This sticky topic is not directly related to IL2, but it is directly relevant to us all. Most of the tools I use for modding are freeware, and over the years I have switched most of the things on my computers over to freeware versions, which are free, often a hell of a lot better, and legal

I have been meaning for a while to post a sticky, where we can all share and vouch for our favorite freeware sites and creators and apps. So go for it. When posting a link, please try to post a link to the developer's own site , not one of the myriad of mass media download sites where everything is available with a little spy ware added.
And also include a short description or endorsement of whatever it is from yourself.
A very cool thing to check out right away is for guys looking for apps that are freestanding, or portable (iow, that do not require installation into windows to work)
and many of my favourite applications is available for it, inlcusing trusty old winmerge:
http://portableapps.com/I have just discovered it, but storebror vouced and that carries a lot of weigth.
I will add more here as we, but for now also of course, the daddy of all freeware:
http://www.openoffice.org/ ....get it and never even look at MS office ever again. Also available as portable.
And then a very trusted helper of mine (what makes me able to download the big files, even though I have the worst connection of everyone):
http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/ ...also with it you can easily download flash video and convert it if required, without the need for firefox-plus-a million add-ons.
I also want to share this guy's site, he is the original creator of the famous freeware "stickies", which gives you 3M type yellow stick-on reminders on your screen. He has some raly cool stuff apart from that too, but stickies is one of my wife's favourite apps, and something I also use a lot.
http://www.zhornsoftware.co.uk/stickies/ (I think some of his apps are going to be ell liked: Caffiene will keep your PC awake during those loooong downloads or uploads, and the Soundboard app...I think some of our sound gurus are going to be instantly in love with itand also have a test run of the BART back-up app . Very cool.
All the best
CirX