CleanSoftware.org - Free software, no nasties

What's New! - Changes, history (comments/suggestions)

2014-10-13

Removed Foxit PDF Reader because it has become slow, bloated, and has unusually high CPU usage when supposedly idle. I am suspicious that some recent versions have bundled adware or more intrusive software, and I no longer trust it.

2013-09-29

Removed PDFCreator because the current installer seems broken, and recent versions included unexpected components and possibly aggressive adware. I was unable to install and verify that PDFCreator is clean, so it's gone.

2013-09-25

Fixed broken links throughout the site and updated product names in cases where the program has been renamed.

2012-04-01

Updated description for µTorrent (uTorrent) [internet : file sharing]

2009-04-06

Updated link for Spybot - Search & Destroy [security : antivirus]

Added Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) [security : antivirus]

2008-02-02

Updated link for Shareaza [internet : file sharing]. The previous home page has been taken over by a project that contains possibly malicious code. Please make sure that you are NOT visiting the .com domain name.

2008-01-02

Happy New Year!

Added µTorrent (uTorrent) [internet : file sharing]

2007-09-26

Renamed Gaim to pidgin (formerly Gaim) [internet : chat, instant messenging]

Updated software versions (for latest verified) and updated links.

2006-11-15

Added BitDefender Free Edition [security : antivirus]

2006-11-14

Added K-Lite Mega Codec Pack [multimedia : players]

Added Gpg4win package [security : encryption]

Renamed Ethereal to Wireshark

Removed BitTorrent: The client has changed, and I am not familiar with it

Removed WinMX: The network has disappeared

Removed iTunes: It installs too many components, uncontrolled, can not confirm it's clean

Removed PGP: MIT no longer distributes the free PGP

Updated many software versions and moved links

2006-02-14

Re-enabled comment posting

Updated some software versions

2006-01-21

Removed Sygate Personal Firewall (discontinued by new owner)

Updated DVD Decrypter with file hashes for original software [utility : CD/DVD]

Temporarily disabled message posting due to spam attempts (no spam was sent, but the attempts stress our email server)

2005-12-29

Added XnView [graphics]

Removed DeepBurner (was only a 30 day trial version, doesn't fit our guidelines)

Updated many application versions

2005-11-21

Updated WinMX with note that the network has been offline for some time

2005-10-14

Added Opera [internet : Web, mail, news]

2005-06-05

Added Blender [graphics]

Added gnuplot [graphics]

Added Inkscape [graphics]

New graphics section, moved some titles from multimedia

Added Ghostscript [office : PostScript and PDF]

Added Notepad++ [utility : text editors]

Added SpamPal [security : antispam]

2005-04-02

Added IZArc [utility : file/misc]

Added Brava Reader [office]

2005-03-09

Added VirtualDub [multimedia : audio/video editors]

2005-02-13

Added Sygate Personal Firewall [security : antivirus]

Added DeepBurner Free [utility : CD/DVD]

Added iTunes [multimedia : media players]

2005-01-30

Added DVD Decrypter [utility : CD/DVD]

Added DVD Shrink [utility : CD/DVD]

2005-01-29

Added Audiograbber [utility : CD/DVD]

Added CDBurnerXP Pro [utility : CD/DVD]

Added CDex [utility : CD/DVD]

2005-01-25

Added Picasa 2 [multimedia : players/viewers]

2005-01-24

Added Foxit PDF Reader [office]

2005-01-13

Added Real Alternative [multimedia : media players]

Added Crimson Editor [utility: text editors]

2005-01-05

Added Media Player Classic (MPC) [multimedia : media players]

Added Ultr@VNC [utility : network]

2004-12-30

Added ClamWin

Added ZoneAlarm

Added K9

Created an RSS feed for CleanSoftware.org. The feed will be updated when updates are posted at the "What's New!" section of the site. Should be compatible with Mozilla/Firefox Live Bookmarks.

Added GnuPG (GNU Privacy Guard)

Added avast! Home Edition

2004-12-29

Added AntiVir Personal Edition

Added MPlayer

2004-12-28

Added AVG Free Edition

Added foobar2000

Added VLC

Added a Search and full software index to quickly locate titles.

2004-12-27

CleanSoftware.org got linked by Slashdot.org, bringing in a flood of traffic and over 400 emails. Thanks for all your feedback and encouragement! It's nice to know this will be a useful resource for many. I am reading the Slashdot comments and your emails, and hope to improve the site. New software will be added, but as you can see from the FAQ there are several criteria I look for, including general daily-use appeal, as well as personal familiarity. I will review suggestions as I find time.

Added Miranda

Added FileZilla

Added Cygwin

Added PGP (Pretty Good Privacy)

Added Trillian Basic

Added Ethereal

Adobe Acrobat/Reader has been marked [yellow] because several optional third party software is presented at download time (not necessary to install). Vendor's own advertising within the software can also be disabled.

IrfanView has been marked [yellow] because there is an option during installation to enable advertising, which you should watch.

Winamp has been marked [yellow] because there is an option during installation to enable usage tracking, which you should watch.

There is now an icon beside each title ([red], [yellow], [green]) meant to bring your attention to any possible concerns with the title. This is described in the FAQ.

2004-12-24

CleanSoftware.org goes live!