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Disabled Access to Computing Handy Downloads NB Inclusion on this page does not constitute a recommendation. This page is currently being re-built Please note - Clicking on any of the external links will open a new browser window or tab. To return to this page you can just close the new window.

Table of quick links to topics covered

Programs (General)	Web Site Building, Validation & Accessibility	Computer Graphics & Photography	Computer Video & Audio
Not yet assigned	DA2C Crib Sheets	Utility (General)	Amusing or Entertaining

Programs (Generally Useful)

Open Office v.3 (Windows, Linux, Mac, Etc) - A useful Office suite, compatible with Microsoft Office and also providing export to PDF and compatibility with the Open Document Standard format. The suite has six parts - Writer (word processor), Calc (spreadsheet), Impress (presentations) , Base (database), Math (equation editor) and Draw (vector graphics program). One caveat is that (at the time of writing) the Microsoft XML based DOCX Office 2007 document format is not fully supported, however that is likely to change, as the suite is open source revisions and bug fixes appear quickly. DA2C clients have reported favourably on this suite although the database is said to be hard to get to grips with (we have often supplied a database designed to do specific tasks as designing databases is not as simple as we might wish). There are a numberr of on-line tutorials available for Open Office - See our Links page.

Scribus (Windows, Linux, etc. On the website click on the Downloads button and select your operating system). Scribus is an Open Source Freeware DTP program that brings award-winning professional page layout to Linux/UNIX, Mac OS X, OS/2 Warp 4/eComStation and Windows desktops with a combination of 'press-ready' output and new approaches to page layout. Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as CMYK color, separations, Spot Colors, ICC color management and versatile PDF creation. Scribus uses a frame-based approach, suited to producing documents such as manuals. Being a fully featured program the learning curve can be a tad steep for someone new to DTP, however DA2C clients have had success with this program.

PagePlus SE (Windows) This is the free version of the Serif Page Plus DTP program. This program does not use a rigid frame-based approach but is better suited to graphic design work such as brochures and flyers. Handy for work such as menus, greeting cards, posters and brochures. The full version costs less than £10 and adds PDF export, a built-in spreadsheet, mail merge, photo optimiser, web-publishing, Pantone colours and additional templates. DA2C clients have used this program to good effect and have found it easy to get to grips with

TreePad Lite (Lite is the Free version - Windows, Linux) - A useful free-form database program from freebyte.com that functions like an outliner, but has a range of additional features. Several DA2C clients have reported favourably on this program, several use it as a simple personal organiser and some have used it for putting together complex documents. The Lite version is pretty powerful, it can import .txt, .csv, .hjt files, export subtree's and articles to .html, .txt, .hjt files, print subtrees and articles, etc.

TreePad Full Commercial Versions (Windows, Linux) - The various commercial versions offer additional features and are inexpensive for such well featured database products, some DA2C clients have switched to using one of these paid-for versions having liked the Lite version.

Web Site Building

CSE HTML Validator Lite (Windows) A simple to use but powerful HTML editor and validator, this version is free for non commercial use. Several DA2C clients use this program and DA2C staff have purchased the full commercial version for their professional work. Very handy for quickly building web sites assuming you know a bit of HTML, the program spots most common errors and offers advice on correcting them. It is not a 'drag and drop' web page builder, but produces much cleaner code and faster loading web pages as a result.

Nvu (Windows, Mac, Linux) - Nvu is an Open Source, freeware, WYSIWYG web page editor. For those who prefer to drag and drop elements onto a visual representation of a website, and who do not wish to get to grips with HTML or CSS this is a decent option. It includes a 'site manager' to allow you to review the sites that you're building. Nvu offers over 2000 templates, XML support, advanced CSS support, full site management, built-in validator, and international support as well as WYSIWYG and color coded XHTML editing. Development has been discontinued, however the program remains available and has found favour with some DA2C clients. An off-shoot called KompoZer has carried on developing the product as discussed below.

