Mac

Windows

Trial version

This program will backup all your data; your files and folders, emails, Microsoft Outlook Express files, Microsoft Outlook 2000/XP files, Favorites, Windows Address Book and Fonts. Backup Manager offers on-the-fly compression; automatic media spanning; 2GB in a single backup job; previewing your to-be-restored data; Normal, Incremental and Mirror Backup.

This is a more capable backup utility than the same company's Outlook Backup Express as mentioned in 'Hot Downloads'.

Web link: www.genie-soft.com

Shareware – 30-day trial

This utility and Windows shell extension lets you compress, encrypt and create executable files (SEEDs). A handy menu is added to the right click speed menu in Explorer which kicks off a wizard. Adhaero Transit can email SEEDs directly or you can set the SEED file extension to prevent problems with email clients blocking EXE attachments.

The recipient runs the executable file and enters the required password which allows the data to be extracted and decrypted. The recipient does not need any special software installed to decrypt and use the document. SEEDs can be created from any type of file and the program uses strong 448-bit Blowfish encryption.

Web link: www.adhaeroutilities.com

30-day trial

WebPosition Gold is a popular suite of tools aimed at raising your Web site into a top 10 ranking in the major search engines. WPG includes the following modules: Page Generator, which creates doorway pages and is optimised to achieve high rankings in specific search engines; Page Critic, which compares your Web site's HTML code to those of top-ranked Web pages, then suggests improvements; Page Editor, which facilitates easy changes; and Upload Manager, which automates Web site page uploads.

This new version features support for more than 60 new search engines, including a more international flavour with United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Spain, and others; selecting an engine now displays its vital statistics; you may now run more than one instance of WebPosition Gold at the same time; Page generator is smarter, with enhanced Meta Tag control; built-in FTP support; and more. In this trial version there is support for only three search engines.

Web link: www.webposition.com

Evaluation version

The Exploit Submission Wizard will submit sites to over 1200 search engines and lists including all the following major search sites: AOL, Yahoo, Google, Hotbot, AltaVista, Looksmart, Excite, Lycos, Goto and many more. The new version does this even faster than before, using 20 sockets to post your web site information. This evaluation version submits to only 20 engines.

Note: the first time you use the Wizard you may be asked to enter a validation code. Enter the code VCexploit – this code is case specific so take care when entering it!

Web link: www.exploit.com

Trial version

Secure CommNet is a Telnet client that integrates modem dial-up and Secure Shell (SSH2) Telnet capabilities into a single, fast and easy-to-use client. Secure CommNet supports Zmodem file transfers and TTY, VT100, full-colour PC ANSI, SCO ANSI, AES256, Twofish, Blowfish, Triple-DES, Arcfour and Cast-128 as well as TCP/IP port forwarding (connection tunnelling). Other features include session scripting to automate logins, a unique Telnet Host Mode Server feature to chat and transfer files directly with other users on the Internet, and more.

Web link: www.radient.com

60-day trial

It does what it says. As well as scheduling downloads and resuming interrupted downloads, IDM can dramatically increase the speed of your downloading. Internet Download Manager's resume capabilities can recover broken downloads from lost connections, network problems, computer shutdowns, or even unexpected power outages. In downloading multiple segments of a file, the program reuses available connections without additional connect and login stages.

Internet Download Manager supports download queues, firewalls, proxy and mirror servers, redirects, cookies, directories with authorisation, and a large number of different server platforms. The program integrates seamlessly into Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera and Mozilla to handle your downloads automatically.

Web link: www.internetdownloadmanager.com

Latest trial version

The new version of this award winning FTP client provides all the tools that have made it popular in the past (such as resuming interrupted uploads and downloads) plus a load of extra features. The interface has been tweaked for Windows XP support and work has gone into streamlining FTP transfers with faster startups, quicker connections to FTP servers and improved site navigation logic. A new scheduler lets you schedule current or saved queues for later transfer and a new search feature lets you find music, software and image files using multiple search engines. The Site Manager has been improved and provides an easy way to store FTP site usernames, passwords and addresses with optional encryption. The familiar two-paned interface makes it easy to transfer files between your local PC and remote computers simply by dragging and dropping files from one pane to the other.

