The Pricelessware List

January 23, 2005 6:52 AM

Windows users: are you on the lookout for good free software? Worried about spyware, adware, malware, hijackers, or just plain lousy code that likes to play havoc with your system? Look no further. It's pricelessware to the rescue!
posted by MotorNeuron (39 comments total)

Has anyone heard of this so-called "Python" they list in the Programming Utilities section?
posted by Wolfdog at 7:33 AM on January 23, 2005

Old but good.
posted by catachresoid at 7:38 AM on January 23, 2005

Anyone know anything about Zone Alarm? It claims to use "port blocking" to "make your PC invisible online". Is that actually possible?

I found it on the Security page.
posted by spicynuts at 7:44 AM on January 23, 2005

I'm always looking for some good freeware and this site has filtered out some of the best and included some comprehensive information about each.

*Sigh.* Some day I hope to be as cutting-frickin-edge-cool as some of the kids.

On preview, thank you for deleting that first comment.
posted by jaronson at 8:04 AM on January 23, 2005

Blech, Sphygmic Spreadsheet is a horrible, crash-prone program from the days of 16-bit Windows.
posted by Foosnark at 8:09 AM on January 23, 2005

The table of equivalents of Windows software in Linux also includes some free Windows software.
posted by euphorb at 8:09 AM on January 23, 2005

Great list, MotorNeuron. I will be exploring several of these...JAlbum and RunIt looks esp. promising...
posted by mcstayinskool at 8:21 AM on January 23, 2005

spicynuts, Zone Alarm is a well-known bit of software firewalling software. It does its job very well, effectively closing off most of the avenues by which your computer can be compromised by virii and the like. It's quite configurable too.

That said, two caveats. Caveat the first: if you're on a home cable or DSL broadband connection, you're probably using NAT (Network Address Translation), which means that your computer is invisible to the outside world, and already mostly protected from attacks. Caveat the second: Windows XP SP2 includes Windows Firewall, which is on by default and does most of what Zone Alarm does.
posted by killdevil at 8:25 AM on January 23, 2005

Foosnark, regarding Sphygmic Spreadsheet, they do mention that the "Program is showing it's age" although no mention of the crashing.

Know of a better freeware spreadsheet? You can nominate it:

"The vote is open to all those who wish to participate in the process. Anyone who wants to nominate a favorite Freeware program, or simply vote on the programs nominated, is welcome to do so. All you need is either a Usenet News Reader (and Usenet access) and visit "alt.comp.freeware", or access to Google Groups."
posted by MotorNeuron at 8:27 AM on January 23, 2005

spicynuts, et al, for more on Zonealarm & making "your PC invisible online," please see Steve Gibson's site...especially ShieldsUP!
posted by taosbat at 8:31 AM on January 23, 2005

Sorry for my first comment, MotorNeuron, I thought you were shilling a product and so hadn't clicked on the link. My mistake. Nice list of FREE software.
posted by sic at 9:21 AM on January 23, 2005

Does the Windows firewall monitor outbound Internet requests? Zone Alarm has caught M$ programs trying to use the Internet when they have no godly reason to (I'm not talking about XP's required network processes).

Zone Alarm also caught a trojan that came packaged with another program I downloaded. The trojan was attempting to download and install another piece of software. Thankfully, Zone Alarm alerted me and the only removal procedure needed was to delete the initial trojan file.
posted by fleener at 9:24 AM on January 23, 2005

I've never liked ZoneAlarm, run into too many problems with it in the past. I used TinyPersonal Firewall for a while and now I use KerioPersonal Firewall. So far it works great, I'd recoment it over ZA.
posted by MrBobaFett at 9:29 AM on January 23, 2005

And Kerio v2 is better than Kerio version whatever-it-is-now.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:33 AM on January 23, 2005

Does the Windows firewall monitor outbound Internet requests?

NO! Why would M$ want to trouble you with their unmentioned business on your machine?

I used ZoneAlarm's free firwall for years without an problem. I've run it on my 2 machines with ME & XP. When I put SP2 on my machine, I tested the firewall at ShieldsUp & LeakTest & turned it off & re-installed ZoneAlarm...still free & trouble-free. I put it on my mother's computer when she had 98 & it's still working for her now that she upgraded to XP.
posted by taosbat at 9:42 AM on January 23, 2005

I use Kerio 2.1 and it is very effective. The problem is you have to know how to make rules. Here is some help with that.
posted by sic at 9:43 AM on January 23, 2005

NO!

OKAY! COOL!
posted by jimmy at 9:54 AM on January 23, 2005

Python is a very mature object-oriented programming language like Perl or Java. It's what runs Google. If you want to know more try the Python website.

