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When people set out to look for freeware, a lot of times they specifically look for free alternatives to Microsoft products â free office suites, free alternatives to built-in programs like Paint, Notepad, Internet Explorer, Windows Explorer... even free alternatives to Windows itself. However, Microsoft does provide a col lection of free software that is definitely worth checking out. This article is designed to provide an overview of the best free Microsoft programs, some of wh ich are featured in other articles on this website. Using free Microsoft software does have some advantages. A big company like Micr osoft has the resources to produce a multitude of help resources for users, from support pages to Technet pages to video overviews and tutorials. Some of the pr ograms can conveniently be updated as part of Windows Update. Perhaps the best a dvantage is knowing that you're installing a program that is safe and not bundle d with anything extra. I have set a couple guidelines for this list. An unavoidable fact is that some a lternatives will be better than programs listed here, but the programs listed he re are still good and useful - however, if a Microsoft program is ridiculously i nferior to other free alternatives and simply not worth using, I won't include i t. If a program has a loose affiliation with Microsoft but is not actually a Mic rosoft product (e.g. Paint.NET), it won't be listed here. Best Free Microsoft Downloads â Quick Select Index After clicking a link, use your browser's Back icon to return here. Items added or updated most recently: StickySorter Skype Windows 7 Upgrade A dvisor / Windows 7 Download Tool Microsoft ICE (updated) HD View Photosynt h Mouse Without Borders Security Antivirus Malware Scanner Emergency Tool Rootkit Detection System Analysis Network Analysis Application Security Virtualization Parental Control Windows Service Packs Internet Browser File/Folder Synchronization Mail Communications Instant Messenger Blogging Tools System Tools System Tools Suite Startup Manager Process Viewer System M onitor System Info Permissions Analysis Autoplay Utility Tweaking Sear ch Tool Windows Installation Tools Desktop CMD Shortcut Task Switcher Virtual Desktop Screen Magnifie r Screensaver Multimedia Animation Image Tools Photo Organizer Video Editor Video Encoder Slideshow Software Office Document Viewer Spreadsheet Viewer Presentation Viewer Diagram Vie wer Sticky Notes Educational Mathematics Programming Programming Programming Editor HTML Editor Web Development Online Services File Hosting Online Office Suite Support & Troublesh ooting Panorama/3d Model Sharing Miscellaneous Virtualization USB Flash Drive Tool Keyboard & Mouse Sharing Security Antivirus Microsoft Security EssentialsMicrosoft Security Essentials System Requirements: Windows XP and up This may be the best free product ever from Microsoft, and it was chosen as Gizmo's Freeware 2010 Product of the Year. MSE is a free anti-malware program wi th an interface ideal for average users, and effectiveness ideal for advanced us ers as well. Its interface is simple and unobtrusive, and when it detects threat s, it displays messages that are meaningful and easy to understand. It is light

on resources, receives regular updates, and has exceptional detection rates. You can perform scans on demand, but it also continuously guards your system with r eal-time protection. The recent release of version 2 adds more features, includi ng a "Network Inspection System" and a heuristics engine for a more comprehensiv e set of protective measures. Another feature added in the new version is the ab ility to adjust the maximum CPU usage the scanner uses â this is particularly useful if the computer in question is underpowered and the scanner needs to use less r esources. Overall, MSE is an excellent product that rivals even some commercial antivirus software. (Review) Malware Scanner

Microsoft Safety Scanner System Requirements: Windows XP and up This tool scans your computer for all types of malware threats and removes t hem if found. Unlike the Malicious Software Removal Tool which targets specific threats, Microsoft Safety Scanner includes complete definitions and looks for al l viruses and malware. Because of this, however, the download is about 70MB larg e and expires after ten days - this is to ensure that an updated version is alwa ys used. The intended use of this tool is for emergency situations where install ed security software has failed to detect/remove threats. It is true that other products serve this purpose, like Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware, but it is n ice to have options. Malicious Software Removal Tool System Requirements: Windows XP and up This tool scans your computer for specific widespread virus threats and remo ves them if found. It is downloaded and executed in the background monthly via W indows Update, but you can download and run it on demand. Emergency Tool Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper BetaMicrosoft Standalone System Sweeper Beta System Requirements: Windows XP SP3 and up - please see additional requireme nts listed here This new offering from Microsoft allows you to create a bootable rescue syst em on a CD or USB flash drive (you can also create an ISO file as well). The res cue system contains a malware scanner that looks for all kinds of malware, inclu ding viruses, trojans, rootkits and more. For users who install it on a USB flas h stick, you can update the definitions periodically by running the executable a gain. As with other rescue systems, the intended use for this tool is to save co mputers that are so infected they aren't bootable, usable, or can't be fixed wit h antivirus software installed on the system. Some notes: First, please be aware this is a beta version so it may not be a s stable or polished as the finished product will be. Second, choose the archite cture (32- or 64-bit) that matches the computer on which you will be booting the rescue system. Third, XP users cannot generate ISO files unless IMAPIv2.0 is in stalled - you can find it here: 32-bit 64-bit Rootkit Detection

