Top Freeware Utilities

Exploring Windows Explorer

And since then, for more than 20 years, nothing much has changed. Windows Explorer does little more and often less than the Windows 3 File Manager that people used back when Suchinda Kraprayoon was prime minister.

The right mouse button was brought in not long afterwards. Today, after installing Windows 7, we get the same old right-click choices - copy, paste, delete, rename, send to... Some of the programs you install also put in "helpful" (or otherwise) additions to the right-click menu to assist you. But, as always, the generous freeware programmers go far beyond, and are much more helpful than, the people who charge you for their services.

FilerFrog is the work of an Israeli HP software engineer. And it gives you more right-click options than you (likely) ever dreamed of.

Readers, you know I love small utilities that do one thing, and generally don't have huge all-in one programs that do everything - two of them useful and 15 of them never to be used. Well, FilerFrog is pretty inclusive, all right, but here is a program that you can install and then just almost forget about ever improving on.

Here, to me, is the important thing that FilerFrog is not: a replacement for Windows Explorer.

I think that Explorer has its drawbacks, such as only having one folder at a time and not having tabs (please read on), but it's not a horrible program in the way Notepad and Paint and the Snipping Tool are so tragically crippled.

Explorer with a few add-ons is fine and FilerFrog is a doozy of a place to start. The screenshot gives you an idea of the many additions you add to Explorer with that one little "FilerFrog" top-menu item on right click.

The Image Manipulation can resize photos on the go. Rename works in batches, such as renaming 50 files all at once with a number after them, say.

QTTabBar2 is arguably the least memorable name in computer history. It also is arguably the most useful little utility since Microsoft introduced the Windows Explorer system of file management way back in the last century.

What it does most and best of all is to allow you to open folders in tabs. You know, the way other, real programs have been doing for some 15 years now. Instead of opening an entirely new Explorer every time you want to see the contents of a second, third, or 17th folder, you open it inside the first Explorer - like a website in your browser or a new document in your word processor or spreadsheet.

Top 5 Best Free Utilities You Simply Can't Miss Out

Here are the Top 5 Best Free Utilities that you should consider to download:

1. Smart Defrag

There is no current defrag utilities that can beat Smart Defrag at this moment. It offers two features that distinct itself from the competitors: Automatic Defrag and Boot time Defrag. Automatic Defrag defragments file system automatically in the background that only uses half of the resources required to run full defragmention which constantly keeps your computer fragment-free. Boot time Defrag runs defragment during booting. It defrags files that cannot be defragged or cannot be safely moved after booting is completed. I can’t find any reason why you shouldn’t download this if you are looking forward to boost your PC performance.

2. Avast Free Antivirus

Well known for its minimal system usage where you can do anything you want while the scan is running. Often compared with its top competitor AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition, but I would prefer avast because I personally think that it offers better protection and reliable update. It is easy to install compare to AVG that often causes confusion to users. Avast 6 too came with new features such as AutoSandbox Technology that is not available in other antivirus software except Comodo. It automatically run any suspicious program inside the sandbox at the moment the program is executed to protect your computer system. Undoubtedly, Avast is one of the best free antivirus software around that is well worth downloading.

3. CCleaner

A must have cleaning software to clean your PC consistently. It cleans up browsers (temporary files, history and cookies), windows (recent documents, temporary files, recycle Bin,and log files) and registry (fix registry issues). Intelligent cookie scan will keeps your persistent login for websites to avoid cleaning up important cookies. CCleaner also back up your registry before you delete in case you have deleted important registry. An awesome cleaning tool that is highly recommended.

Learn How to Install and Configure CCleaner here.

4. Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware

A very effective freeware that removes spyware and malware to protection your PC. It uses the heuristic scanning technology that is able to detect unknown viruses that have not been identified. Besides, the scanning process is relatively fast even it is running with other processes and applications. However, the real-time protection and some other features are only available for paid users but this freeware is still an useful and powerful anti-malware tool.

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