download.com – Best Free Utilities

Reviews and free downloads at Download.com

The best things in life may be free, but most software isn’t. Limited functionality, annoying adware, and pesky nag screens mean even most “free” software isn’t actually without cost.

Anyone who has explored the world of free utilities knows the woes of saving a few bucks. But have heart, ye short of dollars; when it comes to boosting performance, snagging spyware, or protecting your privacy, Download.com has software that debunks that old saying about the mythical free lunch. If you need a beefy, dynamic FTP client, SmartFTP is tough to beat. Does your PC sound as if it’s about to go into orbit? Look under the hood with SpeedFan. Ridding yourself of gnarly spyware and the associated headaches won’t cost you a penny with HijackThis, Microsoft AntiSpyware, or Spybot – Search & Destroy. When it comes to utilities, here are 10 of our frugal favorites.

Hacking the Mac OSX Login Window

Not only does this hack let you change the text of the login screen, but gives you a step-by-step to change the general appearance.

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HowTo: Subscribe to a Google Calendar using iCal

I wrote this little tutorial for TUAW that gives you 9 easy steps to subscribe to any shared Google Calendar in everyone’s favorite OS X calendar app: iCal.

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Accessing a Airport Network with a Windows XP

Accessing a Airport Network with Windows XP

A great step-by-step guide to hooking that rouge PC up to your Airport wireless network. You are going to need the HEX Password Key which should be available from your network admin.

psst… hey network admins. You can find the HEX key for your WEP protected network by hitting “Equivalent Network Password” under the Base Station menu in the Airport Admin Utility.

Introducing the Dell De-Crapifier

This is an article about a script that was created to remove unwanted software from a Dell PC. It can be run on a new PC to get rid of all the trialware that comes pre-installed. It runs completely unattended!

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Apple Boot Camp Public Beta Announced, Part of 10.5 Leopard

More and more people are buying and loving Macs. To make this choice simply irresistible, Apple will include technology in the next major release of Mac OS X, Leopard, that lets you install and run the Windows XP operating system on your Mac. Called Boot Camp (for now), you can download a public beta today

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A Windows users journey to Mac

This blog is written by a Windows veteran, a Mac newbie, describing his switch to Mac from Windows. It’s both slightly technical and very technical, ranging from IM clients to setting up PHP/MySQL.

Worth a read, especially for people considering a switch.

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