer memory resident antivirus protection and you should not consider it to be sufficient antivirus protection. (I.e. use Spyware Teminator for Spyware protection and install another Antivirus program for protection against viruses).

The following are some of Spyware Terminiator’s features:

Fast Scan, Full Scan, Customized Scan, Scheduled Scan

ClamAV antivirus integration (including ClamAV database updates)

Effective removal of threats, including blocked files on reboot. Quarantines threats. Allows removal of locked files

Real Time Protection with autmatic live updates.

HIPS function monitors files for suspicious changes and asks user to intervine if changes to system are not recognized in it’s database.

File analysis option allows sending of suspicious files to the developers for deep analysis.

Restore computer to earlier or default setting

A free alternative to: SpySweeper, Spyware Doctor, etc…

Download Here

Folder Menu

Fri, 22 May 2009 20:59:00 -0400

Folder Menu is a free utility that can display a popup-list of favorite folders, files, and program shortcuts via hotkey or by using the middle mouse button. An added function is the ability to browse your files and folders within the popup dialog.

Is there anything more useful than an app that can instantly open your favorite folders or files or launch your favorite apps or websites? It’s possible, I suppose, but either way this favorite-folders at your fingertips app is pretty darn handy.

Folder Menu provides a number of interesting features; for example it can display a list of recently-opened folders, and it allows you to browse your files and folders within the interface if you like. It works within Windows explorer as well as inside many other apps, and provides the possibility of manually adding any apps that are not supported by default. More notes below:

My favorite Folder Menu functions:

(1) Favorite folders;

(2) Browsing folders within the interface;

(3) Launching favorite apps, and

(4) Opening selected path/URL by hotkey (see “open selected text” below).

How it works: the middle mouse button will bring up the Folder Menu by default. For those who are keyboard-inclined (or, like me, use a laptop) Win+W can invoke the app as well.

Entities supported: you can launch folders, files, URLs, as well as registry keys.

Browsing: bring Folder Menu on screen, then press CTRL and left-click on your folders. This allows you to browse your folders quickly and freely. CTRL+Shift will display files as well as folders. Also, CAPS LOCK will toggle browsing if its on (this behavior can be switched off in the settings).

Filtering (for vista): a handy function where you can filter open folders by your desired file type. Sadly does not work on XP, so I couldn’t see it in action.

Open selected text: select/highlight a URL or path (or registry key) then press

Win+J to open it. Pretty cool.

Adding favorites: go to options/favorites, and then drag and drop the folder you want to add. To change the display order use shift+arrows; to delete press “delete”.

System tray icon: you can access Folder Menu from the system tray. Note that it is possible to hid the system tray icon from the settings if you want to.

Memory use: approx. 11 megs in memory, which is reasonable though not lightweight.

Installation: portable, no installation needed. Place the .exe in an appropriate folder and run; it will create a config file when first run.

Download Here

Launchy

Sat, 09 May 2009 01:26:00 -0400

With Launchy you can search for installed apps rather than browse for them manually in your start menu.

Launchy is invoked/dismissed by a hot key (alt+space by default). Itis pre-set to index your start menu links, but can be customized to index any location on your hard drive for any type of file.

For example, I typically tend to put a lot of files that I am working on on the desktop. I therefore set launchy to index the desktop (and all sub-folders recursively) to the types of files that I want that I typically deal with (xls, csv, jpg, mp3, exe, zip, rar, etc.)

I used to use a very similar program called Find and Run Robot,but I find that this one (a) is more customizable and flexible, and (b) has a much better look and feel overall (it also has tons of skins).

This is a very interesting launcher that takes very little system resources to run. It is a must if you, like me, have a ton of installed applications and a lot of files that you work with.

Download HERE