When friends ask me what programs they should have on their systems, I give them quite a list.  Of course, I list the requisite antivirus/antispyware programs.  But one program stands out as a true lifesaver: Recuva.
This program only has one option: undelete files.  Keep in mind that when you delete a file on your computer (and I mean REALLY delete it by emptying your recycle bin), you truly haven’t erased it.  Windows simply marks that area on your hard disk as reusable.
That’s how the FBI and other government agencies can easily get evidence from computers.  They have special programs that scan a computer for “deleted” files that haven’t been overwritten by something else.
That’s what Recuva does.  Keep in mind, you should install Recuva BEFORE you need it.  Here’s why:  Let’s say you accidentally delete a file.  If Recuva is not already installed, simply installing it might overwrite the file you were trying to restore!  Recuva has saved my bacon a number of times and I highly recommend it. And of course, it’s free!

Are you an Airforce fan?  My site of the night, Airforce link, presents hundreds of stunning photos, many of them perfect for desktop wallpaper, like this.  Maybe you can’t fly one of these mean machines, but you can at least admire them and the pilots that fly them.  Check all these pictures out by going to www.af.mil and clicking on Photos.

Is there a free program that does what PhotoShop does?  Well, yes.  It’s called GIMP, short for GNU Image Manipulation Program.  Don’t ask what GNU is short for.  Just understand they make free open license software.

Anyway, GIMP is amazing at the number of tools you can use to work on photos and graphics. As with PhotoShop, you can add hundreds of different effects to your project and save it in a variety of different formats.  Brushes, pencils, airbrush, cloning brushes, it’s all there.

And, for you Pro’s, you can create layers, quickmasks, and channels.  Now, some of you may be new to this.  What if you’ve never heard of layers, quickmasks, and channels?

Well, the neat thing about Gimp is that it has a huge fan base – and a number of them have made some great free tutorials on how to use it. If you’ve ever needed PhotoShop but couldn’t afford it, check out GIMP.

More Information

Gimp
http://www.gimp.org

The Best Place to Learn Gimp
http://www.gimp.org/tutorials/

VunkySearch Gimp Tutorials
http://gimp.vunkysearch.net/

Gimp Users Tutorials
http://www.gimpusers.com/tutorials.php