What Are you Using?

In his latest post, Jonathan Plutchok gives a list of gotta-have free utilities that he felt no new computer should be without. As usual, Jonathan has come up with a very useful list of freebies, some of which were new to me.

In this entry I would like to do something a little different and mention four utilities/addons that I find myself using regularly day after day. I do not include the heavy brigade (Word, Excel, e-mail, etc.) or the array of dictionaries, glossaries, specialised tools and websites that are part of my stock-in-trade as a professional translator. Just the products that I would much rather not do without!

Here we go:
1. Intellicomplete
Yes, I know I've already ranted on about this marvellous text completion utility at some length (Clipboard vs Autocompletion) I still think it is often a much better option than the clipboard. I know I would be lost without it.

2. Google Desktop Search
I've mentioned this as well. Although I do of course use it when looking for a file on my hard disk, I turn to it far more often to launch programs or web pages as well as generally searching for information like any Googler worth his salt. And that's not all. The other GDS saved my (professional) life when I inadvertently (I would hardly do it advertently!) wiped out a file representing about 40 hours' work. Try as I might I just could not find it anywhere, but Google had an unformatted version in its cache! Do those people up in Mountain View accept donation ware?

3. 1-Click Answers
"This is what Answers.com say about their product:
No matter who you are, what you like to do or what your favorite ice cream flavor is, our free 1-Click AnswersTM software will help you get definitions, facts and more in one click.

Download 1-Click Answers for Windows and Alt-Click on any word in any program on your screen to get instant definitions and facts in the form of a small, unobtrusive bubble called an AnswerTipTM. "
I find I'm using it more and more often.

4. Interclue Far and away the best web preview add-on in the business! Goodness knows how much time it saves you in the course of the day.


Well, that's something to be going on with!