This document provides an overview of useful free and low-cost shareware tools for technical communicators, including recommendations for firewalls, antivirus software, and other security tools that can be obtained for under $70. It also recommends advanced text editors, search/replace utilities, file comparison tools, backup utilities and desktop search utilities. The document concludes with tips for improving workflow, such as analyzing file structures, using a sandbox for new systems, and backing up files regularly, especially before complex changes.

1. Useful Shareware / Freeware
for Technical Communicators
Ed Marshall
PMC Conference 2007
Copyright 2006

2. Agenda
• Keeping your computer safe with
shareware tools
• Tools to “Let the computer do the working”
• Advanced utilities
• Top 10 Work Flow Tips
• Sources of information about shareware
• Q & A

3. Keeping Your Computer Safe
Potential bad guys:
• Firewalls
• Spyware
• Spam
• Anti-virus
• Keyloggers
• Ad-ware
• Phishing
• Extortionware

4. Recommended Tool Suite
• Windows Update! = $0
• ZoneAlarm firewall – www.zonelabs.com = $0
• AVG Anti-Virus – www.grisoft.com, 1-license for
2 years = $39
• Webroot SpySweeper – www.webroot.com, 1
year subscription = $30
• Microsoft Windows Defender –
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/d
Beta 2 = $0
• Total Cost = $69!

5. Securing Wireless Networks
١. Log into your router.
٢. Use encryption: WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected
Access) is best. (Usually, seen as WPA-
PSK (pre-shared key).
٣. Change your computer’s settings to use
the encryption set in step 2.
For detailed instructions, go to
www.komando.com and search for
“wireless security”.

6. Tools to “Let the Computer Do the
Working”
• File / folder differencing
• Advanced text editors
• Search and replace tools

7. Advanced Text Editors
NoteTabPro and EditPadPro:
• Both tools have: Spell-checking. Big plus if you work in a mixed OS
environment: Neither tool inserts Windows-style line feed
characters in Unix files.
• NoteTabPro has an auto-complete option for html tags and other
languages. Light ($5) and Standard ($20) versions available.
www.notetab.com $30, Lots of other tools here.
• EditPadPro has color-coding for custom html tags
www.jgsoft.com $50. 30-day free trial, free Lite version available.
JG Soft has other tools too such as a PowerGrep tool, Registry
editor, and others.

8. Search and Replace Tool
Funduc: Will search & replace both folders
and zip files. Will also search & replace
ASCII and binary files. Some cautions
about using it with binary files but my initial
tests with Word .DOC files worked fine.
www.funduc.com $25
Lots of other tools here also.

9. File / Folder Level Comparison
(Differencing Tools)
• Beyond Compare - Folder and file level comparisons, ASCII and
binary. Can detect that ASCII or binary files are different but can
only show the differences in ASCII files, not binary files. Highlights
the specific characters different between 2 ASCII files. Gives a 30-
day free fully-functional trial.
http://www.scootersoftware.com/
Retail price: $30
• Araxis Merge - Folder and file level comparisons, ASCII and binary
http://www.araxis.com/merge/index.html
Retail price: $129

10. Desktop Search Utility
Copernic Desktop Search – Searches files,
e-mails, videos, pictures, etc.
Works in background to index
continuously
(www.copernic.com) Cost = $0

11. Advanced Maintenance Utilities
• Registry cleaner: Registry Mechanic (
www.pctools.com) $30
• Disk defragmenter: Ashampoo Magic
Defrag (www.ashampoo.com) $29

12. Backup Utilities
• Acronis True Image: (www.acronis.com) $50
• CD burning utilities:
Ashampoo CD Burning Suite: (
www.ashamoo.com) $13
Roxio Easy Media Creator: (www.roxio.com) $99
Nero Burning ROM (www.nero.com) $80

13. Top 10 Work Flow Tips
10. Analyze your documentation set to determine a
logical directory / tree structure.
9. If you are moving to a new file management
system or just starting to work with one, set up a
“sandbox” where you can learn how to use it
without risking losing files.
8. Map an area on your machine where files are
stored when they come out of your file
management system and where you put them
when you are ready to put them back in.

14. Top 10 Work Flow Tips (2 of 4)
7. Never work on files in the area you specified in #8. Sooner or later,
you will overwrite your changed files or discard your changes.
(Think of clicking OK to a “format C” question.)
6. Trust the tools but be wary of yourself. Always check to ensure that
you are putting the files you want to store back into the file
management system. Get in the habit of comparing your files to be
put back against the current versions of files in the file management
system. Make sure you’ve copied your revised files into the
“checkin-checkout” directory, and aren’t just checking in the same
files you checked out.
5. Beware of accidentally permanently deleting files in a file
management system. Most tools offer a delete / destroy option.
Delete removes the file from your view but keeps all the history and
changes. Destroy erases all record of the file and its changes. Note
that different systems might use different names for these functions.

15. Top 10 Work Flow Tips (3 of 4)
4. At important milestones of a project, create groups,
labels, etc. to record which versions of the files belong to
a field test version or final release of a version.
3. Learn how your tool works, how it handles different types
of files, and any particular strengths / weaknesses of the
tool. For example, how reliable is it over dial-up / working
from home? Does it provide single-user locking by
default or is that an option?
2. If your tool supports third-party products such as
differencing tools / advanced text editors, consider
adding them to your workflow to increase your
productivity and safety net.

16. Top 10 Work Flow Tips (4 of 4)
1. Back up early and often, especially
before doing something complicated that
might prove disastrous if it turns out wrong
(rewrites that involve deleting large
amounts of “old” text, reformatting,
upgrading to the next version of an
authoring tool, etc).

17. Recommended Listservers /
Newsletters
• Kim Komando – www.Komando.com
• Fred Langa’s LangaList –
www.langalist.com
• Brian Livingston –
www.WindowsSecrets.com
• Tourbus – www.InternetTourbus.com
• Infopackets – www.infopackets.com
• Shareware Report –
www.myspace.com/sharewarereport

18. Other Sources of Information
• Professional Magazines: PC World,
Consumer Reports, SC Magazine
• Spyware Guide -
http://www.spywareguide.com/index.php
• PC Tools – www.pctools.com
• CNet - http://reviews.cnet.com/Software

19. Summary
Q & A
Additional questions, contact me at:
Ed.marshall@verizon.net
978-339-3095