Northwest Recreation

DoubleSafety - March 13, 2009

Intro:
Double safety lets you backup your files at any location and move them to a location of your choice to ensure that your files are safe in the event of a system crash or reformat.

Quick Pros:
Nice interface that anyone could navigate, and easy to use.  The program installed effortlessly on Vista Home Prem. 64-bit and registration went smooth.  Overall, a nice software for backing files up.  Lan, CD, DVD, Jump Drive, etc are all options for backing up, which makes it very versatile.  I like Document Backup a little better,and it does essentially the same thing.  The installed size is about 4mb with this, so slightly smaller than the document backup, though.

Quick Cons:
Scheduler is nice, but not comprehensive in its abilities.  It would be nice to find one where you could randomly select dates without sticking to a consistent schedule.

Final Verdict:
Anyone can use this, so I give it 9/10 stars overall for usability, function, interface, and features.  A keeper for those who didn’t get Backup4lite or Document backup, but a tossup for those who already have it, in my opinion.

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AWicons Pro - March 11, 2009

Intro:
AWicons Pro lets you work with small icons, cursors, etc at extremely fine detail and 32-bit images, etc.  This ensures fine detail for even the smallest icons.

Quick Pros:
Very comprehensive abilities.  The ability to edit in 32-bit and still have anti-aliasing is a wonder few software has.  Definitely an amazing attribute.  The feature packed interface also allows you to create detail and effects that will have even the pros using PhotoShop wondering where the heck you make this stuff.  Installation went very nicely on Vista Home Prem. 64-bit OS.  Registration is tricky, but you basically go to Help -> About -> Registration and then enter your code.  The last two screen shots show the details of where to click (sorry about the un-pro marking with paint).

Quick Cons:
Interface is a bit cluttered as is, but you can condense it to make some of the tools go away.  As the program starts, you almost get a headache faced with all the features.  You would definitely have to know the program well before leaving the default with all the tool windows up, or else you may be a little overwhelmed.

Final Verdict:
Beautiful program with plenty of features.  In its category of programs, it boasts a comprehensive amount of features and tools that definitely compete with the larger graphics editing software.  A keeper for me and for an audience who is going to need to do fine graphics editing.

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Extra DVD Copy Ripper - March 8, 2009

Intro:
Extra DVD Copy and Ripper are programs that let you copy a DVD, or rip it to your hard drive so you have a digital file of the DVD on your computer.

Quick Pros:
Interface is truly “beautiful,” and formats in the ripper and far and wide.  The copy program lets you copy DVDs including menus and titles, letting you get an exact copy of the DVD you have.  Legal?  I have no idea.  Handy? You bet!  In both cases, the interface looks like a cross between Apple’s QuickTime and Microsoft’s Windows Media Player.

• Ripper:
  The ripper rips into a variety of formats.  You can select the device from the scroll menu at the bottom, or you can select it from the drop down box.  Either way, the settings are already preset (but can be changed), and that makes it super easy to use
• Copy:
  The copier allows you to copy the video to another disk.  This is handy for back-up libraries that you want to keep in hard media form.  That way, a scratched disk is no problem.  Just pull out your spare and load it in.  Voila, a duplicate movie.

Quick Cons:
Installation on Vista Home Prem. 64-bit was a mess when it came to driver installation.  The driver isn’t digitally signed, which means Vista won’t let it even touch my computer.  That’s a pain, and I am wary of the installer and programmer who put it together despite the great software.  In other words, after asking for permission to install the driver (which it shouldn’t have to do in the first place), it still refused to install it without a digital signature.  That’s a big no-no in the world of devlopers, and a bit weird for a software that was “professionally” designed.  Go figure and install with caution.  Also be aware of the fact that the biggest videos ripped will be about 640×480, and that isn’t a record breaker.

Final Verdict:
Great software, for a great price with GOTD.  Definitely a keeper for me, but will have to test to see if it rips and copies okay with the driver missing.  I suspect yes, but who knows?  Interface is easy to use, but has all the bells ‘n whistles for those tweaking their movies.  Install with caution, use like crazy!

