We install hundreds of programs every year so we can recommend the best free software in each issue. This also means we need to uninstall plenty of programs that aren’t worth recommending – a task we often forget. Thankfully, the brilliant BCUninstaller – or Bulk Crap Uninstaller to give it its full and frank name … Read more
SHOULD YOU RUN… WINDOWS 11 ON AN OLD PC? If your computer can’t upgrade to the full edition of Windows 11, consider an unofficial ‘lite’ edition instead. Daniel Booth explains the pros and cons. What is Tiny11? If you’ve been putting off upgrading to Windows 11 because you fear your old computer isn’t up to the job, consider installing Tiny11 … Read more
You’ve almost certainly come across an ISO file before. They’re typically used to bundle huge amounts of data, such as in Windows installers. ISO is short for International Standards Organisation, which is the Geneva-based body that ensures all countries adhere to common standards on matters like film speeds, currency codes and food safety. It gives … Read more
This seventh release of Ubuntu Unity, version 23.04, was released on 20 April 2023. The middle one of three interim releases leading to the next Long Term Support (LTS) release, this is also its second release as an Ubuntu official flavor. Written by Adam Hunt In terms of how this development cycle is proceeding, the news is all good. Ubuntu Unity seems to … Read more
Adobe Photoshop and GIMP have some very similar features: they’re both raster image editors. Both programs also support virtually every image editing feature you’re ever likely to need, including selection editing, layers, alpha channels, scripting, retouching, resizing, HDR, noise removal, and much more. Photoshop is now a proprietary paid SaaS (software as a service) product. It’s used by millions of professional graphic designers … Read more
What do you do if your monitor feels a bit cramped, but you don’t want to pay for a new, bigger one? Or you need to keep an eye on a website or video stream while working on something else? Fortunately, if you have a tablet or smartphone going spare, you can expand your desktop space without spending a penny. So, can … Read more
PDFgear offers excellent tools at no cost, making it by far the best free PDF software. Is PDFgear safe? Nik Rawlinson reveals its best advanced features. PDFgear (www.pdfgear.com) is our favourite tool for editing PDFs. It’s got a clear, unfussy interface, makes short work of converting Word files to PDF (and vice versa) and – best of all – it’s free. … Read more
My 20-year-old music library is in a mess. In the past I’ve used both MediaMonkey (www.mediamonkey.com) and MusicBee (www.getmusicbee.com) to manage it, but after the arrival of Windows 11 just about everything is duplicated. What can I use to sort this out? Is there any duplicate song remover tools? Hugh Manuel You need a program dedicated to removing … Read more
Partitioning your hard drive lets you make optimum use of its space by storing different types of data in separate sections, but the partition manager in Windows (called Disk Management) is basic and confusing. Macrorit Partition Expert is a more sophisticated alternative, which packs lots of useful features into an easy-to-understand interface. The free version offers everything you need to … Read more
Deep dive: Hands-on with the new operating system Hot off the heels of the iOS 16 release and a slew of new hardware announcements, The launch of macOS Ventura brings dozens of new features designed to make our MacBooks iMacs, and Mac Studios even more powerful, including the cutting-edge Stage Manager. Read our macOS Ventura … Read more
I have several pages of a printed form that I’d like to copy and combine into one PDF so that I can fill it in and edit. I have a Canon TS8351 printer and a Dell computer with Windows 10 and Microsoft 365. Which programs do I need to achieve this? The best way to … Read more
While they might cost an arm and a leg, a bean-to-cup coffee machine is a huge step in the right direction if you’ve been on the hunt for that elusive perfect cup of coffee. Read our THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO… Coffee machines. —————–Words: Beth Girdler-Maslen Photography: Neil Godwin —————– In the current economic climate, many of … Read more