Rootkit Revealer System Requirements: Windows XP 32-bit only I was originally exluding this from the list because it only works on XP and it doesn't remove the rootkits - the world has been gradually moving away from XP, and other software exists that is capable of detecting and removing rootkits (Microsoft Security Essentials does this remarkably well). However, I've includ ed it because it is popular, lightweight, and really does what it does well. Jus t note that scan results don't guarantee the presence of rootkits, so please don 't try acting upon them unless you're an expert. System Analysis Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer System Requirements: Windows 2000 and up This tool analyzes a computer and provides a summary of how secure or insecu re it is. Some of the things it checks for are security updates that have not ye t been installed, settings that are not recommended (such as weak passwords, dis abled firewall, etc), running services that may not be necessary, network shares , and more. This program can be a valuable tool for IT professionals, but it can also help average users who want to make sure their computers are as secure as possible. Network Analysis Promqry System Requirements: Windows 2000, XP only This small utility is geared more toward IT professionals. It is used to que ry network computers to determine if they're running network sniffers (programs that are listening to network traffic, possibly to steal passwords and other inf ormation). It does have several limitations, but it can still be a valuable tool in detecting suspicious network behavior. Both gui and command line versions ar e available. Application Security Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET)Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit System Requirements: Windows XP SP3; Vista SP1 or later; Windows 7 This toolkit helps prevent security flaws in software from being exploited. It does this by employing various security mitigation technologies. This is espe cially useful when applied to older applications that have a multitude of securi ty flaws, but it works for newer applications too. Its ease of use and high degr ee of configurability make EMET a valuable tool. Just be aware that some process es may break when certain mitigations are applied, so make sure your software wo rks after applying them. Also note that you do not need to keep the main program running for your applications to be protected. Parental Control Windows Live Family Safety

System Requirements: Windows Vista and up; Click here for the XP version Family Safety is a parental control program for filtering web content. It ca n also restrict email contacts. It has an activity log that allows you to see wh o tries to access which sites, and activity across multiple PCs with Family Safe ty installed can be collected in the same log. Windows Service Packs Service packs are extremely important for the security and stability of the Windows operating systems. With a few exceptions (e.g. testing environments, rar e occurrence of software incompatibility), it is always recommended to have the latest service pack installed, preferably through Windows Update. For those who have machines that for some reason can't use Windows Update, here are links to t he various service packs available. Windows XP - SP1a SP2 SP3 Windows XP Pro 64-bit - SP2 Windows Vista 32-bit - SP1 SP2 Windows Vista 64-bit - SP1 SP2 Windows 7 - SP1 (validation required KB976902 must be installed first) Internet Browser Internet Explorer 9Internet Explorer 9 System Requirements: Windows Vista and up Internet Explorer has long been troubled, unable to keep up with other brows ers in several areas, particularly in speed, security, and support for newer web features. Internet Explorer 9 looks to change all that, boasting a wealth of im provements over IE8. It starts much faster, it loads web pages much faster, and it takes full advantage of hardware acceleration wherever possible. It includes a download manager (with pause/resume), and it has a startup manager for add-ons that lets you see which add-ons use the most resources and disable them if need ed. The interface has been revamped and is simpler - the address bar now doubles as a search bar (like in Chrome), tabs are on the same row as the address bar b y default (this can be changed), and the buttons have been shrunk and rearranged . Also, its improved support for standards like CSS 3 and HTML 5 allow web desi gners to deliver a richer online experience to IE users. As for security, Micros oft has added protective measures against pop-ups, phishing sites, and suspiciou s downloads. A sandbox mode has also been added, which can help keep malware con tained and prevent it from affecting your system. I can't say whether it will ou tdo Firefox or Chrome, but it definitely looks to redeem Internet Explorer as a viable browser. (Review) File/Folder Synchronization Windows Live MeshWindows Live Mesh System Requirements: Windows Vista and up Mesh is a synchronization program that lets you synchronize files, folders, and settings for IE and Office between different machines over the Internet. You can also sync up to 5GB of files and folders onto your SkyDrive online storage. Additionally, if you log into your Live account, you can see a list of your com puters that have Mesh installed, and you can remotely control any that are curre ntly running Mesh (this feature must be manually enabled in Mesh, and Internet E xplorer is required). In my experience, the remote control is not as fast or smo

