Karen's Replicator is the one that is outdated. There are much better programs for making backups, such as Macrium Reflect Free for imaging System (OS and Programs) files and FreeFileSync for backing up data files.
Spybot and SuperAntiSpyware are not outdated. They still receive definition updates. Adware has become less effective bloatware but is not outdated.
Hi,
24 programs here that would be nice to know which ones to ditch
Notepad++ 7.3.3 update fixes CIA vulnerability
The latest Partition Wizard is V10. The mini Tool (installed program) is free but the bootable CD/ISO is now for the paid version - pity. If you have an earlier ISO (eg. v9.1) I'd hang on to it. I also still run v9.1 mini Tool.
Well, there is a good reason to go with the new V10: the standalone bootable CD/USB is now WinPE rather than the old Linux version.
And that means you now have proper support for Skylake and newer chipset, USB 3.0, NVMe drives, etc., as you can customize your WinPE by adding drivers from your installed Windows. If you're running Win8.1 or Win10, the WinPE kernel is already the newer version that automatically includes the additional drivers, but for Win7 where these drivers were not built-in supported in Windows you must manually point to them. The net result, however, is still that you have a bootable standalone WinPE-based Partition Wizard that supports all devices on modern hardware.
I know "paid" means "not free" and this thread is about "free great programs", but I have no problem supporting this software vendor of this fine product with money, much as I do for many other fine products through "donations" or outright purchase/license fees. Best to keep them active and productive and enhancing and fixing, by supporting them monetarily.
Exactly my thoughts on the matter and for what it is worth paying for it may be ok for just one machine but if you have laptops backing up a home desktop then it becomes very expensive.I know "paid" means "not free" and this thread is about "free great programs", but I have no problem supporting this software vendor of this fine product with money, much as I do for many other fine products through "donations" or outright purchase/license fees. Best to keep them active and productive and enhancing and fixing, by supporting them monetarily.
I have the latest free version and again for what it is worth I should have kept the older version.
As it happens I do donate to Wikipedia, Macrium and sites that we all well almost all of us use and I don't mind doing that each year if necessary to keep up to date now that would not be that expensive and I am guessing sites such as CCleaner would have more people using the intermediate version (Professional) if it were say a $5 donation per year as opposed to an all out $29 fee which I am also guessing just might involve paying for that each year anyway.
To me 2 million donators would be worth more than say 500,000 paying the full cost I stand to be corrected on that of course.
Exactly.
I see no problems with people buying the paid version if it adds something significant and they don't need to support a number of PCs. Currently it's a single PC license with upgrade costs. I'd be curious to know if the paid bootable version can be used across PCs on the one license.
I have a number of windows 7 PCs and the v9.1 miniTool and bootable version are fine. I also have bootable v4.22 in case I ever need to do a dynamic to basic disk conversion.
I just do not understand the attitude prevalent amongst computer hobbyists, they are prepared to pay an absolute fortune for hardware, on multiple systems but then Baulk at paying what is a fair price for software. Software takes as long to develop as Hardware and thus costs a similar amount in labour but it's expected to be given away free.
OK some software is given away for free and is overpriced,
some is also development level software or Beta copies,
even Student projects shared with the community
But software developers have families and children and dogs that need feeding, just like the fat cats at intel and the like who never willingly give away anything for free
Those who provide software for free are doing it to raise their profile in the market of course, but if they decide to charge for an advanced version or after a while of giving it away, that is their right If someone wants to run several computers in business they have to include for several copies of the required software to make them usable. This should also apply to a private users
This list is a great resource but it will be a fluid one, things on the list will sometimes evolve into commercial programs (maybe with a free "Taster" version), we have to just say thank you to the developers not complain that we have to sometimes pay them for their work
I think I agreed re this with you a while ago Nigel and yes when your are willing to shell out $1000 for a GPU alone for example yet balk at a $5 donation again for example LibreOffice it doesn't make sense.
Commercial software companies are in business to make a profit. When they offer a free version in their product range they will have a business case for this decision (and I'm pretty sure I know what it is). If you take Partition Wizard they have a free edition through to a US$699 Technician edition.
When the free version has the utility a home user requires then they are going to use it and there appears to be a good chance it will get a mention in this "Free Great Programs for Windows 7" thread. The software company can remove the free version or water it down to the point it doesn't deserve a mention under this thread.
As a home user I haven't baulked at buying software but can't speak for others. I also don't baulk at free editions if they suit my humble needs.
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