Delayer
At 28K in size, Delayer is truly tiny. But it’s actually one of the most useful apps we have on our rig. We use Delayer to create some automation around our basic applications. It does what the name suggests, and allows you to create delays in launching Windows applications. It’s handy for running sequences of programs, setting up your taskbar icons in a preferred sequence, and even creating pop-up reminder messages.
Eraser
Because we are constantly swapping out systems, drives, and components, this one’s a no-brainer. Eraser is a highly secure data removal tool. It’s effective because it doesn’t just delete your data, it completely nukes it all by overwriting it with patterns of data generated specifically to prevent future recovery. Best of all, it’s free.
uTorrent
We like uTorrent because it’s a lightweight (400K), fast, simple, and easy-to-use BitTorrent client that boasts many of the features in bigger clients such as BitComet. It supports UPnP, it automatically adjusts your bandwidth usage based on network activity, and you can customize the client via the uTorrent’s App Studio. And did we mention that it’s fast. Like many of the apps on this list, it’s also free.
KeePass
We all know that we should be using multiple passwords for multiple accounts. But do you do it? No. Why not? Because it’s impossible to remember all the passwords. KeePass is great because it handles this for you. A 256-bit encrypted database keeps all of your passwords locked down and accessible via Windows or even mobile devices .
Gmail Notifier
We’ll keep this short and simple. The Gmail Notifier displays an icon in your system tray whenever you receive new messages, displaying subject, sender, and a snippet of the message.
CCleaner 3.0
We’ve been a big fan of CCleaner (formerly Crap Cleaner) for many years to help decrappify Windows. This donation-ware (but still available for free) application's main appeal is dumping out unused file areas to save space, but it also features a registry cleaner and can securely delete free space on your hard drives if need be. It’s well worth the install and it doesn’t oversell itself as being able to rejuvenate your system like some clutter-clearing applications do.
7-Zip
This is our default file archive package, partially because it’s free, but mostly because it’s power, flexible, and effective. The 1.09MB 7-Zip unpacks all manner of archive formats, including ZIP, TAR, GZ, and the application even has its own file format—7z—which is remarkably efficient at compressing files. It also supports 256-bit AES encryption, and can be configured to utilize multiple CPU cores.
Color Cop
Color Cop is a multi-purpose color picker that allows users to determine the color (and coding) of any color on any given screen. If you’re trying to find the color of something particularly detailed, you can also use the magnifying tool to select individual pixels, ensuring that you find the color that you’re looking for. Awesome software for graphic designers and Photoshop enthusiasts.