oth as TeamViewer, but it does work well and is a nice feature to have bundled w ith the synchronization functionality. Mail Windows Live Mail System Requirements: Windows Vista and up; Click here for the XP version Mail is actually a decent program and is similar to Outlook. It supports mul tiple email accounts, RSS feeds and a calendar all combined in one attractive ap plication. Communications Skype Website Recommended download

Skype is a communications program that provides instant messaging, voice cha t and video conferencing. The instant messaging includes typical features such a s emoticons, status indicators, group chat, and more. Video conferencing can be done in high definition, and group video conferences can include up to ten peopl e (the website recommends five or fewer for best quality). Skype also allows you to share your screen for presentation or other purposes, and you can transfer f iles. A couple notes: not all features are free - for example, to make voice cal ls to land lines and cell phones you have to pay a small fee; also Skype cannot be used to call emergency lines. Skype is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone, iPad, Symbian, and some televisions (additional equipment necessary - see the website for detai ls). Microsoft's acquisition of Skype was complete on October 13, 2011. As it wil l no doubt prove to be a big part of Microsoft's strategy in the months/years to come, I am pleased to be able to include it on this list. Instant Messenger Windows Live Messenger System Requirements: Windows Vista and up; Click here for the XP version Messenger has the standard features expected of an instant messenger client, but it also has integration support for social networks (Facebook, MySpace, Lin kedIn) and a photo viewer for shared albums on SkyDrive and Facebook. Messenger Companion is an add-on that lets you share links to websites with friends, who i n turn can share comments on these links. Blogging Tools Windows Live Writer System Requirements: Windows Vista and up; Click here for the XP version Writer provides an easy way to create and publish blog entries. It has the s tandard formatting features, and you can add links, pictures, videos, maps, and more. It integrates with many popular blog sites, including Blogger, WordPress, SharePoint, and several others.

System Tools System Tools Suite Sysinternals Suite System Requirements: Windows XP and up for all tools except RAMMap (Vista an d up); some tools won't run on 64-bit systems This suite contains a long list of a variety of system utilities and trouble shooting tools, from system monitors to disk tools to maintenance. Some of them are listed separately in this article. Startup Manager AutorunsAutoruns System Requirements: Windows XP and up Arguably the best tool of its kind, Autoruns gives you complete control over the things that run when you start Windows, including items in the Startup fold er and items listed in the Registry. It can be useful for optimizing the speed o f your system by letting you disable unnecessary programs, and it can also help combat certain types of malware that run when Windows starts. This is a must-hav e for any computer repair kit. (Review) Process Viewer Process ExplorerProcess Explorer System Requirements: Windows XP and up, including IA64 An advanced process viewer. Process Explorer was once the best tool of its k ind, but it is still useful for anyone who wants something better than Task Mana ger but doesn't need all the whistles and bells. It lists all running processes in a hierarchical format, you can restart, suspend or kill processes, you can ki ll process trees, and you can set process priorities. It also lets you view thre ads, strings, and other details about processes. It displays CPU and memory usag e, and you can configure tray icons to show these as well. You can optionally co nfigure it to replace Task Manager. (Review) System Monitor Process MonitorProcess Monitor System Requirements: Windows XP and up This advanced monitoring tool displays and logs file system, Registry and pr ocess activity in real-time. You can filter the data by any field, and you can e xport it in csv and xml formats as well as the Process Monitor pml format. With these features and plenty more, Process Monitor can be a powerful tool in the ha nds of advanced users for troubleshooting problems or fighting malware. System Information BGInfoBGInfo System Requirements: Windows XP and up This tool prints various system information and statistics to your desktop b

