JMMannion

Software Reviews by JMMannion

The reviews and opinions below are posted by SnapFiles visitors. They do not necessarily reflect our opinion, and they are solely based upon the experience of individual users.

FocusWriter

Here it is!

Now this word processor is just the best from my point of view. It reminds me of the old Word Perfect DOS on which I wrote thousands of words. Absolutely no clutter, just you, the page and the soft typewriter sound (if you chose to use it). It is like using a pen and stationery. It really takes no time at all to like, open the program, move the mouse cursor to the top, or bottom of the screen to access the controls and in a few moments you will be up and running, just you and your thoughts. It is great, just absolutely great. J Mannion Price: Free

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Pegasus Mail

Tops!

I have always kept Pegasus Mail on my hard drive, computer after computer I move it with the new machine. It is difficult to learn, but the rewards are worth it. After a few hours (maybe more) things fall into place and you will not want to be without it. I think of it as "Unique" because it is just so nice to use. The big plus it always works. Price: Free

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ZScreen

Way overdone!

The program has far too many features. It may serve some people well, but I cannot imagine needing all the added features. It seems the author lost sight of the original concept of Screen Capture and took it to extremes. The program could be broken into three, or four smaller programs aimed at a specific need and kept simple. Just cluttered to the point of being confusing. Price: Free

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Jarte

Sort of a let down

I used the free version periodically for about five years then bought the Jarte Plus version a few weeks ago I am a little disappointed. I got everything the Plus version promises, however, the document save format is not up to snuff. Lots of problems if I want to move the format to MS Word, OpenOffice, IBM Lotus and so on. The price was not a bank-breaker, but I was a little disappointed with the entire Plus package. I do like creating backgrounds in Photoshop and changed the background to suit my mood. Other than that, I'll stick with MS Word which I have been using since the mid Nineties. I do keep IBM Lotus and OpenOffice on the drive mainly because OpenOffice has such a fantastic PDF converter built-in. I would recommend the free version of Jarte, but the update deserves consideration. The program is cute, but not for serious work. J. Mannion Price: Free

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Adobe Acrobat Reader

Really big.

The program is a monster when all I need is a reader, so I went elsewhere. Price: Free

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Sumatra PDF

Absolutely no nonsense

The Sumatra PDF Reader is quick, no nonsense and although it lacks the features of the big guys it gets the job done nicely. In this day and age where everything has to be big and awkward to please people, these little program is very basis and very good. I'll give it an Excellent. J Mannion Price: Free

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Defraggler

Works well

I have been using this little fellow for about eight months. I can't say it is better, or worse than other programs of this type. However, it does a good job and the little boxes are fun to watch. Watching the boxes is what defragging is all about, isn't it? It is a good program and when you compare the results with the Windows default they are just about the same. The speed is about the same as any other defrag program, so if it is speed you want when degragging, don't defrag your hard drive, just buy a new one when the old one starts to chug. Price: Free

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Volumouse

Just fun...

I put this on my laptop and I still have no idea why? But, I like it and it works fine. Price: Free

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Rainbow Folders

Just fun

This little program brings a touch of class and pleasantry to a dull page of program folders. It is just fun to use. Price: Free

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SIW

Nice program

I just upgraded my previous version and found this latest version to be every bit as good as the earlier one. Nothing fancy about the program, just lets you know what is inside the machine without a lot of fuss and bother. Price: Free Trial ($19.99)

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Belarc Advisor

Redundant to Windows

I have removed the program off my computer after giving it a fair test. It doesn't do anything that cannot be achieved by the default tools which are supplied with Windows and the other program disks and features. I though it was cluttered and annoying for what little good it produced. Price: Free

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CLCL

Excellent

I have used just about every Clipboard utility I could find, both free and shareware and I have constantly reverted to CLCL. It takes a little patience to get it setup correctly, but after that it is excellent. The .dll's which handle some of the tasks can be difficult to install, but there are web site that explain how this can be done. I have a lot of computer experience and I will have to say the .dll's are tricky. So it you are new to this, find a web site for information. It is worth every bit of your time and effort. If you need a clipboard extender, let me recommend this one to you. JM Price: Free

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Foxit PDF Reader

Hidden problems

I used Foxit for about six months and made the error of clicking on "text" only to discover it will not let you go back. The program then nags continually asking for you to buy the upgrade. I reverted to Adobe Acrobat 6 and will remain there. Very disappointing. I would reluctantly recommend it, but point out the crippled portion of the program. Price: Free

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Maxthon

You'll love it!

