Freeware index?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Spoon2001
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Spoon2001

Over a period of time, I have downloaded many programs that looked
interesting, but then forgotten what in the heck they were supposed to do.

It would be nice if there some kind of downloadable index where I could look
up the name of a downloaded program, and then find the URL for the program,
as well as a description of what it does. Maybe it would be best if it were
in .CSV format.

I've had pretty good luck Googling on filenames etc. to find out what a
program does, but it would be a lot better if I didn't have to be online to
do this.
 
"Spoon2001" <[email protected]> wrote:
Click to expand...
Over a period of time, I have downloaded many programs that looked
interesting, but then forgotten what in the heck they were supposed to do.
Click to expand...
It would be nice if there some kind of downloadable index where I could look
up the name of a downloaded program, and then find the URL for the program,
as well as a description of what it does. Maybe it would be best if it were
in .CSV format.
Click to expand...
I've had pretty good luck Googling on filenames etc. to find out what a
program does, but it would be a lot better if I didn't have to be online to
do this.
Click to expand...

The bright side is there is a very easy solution for any zipped
programs you have that contain a readme or a file_id.diz to describe
the program:

http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32/zipindexator12.html

Works great!

The downside of course is many programs are offered as .exe files and
this program doesn't work on them. Make a habit of grabbing .zip when
you have a choice and this program will serve you well.

This is a similar program that works with zip/jar/cab files:

http://www.woundedmoon.org/win32/zipscan.html
 
REM said:
I have gotten in the habbit of creating a small text file for each freeware program I download,
Click to expand...
with a small description and any URLS. Unfortunately I still have
some files like jsinstall.exe that I will have to eventualy google for
and make my file for. For the curious, that one is JPEG resizer 1.1a.
 
In Message <dated Tue, 20 Jan 2004 15:33:43 -0600,
Over a period of time, I have downloaded many programs that looked
interesting, but then forgotten what in the heck they were supposed to do.

It would be nice if there some kind of downloadable index where I could look
up the name of a downloaded program, and then find the URL for the program,
as well as a description of what it does. Maybe it would be best if it were
in .CSV format.

I've had pretty good luck Googling on filenames etc. to find out what a
program does, but it would be a lot better if I didn't have to be online to
do this.
Click to expand...

Of course there would be nothing to stop YOU from creating such a
reference source yourself and putting it up for other people to access,
instead of wanting someone else to do all the donkeywork ...

--
Regards,
Nicolaas.



- Little boats should keep near the shore.
 
Over a period of time, I have downloaded many programs that looked
interesting, but then forgotten what in the heck they were supposed to
do.

It would be nice if there some kind of downloadable index where I could
look up the name of a downloaded program, and then find the URL for the
program, as well as a description of what it does. Maybe it would be
best if it were in .CSV format.

I've had pretty good luck Googling on filenames etc. to find out what a
program does, but it would be a lot better if I didn't have to be online
to do this.
Click to expand...


Have a look at SoftCAT
http://www.fnprg.com/softcat/



--
----------------------------------------
Quantum Illusions: http://quantum.2ya.com
FORT Freeware: http://freeware.quantum.2ya.com
Pegasus Mail Support Site: http://pegasus.quantum.2ya.com
DATA Solutions: http://datasolutions.quantum.2ya.com

If you truly want to contact me click the link
http://quantum.2ya.com/email.htm
 
Nicolaas Hawkins said:
Of course there would be nothing to stop YOU from creating such a
reference source yourself and putting it up for other people to access,
instead of wanting someone else to do all the donkeywork ...
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have much use for such an index, because I often change the file
name after download to make it show what kind of program it is.
That way I also have less need for such an index.

I often leave the old file name as it is but add something before it, like
this: browser-netscape-n4v32.exe
 
Nicolaas said:
Of course there would be nothing to stop YOU from creating such a
reference source yourself and putting it up for other people to
access, instead of wanting someone else to do all the donkeywork ...
Click to expand...

I'd be willing to do my share. But it's way too big a job for one person.
Ideally it would be a collaborative effort.
 
Over a period of time, I have downloaded many programs that looked
interesting, but then forgotten what in the heck they were supposed to do.

It would be nice if there some kind of downloadable index where I could look
up the name of a downloaded program, and then find the URL for the program,
as well as a description of what it does. Maybe it would be best if it were
in .CSV format.

I've had pretty good luck Googling on filenames etc. to find out what a
program does, but it would be a lot better if I didn't have to be online to
do this.
Click to expand...

