If you work at different locations, on different computers — perhaps
even on public computers — free portable software suites can save time
and help to ensure the security of your information.
Carry your bookmarks, your contact list, your passwords, your
calendar — whatever data your need to get the job done.
Plug in your
USB key or other portable device, open the applications you need to
use, do your work, then pull out and move on.
There’s no need to
download and install software, or to risk leaving your files on someone
else’s hard drive.
PortableApps brings a neat suite of open source software tools to just about any Windows-based computer, and (with the addition of Wine)
to Linux, UNIX, and Mac OS X as well. It includes a web browser, email,
calendar, antivirus, instant messaging, PDF reader, password manager,
audio player, OpenOffice.org office suite (AbiWord word processor in the Light version), and even a couple of games.
While PortableApps is my own preference at the moment, there
are a number of free portable application tools you can choose from. Here are three other popular options you might want to check out:
- LiberKey is compatible with Windows 2000/XP/Vista only, with three ready-made software compilations
and almost 250 portable applications to choose from: customize to suit
the amount of storage space on your portable device and on your
software needs.
- Lupo PenSuite runs on
Windows XP/Vista with optional language packs that translate the basic
English version into 28 languages. More than 200 “highly selected
portable programs and games” are included, with a library of almost 2000 applications you can draw on to customize.
Is there open-source software on your USB stick or iPod?
What portable applications suite or tool gets your vote as the most useful for busy nonprofit folks?