KompoZer (Windows, Mac, Linux) - KompoZer is an Open Source, freeware, WYSIWYG web page editor developed from the Nvu project. For those who prefer to drag and drop elements onto a visual representation of a website, and who do not wish to get to grips with HTML or CSS this is a decent option. DA2C currently have only one client playing with this program and as yet we have had no feedback on it (it was only released in 2009)

Computer Graphics & Photography

GIMP 2010 (Windows, Linux) GIMP (Graphics Image Manipulation Program) is a powerful graphics editor. Not ideal for a complete beginner as, being a fully featured editor, (comparable with Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro), it is rather more complex than Windows Paint, but it is a popular program available for Windows, Linux etc. There are a number of tutorials available on-line for the Gimp, see the Links page.

ArtRage (Commercial, Windows, Mac) ArtRage is designed for people who are used to working with paint, pencils and crayons, emulating the behaviour of these tools. Although the free version no longer seems to be available it is often bundled with Wacom graphics tablets. With ArtRage you can paint with oils and watercolors, sketch with pencils, spray stickers over your canvas, and much more. Stencils and rulers let you create precise shapes or smooth curves freehand. Tracing and Reference images let you load photos to recreate either by eye or by letting ArtRage select colors for you as you paint. For professional users, ArtRage offers Layers and Layer Groups, Layer Blend Modes compatible with the PSD file format and Photoshop plugin Filter support.

Computer Video & Audio

K-lite Mega Codec Pack (Windows) This is a fully featured media player accompanied by a vast range of codecs that can handle just about any format currently in use. It comes with Media Player Home Cinema, a well regarded media player. This page on the Codec Guide website offers all currently available versions, DA2C clients generally use the Mega Codec Pack version.

VLC Media Player (Windows version) This is a largely self contained media player that seems to handle most of the formats currently in use. DA2C clients have used this program with no reported problems.

VLC Media Player (Linux and Mac OS version). As above but for alternative operating systems. The most popular Linux media player amongst DA2C clients.

Not yet assigned

DA2C Crib Sheets Crib sheets in PDF format for various programs. Click to open in browser, right click & 'save as' to save a copy.

Open Office Writer Open Office Calc

Gimp Paint Shop Pro

Possibly Useful Utilities

Metapad (windows) - metapad is a small, fast (and completely free) text editor for Windows 9x/NT/XP/Vista with similar features to Microsoft Notepad but with many extra (and rather useful) features. It was designed to completely replace Notepad since it includes all of Notepad's features and much, much more.

MiTec DBX Viewer (windows) - really handy non-installing utility for accessing backed-up Outlook Express DBX files. You can put a copy of the program onto a CD containing the back up files, it allows you to view, export to .eml and print e-mails in your DBX archives. One DA2C client saved a great deal of money in a court case when they were able to produce five year old e-mails regarding a contract thanks to this.

OE Viewer 1.2 (windows) - an alternative handy utility for accessing backed-up Outlook Express DBX files. Allows you to view, export and .eml and print e-mails in your DBX archive.

PowerDesk v6 (Windows 15mb) This is what Windows explorer could, and should have been. It was first sold as a fully commercial program, then it was bought by another company who gave it away for free, this version is from yet another company who offer this free version and a more feature rich 'pro' commercial version. Lets you compress and encrypt files from within the application. Perform file searches over multiple drives; sync files and folders and complete file operations on the search results. Password protect compressed files, remove traces of a deleted file using low-level deletion; decode email messages and find music files based on Mp3 tags.

Autoit v3 (windows), a simple Basic-like scripting tool for Windows, produces scripts which can be used like batch files, but with many additional features.

Stamina Typing Tutor 2.5 (windows), this is the free version of a touch-typing tutor with support for several layouts: QWERTY (US, UK, ...), Dvorak, AZERTY etc. We normally recommend Mavis beacon Teaches Typing, a commercial program, and we have not yet fully tested this, however it looks interesting.

Amusing or Entertaining Downloads

Ships Bells (windows), this is an old non-installing freeware program (originally written by Mike Hughes for Windows 3.1) that gives your computer the standard half hourly ships bells (or hourly clock chimes). The program includes a very easy to use alarm function. This link downloads the .zip file, which you have to unpack into a folder of your choice (we would suggest c:\shipsbell). Once unpacked you double-click on shipsbell.exe to start the program (or you can right click, select Send To and click on Desktop to add a link to start the program. Adding this link to your start folder will run the program whenever the computer is booted (you can set it to run minimised). No changes are made to your machine. This may seem trivial but is included here as it is a useful reminder to take regular breaks from working on the computer.

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