Make about a dozen folders by software genre and drop the downloaded setup
files into the appropriate one. If you see a program named "EC.exe" in the
"Cleanup Tools" folder, you automatically know what it's for.

Bob
 
Spoon2001 said:
I'd be willing to do my share. But it's way too big a job for one person.
Ideally it would be a collaborative effort.
Click to expand...
You should set up a Wiki site (See http://c2.com/cgi-bin/wiki for an
explanation of wiki's) and start editing. Other people can add, remove,
correct, e.d.

Jeroen
 
Over a period of time, I have downloaded many programs that looked
interesting, but then forgotten what in the heck they were supposed to
do.

It would be nice if there some kind of downloadable index where I
could look up the name of a downloaded program, and then find the URL
for the program, as well as a description of what it does. Maybe it
would be best if it were in .CSV format.

I've had pretty good luck Googling on filenames etc. to find out what
a program does, but it would be a lot better if I didn't have to be
online to do this.
Click to expand...

The system that I've settled on for downloaded files is not unlike the one
I use to install files. It requires diligence and upkeep in the beginning
for the payoff later.

When downloading a file I save the webpage also, renaming if necessary.
Then its easy to come back later and sort by date or name to combine into
zip files. If already a zip I just drop the webpage in it (Powerdesk) if
not I select both and create one.

Exe's are better in this case because I like to retain the original file
name when possible.

Besides reminding me of why I dl'ed a file in the first place. Many times
web sites are completely gone later and its nice to have the page handy.
I usually save as text unless theres a reason for a graphic.

-=alp=-
 
Spoon2001 said:
Over a period of time, I have downloaded many programs that looked
interesting, but then forgotten what in the heck they were supposed to do.

It would be nice if there some kind of downloadable index where I could look
up the name of a downloaded program, and then find the URL for the program,
as well as a description of what it does. Maybe it would be best if it were
in .CSV format.

I've had pretty good luck Googling on filenames etc. to find out what a
program does, but it would be a lot better if I didn't have to be online to
do this.
Click to expand...

use " TextArchiver" next time , it lets you hightlight text on a
webpage and saves it automatically to a file on your computer and it
also saves the web address it came from...so you can just look up a
program name and see what web address it came from ... you can get
it from ... http://www.pcnineoneone.com/tweaks/scripts9.html ...
--- also you might want " fileNote" from ..
http://www.moonsoftware.com/freeware.asp ...it lets you create a
note from the context menu , and saves it with the same name as the
download +.txt
 
On 21 Jan 2004 10:49:24 -0800, (e-mail address removed) (mike555)
wrote:

use " TextArchiver" next time , it lets you hightlight text on a
webpage and saves it automatically to a file on your computer and it
also saves the web address it came from...so you can just look up a
program name and see what web address it came from ... you can get
it from ... http://www.pcnineoneone.com/tweaks/scripts9.html ...
Click to expand...

Isn't that for IE ? Pretty useless for people using Netscape etc.
 
John said:
On 21 Jan 2004 10:49:24 -0800, (e-mail address removed) (mike555)
wrote:



Isn't that for IE ? Pretty useless for people using Netscape etc.
Click to expand...

Care to name the rest of the programs for which it's useless?
 
Spoon2001 said:
Over a period of time, I have downloaded many programs that looked
interesting, but then forgotten what in the heck they were supposed to do.

It would be nice if there some kind of downloadable index where I could look
up the name of a downloaded program, and then find the URL for the program,
as well as a description of what it does. Maybe it would be best if it were
in .CSV format.

I've had pretty good luck Googling on filenames etc. to find out what a
program does, but it would be a lot better if I didn't have to be online to
do this.
Click to expand...
To avoid just that problem, I download everything with DLExpert - it has
an option to create a text file in the same directory as the downloaded
file named similarly. When the downlaod starts, I can input anything I
want into a text field and that goes into the file. For example, I have
these 2 files in my download directory
D:\downloads\EClea2_0.exe.DLExpert.txt
D:\downloads\EClea2_0.exe

D:\downloads\EClea2_0.exe.DLExpert.txt
contains:
Time: January 12,2004 21:26:20
URL: http://www.toniarts.com/files/EClea2_0.exe
File: D:\downloads\EClea2_0.exe
Comment: registry cleaner
Length: 2601976
Download: 2601976
Status: Finish

I keep the .txt file with the file I downloaded and I can always easily
tell what the downloaded files actually are.

Brian
 
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