Completely FREE Software - CFS Weekly Newsletter #480 issued July 4, 2008

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This electronic newsletter is registered – ISSN 1441-6840
Welcome to the CFS Weekly Newsletter.
The programs listed here are completely free for non-commercial use, even though some may be shareware or commercial products. None are time-limited and all are fully functional. If you know any that aren't exactly as specified, please let us know and they will be removed immediately.
If the link below does not work (does not take you directly to the program listing) it is probably because the site has been upgraded and the link is no longer valid. Please use the CFS Site Search facility (above) to locate the program.
COMPLETELY FREE SOFTWARE

Isis Strike v1.0 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
Isis Strike is a retro-style, horizontally scrolling space shooter. It features 5 levels of difficulty, 5 different powerups to collect, powerful Bosses to defeat, excellent animated graphics, good sound effects, addictive gameplay, and more. This is a relatively standard SHMUP (shoot-em-up) where the Bosses get more and more powerful at the end of each level. When you are shot, not only does your shield reduce but so too does the power of your weapons. While Isis Strike does not offer much not found on most other shooters of this type, it is extremely well drawn and the game has a frenetic element that brings you back for more and more. We loved! Access this 20.7MB download from: Win95 General Game

ShellMenuView v1.05 – WinXP
ShellMenuView is a tool that disables unwanted Windows Explorer right-click context menu items. It is a simple utility program that allows the user to disable, or enable, Explorer menu items. It does not require any installation – just download, open the ZIP archive, and use the program. As the information is not always presented in a way that is easily understood, we recommend that it is only suitable for experienced PC users. Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME, and the author has not specified if it is suitable for Vista. Access this 34kB download from: WinXP Windows Enhancement

DVDStyler v1.6.2 – WinXP/Vista
DVDStyler is an MPEG video to DVD authoring tool that creates professional-looking DVDs. It creates NTSC/PAL menus, supports drag 'n drop, imports an image file for the background, you can place text & images anywhere on the menu screen, you can copy & paste any menu object, optionally creates an ISO file, and more. This is an awesome DVD authoring tool that can take your MPEG video, add a menuing system, and then burn it to a DVD. If you want to burn more copies later, or share it with others, you can save it as an ISO file. You can use one of the 14 included menu backgrounds, or use your own 720x576 JPG image as a background. It also includes 21 buttons which can be used as part of the menu, and these can be positioned, resized, the colors changed, etc so you can make them look and/or say, anything you like. The obvious limitation is that it only supports MPEG video files, but we felt that this was a minor irritation compared to its power and ease of use. We felt that the omission of the manual (in PDF format) from the download was something that should be immediately rectified and, until the manual is included, we consider it an essential add-on to the main program (167kB). We were also disappointed that the manual was created for an earlier version and urgently needs updating. Those small annoyances aside, DVDStyler is a fabulous program and one that we will be using ourselves. We loved! Note: we have been advised that this program is not suitable for Windows 95, 98 or ME. Access this 5.14MB download from: WinXP Multimedia Program

ROM-DOS v7.1 (build 4.20.1594) – DOS
ROM-DOS is an MS-DOS compatible DOS environment which can be run from a floppy disk or hard drive. It features support for large disk drives & Long File Names, includes a 97 page manual (in PDF format), includes version 6.22 with the download, offers an optional network add-on (1.52MB), and more. This is a DOS operating system that can be run from a 1.44MB floppy disk or from a hard drive. It contains all the standard DOS operating files – from COMMAND.COM to FDISK.EXE. It includes HIMEM.SYS to support RAM larger than 640kB. It also includes CHKDSK.EXE, DELTREE.EXE, XCOPY.EXE and all your other favorites. While designed as an embedded device for commercial users, its developer, Datalight, has made a single-user version available free for non-commercial users. ROM-DOS does have some problems when used on modern computers. It does not support the NTFS file system, so cannot read NTFS formatted drives, and it does not support USB printers. You will also need a 1.44MB floppy drive if you don't want to run it from your hard drive. From our tests (which was not exhaustive), we found no incompatibility with MS-DOS but we did not test it on high-end DOS games which are notoriously flaky and hard to run. We were most impressed with ROM-DOS and, with the networking add-on, could offer a serious alternative to the Windows environment for anyone who is looking for a free non-Linux OS. The manual supplied with the program is excellent, but you may still want to get more detailed information from MS-DOS books or through the Internet. Our major problem with ROM-DOS was that there was no setup file included in the download – even though this was mentioned in all the paperwork. Having unzipped the program onto an NTFS drive, we copied all the files to a floppy disk and then ran the command "sys a:" from the floppy to install the system there (we were asked if we wanted to overwrite files on the floppy and said "yes"). The floppy disk was then bootable and we were pleased to see the command prompt upon re-booting the system. Probably not for a raw novice, ROM-DOS is a wonderful tool for anyone who still needs DOS, or who enjoys playing with old DOS commands. We loved! Access this 1.75MB download from: DOS General Program

