Some people need big-name, big-bucks programs. But if your software needs are modest, your software budget should be, too. Here are free alternatives for word processing, screen captures, and all-important fun.

Write Freely for Free

Talk is cheap, but Word is expensive. Fortunately, Jarte is free. This clever little word processing program from Carolina Road Software lets you open, modify, and save files in common formats. And I do mean "little": Jarte fits onto a small, 64MB USB drive with room to spare for a couple of documents, making it perfect for travelers who want to work on projects and might not have Internet access for using Web-based alternatives.

Jarte's tabbed interface makes it easy to work on several files--in several formats--at once. I also appreciated the clickless file menus, which open with a mere mouse-over. (Selecting menu items requires clicks, of course.) You have a choice of three layouts: the Notepad-like Minimal; the default, aptly named Compact; and Classic (with big, handy buttons).

Whether I ran Jarte off an XP system's hard drive or a portable USB drive, it opened Microsoft Word .doc, Rich Text Format, and Word 2007 .docx files without a hitch. (The .docx functionality requires Microsoft's free, but large, compatibility pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 file formats.) I successfully saved files in .doc, .txt, and .rtf formats.

The tradeoff for Jarte's small footprint and shallow learning curve is a dearth of features. A $19 paid version, Jarte Plus, offers more, such as automatic spelling correction, automatic outlines, the ability to save clipboard cuttings for future use, and support for independent user profiles, which Jarte calls "personalities."

Free Shots of Your Screens!

EasyCapture lets you capture screen images in a variety of sizes and formats. This free program adds a few nifty extra functions, too.

To nab a screen with EasyCapture, you select the desired area type (full screen, region, window, and so on), move your cursor to select the area, and click. Thanks to a tabbed interface, you can take several screen shots in short order and deal with each at your leisure. A smattering of graphics tools lets you perform simple tasks such as adjusting brightness and contrast; converting to grayscale; and adding text and simple included graphics such as lines, arrows, and word balloons. You can save your work as BMP, GIF, JPEG, PCX, PNG, and TIFF files.

Get a Clue for Sudoku Puzzles

What's the method to your sudoku madness? Strategies for solving these number-placing brain-teasers can be complex, but reader Ernie Jellinek of Voorhees, New Jersey, has a tip: Do the puzzles in SudoKlue. This clever freebie analyzes puzzles and provides cell-by-cell solution instructions, setting you on the path to sodoku mastery.

SudoKlue generates random puzzles or lets you input your own. Use the pencil tool to mark the possibilities, then the pen tool when you're sure you know the solution. SudoKlue can give hints, find errors, and solve individual cells for you. Links to the SudoKlue Web site explain the different puzzle-solving techniques.

The free SudoKlue is a demo of the $20 SudoKlue Pro. You can play only the easiest of the six difficulty levels; clicking higher-challenge selections pops up a nag screen. This keeps you from practicing or receiving hints about most of the techniques, since only beginner hints appear at the Beginner level. However, even the basic SudoKlue sharpens your wits without making you sharpen a pencil.

Did you find one of these programs good enough that you would have paid for it? Is your favorite free file missing from PCWorld.com's Downloads library? E-mail your comments to Laura Blackwell. Messages containing attached files will be deleted unread.