Note:  Most of these links point to the owners' websites, or to sites that know they have permission to redistribute the software.  This was easier for me than to read the vendors' licenses to see if I could post the actual programs.  The only exceptions are for those programs where I recommend a program that can no longer be found on the Web, or where I recommend an earlier version of a program over its currently-distributed version --- and I'll explain why.

A couple of months ago, I told you about the free security programs I install on all my clients' computers.  This month, I'm finishing off the list with a handful of office and utility programs.  Like the programs in the previous column, all the programs in this month's list are free for home use.

FoxIt PDF Reader

I don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on any computer I own.  It was a great program in its heydey, when it was the only free PDF reader program widely available.  But, like most other companies, Adobe kept adding features most of us don't need or use, and it has become bloatware.  The download file for the latest version is 33.5 MB!  And once you've installed it, you have to run part of the program in the background all the time in order for it to open files in a reasonable amount of time.

No, thanks. The latest version of FoxIt Software's PDF reader
(mirrors.foxitsoftware.com/pub/foxit/reader/desktop/win/2.x/2.3/enu/FoxitReader231_enu_Setup.exe) weighs in at 2.25 MB, yet has more features than you'll ever need.  It's not as fast as previous versions; version 1.3 opened in just under a second, but version 2.3 takes almost 2 seconds to open both itself and the target PDF file.  I can live with that.

As it installs, FoxIt Reader will create a desktop shortcut and add a shortcut to the QuickLaunch toolbar.  Delete them both; you will never open the program in any other way than by double-clicking on a PDF document, which will open FoxIt Reader automatically.

PDF reDirector

Did you ever create a document on your PC, then send it to friends, only to subsequently find it didn't look the same on their computer as it had on yours?  Have you ever sent a file created with 'third-party' software, only to have the recipient write back and say they couldn't open it?  Do you know where you put all the receipts you've printed for online purchases and payments?  Stay tuned, you're gonna love this next program...

PDF reDirector (www.exp-systems.com/PDFreDirect/Download/Install_PDFR_v228.exe) 'prints' any document to a PDF file.  If it will print to a printer, it will print to a PDF file, which can be copied, emailed, shared, and saved like any Word document or JPEG photo.  The two most obvious advantages of this process are:

1. You know that a PDF file will look the same on every computer that opens it, whether it's Windows 9x, XP, Vista, Mac, Unix, Linux, etc.  A PDF is essentially a color photo of what a document would look like after being printed on a high-quality, Postscript-enabled printer.  Twenty friends can print it, on twenty different printers connected to as many types of computer, and they'll all see the exact same thing you saw when you created the file (assuming they're printing in color --- users of black-only printers probably won't see such vivid colors).
   
   
2. There's no more need to print and store receipts for online transactions.  Save a PDF of the confirmation webpage, tuck it safely into a folder on your hard drive, and save a tree.  If you ever need to, you can always print a hard copy from the saved PDF file; most of the time, I save 'receipt' PdFs till the deal is done or for a year, whichever seems to fit the circumstances, then just delete the PDF files.

Installation couldn't be easier.  Save the file from the link above, then double-click. This will create a printer driver which sends its data stream to a PDF document, rather than to a piece of paper inserted in a chunk of hardware.

In some programs, clicking the printer icon sends the current file directly to the default printer; this won't work with PDF reDirector.  Other programs bring up a printer selection window when this icon is clicked, which is the action we need.  But ALL programs bring up the required printer selection window if you click on File  »  Print; just choose PDF reDirect v2 as the target printer for this print job, and click OK.  After the program performs a bit of 'self-examination', you'll see a window that lets you choose a name and location for the output file, and even lets you decide if you want to append this file to an existing PDF file.  Again, couldn't be easier.

ZipCentral

Since Windows ME, 'zip' files have been handled automatically by Windows Explorer.  And it does a credible job.  BUT, if you want to make self-extracting zip files, or create an archive that spans several disks (whether floppies or CDs), you still need a third-party zip utility.  There are several out there, but I especially like ZipCentral (get it here).  It works with all versions of Windows from '98 to Vista.

At installation, you'll get a choice on installing desktop and/or QuickLaunch shortcuts; you don't need either.

One of my favorite features of ZipCentral is the Install button in the toolbar.  If the archive you're viewing contains an executable file named Setup or Install, clicking the Install button will automatically create a temporary folder, extract the entire archive to it, then run the installation file.  And since the temporary folder is created as a sub-folder of the system's default TEMP folder, it will be wiped clean the next time you run EasyCleaner or Windows' own Disk Cleanup utility.

Steve Gibson's WIZMO

The author of SpinRite and ShieldsUp!! wrote this powerful small utility (www.grc.com/files/wizmo.exe).  It's perfect for those newer computers that won't let you close the CD from the front-panel button, because the button is hidden when the CD drawer is open.  Save Wizmo.exe to your Windows folder, then create a shortcut on the desktop with the command line WIZMO CLOSE=D: to close drive D: with a double-click.  Make that command line WIZMO QUIET CLOSE=D: if you don't want to hear the trademark 'Gibson sigh' sound effect.  (Some people will enjoy this sound more than others.)

Wizmo can also open CD drawers, blank the screen or make the whole screen a user-selected color (I call this the 'night-light' mode), and do a better job of shutdown, restart, and logoff on Win 9x computers than the built-in commands from Microsoft.

Here's a short list of Wizmo command lines I've used on my clients' computers, and on my own:

To Shut Down:

Wizmo Quiet Shutdown!

To Reboot:

Wizmo Quiet Reboot!

To Log Off:

Wizmo Quiet Logoff!

To Standby (Sleep mode):

Wizmo Quiet Standby

To Hibernate:

Wizmo Quiet Hibernate

To Blank the Screen:

Wizmo Quiet Blackout

To Enter 'Night Light' mode:

Wizmo Quiet Desktop

To Open CD Drawer:

Wizmo Quiet Open=D:

To Close CD Drawer:

Wizmo Quiet close=D:

Wizmo can't close a CD drawer in Win 9x; there's no underlying Microsoft command for Wizmo to trigger prior to Windows XP.  And it can't close a CD drawer on a laptop, regardless of Windows version; there's no hardware support for it built into the drive.  These aren't shortcomings of Wizmo, but of the older operating systems and/or the hardware.

The exclamation point shown at the end of some of the commands is what Gibson calls the 'damit!' command; it tells Wizmo to complete the command even if there are files open that haven't been saved.  So be sure of what you're doing before using them.  Save your files, THEN use Wizmo to shutdown or restart.  ...or just don't use the exclamation point when you create the desktop shortcut.

Resetting the Internet

Didn't know you had this kind of power, did you?  Well, you don't!  But you can at least reset your connection to your Internet Service Provider or your router.  These commands can be typed at a command prompt, or placed in a desktop shortcut so you can just double-click without leaving Windows.

To reset your Internet connection in Windows 9x:

IPCONFIG /RENEW_ALL

To reset your Internet connection in Windows XP or Vista:

IPCONFIG /RENEW

As a last resort, in Windows XP, if the above command doesn't fix your Internet problem, try:

NETSH WINSOCK RESET  (you'll need to reboot after this one)