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Alternatives:
Personally, I would use Burn4Free as my freeware of choice.  It’s a good software that will get the job done.  It also installs a toolbar some label as adware, but that can be uninstalled without much trouble.  I would highly suggest the software below if you want a paid alternative.  Corel has been in the business for years, won’t install junk, and will do the job right the first time.

Price: $34.99

DriverMagician - March 3, 2009

Intro:
Driver Magician allows you to backup drivers from your computer so that you can restore them easily in the event of a system crash.

Quick Pros:
I have used this program before, especially during a system crash.  It does work, and it does its job well.  One minute, your screen is in funky resolution, your touch pad isn’t working right, and you can’t play music, and the next your computer it like factory condition again.  I strongly suggest this program for anyone afraid of system crashed or like to have backups of everything.  You can also select just non-microsoft drivers.  This means that you won’t have extra drivers that already come with a OS installation disk (it is the way to go when backing up).

Quick Cons:
The interface isn’t extremely easy to use, as users will find they have to click the backup icon, and then go to the bottom of the application to actually backup drivers.  This can get a little confusing.

Final Verdict:
It takes a bit of time to get used to, but it works extremely well and effectively.  Definitely a keeper!

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ConvertVid - March 4, 2009

Intro:
ConvertVid lets users quickly and easily convert a range of video files to various formats.  It will also convert audio files to various formats, as well.

Quick Pros:
Excellent range of conversion: “popular video formats such as DivX, XVid, AVI, WMV, MPEG1, MPEG2, MP4, H.264, FLV, RealVideo, QuickTime and 3GP,” and also the ability to convert to various media player and device formats, such as iPod, phones, etc.  Conversion is actually very quick, and took about 4 seconds for a 25 second long video using a Quad Core processor and 512mb gfx card.  Product was excellent in quality and sound, and didn’t appear to lose any significant amount of quality.  There is the ability to batch convert multiple files, or even convert one files multiple times to various formats.  Installation was smooth on Vista Home Prem. 64-bit.  The ability to edit frame rates, audio, etc is all present as well.

Quick Cons:
Interface is very simple and extremely easy to use, but over simplified in my opinion for a video software.  The editing features for the videos needs to be in a frame next to the conversion drop box itself.  Also, there is limited audio formats to convert to.

Final Verdict:
Almost anyone can use this, and the turnout was definitely good quality.  A keeper for those who want simple with a huge scope of options.  For those who want to step it up, use Super.

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Then of course, you have the good stuff, like Final Cut Pro, that does pretty much anything you want, for a price to match, too.  Here’s two options to drool over, and possibly even buy if you have a good pocket book!

Retail Price: $1149.99

Upgrade Price: $449.99

WinUtilities 6.4 - March 3, 2009

Intro:
WinUtilities offers users the capabilities to manage their Pc, clean their PC, scan for junk files, and more.

Quick Pros:
Huge amount of options to “clean registry, temporary files on your disks, erase your application and internet browser history, cache and cookies.”  The sheer amount of options and the wide scope of coverage make this a useful multifaceted utility.  Installation went smooth on Windows Vista Home Prem. 64-bit and registration went smooth as well.  The program also has updates automatically turned off, as well as auto start on “off” as windows boots.  This means no automatically switching to unregistered software and no clogging system resources on boot.  Smart move on the part of the developers.  The interface is very simple and extremely easy to use, visually pleasing, and isn’t hard to navigate.  What’s more, I like how this program incorporates things like startup program management.  Yes, windows already does this, but this makes it a great utility for those who want an all-in-one and are a bit more timid on computers.

Quick Cons:
Has a memory optimizer, which (let’s face it people) for the most part, isn’t going to do most people any good.  Optimizers rarely clear a whole lot of memory, and for the target users of this software, their machines are going to be fairly clean, anyway.

Final Verdict:
If you are a computer geek, this program is great as an easy access utility.  If you know nothing, than this is definitely for you.  Be a bit cautious around the registry and system cleaners, but enjoy the file recovery capabilities, start-up management, history cleaners, and file shredders.

