Free online file conversion

Zamzar is a free service which converts a range of formats and sends them conveniently to your e-mail.

Freeware Antivirus for Windows XP and Vista

AVG Free is the free version of Grisoft's AVG Antivirus. Highly recommended for all Windows users. Blocks viruses and spyware, detects more than expensive software I have used previously. (PC/Freeware)

Free codec pack for Windows XP

The Combined Community Codec Pack is a frequently updated codec package which will cure most video/sound codec issues - click here for a list. It comes with two utilities - Media Player Classic and Zoomplayer which are both freeware media players.

From the CCCP FAQ: "the CCCP was created to replace the video playback packs provided by several anime fansub groups in favor of a single reliable pack capable of decoding practically any groups' files - without breaking compatibility for other formats. Since then it has grown into a pack that can decode more or less anything that you will run into during your travels on the internet."

Useful Firefox addons for Web Designers

• Screengrab Saves entire webpages as images
  

• Fireshot is a Firefox extension that creates screenshots of web pages. Unlike other extensions, this plugin provides a set of editing and annotation tools, which let users quickly modify captures and insert text and graphical annotations. Such functionality will be especially useful for web designers, testers and content reviewers. It's possible to choose whether entire web page or only visible part of this page should be captured. Screenshots can be uploaded to server, saved to disk (PNG, GIF, JPEG, BMP), copied to clipboard, e-mailed and sent to external editor for further processing.

• Link Checker Highlights broken links on the page
  

• IE Tab Embeds Internet Explorer within Firefox for cross-checking.

• Firebug Firebug integrates with Firefox to put a wealth of development tools at your fingertips while you browse. You can edit, debug, and monitor CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live in any web page... Firebug 1.2 requires Firefox 3. Firefox 2 users should install the older 1.05 version of Firebug.

• Flash Block Temporarily block Flash to view noscript content or view the page or view the page as someone who doesn’t have Flash (or the latest version) would see it.
  

• Web Developer Toolbar Useful features for web developers.

• Image Zoom

• Web Macros Automate repetitive tasks in Firefox.

• GspaceThis extension allows you to use your Gmail Space (4.1 GB and growing) for file storage. It acts as an online drive, so you can upload files from your hard drive and access them from every Internet capable system. The interface will make your..
  

• ColorZilla

• Javascript Debugger Venkman is the code name for Mozilla's JavaScript Debugger. Venkman aims to provide a powerful JavaScript debugging environment for Mozilla based browsers.

• Codetch Get the feel of Dreamweaver in a Firefox extension. Edit your documents right next to your web pages as you surf.
  

• MeasureIT Draw out a ruler to get the pixel width and height of any elements on a page.

• AutoFill Forms Autofill Forms enables you to fill out web forms with one click or a keyboard shortcut.

• SeoQuake is a Mozilla Firefox extension aimed primarily at helping web masters who deal with search engine optimization and internet promotion of web sites. Seoquake allows to obtain and investigate many important SEO parameters of the internet...
  

• Ook Ook? Video Ook! enables you to download embedded videos from several systems (such as YouTube, Google Video, Metacafe and many more). ...
  

Advanced Google searching

There are many ways to improve your Google search results. These include:

• Google Advanced Search - oft ignored by searchers, Google Advanced Search is an easy way to specify exactly what you are searching for.
  
  
• Using Google Advanced Operators allow you to refine your search to a particular site, page title or URL.
  
  
• The Google cheatsheet, a website that summarises the advanced operators and also has a downloadable PDF of the page.
  

Display PSD icons in Windows

PSDThumb is a CMD (installer) file that will allow you to view PSD files as Thumbnails of their content in Windows Explorer. Scroll down below the main list for the download link.

Freeware Actionscript decompiler

Flare is a tiny Windows shell-extension which allows you to output the Actionscript used in a SWF file to a text file.

Freeware HTML Notepad

HTML Notepad is a freeware notepad replacement with syntax highlighting. It also features a range of shortcuts allowing you to quickly update HTML. (PC/Freeware)

There is also a good list of freeawre HTML editors for Mac and PC here.

Freeware Windows Explorer alternative

ExplorerXP is a fast Windows explorer replacement which allows you to browse directories in different tabs, save folder groups and mass-rename files according to wildcards. (PC/Freeware)

Freeware CSV Viewer

CSV Viewer - This viewer allows you to open CSV (comma separated value) files and save them to HTML. (Freeware, PC) For the Mac users there's Super CSV, which is a multi-platform reader and editor of CSV files (Mac and PC).

How to download MP3 from Myspace

File2HD - This site allows you to download both normal quality (96kbps) and full quality (128kbps+) MP3 from Myspace. It also works for many other sites and processes video files. If you are having trouble downloading video also try KeepVid.

How to record streaming MP3

Streamripper - Streamripper is an open source program which can be installed on most formats and allows you to record streaming MP3 to your computer.

How to download YouTube videos to DVD

I have had many people ask me how to download video from sites such as YouTube, and the simplest way I have found is to enter them in KeepVid.com. Once entered, right click and choose save as on the link provided (make sure to enter a unique filename and change the extension to .FLV)

The video will then be downloaded in the FLV (Flash Video) format. This is a format of compressed video that is designed for the web. FLV is not the most ideal format to work with as it has been compressed and resized for fast loading on YouTube - meaning it is a last resort if you would like to view the video on DVD. Always search sites such as Google Video to see if there is a higher quality version available (often YouTube videos are appropriated from other sources, so look around!) I would also recommend searching Torrent sites such as ThePirateBay.

Once you have downloaded the video at the best quality you can find, it is now time to convert the video. You have two options here - the first being trial and error with Super(C), which is a freeware tool for PC that will convert most video and sound formats. Try converting the FLV video into an MPEG or AVI file, and test the quality of the conversion. Once the file is converted, you will need a video authoring program such as Roxio MyDVD to burn the file to a DVD disc.

The second option is to consult a site like VideoHelp.com which has many guides detailing step-by-step instructions to convert virtually any format to DVD. Visit the guides section, select the format you wish to convert from and to (ie AVI to DVD) and search. The guide usually will refer to freeware programs to get the job done, and will provide URLs of where to get them.

There are a number of Firefox Addons available to help with the job of downloading the videos, you can peruse the list here to choose one that suits your needs best.