Web link: www.globalscape.com

Free

REL Link Checker Lite is a free and easy link checker tool that assists in checking and verifying your Web site's hyperlinks. The program can check up to 1,000 URLs during one session. This is the free version of the more powerful commercial version, Web Link Validator (included on previous IM cover CDs).

Web link: www.relsoftware.com

Free

Aladdin's Stuffit Expander gives you an easy way to expand most compressed or encoded files including those downloaded from online services and the Internet. The program handles Mac and Windows archive files.

Note: StuffIt Expander is a free component of StuffIt 7.5. This means that you will also have the opportunity to install an unregistered trial version of StuffIt Standard Edition, as well as unregistered shareware versions of DropStuff and StuffIt Browser.

Web link: www.stuffit.com

WinZip
v6.3
(Win 3.x)
Evaluation version

At last, after extensive beta testing, it's time to upgrade to the latest Windows 9x/NT/Me/2000/XP version of WinZip. WinZip is an excellent archive file manager, handling ZIP and other compression formats, including many common on the Internet, such as TAR, BinHex, UUencode and MIME. Features handy integration with Windows explorer.

A key addition to this version is compatibility with Windows XP. There are also major enhancements to the integration of WinZip into Windows Explorer, with many new functions and options in the context menu. You should generally find the handling of your ZIP files easier than before. There are various cosmetic changes and improvements to the program and its help files.

Web link: www.winzip.com

Free

View all those PDF documents found around the Internet and elsewhere. Acrobat Reader is a standalone program and browser plug-in that lets you view and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. PDF files are useful for distributing documents that will always look the same, regardless of the platform and operating system they are viewed on.

Version 5 now includes many new features including the ability to save PDF files downloaded to your browser, drag-and-drop toolbar icons, dynamic thumbnail generation, improved access to Web-hosted applications and online services, improved support for the visually impaired, better display of text on LCD screens using Adobe CoolType technology, and support for Adobe Illustrator 9.0 graphics that contain transparency. This latest version also lets you download Asian font packs so you can view PDF files that contain Chinese, Japanese and Korean fonts.

Web link: www.adobe.com

Mac OS

NOTE: The Mac programs are mostly in archived 'HQX' (BinHex) files – they can be extracted with several applications, including Stuffit Expander (see below). Clicking on the links below should set the process in motion. You may receive a message that the file cannot be loaded into Simple Text — if so, start Stuffit and then open the HQX file you want from within Stuffit.

Web link: www.aladdinsys.com

Latest version – 15-day trial

Speed Download has gone through a number of updates this year, incorporating numerous changes, improvements and fixes. The program lets you use multiple simultaneous connections to perform downloads, working with Internet Explorer, Netscape and Opera. Open up to 32 simultaneous connections per file. All downloads are resumable and a queue system that supports schedules and scripting allows for efficient use of online time.

Speed Download is ready for Mac OS X and has multi-processor optimisations when running under OS 9 or higher. It doesn't install system extensions, control panels or other gadgets, but just brings speed and performance.

This latest version brings tighter browser integration, minor interface improvements and several fixes.

Note: this unregistered version supports only two simultaneous downloads. The program is intended for use with broadband Internet connections.

Web link: www.yazsoft.com

Trial version

SubmitWolf MAC is an easy to use Web site promotion tool that automates the process of getting your Web site listed on the Internet. It has a huge database of search engines, link lists and business directories.

The number of search engines is limited in this trial version.

Web link: www.trellian.com

Free

View all those Acrobat format (PDF) documents found around the Internet and elsewhere. A plug-in for Netscape Navigator is included and automatically installed. For the latest version 5 you will have to go to the Adobe Web site to perform an online installation.

Web link: www.adobe.com