Software Gadgets

As I’m using Linux as my primary OS, I don’t pay as much attention to the latest releases of Windows security software as I used to. That’s one of the advantages of Linux, it is much more secure out of the box. However, while updating my mother-in-law’s computer while she was visiting this week, I noticed that there is a major new version of Comodo Firewall, the best freeware software firewall available for Windows XP and Vista according to many security experts — the best free or paid software firewall available according to some experts.

Comodo Firewall 3.0 adds the following features to its already powerful set of tools:

* Clean PC Mode — This patent pending feature profiles a new PC and its applications and registers the existing applications as safe. From then on, the only applications that are installed on your PC are those applications listed in Comodo’s White List Database of over 1 million trusted applications or new applications that you specifically allow to be installed. This feature prevents most types of malware and rootkits from being installed and keeps a new PC virus and malware free.

* Advanced Network Firewall Engine — Comodo Firewall Pro offers the highest levels of perimeter security against inbound and outbound threats

    + Protection against hackers, malware and identity thieves
    + New Stealth Mode that makes your PC invisible to hackers and port scans
    + Highly configurable rules interface (for advanced users)
    + Wizard based auto-detection of trusted zones

* Defense Plus Host Intrusion Prevention System — With Comodo Firewall Pro 3.0, we added another critical layer of protection to our world-class firewall. Defense Plus is one of the most advanced Host Intrusion Prevention Systems available in any desktop security program.

    + Bulletproof protection against root-kits, inter-process memory injections, key-loggers and more
    + Authenticates the integrity of every program before allowing it to load into your computer’s memory
    + Alerts you every time an unknown or untrusted application attempts to run or install
    + Blocks Viruses, Trojans and Spyware before they can ever get onto your system
    + Prevents unauthorized modification of critical operating system files and registry entries

* Unrivalled Control over your security — Comodo Firewall Pro 3.0 has a completely redesigned security rules interface. Users can quickly set access rights and privileges on a global or per-application basis using the flexible and easy to understand interface. The firewall also contains pre-set policies and wizards that help simplify the rule setting process.

* Intuitive User Interface — Comodo Personal Firewall 3.0’s interface features significant improvements over previous versions.

    + Summary screen gives an at-a-glance snapshot of your security settings
    + Easy and quick navigation between each module of the firewall
    + Context-relevant help and advice available throughout the application

If you aren’t using a software firewall on your Windows PC, you probably should be. Comodo Firewall 3.0 is one of the best software firewalls available and it’s completely free. Give it a try.

Operating System: Windows XP/Vista
Price: Free
Web Site: http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/

Tags: windows, freeware, firewall, comodo, comodo firewall 3.0

InstantStorm is a Windows freeware tool for creating Flash based screensavers with many advanced features. All you have to do is to choose a SWF file, set screensaver parameters and compile an executable installer. All 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows are fully supported, including Windows 95 and Windows Vista. And the best of all—there are no nag screens or other annoying stuff. Unlike many other tools, InstantStorm allows you to fully customize your screensaver’s about box, installer and uninstaller including all texts.

Some of InstantStorm’s many features:

• 100% free for all purposes: non-commercial and even commercial with unlimited redistribution
• Screensaver scale options
• Easy to use WYSIWYG designers for your screensaver’s installer, uninstaller and settings dialog
• Wizard mode for beginners
• Interactive screensavers support
• Customizable screensaver icon file
• Ability to create screensaver desktop and Start menu shortcuts
• External files support (when your SWF file requires external files like TXT or AS, InstantStorm allows you to include them)

If you have some Flash files you’d like to turn into Windows screensavers, InstantStorm is one of the best tools for doing so. And its free.

Operating System: Windows
Price: Free
Web Site: http://www.instantstorm.com/

Tags: windows, screensaver creator, Flash, freeware

I posted about Truecrypt back in 2006 on the old version of this blog. A few days ago, Truecrypt version 5.0 was released with a number of nice improvements, including the ability to encrypt the boot drive. From the announcement:

We are pleased to announce that TrueCrypt 5.0 has been released. Among the new features are the ability to encrypt a system partition or entire system drive (i.e. a drive where Windows is installed) with pre-boot authentication, pipelined operations increasing read/write speed by up to 100%, Mac OS X version, graphical interface for the Linux version, XTS mode, SHA-512, and more.

Every I said about how nice Truecrypt was back in 2006 is even more true today. The new version makes it even easier to keep your private data private. While the CEOs for some large companies and many governments (including the US government, unfortunately) seem to think no one really needs privacy — everyone both needs and appreciates privacy. Truecrypt can help you protect yours from prying eyes.  Check it out. It’s free and open source.

Operating System: Windows, Linux, MacOS
Price: Free
Web Site: http://www.truecrypt.org/

Tags: truecrypt, windows, linux, freeware, privacy

Microsoft did it again with Word 2007. They changed the file format so that older versions and other Word Processors can’t read it. If you get a Word 2007 .docx file from an associate or client, you no longer need to buy Office 2007 to read it. Docx2rtf is a freeware program that converts .docx files to the much more standard richtext (.rtf) format — preserving as much of the original formating as the .rtf format allows. It will also convert the new “ODF” format used by the latest versions Openoffice, NeoOffice and similar program to standard richtext format. The latest versions of DocX2rtf will also convert to the PDF format and will convert PalmOS Database files (the format used in many Palm ebooks).

Docx2rtf conversion isn’t perfect, but it will let you read and work with the data in a document stored in one of these newer formats without having to buy and/or install a new word processor program.

Operating System: Windows
Price: Free
Web Site: http://www.nativewinds.montana.com/software/docx2rtf.html

Tags: windows, docx, odf, pdf, converter, freeware, Word 2007

Sometimes you just want to open or execute a file in a directory you use a lot. Opening a file manager, browsing to and opening the file and then closing the file manager is a lot of work if you have to do it often enough. The Menu File Browser Applet is an applet for the GNOME Panel. It lets put one or more directories of your choice on the GNOME Panel as menus. You can browse and open files in these directories (and their subdirectories) directly from the panel, without having to open a file manager.

I had tried to use the Menu File Browser applet a few versions ago and found it ugly and somewhat buggy, but version 0.5.4 seems to blend properly with the GNOME Panel and has a property editor that makes it easy to set up a directory as a menu. Best of all, I haven’t ecountered any bugs in several days of use.

The Menu File Browser Applet has a number of nice features:

* Browse and open files in your computer from the panel
* Respects GNOME mime type options and includes mime icon in menu
* Middle clicking in a directory header will open a terminal in that directory
* Smart(er) handling of executable files: left click opens for editing, middle click runs it.
* Configuration options (directories and labels to show, select icon, show/hide icon, show hidden, select terminal)
* Displays message for empty directories or failure to open a directory.

This applet has quickly become one of the most used applets on my panel.

Operating System: Linux (GNOME Desktop Environment)
Price: Free
Web Site: http://code.google.com/p/gnome-menu-file-browser-applet/

Tags: Linux, GNOME applet, Menu File Browser Applet