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Useful less known programs

homeap5

I decided to write about some nice tools that may be useful for people. It's not "Top10" programs that everyone knows or recommend. It's just about less known programs that may be useful for specific users. I don't write here about CoreTemp or Afterburner, Macrium Reflect (that I recommend when someone asks) or browsers (that everyone knows) or email clients. This is just about less known tools and programs.

 

ScreenBright - small tool to control your monitor brightness/contrast/colors. It's not the same as set them in control panel. This program changes values directly on monitor using DDC/CI protocol that almost all monitors supports. It may require disable SmartScreen protection in win10, because somehow Windows starts thinking that this program may be dangerous. Not a big surprise - every program that is not written by Microsoft is suspicious for this paranoid (more and more) operating system.

 

Rainlendar - nice reminder / calendar / organizer tool. Have problem with remembering things? This is nice free program that may help.

 

iSpy - do you have IP cameras, web camers or any other type of cameras? This nice (but heavy) tool can handle almost every camera on market and is highly configuarble. Ah, and it's free.

 

Radmin - (not a freeware, but 30 days fully functional trial - and is cheap!) - want to control your computer remotely and don't like Remote Desktop? And any VNC is slow? Try Radmin - for me so far fastest way to control remote computer. It's direct control (not like TeamViewer) so you must configure everything including port forward, but after that it's just great way to use remote computer - very fast and you feel like you are using your local computer.

 

BZRPlayer - do you have any strange old computer music files that none of players can even recognize? This one can. Looks ugly, feels like program from year 2000, but works pretty good. Only for those who knows what "retro" means.

 

MyPhoneExplorer - want to have nice two way communication with your phone, synchronize notes, making backup of programs, sending SMS using computer keyboard? This program is for you.

 

Splash2 - want to video player that allows you to see movies in 60FPS like modern TV can (with calculating mid-frames)? This one can do this really good.

 

PotPlayer - do you think that VLC is "best video player"? No, it isn't. :) Try this one and you'll never revert to VLC. Highly customizable.

 

Fenix Web Serwer - want to share files using http protocol? Or publish html (not php) website directly from your computer? And don't want to configure heavy Apache? Try this program (if you have external IP and know how to configure your router and firewall of course).

 

Wizmo - small utility that can be used from command line for fast and easy operations - made your own shortcut to turn off screen, shutdown computer, turn on and off wifi, change system volume etc.

 

Fragger (Fragmenter) - everyone knows how defrag tools works. This works opposite - you can fragment any file to any fragments you want. :) But for regular user it may be interesting when you want to check how many fragments have any specific file (when you see that, for example, copying speed of that file drops below 20MB/s).

 

DriveStore Explorer (RAPR) - want to remove old and unused drivers? This tool is very helpful. Don't worry about making clean install Nvidia drivers every time - just clean old drivers after installation using RAPR.

 

HDDScan - nice diagnostic tool for hard drives. And one of few tools that can spin off / spin on drives on demand, so you can check how noisy your HDD is.

 

HotSwap! - nice tool when you hotswapping your drives. It's not "must have" tool, but it's small and can eject every drive. Even internal. :)

 

ImBatch - everyone knows IrfanView. It's nice tool, but if you need really complex tool to convert many images with many operations - ImBatch is for that.

 

Miranda NG - want text messenger that supports many protocols and is light, free and without ads? It's great choice.

 

ProcessHacker - boring of standard Task Manager? Need more info? ProcessHacker is nice tool for you.

 

SoftPerfect RAM disk - want to create ramdisk for temproary downloads and other temporary files that you produce every day? Use this one. Look for old version that is completely free.

 

UltraVNC - for people who want to control their computer using Android device (or iPhone, or even Windows Phone) or another computer. Not as fast as Radmin, but multi platform.

 

Unlocker - problem with files that you cannot delete for some reason? Use Unlocker (at your own risk). :)

 

Autoruns - check what is loading with your system - everything in one place.  You can see services, startup items, task scheduler items - everything together. And much easier.

 

Yumi - everyone knows Rufus, but maybe you want to create multiboot device? Like external HDD that contains not only Windows installation but more useful tools? Yumi is good alternative.

 

Directory Opus (not free, but 60 days trial) - want to see really extreme and good filemanager way better than Explorer or overrated Total Commander? Do you like two panels? Or single unlimited panels with interactions between any of them? Or maybe you want to create your own system menus, shortcuts etc and forget about start menu? Want something highly customizable? This is probably the best filemanager.

