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Software Reviews
by Pandora
The reviews and opinions below are posted by SnapFiles visitors. They do not necessarily reflect our opinion, and are solely based on the experience of individual users.
- Freeware
98/ME/2000/XP/Vista
Interesting, but the results ... 
ClearSkinFX version 1.0
- Interface: 3
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 3
- Value: 2
- Overall:
Interesting,but the results for a photo i tried it on,just seemed like the "soften" feature on professional programs such as Paintshop Pro. A slight blurring and hazing to make the "clear skin". Perhaps good if you don't own such a program. Otherwise, not needed really.
Review date: Aug 14, 2004
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP
Interesting and revealing
Exif Reader version 3.0
- Interface: 3
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 3
- Overall:
Interesting little program. But i cant see what most people would use it for other than for investigation purposes. One thing is for sure. You cannot lie about the time or date you took a photo anymore..hehe because it shows you discover the exact time and date (complete with camera model and settings) a picture was taken on your camera. Useful if you'd forgotten the dates, etc. It was quite a revelation to find all that info such as exposure settings, whether flash was used or not,etc. Amazing what Digi images hold. Interesting utility for it's interest value. But other than that?
Review date: Aug 14, 2004
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/Vista
The best, quickest, and most user friendly
AxCrypt version 1.5.3.1
- Interface: 5
- Features: 4
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
I now agree with the others. I've tried several encryption programs, and this one is the most user friendly and error free of the lot. One program i'd used previously, got very confused when you moved files from folder to folder after encrypting. To the point that it couldn't decrypt them because it was so confused. Axcrypt encrypts them as independent entities in their own right. Hence,they are very portable when encrypted. Very simple. Right click facility installed, which makes it wonderfully convenient.
Review date: Aug 14, 2004
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP
Nice. but you cant use it everywhere
Iron Key version 1.3
- Interface: 3
- Features: 3
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 5
- Overall:
Well this utility "sounds" good. But when i made a test file to send over the email (an advertised feature of Iron Key),i attached the encrypted jpeg (Iron Key makes into an encrypted .exe) onto my Hotmail message. When it arrived at the other end, Hotmail had "permanently" blocked the file. There is nothing i can do. I cant override Hotmail's block. I don't know who to be annoyed with. Hotmail? or Iron Key? Either way,it shows that because many email providers are getting overly concerned about .exe file attachments,this may render all these "self decrypting" email attachment programs, useless it seems. Seems that Iron Key is now only for Desktop Use.
Review date: Jul 07, 2004
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP
Nice casual use utility
GRL RealHidden version 1.0
- Interface: 4
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 5
- Overall:
This is a simple utility for casual hiding of files. The authors even admit on their website that it's not immune to brute force attacks,as people have contacted them telling them so. So don't use this for sensitive data. It's not really a secure encryption utility. Just a cloaking method for now and again. Best to use this for casual use and fun. Very quick, clear, and simple to use.
Review date: Jul 06, 2004
- Freeware
- Win (All)
It's been said below.
SpywareBlaster version 3.1
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
But i'll say it again. Superb utility. Extremely simple and well laid out. Doesn't bamboozle you with techie talk. Shows you what it's doing, and stays in the background minding it's own business (apart from anything trying to get into your PC). It amazes me how straight forward and user friendly is, for such a powerful program. In my opinion,this is the sister utility in the DYNAMIC DUO of "Spywareblaster and Spybot". With both these utilities for free,and updated quite regularly,there is nothing to complain about. They are fine examples of the good people out there who have released such powerful programs for the good of others,without any catch. Well done you guys, and keep up the good work. :)
Review date: May 31, 2004
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/Vista
Good utility, but be careful.
Ad-Aware Free version 6.181
- Interface: 4
- Features: 4
- Ease of use: 3
- Value: 5
- Overall:
Due to the very user friendly and tidy appearance of this program,it's easy and tempting to just believe everything on the scan,click "Yes",and then potentially remove important aspects your PC needs to operate smoothly. It has a tidy basic appearance but it's more powerful than it appears, and that's why it's a bit dodgy unless you really know what you're doing (and i'm only 50/50 regarding such knowledge).I used to have Ad-aware on my PC,and noticed i became far too confident in deleting things that i had no idea about at all. I personally prefer using Spybot now,because at least the techie appearance of it,makes you more wary and take the time to stop and make sure you're doing the right thing. It also gives you more information regarding what it has picked up in a scan. Superb utility. But stop and think before acting.
