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Top of the Net:
The Ten Best Download Sites
Thanks to the current plethora of giant computer superstores - not to
mention the computer sections at even more common stores like Wal-Mart and
K-Mart - it's pretty easy to find computer software for just about every
application and every budget. But sometimes it's more efficient - and more
fun - to see what you can dig up online. Looking for software on the 'net
gives you the chance to leisurely read software reviews, download
evaluation versions of just about everything, and sometimes even find
fully-functional versions of programs for free.
Making this method of software shopping even easier are the cool variety of
download sites online, all of them chock-full of variety and all of them,
of course, open 24/7 - we think that these are among the best.
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1. Pass The Shareware
(http://www.passtheshareware.com)
Of course there's shareware, but there's also freeware available on this
download site - everything from screensavers, games, and desktop goodies
to Internet tools and utilities.
Pass The Shareware has got an especially extensive Security and Privacy
section that's crammed full of programs to keep away ads and spam, encrypt
just about everything encryptable, and set up firewalls and
passwords. And check out their Free section to find even more great
programs that won't cost you a cent, from Smart Draw to Winzip - and there
are even some clipart collections and resources for online and offline
freebies and giveaways. |
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2. Tucows (www.tucows.com)
Despite the slightly warped logo image of two cow heads joined at the neck
(?), Tucows is well known for offering up over 30,000 downloads and
reviews, for Windows, Mac, AND Linux. Themes, skins, office tools,
screensavers, even stuff for your Palm Pilot or Pocket PC - Tucows has one
of the widest varieties of downloads on the internet, and you can sign up
for Tucows newsletters, sent directly to your e-mailbox, to keep you
updated on what's cool and new in Tucows download territory.
If it's games you're looking for, check out Tucows Premiere Picks
for some of the best - or, if you want someone else to do the browsing for
you, try the "Head of the Herd" and the "Pick of the
Pasture" choices to take the guesswork out of your downloading.
If you want to take a break between browsing categories, check out
their editorial section - sometimes you're even treated to stories about
real cows, like the one who hurdled a six-foot fence to escape from a
slaughterhouse, eluded police for 11 days, and was rewarded with his
freedom. Great variety, well-updated information, and...uh... cow
stories - all part of what makes Tucows a download site that's truly
outstanding in
its field. |
3. ZDNet (http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/)
ZDNet is a good basic site to download the most essential programs in every
category. Choose from finance and tax utilities, accelerators, games
(especially puzzle games - ZDNet has loads), drivers, and audio utilities.
Their screensavers section isn't too bad - they've got both the Living
Waterfalls and Sheep vs. Gravity 'savers - but ZDNet seems to focus more on
the tech stuff than on entertainment, so you'll probably want to go here if
you're looking for ways to tweak your personal computer. And, of course,
being ZDNet, you can also check out their News and Tech Update sections to
get the most up-to-date info on what's going on in the world of computers
today.
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4. Sound America
(www.soundamerica.com)
If it's sounds you want for your computer, there are few sites cooler than
Sound America for the most recognizable collection of sounds around.
>From cartoon sounds, comedy clips, and sounds from movie and TV (some
of the most quotable lines from the best films can be found here) to good
ol' regular sound effects, Sound America conveniently organizes their
sound files either alphabetically or by "topic" (Batman, David
Letterman, SNL, Johnny Bravo, Friends, Jurassic Park, Men in Black, Army
of Darkness, Austin Powers) to make them easy for you to find, preview
listen, and download - and they even offer up a few audio utilities for
both PC and Mac so you can listen to and edit your downloaded sound files
with ease. |
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5. No Nags (www.nonags.com)
There are no frills and, just like the sign sez, no nags on this site - so
go ahead and download like crazy without worrying about which programs
will pop up a nag window everytime you use it. There's all the usual stuff
here, from office utilities (calculators, organizers, etc.) to
screensavers (and, for web developers, there's a solid section of html
editors, color pickers, and java tools), but there are two sections of the
site that are particularly worth a visit - their Cool Ware section
presents great icons, cursors, and screensavers, and, if you surf on over
to their Entertainment section, you'll want to check out their Fun Toys,
which is full of quirky little programs, including Screenmates, Magic 8
Balls, computer pranks, biorhythm calculators, and astrology tools, most
of which are so tiny in size you can e-mail them to your friends, too. |
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6. Software Seeker (www.softwareseeker.com)
Software Seeker has a lot of the software that you might see on other
sites, but they also have some programs that might be difficult to find
elsewhere. For video buffs, there are several good video capturers and
editors, and, for screensaver searchers, there's a ton to choose from,
whether you're looking for Famous People, Animals, Space, or
Miscellaneous. Both Garuda Fighter (the popular arcade game) and
Grocery Boy (the equally popular recipe and shopping list program) are
also available here, as is a huge System Utilities section that offers up
quick launchers, desktop managers, system optimizers, and other useful
file utilities. |
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7. Jumbo (www.jumbo.com)
Another one of the most popular download sites, Jumbo is just that -
jumbo, if you're counting programs available to download. They've
got tons, so much that sometimes it's difficult to figure out where to
start first, which is probably why they've started posting their Jumbo
Program of the Day, which is a great place to begin.
Desktop publishers will be happy here, as they even have fonts
available for download, as will those just looking for a little
entertainment - Jumbo's got game, and plenty of it, right alongside MP3
players, cross-platform utilities such as Odigo (one of the latest
instant-messaging programs), and cool desktop themes from Alf and Buffy to
Laurel & Hardy and Dr. Who.
The Jumbo Guides are another nice feature - these concise articles can
help
you learn more about your personal confuser, from figuring out which
digital camera to buy to setting up PC security to reviving your aging PC. |
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8. It Pro Downloads (www.itprodownloads.com)
If your download goals are along the more serious side, It Pro Downloads
presents quite a bit of product for those looking to get their business,
home office, or household in tip-top shape. Fax utilities,
organizers, desktop utilities, collector databases, world time clocks,
recipe managers - it's all here, as are learning tools such as language
tutors for those still in school or those just looking to learn a little
something new. That's not to say that It Pro Downloads is completely
devoid of just plain entertainment, though - hey, they've got a PC version
of Super Mario Brothers, so there's got to be a little fun somewhere
underneath that stoic navy blue exterior. |
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9. Free Programs (www.free-programs.com)
It's a newer site, it's still a little rough, but Free Programs has quite
a bit of cool stuff to makes up for it's spareness. Go to the
Archive to find all the goods, from picture calendars, screensavers,
recipe software, MP3 and animated gif links, and, while you're there, make
sure you check out the cool Soboban puzzle game that everyone's talking
about. Sometimes you have to jump offsite to actually download, but
Free Programs is still a good place to base yourself for a leisurely
afternoon of software browsing. |
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10. Gimme Files (www.gimmefiles.com)
And, when all else fails (although you should be pretty well set up with
the previous nine sites), you can just yell "Gimme files!" and
see what you'll get from this cool download site. Tons of categories
abound on Gimme Files - business stuff for accounting, project management,
and spreadsheets; text, video, graphics, and animated gif editors; and
loads of games from action, adventure, and strategy games to board games,
card games, RPGs, word games, and more. |
And that's our list of The Ten Best Download sites - so boot up your
computer, sign on to the 'net, and have fun checking out this month's
Review Magazine's Top of the Net.
Happy surfing!
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