Greenpeace v1 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
Greenpeace is a Flash-based arcade game where you must clean up the ocean by removing all the deadly chemicals. It features excellent graphics, challenging gameplay, suitable for all ages, and more. This is a "politically correct" game that plays like the old Lunar Lander game in that you must control your craft (a submersible) by giving small bursts of thrust using the Spacebar while manoeuvering it using the left and right arrow keys. Gravity makes the craft sink and you simply need to control the rate of descent and the direction. This is not as easy as it sounds... Gameplay is good, and Greenpeace has a high "repeat play" factor. It plays in your Web browser and can be both downloaded or played on-line. We liked! Access this 361kB download from: Win95 General Games

MobaPhoto v1.42 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
MobaPhoto is a toolbox for digital photography. It features batch editing (red eye removal, cropping, rotation & color manipulation), batch resizing, batch renaming, Web gallery creation (including FTP), optional stand-along version (fully portable – 1.67MB), optional integration into the Explorer right-click context menu, multi-lingual interface, and more. This is an excellent little toolbox for anyone with a digital camera. While some of the editing functions are a somewhat basic, the batch renaming and resizing functions are good, and the Web gallery creation tool is excellent. We particularly liked the built-in FTP client so that you can quickly post your Web gallery on-line with the minimum fuss (and without any particular knowledge of Website creation). The on-line photo gallery even includes a link so that your visitors can download a zipped version of your images. MobaPhoto looks stylish, and is easy to use, but there is no Helpfile for the digital photography newbie. Overall, a most impressive program with an excellent Web gallery creation function. Worth grabbing! Note: we are unsure of which Windows versions are supported by this program, or any other special requirements it has, as the author has offered no information regarding this. Access this 2.05MB download from: Win95 Graphic Program

ChimingClock v1.1 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
ChimingClock is a desktop clock with "British" chimes. It features 5 "antique" style clock faces, choice of 4 chimes (3 Westminster & 1 grandfather), optional sweep hand, desktray icon access, multi-lingual interface, and more. This is a novelty program that puts an antique chiming clock on your desktop. Chimes can be every quarter hour or every hour, they can be permanently turned off, or just turned off for the current session. The clock faces do not have a transparent background so the three non-rectangular clocks can look a little strange sitting on various backgrounds – an easy thing to fix for a programmer, and we cannot imagine why it was not done. Another annoyance is that it automatically sets itself to run with Windows, and there is no option to prevent this. There is no "always on top" option for this program either and the program is normally hidden, or displayed, by left-clicking in the program's icon. ChimingClock could be a much better novelty toy than it already is, and we will be watching out for future versions to see if these issues have been addressed. Access this 7.00MB download from: Win95 Desktop Utility

Sonic 3D Blast v1.0 – Win9x/ME/XP/Vista
Sonic 3D Blast is a retro 3D run 'n jump game featuring Sonic the Hedgehog who must collect Flickies and bring them to a warp ring in order to advance in a zone. It features 14 levels, hidden bonus levels, powerups, excellent 3D graphics, great background music, demo mode, and more. This is an interesting Sonic adventure because it is played from an isometric viewpoint, in what is essentially a 2D landscape, using pre-rendered 3D sprites. The controls can be awkward at times and the game lacks the high speed antics of the Sonic character. However, the graphics are excellent and the game becomes quite challenging the further you advance into it. While the 3D graphics lack the finesse of modern 3D games, never-the-less it is excellent considering the limited architecture available when it was originally released in 1996. This version is an emulation using Fusion and is ostensibly identical with the original Sega version. Having played the older, 2D versions of this classic, we were somewhat disappointed in this 3D version. It is not as much fun as the original though it still has a lot of the Sonic charm (and attitude). If you like retro games, or are an old Sonic fan, then grab a copy of Sonic 3D Blast and prepare to be transported back in time. Worth a look! Access this 3.06MB download from: Win95 General Games
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