No Frills, All Thrills: Software That Just Works

Forget fancy; these plain-looking programs serve their purpose with little fanfare and at low cost.

Laura Blackwell, PC World

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Substance trumps style every time. Some little-known programs skip the razzle-dazzle and just get down to work, doing the job cheaper or better--and sometimes both--than their glitzy peers. This month, we look at a device-blocking security program, an open-source media player, and a game you simply can't lose. Each offers a free trial or is flat-out free.

Block the Bad Guys From Your Data

Here's an unsettling thought: All the software firewalls in the world won't keep your data safe if someone else has physical access to your PC. All it takes is a few minutes and something to store the data on--a blank CD, a removable USB drive, even a lowly floppy disk--and someone else can walk away with a copy of your files. With USB Lock AP, you can avoid this nasty situation by controlling access to various drives.

You can block one CD-ROM drive, one floppy drive, and all USB removable drives with the program's simple interface. For CD and floppy drives, you may need to restart your PC for the protection to take effect. Locking down the CD drive protects the PC from more than unauthorized CD burning: It also blocks CDs from auto-running, which means that no one can install software from a CD while your back is turned. When I tested the CD-drive lock, my computer wouldn't even play a factory-made music CD that it normally handles just fine.

Locking out USB drives was even easier, since the program doesn't require a restart for that function. USB Lock AP can tell the difference between various USB devices, so you can still plug in a USB camera, printer, and so on, while blocking the data flow to a USB drive. In fact, when I tested the program it noticed the USB drive already in a slot and threatened to shut down the PC if it wasn't removed.

Another nice bonus is USB Lock AP's ability to lock folders on any drive. You just drag a folder to the program interface and drop it there. You'll know it worked when you see the folder's icon change to a lock--or if you're unlocking, when it changes back to a folder. Locking and unlocking can take several seconds, though, depending on how much power your PC can spare. Go easy on the mouse button and let the program work.

The USB Lock AP download provides a ten-day free trial. On day nine, I recommend either unlocking everything or registering the program for $15; you really don't want to have it quit on you while something's locked up. I've found e-mail tech support from the vendor, Peru-based Advanced Systems International, to be prompt and helpful.

If you'd like more control, you may want to check out SmartLine Vision's DeviceLock, a more full-featured program that performs the same basic functions on a network, plus some extras. But at $35, it's also more expensive.

Here's Looking at the Right Codec

If you've ever downloaded a video file that just plain wouldn't play, you're probably either using the wrong player or missing a video codec. You can hunt down these codecs and install them--but let's be frank, that's kind of a pain. Open-source media player VLC sidesteps these problems by building in most video codecs. It supports most audio formats, too.

VLC--which open-source aficionados might remember by its former name, VideoLan Client--played almost every video with which I tested it. It makes no claim to play Real files (for that, you need either Real Networks' player or the third-party Real Alternative), and it choked on a WMA file with digital rights management built-in. Everything else displayed well, even the mystery files that sat on my desktop for months because I couldn't be bothered to find and install the right codecs.

No slouch as a music player, VLC played every odd file I could unearth. The blessedly basic control panel is a mere sliver that doesn't automatically default to visualizations, advertisements, and the other useless screen-munching items that are all too common. I particularly liked one of the included skins, not so much for its Mac-like brushed-aluminum look, but because the playlist and controls could detach from one another--a nifty feature that few players support.

VLC is free of charge. If you like the program, feel free to toss a few dollars to the good folks at VideoLan.org. To learn more about open-source software, check out Matthew Newton's Free Agent columns.

Everybody's a Winner

"Why play solitaire on a computer?" someone once asked me. "You can't cheat. If I can't win at solitaire, I just won't play." Cheating isn't much fun for us lawful types, but losing a game of Klondike isn't exactly an ego boost. Red Mercury Software spares us the choice between cheating and losing with AcidSolitaire, a game that deals 100,000 winnable hands.

The Klondike-style AcidSolitaire lets you play Deal 1 and Deal 3 hands. Laden with tips--including optional "sparkle" hints to show you which cards to move--AcidSolitaire is easy to play and easy to win, at least at first. As you progress through the different hands, they grow more and more difficult. Even though each hand is guaranteed to be winnable, some require sharp eyes and sound strategy.

Although the new version 1.0 is the first AcidSolitaire for Windows, PDA puzzle-fiends may recognize the game from their Palm OS handhelds. The Windows version looks a bit low-res, and takes up only a small window. I haven't directly compared AcidSolitaire's interface with a PDA display, but it looks to be about the same size. A small window isn't necessarily a problem on today's crowded screens, though. AcidSolitaire may not be the most aesthetic solitaire game out there, but it's bright and colorful. And besides, you know better than to be seduced by a pretty interface, right?

AcidSolitaire is free to try for 15 days. When the trial expires, it's $20 to keep playing.

PC World Senior Associate Editor Andrew Brandt and Associate Editor Danny Allen contributed to this story.