 

Registrar Registry Manager - nice registry editor with fast search feature.

 

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nice list, il consider some of these for sure

I spent $2500 on building my PC and all i do with it is play no games atm & watch anime at 1080p(finally) watch YT and write essays...  nothing, it just sits there collecting dust...

Builds:

The Toaster Project! Northern Bee!

 

The original LAN PC build log! (Old, dead and replaced by The Toaster Project & 5.0)

Spoiler

"Here is some advice that might have gotten lost somewhere along the way in your life. 

 

#1. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

#2. It's best to keep your mouth shut; and appear to be stupid, rather than open it and remove all doubt.

#3. There is nothing "wrong" with being wrong. Learning from a mistake can be more valuable than not making one in the first place.

 

Follow these simple rules in life, and I promise you, things magically get easier. " - MageTank 31-10-2016

 

 

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I'd like to add "search everything"

 

Super quick search function for windows - incredibly faster than windows explorer. 

Community Standards || Tech News Posting Guidelines

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CPU: R5 3600 || GPU: RTX 3070|| Memory: 32GB @ 3200 || Cooler: Scythe Big Shuriken || PSU: 650W EVGA GM || Case: NR200P

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3 minutes ago, Slottr said:

I'd like to add "search everything"

 

Super quick search function for windows - incredibly faster than windows explorer. 

holy. shit.

 

this is an amazing pice of software ?

I spent $2500 on building my PC and all i do with it is play no games atm & watch anime at 1080p(finally) watch YT and write essays...  nothing, it just sits there collecting dust...

Builds:

The Toaster Project! Northern Bee!

 

The original LAN PC build log! (Old, dead and replaced by The Toaster Project & 5.0)

Spoiler

"Here is some advice that might have gotten lost somewhere along the way in your life. 

 

#1. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

#2. It's best to keep your mouth shut; and appear to be stupid, rather than open it and remove all doubt.

#3. There is nothing "wrong" with being wrong. Learning from a mistake can be more valuable than not making one in the first place.

 

Follow these simple rules in life, and I promise you, things magically get easier. " - MageTank 31-10-2016

 

 

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Just now, Bananasplit_00 said:

holy. shit.

 

this is an amazing pice of software ?

That was my reaction too, almost passed out when I first used it

Community Standards || Tech News Posting Guidelines

---======================================================================---

CPU: R5 3600 || GPU: RTX 3070|| Memory: 32GB @ 3200 || Cooler: Scythe Big Shuriken || PSU: 650W EVGA GM || Case: NR200P

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1 minute ago, Slottr said:

That was my reaction too, almost passed out when I first used it

... why isnt windows explorer this good? like come on, if i was M$ id just buy out the guy and use this instead tbh

I spent $2500 on building my PC and all i do with it is play no games atm & watch anime at 1080p(finally) watch YT and write essays...  nothing, it just sits there collecting dust...

Builds:

The Toaster Project! Northern Bee!

 

The original LAN PC build log! (Old, dead and replaced by The Toaster Project & 5.0)

Spoiler

"Here is some advice that might have gotten lost somewhere along the way in your life. 

 

#1. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

#2. It's best to keep your mouth shut; and appear to be stupid, rather than open it and remove all doubt.

#3. There is nothing "wrong" with being wrong. Learning from a mistake can be more valuable than not making one in the first place.

 

Follow these simple rules in life, and I promise you, things magically get easier. " - MageTank 31-10-2016

 

 

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Some software I use, but that aren't mentioned so often:

  • digiKam. Open source alternative for Lightroom and other photo managers. Has basic editor, but I would use Gimp instead.
  • ResilioSync. Maybe not so less known, but people tend to look for much harder solutions to problems they could solve with this one. Done per folder syncing between devices over Wifi and also over internet. Pro version has more advanced options for sharing and permissions.
  • FreeFileSync. Compares files and subfolders between two paths. As you can save search pairs, this can be used for very easy backupping.
  • DeepBurner. This is older software, but still really good for burning CDs, DVDs as file discs and also up to DVD size ISOs.
  • UltraISO. The one I have used for ripping ISOs.
  • BulkRenameUtility. Very powerfull tool for renaming multiple files.
  • SharpKeys. Change any standard keyboard key to act as another.
  • Basic Photo Viewer. To replace Windows Photos.

 

I've used Rainlendar in past, but now its all in Google Calendar. Nice software though. Autoruns will be one I check out.

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