ackground. You can choose from a list of different details to show, and advanced users can add custom ones as well. The appearence is also completely customizab le. I personally find this extremely useful for monitoring servers at work. Just to clarify, it displays the information as snapshots and is NOT a real-time mon itoring utility. Permissions Analysis AccessEnum System Requirements: Windows XP and up This tool provides a quick and easy way to see what users have what permissi ons to files, folders and registry keys. If you find a permission that needs to be changed, you can right-click the item from within the program and view its pr operties. Autoplay Utility Autoplay Repair Wizard System Requirements: Windows XP/2003 only This utility is used to fix invalid or broken autoplay settings for CD, USB or other drives. Tweaking Tweak UI System Requirements: Windows XP only One of the PowerToys for Windows XP, Tweak UI lets you change various settin gs to the appearance and behavior of the user interface. For most users, these s ettings would otherwise be unavailable for adjustment. Search Tool Windows Search 4.0 System Requirements: Windows XP and up A search tool that uses indexing to allow quick searching for files. You can search local or network folders, and you can modify exactly which folders are i ncluded and excluded. By default it adds a search toolbar to the taskbar, and it can be closed if desired. The main search window includes a preview pane, and i t lets you finetune your search by choosing which type of files you're looking f or. It isn't the fanciest search tool out there, but it certainly is a viable op tion for some and it can be installed via Windows Update. Windows Installation Tools Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor System Requirements: Windows XP SP2 and up; XP users require .NET Framework 2.0 If you have a computer on which you'd like to upgrade to Windows 7 but aren' t sure if there will be compatibility issues, this utility can help. It verifies whether the computer meets the system requirements, and it will also report any

known incompatibilities it finds with your hardware and installed programs. If any issues are found, it will provide recommendations on how to correct them. Windows 7 USB/DVD download toolWindows 7 Download Tool System Requirements: Windows XP SP2 and up; .NET Framework 2.0; XP users nee d to install IMAPIv2.0 If you have an ISO file for Windows 7 installation (OR the Windows 8 preview ), this handy tool provides a quick and easy way to create an installation DVD o r USB drive. If you choose a USB drive, however, please be aware that the tool m ust format the drive - erasing its contents - and the drive capacity must be at least 4GB. Also, for those who are not aware, I'd like to point out that Windows 7 user s can burn any ISO file to disc with no extra software - simply right-click the ISO file and selecting "Burn disc image". Desktop CMD Shortcut Open Command Window HereOpen Command Window Here System Requirements: Windows XP only One of the PowerToys for Windows XP, this adds an entry to the menu when you right-click a folder - it allows you to open a Command Prompt window at that pa rticular folder, which can be quite convenient. One annoying detail is that it d oes not work if you right-click empty space within an Explorer window - you have to go up one folder and then right-click the folder to get there. It is worth n oting that this functionality is built-in for Windows Vista and 7 (hold SHIFT wh ile right-clicking to access it). Task Switcher Alt-Tab ReplacementAlt-Tab Replacement System Requirements: Windows XP only One of the PowerToys for Windows XP, this replaces the standard interface th at appears when you press Alt + Tab to switch windows and it includes window pre views. It's really nice, but just be aware that it runs in the background at all times (the memory footprint is about half a MB on my system). Virtual Desktop Virtual Desktop Manager System Requirements: Windows XP only One of the PowerToys for Windows XP, this tool lets you manage up to four de sktops, in which you can set different backgrounds and run different programs. A fter installing it, to enable it you right-click the taskbar, select Toolbars, t hen click Desktop Manager. To access the options, simply right-click anywhere on the toolbar. For each desktop to have its own set of running programs, ensure t hat the "Shared Desktops" option is disabled. Other programs offer more advanced features, but this one is perfect if you're just looking for basic functionalit y.