Satyagraha
posted by thebestsophist at 9:58 AM on January 23, 2005

taosbat, killdevil, thebestsophist: YHBT HAND.
posted by driveler at 10:08 AM on January 23, 2005

HTH!
posted by cortex at 10:17 AM on January 23, 2005

i've used zone alarm for years. good stuff.
posted by quonsar at 10:19 AM on January 23, 2005

Steve Gibson's site has some useful tools but it is also way absurd. Like:

YOUAR COMPUTER RESPONEDED TO PING THE HACKERS CAN PING THEIR WAY ONTO YOUR HARD DRIVE OH NOS!

and

YOUR BROWSER HEADER DISPLAYS DANGEROUS IDENTIFYING INFORMATION LIKE YOU ARE USING IE!!!@!@!
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 10:49 AM on January 23, 2005

Good post and comments.
I like the simple, informative site layout.
Hey, quonsar--welcome back.
We missed you.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 10:49 AM on January 23, 2005

Thanks for the reminder of pricelessware, MotorNeuron. I used it a few years ago, but had forgotten to bookmark it. It's too bad they don't have a better way of noticing what older programs are still going strong. And I'm surprised they're missing Sequoia View, which is, in my mind, the best disk space visualizer out there. Getting older by now, but that just means it goes faster!

And another vote for Kerio.
posted by ontic at 10:51 AM on January 23, 2005

Also surprised to not see HiJack This, which I find to be a very useful weapon in my arsenal of anti-malware programs.
posted by Lynsey at 11:36 AM on January 23, 2005

I would never have known about Dirkey without this post. Thanks MotorNeuron!
posted by Wet Spot at 11:59 AM on January 23, 2005

In a similar vein, the List of Lists is a techie's dream. Useful link MotorNeuron, thanks.
posted by punilux at 12:08 PM on January 23, 2005

Just downloaded Sequoia View--very nifty, ontic!
There must be hundreds of other applications for this visual format, e.g., sources of pollution, government's use of tax dollar...
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:41 PM on January 23, 2005

thebestsophist: I think he was being sarcastic.
posted by abcde at 2:46 PM on January 23, 2005

Anyone know of a similar list for freeware Mac OS stuff?
posted by Hogshead at 3:19 PM on January 23, 2005

Hogshead: Here is a short list:

VersionTracker
Mac Update
Pure Mac

Of course one thing you won't find is any SpyWare removal programs. ;-)

I'm going to be posting a list of the best OSFS (Open Source, Freeware, Shareware) for the Mac on my blog.
posted by jsares at 5:25 PM on January 23, 2005

Pricelessware isn't exhaustive but what I like about it is that I can trust the software that appears there. No further googling is needed to see if there are any nasties hidden-away from the software. The trend for a while was to market a tool as freeware and include a pop-up or toolbar with the install. You'll find none of that at pricelessware.

I do expect to see Hijack This there and I will check out Sequoia View. Another hidden treasure for those of you who'd like a Linux-like multi-desktop system is Dexpot. What a cool little app!
posted by MotorNeuron at 6:27 PM on January 23, 2005

Mozilla Thunderbird also seems to be missing from the list.
posted by juju at 9:08 PM on January 23, 2005

Sequoia view rocks. It's only draw back is that it requires 16bit or higher colour depth.
posted by Mitheral at 8:53 AM on January 24, 2005

I used to have problems with zonealarm when I left it unattended with p2p software running. It'd try to keep track of every single connection made and before long would be demanding 100% of my CPU cycles. But I'd imagine they've fixed that by now.

Also, good link.
posted by squidlarkin at 9:12 AM on January 24, 2005

even though i am a little late:

the open cd
posted by chrisroberts at 10:57 AM on January 24, 2005

Python is a very mature object-oriented programming language like Perl or Java. It's what runs Google. If you want to know more try the Python website.

Please, it doesn't *run* Google. Python is quite nice, a good beginnner's language. It has OO features tacked on (much like Perl, sad to say), and some Lisp-like stuff, for those who find Lisp too hard but want to play with some functional prgramming.

More people are moving to Ruby, though, a far cleaner and more produtive OO language that learned from Python's mistakes and moved on. There's a sweet Windows installer that rocks.
posted by Ayn Marx at 7:12 AM on January 25, 2005

Pshaw. That is eversomuch bullshit, Ayn.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:47 AM on January 25, 2005

These python smackdown sessions make me sad. Can't we all just get along?
posted by nanojath at 9:24 PM on February 22, 2005