500+ Free Software to Make you the Windows Puppet Master

You are here and you are sad because your Mac friends are mocking you everyday? Seriously!? Let me help you become the ultimate puppet master of Windows. This long post of freeware are here to make your Windows Super Charged without costing any money. Yes all for free! Proceed to the listing of software that will make you the Windows Hero and you will save the day. Go and show off your friend that you can almost do anything and everything on your Windows for free.

This post has been divided into multiple posts due to it’s ongoing length. Now it is separated into multiple software categories for easy navigation. Only 3 software listed from each section to keep this post short, Follow the detail links to Discover more. Feel free to suggest more freeware at the respective posts

Whats New!

• Added Windows 7 Specials
• Added Portable Applications Suite (s)! yeah
• Removed some software because they are no longer freeware
• Split this topic into multiple posts

Teaser!

Windows 7 Specials

1. CSMenu – restores a “classic” look to Windows 7 by installing a companion Start menu on your taskbar.
2. Logon Changer for Windows 7 – Simply takes a JPG file (256K or less, so be sure to re-size and compress) and applies it to your logon background
3. Windows 7 System Recovery Discs – Can repair damaged files, restore System Restore points, and even pull in full backups for restoration.

Discover the rest of the Windows 7 Freeware

Network and Internet

1. WinSCP – SCP for Windows. It’s a very good one.
2. Angry IP Scanner – IP scanner
3. FireFox Tune – This will automatically tune Firefox for speed

Discover all the Freeware for Network and Internet

Office Applications

1. Foxit PDF Reader – pdf reader
2. Sunbird – calendar/organizer
3. OpenOffice.org – Office suite, like Microsoft Office and compatible with MS Office formats. Word processor, Spreadsheets, Publisher, Presentation, HTML, and Powerful database (like Access) products. Impress (Like Powerpoint) exports to many formats including SWF (Flash). All can be exported as PDF. Highly recommended.

Discover the rest of the Office Applications

Graphics Applications

1. 3D Box Shot Maker – design quality box shot
2. Flame – Fractal Flames are algorithmically generated images and animations
3. Irfanview – Photo manager with some editing and plugin ability.

Discover the full list of Freeware Graphics Tools

3D Applications

1. 3D Canvas – 3D animation, modeling, rendering.
2. Anim8or – 3D animation, modeling, rendering.
3. BRL-CAD – The BRL-CAD package is a powerful Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG) solid modeling system with over 20 years development and production use by the U.S. military. Visit the project page for downloads.

Discover the entire list of Freeware 3D Applications

Multimedia Tools

1. Audacity – Wav editor with VST support and can export to mp3. Highly recommended.
2. Cdexos – CDex a CD-Ripper, thus extracting digital audio data from an Audio CD. The application supports many Audio encoders, like MPEG (MP2,MP3), VQF, AAC encoders. Highly recommended.
3. Ephpod – Copy iPod music to your PC.

Discover the full list of Freeware Multimedia Applications

Databases

1. MySQL – Most popular SQL Database.
2. Postgresql – SQL database. Heavy duty relational database.
3. SQLCC – GUI Frontend for mySQL.

See the entire list of Freeware Databases

Finance

1. Grisbi – Personal accounting application.
2. HomeBank – HomeBank is free software. Use it to manage your personal accounts. It is designed to easy to use. Analyze your finances in detail using powerful filtering tools and graphs.
3. JMoney – Personal banking and accounting app.

Full list of Freeware Finance applications

Miscellaneous

1. Doubletype – Font creation application.
2. Fontforge – Font creation application. Requires Cygwin.
3. Gourmet – Recipe Manager is a simple but powerful recipe-managing application.

See the entire list of Miscellaneous Freeware applications

Programming

1. Frhed – Hex editor.
2. ActiveGrid Studio – ActiveGrid Studio enables developers to rapidly build enterprise-level Web 2.0 applications with a minimum of training, time, and effort. Supports Java, PHP, Python. Database supports is the best I’ve seen in an open IDE. Has built in Python and Java environments plus a built in running Apache web server. Highly recommended.
3. Aptana – Development environment geared towards web development, Ajax style! Autocomplete and assistance for HTML, CSS, Java Script.

Discover the full list of Freeware Programming and Development Tools

Portable Applications Suites

1. PortableApps – Now you can carry your favorite computer programs along with all of your bookmarks, settings, email and more with you. Use them on any Windows computer via USB Flash device, iPod, or portable hard disk, and it works like a start menu. Includes Firefox, Open Office, VideoLan, to name a few.
2. Lupo PenSuite – Lupo PenSuite mashes up a familiar looking menu with a huge offering of applications. Taking a note from the LiberKey school of portable suite production, Lupo PenSuite throws everything at you but the kitchen sink.
3. Geek.Menu – Geek.Menu is a branch in the PortableApps development tree. Geek.Menu uses the same convenient installation files from PortableApps.com that the original PortableApps suite uses. The layout is similar but Geek.Menu has several key enhancements.

Explore the entire list of Freeware Portable Applications Suites

System and Desktop Utilities

1. GPG4Win – File, email encryption and other encryption utilites, like a file shredder.
2. Hitman Lite – Hitman Pro is a freeware tool that combines a number of powerful anti-spyware programs in one integrated solution. Hitman Pro combines Ad-Aware SE, SpyBot Search & Destroy, Spy Sweeper, Spyware Doctor, CWShredder, Spyware Blaster, NOD32, Sysclean package. Most of the included programs are freeware.
3. Hotspot Shield – Hotspot Shield creates a virtual private network (VPN) between your laptop and the wireless router. This impenetrable tunnel prevents snoopers and hackers from viewing your email, instant messages, credit card information or anything else you send over a wireless network. Which means you remain anonymous and protect your privacy.

Explore the huge list of Freeware System and Desktop Utilities

Servers

1. Apache Tomcat – Apache Tomcat is the servlet container that is used in the official Reference Implementation for the Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages (jsp) technologies.
2. Apache Web Server – Web Server, the best one around.
3. Apache2Triad – Installs a developer preconfigured environment with Apache, PHP, mySQL with control panel/PHPMyAdmin, xMail, ftp, and a Apache Web based Control Panel, etc. Power packed with new cool things like Python/Pearl mods, ASP support, SSL and so much more. Highly recommended.

See the entire list of Freeware Servers for Windows

If this is not enough for you or you’ve known of any other software that should be included here, feel free to suggest in the comments or you can shout at me on twitter.

• Best Windows Freeware – Servers
• Best Windows Freeware – Office Applications
• Best Freeware Tools to Enhance and Customize your Windows 7
• Best Windows Freeware – Portable Applications Suite
• Best Windows Freeware – Programming
• Best Windows Freeware – 3D Applications
• Best Windows Freeware – Graphics Applications
• Best Windows Freeware – Miscellaneous

About Ruhani Rabin

Ruhani Rabin is the original owner and author of this blog. He also reviews web 2.0 startups at Tech2all.com. Largely interested in web 2.0 apps & Social Media. Currently the Vice President of MOL Access Portal (MOL is owner of Friendster.com). Also he is Web 2.0 & Social Media Researcher and a Total fun Geek!.. There you have it ;)

Twitter Profile: http://twitter.com/ruhanirabin