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Other Cheap Alternatives:


Price: $26.77

Price: $27.99

Price: $30.24

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Folder Marker Pro - February 19, 2009

Intro:
Folder marker lets you mark folders with various icons and customize them based on icon type, color, etc.

Quick Pros:
Easy to use, simple interface, and ability to select a folder from the program to change.

Quick Cons:
Huge let down on Windows Vista Home Prem. 64-bit.  The program installs, but will not change anything, even when run as admin.  Screen Shots 3 shows the folder that was supposed to be changed to a tree, but wasn’t.  Additionally, no right click features are installed for right clicking over a folder.  The biggest hit for those who can actually run this is the fact that the program attempts to trick you by asking you to download a new update.  DO NOT BE FOOLED.  This will only revert the program to unregistered.  Check the option to never remind again, and leave it at that.  Installed size is small, at 5 mb, exe is 1.76mb.

Final Verdict:
For those who want customization, this will work for you, but remember to never update the software.  Also remember that it doesn’t work on 64-bit systems.

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 Audio Converter 1.1  - February 18, 2009

Intro:
Audio converter lets you convert music and sound files to practically Wav, MP3 and OGG formats at a variety of bit rates.  It supports most major audio files and gives users the ability to convert quickly and efficiently.

Quick Pros:
Rips extremely fast, can do multiple files at a time, and is extremely simple.  The installed size is about 6mb, and the executable is only 2.  Installation went smooth on Vista Home Prem. 64-bit and installation provides a full release of the software.  Interface is easy to use and extremely user friendly.  Anyone could probably convert with this software.

Quick Cons:
Only three formats?  Not sure if we’re going back to the stone age, here, but let’s go ahead and get on back there to the age of bacteria.  Three formats are not going to get you anywhere.  Maybe up to speed with Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but that’s it.  Super is a much better software and converts to many more formats.  Now we’re looking at today’s tomorrow.  Besides that, settings are limited to bit rate and a few others, that’s it.

Final Verdict:
P-A-S-S.  Super does a better job and is much easier to use.  For an audio converter, this fails big time.  Use something more versatile and you’ll be thankful you did. For new users in the audio converting area, this will get you started.  For 99% of people actually interested in this, it’s a waste of time.

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Today’s Woot - February 18, 2009

Something new?  I decided to review Woot.com and see what people’s response was.  I love reviewing the new toys coming out, so feedback is great so I get a feel for what readers want!

What I love:  Star wars fans lookout!  Great collection with audio CDs, tons of paper products, and great pamphlets.  Not bad.

Not so great:  Corny?  It’s a bit much for those who would rather just watch the vids.  The collection looks more for toddlers and kids than for adults and collectors.

Buy? Die-hard star wars fan?  Then yes.  Not quite so much?  Better save the $25.

Backup4All Lite - February 11, 2009

Intro:
Backup4All allows users to backup data and files easily and efficiently to a folder of your selection and then restore those files in case of a system crash.  Backup4All will backup documents, drivers, and other files.

Quick Pros:
Easy to use interface.  Simply click “new,” select the save location, select the data to backup, and call it good.  To restore, just select one of the jobs you created and restore it to your computer.  Interface is clean enough to be used by almost anyone, and gives you the ability to save using a schedule as well.  Installation was smooth on Vista Home Prem. 64-bit despite what I thought was a slightly larger than necessary installer size (over 10mb).  The scheduler is also very easy to use and works quite nicely.

Quick Cons:
Activation is frustrating on Vista unless you RUN AS ADMINISTRATOR.  Please remember to do that as the program will show a 30 day trial message on top unless you do.  Can’t back up to blue-ray, CD, etc, like Insofta can, either.

Final Verdict:
Easier to use than Insofta Document Backup, and has a wider variety of capabilities.  But on the flip side, there is no ability to back up to Lan, server, Blue-Ray, CD, DVD, etc.  That’s a black speck in my books.  Overall, a good piece of software, plus the thirty day trial should allow you to restore files on a system crash occurs.  Just download the trial to restore.

