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Who knows better what kind of shareware you like than you? We decided to go out on the Web and online services and ask our readers what shareware programs they find essential, useful or just plain fun. The response we got back was overwhelming, but after much sorting and tallying, we succeeded in compiling the Reader's Choice Top Ten Shareware Picks. Here, you'll find the programs you recommended, along with some of your comments. In addition, we've provided links to Web sites where you'll be able to get updates of the various packages as they become available.
If you didn't have an opportunity to vote for your favorite shareware, we'd still love to hear from you. If the response is strong enough, we'll continue the reader's choice in CDs to come. Send your submissions to tlasusa@cmp.com.
Without a doubt, one of the biggest problems plaguing users today is space restraints. So it came as no surprise that Niko Mak's WinZip was the most popular shareware program, bar none. The archiving program has gone through various changes over the years, consistently improving with each update. WinZip has won many awards, including our very own Software Win 100.
WinZip's newest features (for Win95) include long filename support and tight integration with the Win95 Shell. In addition, an optional "WinZip Wizard" designed for users unfamiliar with zip utilities is included. Once you've gotten up to speed, the more familiar interface is ready and waiting.
Here's what some of you had to say about WinZip:
"Hands down, the most useful shareware I've ever used is
WinZip. I find it extremely convenient, reliable and unobtrusive.
It's handy for examining those big zip files I find myself downloading
at 3 a.m."
Steve Buffington via the Internet
"Nico Mak's WinZip is probably the best shareware ever written.
For less than the cost of PKware's DOS program, you get a well-designed
and almost bug-free Windows interface (16- or 32-bit)."
David L. Florio via the Internet
"With each new release there are more and more facilities
added without burdening the user with a mass of extra commands
and so on. Even better, Niko Mak always seems to be one jump ahead
of what I think I would like to see in the next release. It's
also very easy to use."
Rory Gordon via the Internet
$29
Personal Software Library,
(800) 242-4775, (713) 524-6394,
Click here to unzip WinZip for Windows 95 (file name: winzip95.exe).
Click here to unzip WinZip for Windows 3.1 (file name: wz16v61.exe).
(As of September 12th, Beta 4 of version 6.1a was available.)
For updates of WinZip, go to http://www.winzip.com/
"My vote for favorite shareware has to be Paint Shop Pro.
I find that this program accomplishes what other much more expensive
software does for a lot less money."
Mark L. Evans via the Internet
The second program in our Top Ten is Paint Shop Pro. This graphics program offers support for over 30 image formats, and includes several tools for drawing and painting. Some of the features for the Win95 edition of this shareware include dockable toolbars, enhanced selection options, built-in special effects filters, RGB color separation, and support for new image formats (Progressive JPEG, Mac PICT and PNG with transparency).
"The range of capabilities that Paint Shop Pro contains is
truly amazing. Even better: Range along with speed. While I haven't
yet tried PSP 4, like WinZip, I find it difficult to see what
they could add to PSP to make it better - it's already very good."
Rory Gordon via the Internet
"I build and maintain my own Website. Therefore, a graphics
editor is a must. Paint Shop Pro allows me to edit or build graphic
files to suit my needs. Many, many features. A hundred times the
power of the Windows-supplied paint program. Plus, it is just
plain fun to play with."
Dan R. O'Brien via the Internet
$69
JASC,
(800) 622-2793, (612) 930-9800
Click here to unzip Paint Shop Pro 4.1 for Windows 95 (file name: psp41.zip).
Click here to unzip Paint Shop Pro for Windows 3.1 (file name: psp311.zip).
For updates of Paint Shop Pro, go to http://www.jasc.com/
We found ourselves with a tie for the number three slot … and what a tie! It's pretty obvious that the continued uproar about the violence in video games didn't seem to affect the voting in the least. Both Duke Nukem 3D and the grand-pappy of 3D games, Doom, came in neck and neck. For those unfamiliar with these titles, Doom and Duke Nukem are from a line of "virtual reality" games. Game play takes place in a type of first person view with players darting through mazes, abandoned buildings and caverns. In these foul pits where monsters (and in cases where networks are available, other players) are encountered, the motto is simple: "Kill … or be killed."
Strangely enough, while many of you voted on the two games, few people had anything to say about them. Perhaps the stories of what you encountered in those layers of terror are just too painful to share. Hey, it's okay. We understand. We've been there ourselves.
"I still find myself playing Doom at all times of the night.
What a remarkable game. Only people who have played it can possibly
understand."
David Enna via the Internet
Click here to unzip Duke Nukem 3D (file name: 3dduke313.zip).
For updates to Duke Nukem 3D, go to http://www.3drealms.com/
Click here to unzip Doom for Windows 95 (file name: doom95.zip).
Click here to unzip Classic Doom (file name: doom19s.zip).
For updates to Doom95, Classic Doom and other Doom related entries, go to http://www.iit.edu/~pavlada/doom95/doom95.html
Number four on the Top Ten List is HomeSite. Like many shareware packages, HomeSite was created by a frustrated user who couldn't find the right program to suit his needs. In this case, shareware author Nick Bradbury was looking for the right HTML editor to help him update his online comic strip, Dexter on the Web. With the help of Borland Delphi 2.0, he created HomeSite, which has gone on to become one of the best HTML editors available. The program sports its own built-in browser for reviewing your work without leaving the editor. Additional features for version 2.0 include a spell checker that corrects mistakes without affecting HTML tags, and project management, allowing you to view all the pages of a site in one directory. HomeSite also lets you search and replace in projects, ideal for fixing broken links.
Here's what you had to say about HomeSite:
"Infinitely better than the much touted HotDog."
Patrick Bates via the Internet
"Does what you want easily and cleanly without frills or
fuss. New versions recognize
existing data files for smooth transition."
"Fayn" via the Internet
$25
Nick Bradbury
1423 North Nash Street
Suite 2
Arlington, VA 22209
Click here to launch HomeSite (file name: hs2setup.exe).
For updates to HomeSite, go to http://www.dexnet.com/homesite.html
If you're an online or Internet surfer, you've probably downloaded more than your share of images. With so many file formats out there, it would be nice to have a simple program that can open as many types of image files without hogging up your system resources. The fifth program in the Top Ten, ACDSee, does just that ... and more.
ACDSee opens .BMP, .GIF, JPEG, .PCX, Photo-CD, .PNG, .TGA and TIFF image formats. You can turn your image files into a slide show with read-ahead decoding, forward/reverse/random and single/loop sequencing options. ACDSee's other features include scrolling and zooming while decoding, full-color previews of files before they've loaded, plus quick and easy conversions of files to your desktop's wallpaper.
"(ACDSee) has the fastest loading of images I have ever seen.
The most useful thing I have found is that it has a directory
structure like Explorer, and you can browse your Internet cache
directory for the images you have downloaded and then rename and
save them somewhere else."
Bill Rattell via the Internet
$20
ACD Systems
2201 N. Collins
Suite 230
Arlington, TX 76011
Click here to install ACDSee to your hard drive (file name: acdcn10b.exe).
For updates of ACDSee, go to http://www.acdsys.com/acd/acdsys.htm
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