Free downloads

Topic

New Reply

Hi loungers, is it prudent to download any of the programs from the newsletter shown on the attachment [vnunet.com] especially the freeby that is said to be a good defragger? Defraggler 1.01.050 Defragment your hard drive http://www.vnunet.com/2201136. Thanks again Dave.

Reply | Quote

Replies

Most of the programs mentioned in the newsletter are well-known and have a good reputation.

Defraggler is a new program that is still in the test phase: the current version is a so-called beta version, meaning that most kinks have been ironed out but it is not yet definitive. So you might want to wait a bit. Defraggler is discussed at some length in the thread starting at post 683,642, but the discussion becomes rather technical.

Piriform, the company that produces Defraggler, has a good name though. Its Windows cleanup program CCleaner is a favorite with Loungers, and its other new program Recuva (undelete files that you inadvertently trashed) looks promising.

Reply | Quote

Defraggler is a new program that is still in the test phase: the current version is a so-called beta version, meaning that most kinks have been ironed out but it is not yet definitive. So you might want to wait a bit. Defraggler is discussed at some length in the thread starting at post 683,642, but the discussion becomes rather technical.

Defraggler was first introduced over two years ago, and most certainly is not a beta product – it’s now at v1.14! Quote from their blog:
“Monday, September 17, 2007
Defraggler

After more than a year of development and a huge amount of coding, we’ve completed our third product… Defraggler!
It differs from other defrag tools on the market, by enabling you to quickly and simply defrag the files you want to, without having to process the whole drive. Simply run it, select the file and defragment in seconds. No more struggling with the Windows defrag tool!
Additionally like all Piriform titles it’s FREE!
Visit defraggler.com for more information, screenshots and to download.”

An important point that should be made for both Defraggler and CCleaner is to put “/builds” at the end of the Web address if you are downloading them from scratch, as opposed to updating a version which is already installed, so that you can get to choose the so-called ‘slim’ version of the product (the last one on the page), which does not install a toolbar from Yahoo.
Thus http://www.piriform.com/defraggler/builds
and http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

Reply | Quote

“Defraggler was first introduced over two years ago….” yes – and I’ve been using it for a greater part of that.

“…so that you can get to choose the so-called ‘slim’ version of the product … which does not install a toolbar from Yahoo.” – Thank you! – that’s where I went wrong the last time!

Reply | Quote

Hi BATcher,

You may have noticed that Silver Fox replied to an old thread from January 2008. As you can see here, versions released before August 2008 were Beta or Release Candidates. The release of the first production version was on 18 August 2008, that is more than 6 months after the original posts in this thread. Since Piriform releases a new version roughly once a month, we’re now at 1.14.

Recently, Piriform has started to include the Yahoo toolbar in the download for Recuva, so it’s a good idea to get the Slim version of it too. Link:

http://www.piriform.com/recuva/builds

Reply | Quote

Recently, Piriform has started to include the Yahoo toolbar in the download for Recuva, so it’s a good idea to get the Slim version of it too.

Oooh, why do so many vendors do that stuff? Must be BIG $$ in it for them. I guess I’m too old fashioned or nervous, but all these toolbars alleged to make my surfing a better experience just get in the way for me. They take up so much screen real estate and some have been alleged to cause problems.

Every once in awhile, over at the nursing home, I take my wife to a computer in the library to show her some pictures since I no longer have a laptop. Sheesh, those three computers have so many toolbars running that there’s little screen space left for viewing the content of why you’re there in the first place.

Reply | Quote

Oooh, why do so many vendors do that stuff?

It’s a deplorable development, but it’s a way for developers of freeware to earn some money; I have no idea how much they get from voluntary donations. As long as they give you the option to decline, I can live with it. Unfortunately, there are some who don’t provide an opt-out and that’s really annoying, for it’s a lot of work to uninstall these sponsored toolbars once they’re on your PC.

Reply | Quote

Defraggler was first introduced over two years ago, and most certainly is not a beta product – it’s now at v1.14! Quote from their blog:
“Monday, September 17, 2007
Defraggler

After more than a year of development and a huge amount of coding, we’ve completed our third product… Defraggler!
It differs from other defrag tools on the market, by enabling you to quickly and simply defrag the files you want to, without having to process the whole drive. Simply run it, select the file and defragment in seconds. No more struggling with the Windows defrag tool!
Additionally like all Piriform titles it’s FREE!
Visit defraggler.com for more information, screenshots and to download.”

An important point that should be made for both Defraggler and CCleaner is to put “/builds” at the end of the Web address if you are downloading them from scratch, as opposed to updating a version which is already installed, so that you can get to choose the so-called ‘slim’ version of the product (the last one on the page), which does not install a toolbar from Yahoo.
Thus http://www.piriform.com/defraggler/builds
and http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds

I just intalled CCleaner 2.24 from http://www.ccleaner.com/ and during the installation process there is an Installation Option where you can choose to not add CCleaner Yahoo! Toolbar to your browser. I selected all other options and the toolbar did not install. When choosing the download location I selected the alternate site and that’s where the options appeared.

Gloria

Reply | Quote

Yes, they do let you choose whether you want to install the Yahoo toolbar, so it’s not a major problem. But it’s a nuisance because (1) the toolbar increases the size of the download, and (2) the checkbox for the toolbar is ticked by default, so if you’re quickly clicking through the installation (as many people do), you may end up installing the toolbar without intending to.

Reply | Quote

Yes, they do let you choose whether you want to install the Yahoo toolbar, so it’s not a major problem. But it’s a nuisance because (1) the toolbar increases the size of the download, and (2) the checkbox for the toolbar is ticked by default, so if you’re quickly clicking through the installation (as many people do), you may end up installing the toolbar without intending to.