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ArtStudio - February 10, 2009

Intro:
ArtStudio lets you take boring images and create 3D effects from them.  Effects include snow, lakes, clouds, etc, and can be transformed into moving, life-like files such as gifs, executables, and screensavers.

Quick Pros:
Very nice interface, nothing fancy, but not bad at all.  Very easy to use and full customization is given over the features, something that few programs really include.  In addition, the files can be turned into flash files, .exe, .scr, and .gif files amongst others.  Installation went very smooth on Vista Home Prem. 64-bit.  Installed size is relatively small, at under 20mb, and the installer size is 10mb.  Over all, nice features and an alternative to the screen saver maker given away a few days ago.

Quick Cons:
No video support, so it isn’t an all in one program for just screen savers.  I would appreciate a program that did it all for screen savers, videos, etc.  These would include special effects for images.  Adobe suites, right?  At any rate, not aq bad software, but lacks a huge funcionality type beyond just image screen savers and files.

Final Verdict:
Great for screen saver files that consist of images or for a cool effect for a vacation photo, etc.  You know those digital picture frames?  Would work great with this.  All in all, not completely functional beyond that.  8/10 for features, 5/10 for function.

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Audio Recorder - February 6, 2009

Intro:
Audio Recorder lets you  record streaming music, music from a microphone, and other sound playing on your desktop.

Quick Pros:
Fast and easy installation with no issues on Vista Home Prem (64bit).  There is no extra file besides the installer, so it is a huge plus for users who are getting tired of the same old activation file.  In addition, the installer is small (2mb) and the installed file size is only slightly larger.  The best part about the software is that it records literally anything coming from your speakers.  This is especially good for (wouldn’t you know it?) YouTube music vids.  I tested it out, as you can see from the screen shots, on the good ol’ Backstreet Boys, and it worked perfectly.

Quick Cons:
No internal editor limits the function a little bit, but Audacity can be used instead and is very powerful.  And the features of saving it in a certain format as still an option.

Final Verdict:
Am I keeping it?  Heck yeah!  I have wanted you tube video music off the internet for some time, and this rips the audio with flawless quality.  Simply start recording and hit play on the video or any other music, and you have a copy.  Definitely a keeper.

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Expense Tracker - February 5, 2009 (being updated as installation progresses)

NOTE: Due to the huge installation size, I am going to update as I install this so people can get a feel for what it entails.  Besides, I still want to test it out.  ;

UPDATE:  This is the final update for users.

Intro:
Expense Tracker lets you track your money and manage your finances easily and effectively.  It offers you a chance to track what you make and subsequent expenses for the month, etc in order to better manage your money.

Quick Pros:
Very simple interface that is extremely easy to use.  iMoneysoft was great, but very complicated in several ways.  This has a much friendly interface, much easy navigation, and easy to understand/edit values and data.  Installation was easy on Vista Home Prem. and when you open the activation application, remember to hit the “Register” button on the application that is opened to actually register the software.  It should say when you open Expense Tracker and click on “about” that it is registered to “giveawayoftheday2.”

Quick Cons:
Requires .NET framework.  That’s a huge file to download and install (>200 MB).  If you don’t have it, you are just out of luck.  That’s a huge downside.  For me, this already has me leaning towards staying with the iMoney that was given away quite some time ago.  It also lacks tons of features which iMoney has, too.  iMoney has built in budgets, currencies, reports, and calculators.  On top of that, the 25 minute total installation time (including the .NET framework) made it completely unworth compared to iMoney.

Final Verdict:
A great simple software, I reccomend this by far over iMoney for people who need to ONLY balance a checkbook and track their money.  Home businesses, large businesses, accountants, and extremely business savvy people, this isn’t going to cut it for you.  Stick the iMoneysoft instead.  For me, I will be uninstalling this and staying with the former.

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Internet RadioFan - February 4, 2009

Intro:
Internet Radio Fan allows you to watch TV, listen to the radio, and save your favorite channels all in one application.  Both easy to use and extremely handy for people who don’t have cable/aren’t in a service area, this is a great addition for people traveling, too.

