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Software Reviews
by ianmacm
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
2000/XP/2003/Vista
Avi conversions did not work. 
TubeMaster Plus version 1.1.0.2
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
First the good news: The embedded FLV capture worked not just with YouTube but with similar sites such as Metacafe. The MP4 and MPEG conversions worked OK, but the AVI ones did not, so some attention may be required here. The program is no install, so can be run from a USB stick. Apart from the AVI problem, this is good freeware and worth a look.
Review date: Jul 03, 2008
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Unusual idea
Desk Drive version 1.1
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
This worked OK for USB flash drives, but did not automatically detect the DVD-ROM drive. Not everyone may need this feature, but it is worth a look.
Review date: Jun 29, 2008
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP
Also works with vista
Cropper version 1.9
- Interface: 4
- Features: 4
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 5
- Overall:
Works ok with Vista, which is not noted on the download page. Very good range of features, but does not offer automatic viewing of the captured shots, as some capture tools do.
Review date: May 31, 2008
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Works ok, other programs have more features
PalCrypt version 2.1.1.9
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
Like some other file encryption tools, this piece of freeware operates using the right click feature in Windows Explorer. It is easy to use, but a) cannot encrypt entire folders, only individual files, and b) cannot create self-extracting encrypted files. Other freeware encryption tools can do this, so look around.
Review date: May 26, 2008
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista
Nice graphics, but....
CCCalc version 1.7
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
CCalc tries to do something unusual by portraying the calculations as they would appear on a sheet of paper. To be honest, a standard calculator screen is easier to use and I did not enjoy using the program.
Review date: May 19, 2008
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/2003
Works ok
Free YouTube Download version 2.2.1.1
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
There is no shortage of free YouTube downloading tools, and this one works ok and keeps the picture and sound in sync, which some do not. The interface is a bit basic, but otherwise no complaints.
Review date: May 14, 2008
- Freeware
- XP/Vista
Works ok, not perfect for checking on history
Vista I.E CacheImage View Plus
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
This program works, but it does not provide a surefire way of checking on how the browser has been used (eg by children while unattended). The cached files exist to speed up page loading times, and do not represent the entire browsing history. The browser's History section is a better guide to how it has been used, and Vista IE CacheImage View Plus cannot read this.
Review date: Apr 19, 2008
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Did not work well for me
EASEUS Deleted File Recovery version 2.1.1
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
The interface is ok, but the recovered files were in poor condition and did not open properly. The program claims to recover deleted files only, and not to be a full data recovery tool. There are other freeware file recovery tools on Snapfiles which are worth a look, as EASUS Deleted File Recovery is a bit of a disappointment.
Review date: Apr 06, 2008
- Freeware
- XP/Vista
Nice graphical interface
SpeedConnect Connection Tester version 7.0
- Interface: 4
- Features: 4
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 4
- Overall:
The program is set by default to download a 22MB file from Microsoft, although you can choose other file locations. The purists will point out that what the program actually does is to test your connection speed to a particular server at a particular time of day. In practice, there is no such thing as a fixed internet connection speed, since a range of factors is involved in the speed obtained. SpeedConnect has a nice graphical interface and is a fun piece of freeware to try.
Review date: Apr 06, 2008
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Works ok, but interface could be clearer
TubeTilla YouTube Downloader version 1.1
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 4
- Overall:
This worked on my Vista computer (the program may need administrator rights to run correctly) and did the required tasks. The interface could be more clearly laid out, but once you have got the hang of it the program is not difficult to use. One point to bear in mind is that the converted video files (WMV or MP4) will be considerably larger than the original .flv files. If you want to download and play YouTube videos on a computer rather than a portable device, it is best to stick to a player that supports .flv files directly. Two good points with TubeTilla are that the files were converted quickly, and the picture and sound stayed well in sync, unlike some flv-video converters. Unless I missed it, it is not possible to change the directory where the video files are stored (the default is in Program Files which is not ideal). All in all, a good free program but maybe it could do with a few tweaks.
Review date: Mar 29, 2008
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Is this necessary?
Icon Remover version 1.4
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
This program is a puzzle, because it seems to be unnecessary. By right clicking on the Windows taskbar at the bottom of the screen, it is possible to edit the properties of the tray notification area. This includes the ability to hide the "safely remove hardware" icon. Icon Remover can do this and works ok, but Windows can also do this.