I’ve learned the hard way not to be so fast with the download options. Recently numberous programs try to get you to accept all of them without reading the ones offered. Most are toolbars and if you allow all of them soon there would be no room to read the rest of the text in your browser window.

I wonder why programs are all now trying to get toolbars installed? I didn’t know that AVG had installed a toolbar until I found it listed in Firefox’s add-ons.

Reply | Quote

The AVG toolbar is a different case, but the makers of toolbars such as the Yahoo and Ask toolbars offer money to software developers (especially of freeware/shareware) to include the toolbar in their installation files. The software developers earn some money this way, and the toolbar makers have an easy way to distribute them…

Reply | Quote

The AVG toolbar is a different case, but the makers of toolbars such as the Yahoo and Ask toolbars offer money to software developers (especially of freeware/shareware) to include the toolbar in their installation files. The software developers earn some money this way, and the toolbar makers have an easy way to distribute them…

Now I understand. AVG was added by the program maker while the others you mentioned and a lot more are third parties who latch on to legitimate prograns that want to make some extra money.

If I see no way to refuse a toolbar, I don’t install the program, if it’s not wanted.

Reply | Quote

Now I understand. AVG was added by the program maker while the others you mentioned and a lot more are third parties who latch on to legitimate prograns that want to make some extra money.

If I see no way to refuse a toolbar, I don’t install the program, if it’s not wanted.

Thanks to all who have responded to my question, I have both Defraggler & Ccleaner and am pleased with what they do to make my computing less troublesome. Regards Dave.

Reply | Quote

Now I understand. AVG was added by the program maker while the others you mentioned and a lot more are third parties who latch on to legitimate prograns that want to make some extra money.

If I see no way to refuse a toolbar, I don’t install the program, if it’s not wanted.

AVG may have added that toolbar on their own, but it is still adware, clutters up your browser, and directs your searches to advertiser-related sites. It may also slow down browsing. AVG also has a Link Scanner, and if you do not turn it off, Google Search Results slow to a crawl. I hate it when vendors wreck perfectly good security products by adding nag screens, scareware upgrade nags, and toolbars and crapware features. Avast has begun to add upgrade nags to every screen in their product, but they do not do all of this other adware — yet.

-- rc primak

Reply | Quote

… Avast has begun to add upgrade nags to every screen in their product, but they do not do all of this other adware — yet.

Hmmm, I’ve been using Avast for quite some time, in all three OSs and haven’t seen the first nag or advertising screen. Maybe I’m lucky, huh? I just opened up the GUI and went through a whole bunch of screens to see if there’s something I haven’t noticed – nary a nag in sight! The only thing even close is the little popup that says the database has been updated and I appreciate that one rather than object.

Reply | Quote

Hmmm, I’ve been using Avast for quite some time, in all three OSs and haven’t seen the first nag or advertising screen. Maybe I’m lucky, huh? I just opened up the GUI and went through a whole bunch of screens to see if there’s something I haven’t noticed – nary a nag in sight! The only thing even close is the little popup that says the database has been updated and I appreciate that one rather than object.

Let me clarify: They are not separate screens. The latest update (around November 27, 2009) adds at the bottom of each Settings Page an offer to upgrade. Not a big deal, but getting into a realm I don’t like. Some other pages within the Avast program also have “news” or little ads plugged in. They are subtle so far, but this may not be a good sign.

I still like, use and trust Avast, and compared with some of the other free security programs out there, this is one of the better-behaved ones from the ads and nags point of view. The one nag I got was a popup from the system tray when the Avast program itself was updated. It was labeled “Avast News” but indicated that an upgrade was recommended. No Program Settings for switching off the Avast News popups either. This is completely new as of November 27, 2008 or shortly before. Nothing like this has ever shown up before in the three years since I switched to Avast from AVG Paid.

I am at a public computer right now, so I cannot test whether anything new shows up during routine updating. I don’t think there’s anything new, but I should check this week.

During normal operations, Avast never nags me either. Not yet anyway.

UPDATE:

I just got home a few hours ago, and I have updated the Avast definitions and opened the AV Scan screen. The only place I am currently seeing the nag ads is where you can set the properties of the Avast Active Shields. It’s at the bottom of that screen. The nag says ATTENTION! (You can get better protections by upgrading.) UPGRADE NOW! There’s a “Pro” Version now, I guess. Total nonsense. But no pop-ups from the Tray Area during normal definitions updating. Not yet anyway.

-- rc primak

Reply | Quote

There’s a pretty good deal in there for a combo that should be of interest to some Loungers, although most of us already have our copies. The Acronis package deal on True Image and Disk Director is at about half the price I’m seeing on the Acronis home page. I hope I read the prices correctly.

Reply | Quote

> I hope I read the prices correctly.

You did, I just bought it.

StuartR

Reply | Quote

> I hope I read the prices correctly.

You did, I just bought it.

StuartR

Thanks as ever for the responses, I use CCleaner after it was recommended some time ago on the lounge and find it does a good job of getting rid of temp files etc. that it is all I need to maintain the registry. Regards Dave.

Reply | Quote

There’s a pretty good deal in there for a combo that should be of interest to some Loungers, although most of us already have our copies. The Acronis package deal on True Image and Disk Director is at about half the price I’m seeing on the Acronis home page. I hope I read the prices correctly.

Al, I tried to find the Acropack 2008 link to buy Acronis True Image 11 and get Disk Director Suite 10 free. I couldn’t find anything that even resembled that name. I was using Firefox so that couldn’t be the reason.

I had True Image10 before and decided not to upgrade at th asking price.

Is it possible that you can point me in the right direction before time runs out?

Reply | Quote