Quick Pros:
Easy to use interface, huge variety of channels and radio stations, and ability to select stream rates makes this perfect for pretty much any user that has a decent internet connection.  Installation was easy and installed, much to my surprise, without any problems on Vista Home Prem.  No admin access was needed, but a firewall access had to be granted.

Quick Cons:
Only good for people with fast Internet connections.  Furthermore, there isn’t the ability to stream at super high quality for those who have extremely fast internet connections.

Final Verdict:
A keep for me on both my laptop and desktop.  Traveling on school trips and on business makes this the perfect solution to watch news, even in other countries and in airports/hotels/Starbucks.

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Image Commander - February 3, 2009

Intro:
For photographers and those who publish images online and in print, this is the perfect software.  It adds water marks, creates thumbnails, and adds texts to images to allow you to more effectively batch edit, resize, and create thumbnails of photos en masse.

Quick Pros:
Extremely smooth interface facilitates very quick and easy batch editing.  Adding watermarks is as easy and selecting the watermark feature, editing default text, then positioning and sizing the watermark to the image.  Thumbnail creation is also easy, and this is all, of course, under the capability of batch editing, so you can expect to effectively edit many photos at once.  Installation was also extremely smooth on Vista Home Prem.  Overall, the smooth interface and excellent batch editing features, combined with friendly and easy to use buttons makes this a wonderful piece of software.

Quick Cons:
Lacking decked out features, the program is limited somewhat in respects to full customization.  For instance dragging the watermark or enlarging it using the mouse is not available, and only presets are available for watermark usage.  Also, zooming in on an image is also limited to a “fit” button, so you can’t zoom in by percentage, etc.  Just a few of the things the software lacks.

Final Verdict:
Despite the shortcomings, the software is still VERY effective at editing and batch editing images.  For everyday users, this might not have a completely functional application, but for designers and photographers who need quick, brainless watermarks, this is perfect.

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Desktop 3D - February 1, 2009

Intro:
Boring desktops are a thing of the past!  Desktop 3D lets you fully customize the way your desktop looks and feels, adding 3D like graphics, customized icons, and virtual movement to your desktop.  The result is a unique and engaging program catered to creativity.

Quick Pros:
There is no “interface” with this, since it is all built into the desktop itself.  When you run the program, it automatically adds in the customizing options when you right-click and starts whatever skin you have set for your background.  Moving backgrounds, moving icons, and tons of skin downloads make this program easy to use and very creative.  Lifelike water, trees, and fire make it look incredibly real, and options for icons include size, animation, preset icons, and customizable icons.

Quick Cons:
Larger than efficient foot print on the RAM, and it will slow down an older computer a bit.  For a Quad Core processor like mine, it runs without a hitch, but older computer users beware.  Also, no interface limits the full customizing abilities a small bit.

Final Verdict:
4.8/5 stars!  Beautiful interface, excellent graphics, and easy usability makes this program excellent if you want to add some real dazzle to your desktop.  I was extremely impressed with the motion incorporated into practically everything.  If you have a good computer with a good gfx card, RAM, and processor, you’ll enjoy this program.

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Document Backup 5.1 - January 30, 2009

Intro:
Insofta Document Backup allows users to save vital date by backing them using a variety of vectors that can be customized for various uses.  This means that a system crash or virus attacking a computer will not mean permanent deletion of data.

Quick Pros:
Very easy to use interface.  The software is extremely straightforward and can be picked up and used by pretty much anyone.  Installation was extremely easy.  No extra “software bundle surprises” were present and activation went without a hitch on Vista Home Prem.  The best thing is that you can create multiple “jobs” that will back up data in different, specified places.  These can then be backed up to “a local or network hard disk, CD, DVD, Blu-Ray or HD-DVD disc or even to an FTP server.”  Automation is even included in the backups.

Quick Cons:
After reviewing, there isn’t a whole lot that this program lacks.  I wouldn’t pay the $30 for this when free options exist, but nonetheless, it is still a good software.

Final Verdict:
This is definitely a keeper.  I have crashed multiple computers, and this is a perfect solution to this problem.  I would say that this could be used by at least 99%, if not all computer users who fear viruses and loosing data.

