Mac

Windows

Free – new version

ICQ ('I seek you') is a popular instant-messaging program that lets you communicate with friends and colleagues in real time. To seek out a friend on the ICQ network, simply enter his or her ICQ number, name, nickname, or email address. Once your contact list is set up, you'll be notified when your friends are online so that you can chat, send instant messages or files, play games and more.

This latest version has better design and usability. It incorporates improved Windows XP integration, bug fixes and much more.

Note: you will need to be online when installing in order to register on the network.

Web link: www.icq.com

Free

Let a virtual head (avatar) do your talking for you! If you want to liven up MSN voice chats when you don't have Web cameras, try out one of the Talking Head 3D characters – heads do a reasonable job of acting and speaking in synch with your voice and behaviour.

Web link: http://ssm.seestorm.com

28-day trial

With Fort Knox you can securely encrypt and store any data or files. The software has the power of 448 bit encryption. Protect all your PINs, passwords, accounts, documents, images, programs, spreadsheets, whatever. You can also carry out many tasks with only one master password – login and fill out Web forms, synchronise your computers anytime, anywhere via your Network or the Internet.

Web link: www.auscomp.com

Shareware

If you want to create Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format) files but don't want to shell out for Adobe Acrobat, then pdfMachine might suit you. The program installs as a printer driver on your system and converts print output from any Windows application directly to a PDF file. After conversion, you have a few editing options that allow you to insert, append and delete pages. There is a number of handy settings for changing print quality (DPI), sending PDFs via email, adding encryption to protect your document, watermarks and more.

Note: the trial version creates a faint watermark 'pdfMachine' on every page. Adobe Acrobat Reader must be installed prior to using pdfMachine (you will find it on this CD in the Utilities section).

Web link: www.pdfmachine.net

Mac OS

NOTE: The Mac programs on this CD are mostly in archived 'HQX' (BinHex) files – they can be extracted with several applications, including Stuffit Expander (which is on the CD...). 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 (or other archve) file you want from within Stuffit.

Shareware – latest version

If you're not already familiar with Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) you will most likely come across PDF files at some time on the Web or elsewhere. We include Adobe's free Acrobat Reader on this CD for you to be able to view PDF files, but their PDF creation tool carries a hefty price tag.

However there is an alternative if you wish to create distributable documents (including layout, images, hyperlinks, etc.) on the cheap. PrintToPDF is a little shareware printer driver that allows you to create PDFs within many applications, simply by hitting the print button.

While PrintToPDF lacks many of the features of Adobe Acrobat, it can be useful if you need to send documents to a variety of platforms, but have the documents look the same.

This update corrects rendering of certain font and graphic elements.

Web link: www.jwwalker.com

Free – latest version

This is the latest version of ICQ and can install both on OS X and on OS 8.6 or higher with CarbonLib 1.3 or higher.

ICQ ('I seek you') is a popular instant-messaging program that lets you communicate with friends and colleagues in real time. To seek out a friend on the ICQ network, simply enter his or her ICQ number, name, nickname, or email address. Once your contact list is set up, you'll be notified when your friends are online so that you can chat, send instant messages or files, play games and more.

ICQ now stores your contact list on the server – this means that your contact list can be instantly available to you when you use your ICQ number on another computer or wireless device. This update includes a database manager and lowers memory usage.

Web link: www.icq.com