Screen Magnifier ZoomIt System Requirements: Windows XP and up This screen zoom and annotation tool is perfect for presentations and demons trations. Annotations can be made with a free-hand draw tool as well as text. Screensaver BlueScreenBlueScreen It's nice that an internal Microsoft group has a sense of humor. This screen saver from SysInternals simulates the infamous Blue Screen of Death, complete wi th a simulated reboot. Just a note: if you plan on using this at work, we IT peo ple would appreciate if you run it by us first! Multimedia Animation *Microsoft GIF AnimatorMicrosoft GIF Animator System Requirements: Windows 95 and up *Requires a Cnet download. Warning: Downloads from Cnet (Download.com) requi re the use of a proprietary installer. This program is no longer supported by Microsoft or even hosted on their sit e, but it serves its purpose well as a simple GIF animation creator. You can cre ate new frames from the clipboard or from files, you can set the duration of ind ividual frames, you can configure looping and transparency, and a few other feat ures. It isn't very fancy, but it does about everything you need if you create y our frames in a separate program like Paint or Photoshop. (Review) Image Tools

Microsoft Image Composite Editor (ICE)Microsoft Image Composite Editor System Requirements: Windows XP and up; also requires Visual C++ 2010 Redist ributable Package and .NET Framework 4 ICE is a panorama stitcher â it takes a group of overlapping photos and uses the m to form a panoramic image, including panoramas that span a full 360 degrees. I t also allows you to tweak settings, such as cropping, panoramic rotation, types of projection, and in which format to export. Formats include JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PNG, HD Photo, and Deep Zoom - exporting in the Deep Zoom format will allow you to view the panorama in HD View, another excellent Microsoft tool (see below). Y ou can also upload and share your panoramas on Photosynth, where others can view them interactively by rotating and zooming. If you visit Photosynth, you can fi nd many awesome examples that show off what ICE can do. When started writing this list, I had not previously used Microsoft ICE. Aft er I used it, I could instantly tell why it receives so much praise. I really ho pe the requirements don't put off too many people because it really is one of th e best programs out there. The installer will redirect you to all of its depende ncies, but I'll provide links for those who want them: Visual C++ package (32-bi t / 64-bit) .NET Framework 4 Photosynth application (this and a free Liv

e account are required to upload to the Photosynth site) (ICE Review) HD View System Requirements: Windows XP and up HD View was pointed out to me by a reader, and I'm awfully glad of it. HD Vi ew allows you to view very large high-definition images in your web browser, par ticularly panoramas. These images can be so large some of them push 4 gigapixels - HD View allows you to explore these images by panning and zooming in and out, viewing the fine details, and I highly recommend viewing some examples. You can use Microsoft ICE to create HD View images if you export them using the Deep Zoom format. I recommend exporting into a new folder because multiple f iles are created in the process - double-click on the html file to view your ima ge in your web browser. Image ResizerImage Resizer System Requirements: Windows XP only One of the PowerToys for Windows XP, Image Resizer lets you quickly resize o ne or multiple images to fit within a certain length and width. You right-click on the file(s) and select "Resize pictures" to bring up a simple interface, wher e you can select one of four pre-set sizes, or specify your own. You can also ch oose whether to save over the original files or create new files. Photo Organizer Windows Live Photo Gallery System Requirements: Windows Vista and up; Click here for the XP version Photo Gallery lets you organize, tag, upload, and edit your photos, among ot her features. The editing features are no replacement for programs like Photosho p, but they are handy for quick and easy alterations. (Review) Video Editor Windows Live Movie MakerWindows Live Movie Maker System Requirements: Windows Vista and up (XP users can find "Windows Movie Maker" in their Programs menu, but the features are not all the same) Movie Maker doesn't boast a set of advanced features, but the features it in cludes are sufficient for many users and are ideal for putting together slide sh ows and short videos. Plus, you can use it to publish your videos on SkyDrive, Y outube, Facebook and Flickr. Video Encoder Expression Encoder 4 with SP1Expression Encoder 4 System Requirements: Windows XP SP3 and up; .NET Framework 4.0; Silverlight 4.0 The replacement for Windows Media Encoder, Expression Encoder 4 is a high-pe rformance video encoding program. It is mainly geared toward Silverlight project