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Morpheus Photo Morpher  -  January 29, 2009

Intro:
Photo Morpher allows  the user to use two images to create a morphed conversion between the two.  With a variety of upload capabilities and easy to use buttons and interface, Photo Morpher allows even the most inexperienced person to create professional looking motion converting images.

Quick Pros:
Excellent interface that resembles Microsoft Office lets the user feel comfortable with the product.  Allow initially it can be sometimes confusing, the product works amazingly well and morphs two images into a moving transition beautifully.  In addition, the footprint is light on the HDD (about 6mb), and uses little CPU.  The product alos lets you upload to many different websites, suchy as youtube, myspace, etc. without leaving the program.

Quick Cons:
Some features are only available in pros.  Yes, you can make a morphed image beautifully with this, but some features that add a little zest aren’t available unless you upgrade.  That’s a bit of a downside.  Also take note that during install it DOES try to install other garbage on your machine that you have to check “no” to.  Dirty trick by the developer, but not unavoidable, luckily.  Besides that, runs clean and does the job well.

Final Verdict:
For image editing junkies, you’ll love this!  For most of us, it may not be the most practical utility, but it still does the job nicely and is a nice effect for sending pictures in an email or uploading them to MySpace for your friends to see before and after effects.  I will definitely be keeping this one on my graphics editing machine.

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OverSpy - January 28, 2009

Intro:
Overspy is used as a computer monitor by detecting, logging, and tracking all websites visited, words typed, IMs sent, computer activities, and more.  It makes an ideal software for kids and computer owners wishing to monitor computer usage.

Quick Overview:
Initially installed fine on Vista Home Prem.  As per the requirements, it did not boot at all on Vista, however.  Please note that to the best of my ability I can say (with no damage to my system and extremely smooth uninstall) that this is NOT A VIRUS OR TROJAN. I know many are wary of such software, but Giveaway of the Day and I have both tested this, and found it to be clean.  On install, disable ALL virus protection including Windows Defender to avoid hassles that may arise as registry entries are made, etc.

Final Verdict:
I wish I could test this better, but I don’t have XP right now, so I was unable to.  Compatibility mode was not working either, but results may vary since antivirus was not disabled until after the install.  Bottom line, if you have kids or need to make sure your computer is used in a clean way, this will do the trick.  Remember to disable antivirus for a bit, though.

CHM Editor 1.3.3.4

Intro:
For editing Microsoft  Compiled HTML Help files, this program will easy let you edit CHM files for programs and to convert eBooks to an easily readable file.

Quick Pros:
Light footprint on HDD, at under 2mb (1.8 precisely).  Interface is extremely neat and clean, not odd in its design, and easy to navigate.  A startup screen comes upupon start that lets you choose what you want to do, making it even easier and simpler to run and use.

Quick Cons:
Registration was a hassle and the code could not be pasted after multiple attempts.  Had to hand enter the code, which was extremely monotonous, but worked.  Program then worked flawlessly.  Icons for navigation menus are also somewhat small for use, but still functional.

Final Verdict:
This is going to have a very limited audience, but that is not to deter anyone who needs eBooks in an easy to read format for most computers, or for developers who want an easy to use software for help files.

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Smart To-Do:

Intro:
Good software with excellent to do list options that are easy to use and fast to add to, making them exceptionally fast to edit and read.  Abilities include adding multiple tasks, using reminders, using categories, and searching tasks and archives.

Quick Pros:
Easy to use and light coding, installed at less than 4mb.  Interface is simple and slightly overly light and condensed, but still easy to navigate.  Even an elderly person could probably figure this out.  Installed fine on Vista Home Prem. with no problems.  Ran quickly and registered first time as well.  Tasks are easily entered and used as well.

Quick Cons:
Lacks considerable power compared to Essential PIM and Alzema’s Leader Task.  The interface is so simple it makes the program feel one tracked to some degree, and doesn’t offer any additional features besides a to-do list.

Final Verdict:
Go with Essential PIM or GOTD’s previous giveaway, “Leader Task.”  They will serve a far better purpose with much more options than this.

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