Review date: Mar 26, 2008
- Freeware
- Win (All)
Top quality freeware
Free Download Manager version 2.5.755
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 5
- Overall:
When Microsoft launched Internet Explorer 7, it had a golden opportunity to give it a download manager similar to the ones in Firefox and Opera. Instead, it stuck with a very basic version little different from the one in IE6. Help is at hand with Free Download Manager, which has a range of features as wide as any user could want, including BitTorrent support. It may take a little while to get used to all the features, but it is worth the trouble. Also worth mentioning is the program's ability to be exported to a flash memory device and run as a no-install version. Definitely the best freeware download manager available.
Review date: Mar 08, 2008
- Freeware
- Win (All)
Excellent success rate, only one drawback
SoftPerfect File Recovery version 1.2
- Interface: 5
- Features: 4
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 5
- Overall:
People often fail to realise that files deleted from a pen drive or photo memory card do not go into a recycle bin and cannot be recovered conventionally. This is where a program like SoftPerfect File Recovery can be a life saver. Although there are plenty of freeware file recovery programs, this is the best one that I have tried. It is a no-install program, and should recover any file that you can type into the "what for" box, eg .jpg or .mp3 files. There is one slight disadvantage though. Unlike most non-free file recovery programs, you cannot search simultaneously for a wide range of common file types, and would need to know the file extension of the lost file in order to stand any chance of recovering it. That said, this is as good as it gets for freeware file recovery.
Review date: Mar 08, 2008
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Great features, help files could be clearer
TrueCrypt version 4.3a
- Interface: 3
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 5
- Overall:
The main advantages of TrueCrypt are a) it is completely freeware, and b) it allows the creation of encrypted volumes of unlimited size, whereas most freeware versions are limited in order to get you to pay for the registered version. The overall style of TrueCrypt tends to assume that you are reasonably fluent with computers, and the online help files may daunt some beginners. One small point is that although the encrypted volumes showed up in "Computer", they did not show up in the "Send To" menu.
Review date: Mar 03, 2008
- Freeware
- XP/Vista
Excellent - try it!
RealWorld Cursor Editor version 2007.1
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
This was my first go with cursor editing software, although I had tried icon editing software. RealWorld Cursor Editor is very similar in use, and allows anything that you can draw to be used as a cursor. If you find this too daunting, or are just too lazy (like me), check out the wide range of free ready made cursor sets that can be downloaded at RealWorld's website.
Review date: Feb 25, 2008
- Freeware
- Win (All)
Very good freeware
Webmaster Password Generator version 1.30
- Interface: 4
- Features: 4
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 4
- Overall:
Does what it says on the tin, no problems.
Review date: Feb 11, 2008
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Works ok, average interface
Defraggler version 1.01.050 BETA
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
This works OK, and seems to be a bit faster than the standard Windows defrag utility. However, the graphic interface is not particularly special and it would help to be able to see the colour coding system on screen at all times, rather than having to call it up separately. The defrag option is greyed out when the program is launched, although it is available from the menu in the top left hand corner. All in all, passable but not outstanding software.
Review date: Jan 25, 2008
- Freeware
- 2000/XP
Excellent freeware, but too complicated?
Comodo Firewall version 3.0.14.276
- Interface: 3
- Features: 3
- Ease of use: 3
- Value: 3
- Overall:
First the good points: Works fine in Vista at a time when many programs do not. Also it is completely free and can compete on equal terms with many firewalls for which you have to pay. So why the doubts? There are too many balloon messages for the average user, and some of the features would be likely to confuse even an experienced person. I uninstalled this version after a while due to the excessive prompts, although there is nothing wrong with the program itself. Recommended, but only for the patient and experienced user.
Review date: Dec 30, 2007
- Freeware
- Windows Vista
Excellent freeware
WinBubble version 1.5
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
Definitely worth a look and a pity that it seems to be little known. There are features here that you have to pay for in many tweaking programs.
Review date: Dec 27, 2007
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Excellent program
Auslogics Disk Defrag version 1.4.10.249
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
No complaints here, good interface and easy to use. Although it is possible to run defragmentation while doing other things, it is best to leave the computer unattended for a few hours in case it disturbs the system processes. A recommended program.
Review date: Oct 22, 2007
- Free Trial ($15.00)
- 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Ok, but alternatives are available.