s but it also exports in Windows Media format, and it includes some video editin g features. One excellent feature (which alone makes it worth installing) is the screen capture component, which is easy to use and yields high quality videos t hat can be immediately opened in Expression Encoder for editing and exporting. T he free version of the program leaves out some features, including support for s ome formats and a ten-minute screen capture limit (a features comparison table c an be found here). Slideshow Software Photo Story 3Photo Story 3 System Requirements: Windows XP and up A very easy yet powerful program for creating slideshows. The program walks you through each step, providing a variety of different feataures along the way. You can add effects of every sort, from photo effects to transition effects to panning and zooming effects. You can add text to each picture, narration, and ba ckground music. Overall I think this program is outstanding, and I wish I had st arted using it years ago. Just be aware of two things: the only video format it can save is wmv, and WGA validation is required if you download from Microsoft. (Alternate download location Review) Office Document Viewer Word Viewer System Requirements: Windows 2000 and up Allows you to view and print Word documents (but you cannot edit them). Form ats supported include doc, docx, Microsoft Works documents, WordPerfect document s, and web page formats. Spreadsheet Viewer Excel Viewer System Requirements: Windows XP and up Allows you to view and print spreadsheets created in Microsoft Excel version s 97 through 2010 (but you cannot edit them). Presentation Viewer PowerPoint Viewer System Requirements: Windows XP SP3; Windows Vista SP1/SP2 and up Allows you to view and print PowerPoint presentations created in PowerPoint versions 97 and up (but you cannot edit them). Diagram Viewer Visio 2010 Viewer System Requirements: Windows XP SP3; Windows Vista SP1/SP2 and up; Internet Explorer 5, 6, 7, 8

Allows you to view and print Visio diagrams and drawings (but you cannot edi t them). Unlike the other Office viewers, Visio Viewer is not a stand-alone prog ram - it opens the diagrams within Internet Explorer. Sticky Notes StickySorterStickySorter System Requirements: Windows XP and up; .NET Framework 2.0 This simple sticky notes manager has some feature limitations, but it can be really useful if you just need something that's quick and simple. You can freel y move notes around, organize them into groups, change colors, add custom text f ields and a few other things. Projects are saved with the csv filetype so they a re easy to share with others, even if they don't have StickySorter. Just a note: you must allow StickySorter to send anonymous usage data to Microsoft in order to install the program. Educational Mathematics Microsoft MathematicsMicrosoft Mathematics System Requirements: Windows XP and up; .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 This program is targeted primarily for the educational audience, but it can be useful for jobs that require math calculations. It packs in many features, in cluding equation-solving, unit conversion, 2d and 3d graphing, algebra, trigonom etry, and even calculus. It can display step-by-step instructions on how to solv e a problem, which can be very helpful to students who are learning new math top ics. You can also scribble things free-hand as input, and it does a fairly decen t job at recognizing everything (although sometimes you may need to redraw some symbols). This program was originally not free, but Microsoft released the newes t version as freeware on January 11, 2011. Microsoft also provides Microsoft Mat hematics Add-In for Word and OneNote, which adds Microsoft Mathematics features to those programs. Programming Small BasicSmall Basic System Requirements: Windows XP and up; .NET Framework 3.5 Small Basic provides a programming environment suitable for beginner program mers. It uses a simplified version of the BASIC programming language. Even thoug h it's found in the "Kid's Corner", it can be an excellent learning tool for bot h kids and adults who are just getting into programming. It includes a PDF tutor ial to get you acquainted with the program and walk you through programming conc epts. Programming Programming Editor Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express System Requirements: Windows XP SP3 and up This is a great free set of integrated development environments, essentially

lightweight versions of the commercial Visual Studio programs. It consists of V isual Basic Express, Visual C# Express, Visual C++ Express, Visual Web Developer Express, and Windows Phone Developer Tools. It also supports the newer .NET Fr amework 4. Registration is required within 30 days. HTML Editor SharePoint Designer 2007SharePoint Designer 2007 System Requirements: Windows XP and up SharePoint Designer was originally conceived as a way to build SharePoint si tes, but SharePoint Designer 2007 can be used as a generic web page editor. Unli ke new versions of SharePoint Designer, this one is completely free and does not require a SharePoint server to operate. (Service pack 2 for the program can be downloaded HERE; service pack 1 appears to be included with the program installe r.) Web Development Microsoft WebMatrixMicrosoft WebMatrix System Requirements: Windows XP and up WebMatrix is a web development tool designed to be easy to use. It integrate s a web server and database engine, and you can use it to install additional com ponents such as PHP and open-source web applications. You can use page templates or write your own code from scratch. Other features include coding in ASP.NET a nd PHP, HTML5 support, deployment using FTP or WebDeploy, and building sites tha t can run on Windows or Linux systems. For those who might be interested, I high ly recommend viewing the overview video available on the WebMatrix page. After i nstallation, you can find a help shortcut to some useful online guides in the St art menu. Online Services I am aware that these are not downloads, but they are included here because they are definitely worth noting. File Hosting Service Windows Live SkyDrive SkyDrive is an online file hosting service provided to anyone with a Live ac count (registration is free). It offers an impressive 25GB of online storage for documents, pictures, website favorites, and other files, and you can share thes e with friends. It includes a search feature so you can find things quickly. Fol ders on SkyDrive can be added to the Live Mesh program for synchronization with folders on local machines. The one downside is a file size limit of 50MB, so if you're looking to store large files, you'll have to split them or use a differen t service.(Review) Online Office Suite Office Web Apps An online office suite that lets you create, upload and edit Word, Excel, Po werPoint and OneNote documents. These web apps include common office features an d work really well; just bear in mind that they are essentially stripped-down ve rsions of the Office programs and don't have all the features. Office Web Apps h

