Best Free Software30 2 - 15 October 2019
SoftMaker FreeOffice is a free Microsoft
Office-compatiblesuite that includes aword
processor (TextMaker), spreadsheet program
(PlanMaker) andslideshow tool (Presentations).
SoftMaker is currentlycelebrating its 30th
anniversary andreleaseda freeAnniversary
Update in July, which added somepreviously
paid-for features to the suite.
In this latest update (Revision 970 ), FreeOffice
lets you save filesin classic Microsoft Office
formats DOC, XLS and PPT (previously, it could
only openthem) andgains full support for
LibreOffice’s OpenDocument Text (ODT)
format. There’s anew dark mode, too, which
SoftMaker says is mucheasier onthe eyes.If you needto install or reinstall Windows
but don’t have the disc it cameon(or a
CDor DVD drive, for that matter) then
WinToHDD can help. This tool can install
the operating system froman ISO, WIM
or ESD image file (whichyou needto supply
yourself) or clone Windowsto a new drive.
It also lets you create a multi-installation
USB flash drive that you can use to install
different editions of Microsoft’s operating
system.
This new version adds support for cloning
Windowsbetween disks with different
sector sizes andimproves the Windows
installation process.
Anyonewho has used Microsoft’s operating
systemsince the days of Windows 95 andXP
will no doubt recall PowerToys, a selection
of essential tweaking tools. Earlier this year,
Microsoft announcedplans to launcha series
of PowerToys for Windows10, andthe first
of these are now availableto download.
There are currentlytwo PowerToys onoffer
(withmore onthe way): FancyZones is a
highly configurable tool that improves
windowssnapping, and ShortcutGuide is
anoverlay which displays all of the keyboard
shortcuts that are availableto use.
You can find out more about PowerToys
for Windows10 in our Workshop on page56.
SYSTEM TOOLS
PowerToys for Windows 10
bit.ly/ptoys 485
Min requirements:Windows 10
File size:2.9MB
OFFICE SUITE
SoftMaker FreeOffice 2018
http://www.freeoffice.com/en
Min requirements:Windows7/8.x/10, macOS,
or Linux File size:114MBWINDOWSINSTALLER
WinToHDD 4
bit.ly/hdd485
Min requirements:Windows7/8.x/10
File size:9MB