I have tried most all the browsers and browser skins and this is the best in my opinion. The tabs are absolutely great, updates come regularly and it is just a nice experience. So smooth you'll take it for granted which is as it should be. Price: Free

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RegSeeker

Beyond the call of duty

I read the comments on this little program and, for the most part everyone is right. The program does do exactly as it has been ordered to do. So, a little caution is necessary when using it. It isn't necessary to avoid it entirely, just run it at the default settings and things go well. For those who are a bit more daring and have some idea of what takes place in the registry you can take it a few steps further and get those really pesky problems satisfied. The "Find in Registry" feature is very good and comes close to the default "regedit" for quality. If this program is used with RegScanner every little stray item can be winnowed and safely removed. The more a person works with the registry the more interesting and fun it becomes to use the programs. I will give this program an Excellent because it deserves it! Price: Free

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Adobe Photoshop

A tool for color manipulation . . .

PhotoShop is an expensive professional tool like AutoDesk's AutoCAD. PhotoShop is a continual learning experience. If a person has the wherewithal to purchase PhotoShop and the time and patience to learn how it functions, then it is a worthwhile program. However, it is designed more for the commercial user. A logical substitute for the casual paint manipulation user would be The Gimp. Not nearly as definitive, but will handle the average requirements. I suggest Photofiltre for touch ups and IrfanView for just about every other image handling requirements. Both of these small programs are stable, comfortable to use and tried and proven by most professionals. If a person is confused and agitated by either of the latter two programs, then PhotoShop is absolutely not the solution to the problem. A person would then want to consider Picasa2. JMM Price: Free Trial ($699.00)

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RegScanner

This little guy works!

I was plagued with Picasa2 registry entries to the point where I was about to write zeros then I discovered this little guy. It is very easy to use and finds the entries so easily it makes it refreshing to work with the register. No guess work with this program. Two thumbs up for RegScanner. JMM Price: Free

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Ad-Aware Free Antivirus

Handles the problem . . .

This program works! I will give it an excellent rating because it does so well. JMM Price: Free

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IrfanView

Simply the best . . .

I have been using IrfanView since 1997. I have tried dozens of others along the way and this remains my favorite. It is a program that has about everything I need for serious image viewing. No nonsense and straight forward. It has been my default viewer since I first installed it. It is really my right arm and I strongly recommend this wonderful program. JMM Price: Free

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ZipGenius

Excellent program . . .

This program is good, as in really good. Don't take my word on it, give it a try and I am sure you'll agree. JMM Price: Free

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PhotoFiltre

Necessary program . . .

This little program is a necessary part of any software library. It combines all the important and useful parts of image touch-up programs into one small, easy to use program. Truly a mini-PhotoShop. A must have. JMM Price: Free

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Gimp

Very good program . . .

This program is very good. It is a bit overwhelming at the beginning, but after a few hours it begins to smooth out. It works a lot like most other paint programs except it does it in a big way. JMM Price: Free

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WordWeb

Look it up in the dictionary . . .

Now it is simple to follow the teacher's old adage to look it up in the dictionary. I use this little gem daily. When I come across a word anywhere on the Internet, or in any text whatsoever that I don't know, or need an exact meaning and usage, I just highlight the word and click on the WordWeb tray icon and I have it. I have been using this program for about two years and I have come to rely on it. I think this is an excellent program to install on any computer and especially if the machine is used by children. Words are fun and English is the most colorful language with several words to describe one item and this program makes it all so very easy. I just cannot recommend this strongly enough. Get it, use it and you'll find yourself needing it more and more each time you read and write. JMM Price: Free

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OpenOffice

Highly recommend . . .

In fairness to the reader let me say I have been using OOo for about three years. Lately I use only the Writer, but I do use the PDF Converter frequently. I no longer use any other part of the OOo program, i.e., the office tools. I no longer have a need for them. Therefore my opinion on the program is predicated on just the Writer and PDF Converter both of which are excellent. I can construct pages with images and text which when converted to PDF format are nothing short of outstanding. I use Writer for most of my text needs along with Nvu. In fairness to MS Word, yes, I still use it but less and less frequently as OOo seems to be my favorite. OpenOffice now imports and exports other formats nicely which makes it nice to use. I would recommend this program to anyone without a moments hesitation. It is a nice comfortable program to use. Like any software it takes time to become familiar with it, then it is like an old friend. JMM Price: Free

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Software Reviews by JMMannion

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