Review date: May 31, 2004
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Just another positive review
Spybot - S&D version 1.3
- Interface: 3
- Features: 4
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 5
- Overall:
Great partner to Spyware Blaster. I use this regularly, and it does it's job well.
Review date: May 31, 2004
- Free Trial ($49.00)
- Win (All)
Essential and superb utility.
Handy Recovery version 1.0
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
Excellent utility for Freeware. The name says it all - "Handy" Recovery. I played around with this for days,on HD's,old Floppy disks,and Digi camera Cards. This utility shows everything you've ever had on them (and allows to recover them),if you hadn't deleted files securely with a method like 3-7 overwrites or 35 Gutmann. In fact,using this program can be a scary revelation. You'll see entire previous file activity,and be able to recover those files you thought were old history as far as you were concerned. All those naughty Porn pics you thought were untraceable? There they are for prying eyes to see or recover 70% of the time. Sometimes very old files are too corrupted to be recoverable,if within a folder constantly being used for new files. But out of 10 listed files,you're usually able to recover about 4 of the files listed.Sometimes,all are recoverable. Give it a shot. I use it often to test Secure erasing programs.
Review date: May 23, 2004
- Free Trial ($45.00)
- Win (All)
Does exactly what it says on the tin!
Cryptainer PE version 4.1.3
- Interface: 4
- Features: 3
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 5
- Overall:
Does the job it claims.It creates a secure container.The container is treated as a Drive in it's own right. But when closed and locked,it's basically a secure and locked file. I made one container on my HD,and also one on a Digi card containing files related to a project i'm working on. As is stated clearly,this free version is restricted to 20mb containers. That 20mb does fill up "surprisingly" quickly when you've something like Digi pics in there,which are quite big files. But you can create multiple containers,so there is a way around it. Password system works well,and as this is free there is nothing to complain about really. I often wonder how my HD optimizer handles the container though,as i guess it could be treated as an "Unmovable" item when you've unloaded the container and locked it. But now i'm getting picky. I highly recommend this program for quick and easy use for hiding files securely.
Review date: May 23, 2004
- Free Trial ($59.95)
- Win (All)
Good. but not a very deep erase.
Active@ Kill Disk version 3.0
- Interface: 3
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 5
- Overall:
I used Killdisk recently,and it does the job it says it does. But the free version (which this is) is restricted to single overwrites of "0" unfortunately. Secure Erasing methods such as 7 random or 35 Gutmann overwrites,are only available on the Premium version.Hence,i don't think this trial "0" Erasing is so secure. Anyone who "really" wanted to recover your activity,would probably be able to recover much after this single patterned "0" write, as more secure methods use random character overwriting,which make recovery very difficult. Nevertheless,Killdisk does the job of clearing the "entire" HD (unlike Format,which clears only the first part of the HD). This program runs from DOS,and is very basic. Basically,Start and Stop. Does the job for casual use. But i think this trial "0" overwrite is too shallow an erase, for those with sensitive files assuming they will never be able to be recovered again.
Review date: May 23, 2004
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP
Superb secure wiper for index.dat/recent/etc
UltraWipe version 1.51
- Interface: 3
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 5
- Overall:
Excellent utility. After my trial of Tracks Eraser Pro expired,i sought out a similar but free program which would overwrite the Index.dat file and similar,with secure methods like 7 D+D or 35 Gutmann overwrites. Ultrawipe does exactly the same job in every way. Keep in mind,that if you also choose to overwrite Index.dat and Recent files,it will want you to reboot after in order to be able to overwrite those files (as they are in use when PC is running, and are locked). It asks you click "yes" to reboot after that option. But it doesn't seem to "automatically" re-boot your machine (Bug?). You must restart manually for some reason. No problem though. It also clears all Internet records,and Memory. With 7-35 times overwrite,that's a powerful "free" wiper for sure. I used "Winspy" to check Ultrawipe's efficiency,and it passes with flying colours. Not a trace left in any folders such as Recent,IE Browser,Index.dat,Open/save,etc.
Review date: May 23, 2004
Create educational quizzes in Flash format that can be distributed online or as standalone .EXE file.
A powerful monitoring solution to record PC activity, including keystrokes, email and more.
Create interactive Flash movies and tutorials to show how applications and systems work.