Side-By-Side Explorer version 1.0
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
This is a neat idea and the program works ok. Windows Explorer already allows windows to be tiled or displayed in cascade mode, and there are freeware dual pane explorers (no names here). The program requires the .NET framework, which not all computers may have.
Review date: Sep 06, 2007
- Freeware
- Win (All)
Excellent piece of freeware.
Unit Converter Expert version 1.0
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
No problems here. There is a long menu of conversion options (perhaps a bit too long for the casual user), but it would be surprising if you did not find what you want here.
Review date: Aug 22, 2007
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Works, but not much fun.
Magic 8 Ball version 1.0
- Interface: 2
- Features: 1
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
This works OK, but is not huge fun due to the lack of sound and basic graphics. The replies are also a bit of a letdown.
Review date: Jul 20, 2007
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/Vista
Hmm...
Fake Progress Bar version 1.1
- Interface: 3
- Features: 3
- Ease of use: 3
- Value: 3
- Overall:
Let's face it, your computer needs this like a motorbike needs an ashtray and a canoe needs a handbrake. However, if you like fun on your computer, then give this a try.
Review date: Jul 07, 2007
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Best usb e-mail client.
Reach-a-Mail version 2.82
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
This is easily the best of the freeware USB e-mail clients that I have tried. It looks and feels very much like Outlook Express, although it is simplified in some areas. It also uses the new style Vista interface.
Review date: Jun 22, 2007
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Works, but interface needs some improvement.
TOKIWA DataRecovery version 2.3.3
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
This works OK, but should give some indication of the condition of a file, otherwise you could spend a lot of time recovering files that are not usable. It would also help to have a filter that searches for specific types of file extension (eg JPEG). It is hard to complain about a piece of freeware, but this is somewhat underpowered.
Review date: Jun 13, 2007
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Works ok with quicktime player.
Free YouTube to iPod and PSP Converter version 2.5
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
This works OK and is easy to use. Since I have not got an iPod, I watched the video on my computer using QuickTime player, which also supports MP4 video. The picture and sound quality are very good. For anyone looking to record and watch YouTube videos away from an internet connection, this is a very useful tool. If you would like to save a YouTube video to the original .flv format, try the freeware YouRipper on SnapFiles.
Review date: May 14, 2007
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/2003
Very good, but other outputs would help.
SCREEN2EXE version 1.0
- Interface: 4
- Features: 4
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 4
- Overall:
This works ok, and is a surprisingly small download (416KB). It is easy to use, but the standalone .exe format is rather limiting. It would be better to have .avi or Flash output if possible. Another point to note is that most e-mail providers nowadays ban the sending and receiving of .exe files, so the file would need to be zipped before sending it. Anyone receiving a zipped .exe file in their e-mail inbox might be too suspicious to open it, so other formats for the videos would be useful.
Review date: May 08, 2007
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Works ok.
IZArc2Go version 3.7
- Interface: 4
- Features: 4
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 4
- Overall:
This works best with drag and drop, and has a wide range of features and supported compression formats. Some practice may be needed to use the more advanced facilities, but the basic features are easy to use. The program is 7.50 MB when unpacked, which is fairly large for a compression utility, but it boots up quickly and modern USB memory sticks should have no problems with storing it.
Review date: Apr 25, 2007
- Ad Supported (Free)
- 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Ok for freeware.
Free Easy CD DVD Burner version 1.2.21
- Interface: 4
- Features: 4
- Ease of use: 4
- Value: 4
- Overall:
This works ok and its main strength is that it works with a wide variety of drives including DVD dual layer, which some freeware burners will not handle. The interface is a bit too simple in some areas, and the ability to save projects would be welcome. Worth a look mainly for its versatility with different drives.
Review date: Apr 18, 2007
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/Vista
Ok, but could use some improvements.
PC Sleep version 2.0
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
This works OK, but is not the hottest piece of freeware around when there are other programs doing the same thing with more features. PC Sleep is very easy to use, but lacks a facility for daily or weekly recurring actions. Many similar programs have this. This program requires the .NET framework (some computers may not have this) and it does take rather a long time to boot up. Also the word hibernate is spelled wrongly in the program (it is not hybernate). Some work needed.
Review date: Mar 28, 2007
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Excellent program, and free.
Internet Video Converter version 1.40
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
There is a serious lack of freeware programs for converting video files between different formats, and this is easily the best one that I have tried. It worked well and was simple to use, although some of the functions require knowledge about the formats involved. The picture and sound quality was good, and it is hard to find anything to complain about when the program is free.