as been merged with the SkyDrive service and makes use of its online storage. (R eview) Support & Troubleshooting Fix it Solution Center This online service helps troubleshoot common problems encountered in Window s, Office and other Microsoft software. It lets you narrow it down by category a nd sub-categories to make it easier to find a solution to a specific problem, an d it offers a small downloadable executable to automatically fix it. Panorama/3d Model Sharing PhotosynthPhotosynth.net Requirements: Live account (free); also requires Silverlight, which requires Windows XP/Mac OS 10.4.11 or later with a modern browser. Photosynth is a website for uploading, viewing and sharing panoramas and 3d models. If you make panoramas in Microsoft ICE, you can upload them directly to Photosynth from the program if you install the Photosynth application. Miscellaneous Virtualization

Microsoft Virtual PC 2007Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 System Requirements: Windows XP and up A virtual machine is a simulated environment in which an operating system ca n run without actually being installed on real hardware. It can have several use s â some use it to test software without altering their system; others use it to run an older operating system compatible with older software; and some even use it for their Internet usage so any malware encountered will be contained within the virtual environment. Several free options exist for creating and running virtua l machines, and one of them is Microsoft Virtual PC. Linux and other non-Microso ft operating systems are not officially supported (although it is possible to ge t them to work), but it runs versions of Windows just fine. When you create a virtual machine for a specific operating system, Virtual P C will recommend certain settings (hard drive size, memory), but you can adjust these as desired. Once your guest OS is installed, you can install a set of tool s called Virtual Machine Additions that make the virtual machine run more smooth ly. It also adds support for seamlessly moving the mouse from the host OS to the guest, drag-and-drop files from the host to the guest, and setting up shared fo lders. One feature that's especially useful for testing purposes is undo disks, which gives you the option to run a virtual machine without committing the chang es to the virtual hard drive. Other virtual machine programs can run a wider ran ge of operating systems, but if you're virtualizing a Microsoft OS, Virtual PC i s a solid solution. It hasn't disappointed me in the 4+ years I've used it. Windows Virtual PC System Requirements: Windows 7 only

Windows Virtual PC is the latest version of Virtual PC, exclusively for Wind ows 7. It only supports (officially) guest operating systems from XP SP3 and up. If you have Windows 7 Professional or higher, you can download and install XP M ode â this installs a pre-configured XP virtual machine and allows you to run applic ations in the virtual machine while making them appear to run on the host operat ing system. Disk2vhd System Requirements: Windows XP and up This utility copies physical drives and partitions and saves them as vhd (vi rtual hard drive) files, which can be used with Microsoft virtualization softwar e. My experience with it is mostly positive, but it doesn't always give me a boo table virtual machine. Ironically, after trying several fancier programs (includ ing VMware and Paragon), this tiny tool is the only one I've used to successfull y convert a Windows 98 computer to a virtual machine. It's not a replacement for more robust physical-to-virtual programs, but it's quick and easy and can be ve ry handy. USB Flash Drive Tool USB Flash Drive ManagerUSB Flash Drive Manager System Requirements: Windows XP only This utility provides a convenient way to manage multiple USB flash drives. You can create and restore backup images, browse or delete files on flash drives , and you can optionally set your flash drives to autorun the manager when it's plugged into a computer. Keyboard & Mouse Sharing Mouse Without Borders System Requirements: Windows XP and up This hot new utility from Microsoft's Garage projects lets you use one mouse and keyboard across multiple computers (up to four), provided they each have th eir own monitor and are on the same network. (I find it particularly useful with my desktop and laptop since I only have one monitor.) You can copy and paste te xt and images across all computers, and you can drag and drop files. It's very e asy to set up and it works great. Definitely worth trying.

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