TUCOWS ...
Are Better Than One!
By Tom Gibson
Technical Editor
If you're not satisfied, do
something about it! This universal bit of wisdom applies to the world of computers,
whether your computer uses Windows 95, 98, NT, or Windows CE. One way to improve your
computer, and your own satisfaction with it, is to add software that makes it do what you
want it to do. And with shareware or freeware, it doesn't have to be expensive. In this
issue, we look at the TUCOWS family of Web sites. They have something for desktop PCs,
Windows CE, and just about everyone else.
TUCOWS (www.tucows.com) started in
1994 as a public service for new Internet users. It has expanded to over 450 affiliates in
over 70 countries on six continents world wide, receiving millions hits per month. TUCOWS
is the world's number one Internet software site. I must admit that I have been one of the
faithful users of this site since I have been on the Internet. TUCOWS started out being a
site to get Internet software. (The name is an acronym for The Ultimate Collection Of
Winsock Software - a "Winsock" is any implementation of the TCP/IP sockets
protocols which operates on Microsoft Windows and TCP/IP is the protocol of the Internet.)
TUCOWS has expanded beyond just Internet software for Windows and now
includes a wide variety of software for Windows 95/98/NT, Macintosh, Linux and Java.
TUCOWS software categories include audio, browser and accessories, communications,
connectivity, e-mail tools, entertainment, HTML tools, Internet tools, multimedia tools,
online services, security, server tools and utilities. You can find just about everything
you need for your Windows desktop here, as a freeware, shareware, or commercial demo
program. And because TUCOWS has a large number of mirror sites around the world,
downloading their software is almost always fast and reliable.
PDA Central: CEMonster, CELair,
PilotZone, NewtonVille, and PsionKing
When handheld computers began to proliferate, TUCOWS created PDA Central
(www.pdacentral.com). PDA Central includes the
following sites:
CEMonster a large source of software for Windows CE PC
Companions.
CELair provides news, reviews and support for Windows CE.
PilotZone software and support for users of the Palm Pilot.
NewtonVille for users of the Apple Newton.
PsionKing for those using the Psion palmtop computers.
CEMonster and CELair provide excellent support for PC Companion users.
Taken together, they provide news, reviews, support, and software. When we're looking for
news about new software, one of the first places we go is CEMonster and CELair.
I have written a little about CE Monster in the past, but I feel the
site warrants a more detailed look. The site is broken down into 6 major categories, each
with a number of subcategories (see Screen 1).
The software available on CE Monster is freeware, shareware or
commercial demos. The commercial demos may have some features disabled, or may be limited
to operating a specific number of days. CE Monster is updated constantly, and the
"What's New" section will show you the last 2-3 weeks worth of additions and
updates. All software on TUCOWS is checked for viruses before being placed on the site.
To download a piece of software, you first have to find it. You can do a
search on its name, or click on the product category and look through the list. Once
you've found it, click on the download icon associated with your PC Companion. You have to
know the type of CPU your H/PC or Palm-size PC uses. If you don't have that information,
go to CEMonster's FAQ section to find out.
CE Monster rates all of the software using its famous "cows'
heads" system. One head is not so good; two cows are better than one; and five cows'
heads is the best. This is not only cute, but also very functional in that it lets you
know what they think of the software quickly and visually.
TUCOWS and its affiliate sites not only have a lot of software, but the
sites are easy to use, a real big plus in my opinion. The categories are fairly
self-explanatory and there are sub-categories to help you easily find what you need.
Screen 1: CE Monster's Home Page lets you select the category or sub-category of
Windows CE shareware, freeware, or demoware in which you are interested. You can also
search on a product name or type.
I will continue to take in-depth looks at deserving Web sites in the
future, but I have to go download some of the new games! So until next issue, I'll see you
ONLINE!
Craig Peacock's Windows CE Pages (www.craigtech.co/uk)
--an excellent Windows CE resource.
Our sincerest apologies to Craig Peacock for leaving his excellent sites
totally unmentioned in the 1999 Buyer's Guide issue. Craig's are some of the best
all-around sites for Windows CE information, and include news, reviews, FAQs, how-tos,
free software, links to other Windows CE sites, and a whole lot more.
If you are looking for information about your PC Companion, Craig
Peacock's Windows CE Pages are well worth visiting.
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