Review date: Mar 18, 2007
- Freeware
- 2000/XP
Ok, but did not show ftp locations.
NetResView version 1.10
- Interface: 3
- Features: 3
- Ease of use: 3
- Value: 3
- Overall:
This program is not a direct replacement for the My Network Places feature on Windows computers, as it does not show the FTP locations that are available. It does show any local printers and workgroups, together with the MAC addresses if requested. Perhaps a future version could show the FTP loactions as well. This program is no install, so can be carried on a USB stick.
Review date: Mar 04, 2007
- Freeware
- 2000/XP
Very easy to use.
EXIF ShellExtension version 1.0.20
- Interface: 3
- Features: 3
- Ease of use: 3
- Value: 3
- Overall:
Hovering over a JPEG photo will show the EXIF details for the focus and exposure settings of the image. This is easy to use since it requires no extra program to be run before viewing the EXIF data. Recommended for its simplicity.
Review date: Feb 11, 2007
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista
Some good features, but more work needed.
Wavosaur version 1.0.0.6000 beta
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
It would not be difficult to create a sound recorder more sophisticated than the one that ships with Windows computers, and Wavosaur has some useful features. However, it could use some additional features, otherwise it will lose out to a program like the freeware Audacity which is more powerful.
Review date: Jan 30, 2007
- Freeware
- Win XP
Did not work for me.
WinSock XP Fix version 1.2
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
The plus side is that Winsock XP Fix did not cause any problems itself, but it did not solve the network connection problem that I was experiencing. It is best to set up a System Restore point before running this program.
Review date: Jan 19, 2007
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP/2003
Nice piece of freeware.
NetGraph version 2.0.4.23
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
Very easy to use and lots of configuration options. Definitely recommended.
Review date: Dec 26, 2006
- Freeware
- 98/ME/2000/XP
It works!
MjM Free Photo Recovery Software version 0.1
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
The program recovered 62 MB worth of JPEG photos from my 512 MB SD card, including ones from several months ago that I had almost forgotten about. All of the most recent photos were recovered, but like all photo recovery software, the program will not work miracles and is best used as quickly as possible if photos have been deleted from the card accidentally. This is the best piece of photo recovery freeware that I have seen, so give this a go before trying a paid version. The only slight disadvantage is that it recovers only JPEG photos (not videos etc) but for ordinary use this is quite sufficient.
Review date: Dec 18, 2006
- Freeware
- Win (All)
Great fun.
Desktop Christmas Tree version 1.2
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
Simple, fun piece of freeware. For a similar idea that can be used after Christmas, try the freeware Lava Lamp I-mate that puts a lava lamp on your desktop.
Review date: Dec 11, 2006
- Freeware
- 2000/XP/2003/Vista
Interesting program.
Systemometer version 1.5.1
- Interface: 3
- Features: 3
- Ease of use: 3
- Value: 3
- Overall:
For the technically minded, the way in which Systemometer presents the information about the computer's performance is known as a vectorscope. This is unusual, as is the feature which allows you to use the information as a screensaver. Although there are quite a few freeware system monitors, this one is worth a look.
Review date: Nov 28, 2006
- Freeware
- Win (All)
Possibly limited usefulness.
PDF2EXE version 1.0
- Interface: 2
- Features: 2
- Ease of use: 2
- Value: 2
- Overall:
This works ok, but bear in mind that it may not be possible to send the files created by the program by e-mail, as many e-mail servers nowadays ban the sending and receiving of file attachments with the .exe extension due to security issues (this is also true of self-extracting zip files). Most computers nowadays have Acrobat Reader installed, and the freeware Foxit Reader on Snapfiles is a good alternative.
Review date: Nov 07, 2006
- Freeware
- Win XP
Excellent and very simple to use.
IE7 Menu-on-Top Tweak version 1.0
- Interface: 5
- Features: 5
- Ease of use: 5
- Value: 5
- Overall:
For reasons best known to itself, Microsoft has decided not to have the menu bar at the top of the IE7 screen where it should be. What this registry tweak does is to add a dragging handle to the menu bar so that you can put it wherever you like. Maybe Microsoft will add this feature to a future version of IE7, but at the moment this simple tweak is the only way of doing it.
Review date: Oct 25, 2006