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Best Free Stuff Online

As e-commerce takes hold and more Web sites begin charging for content that used to cost you nothing, good free stuff is getting harder and harder to find. For our third annual guide, we scoured the Internet, tossed aside the dreck, and found worthwhile downloads.

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Best Freeware and Shareware Apps

Not-So-Light E-Mail

It takes more than a $0 price tag to make an e-mail client as popular as Eudora Light. It takes strong message filtering, a solid Find function, and built-in PGP encryption to safeguard the privacy of your messages. The $39 full version, Eudora Pro Email 4.0, adds such features as the ability to reply with automated responses and to view attachment files without the originating app, multiple e-mail account access, and a customizable address book. But for many users, Light is just right. 22 min. eul.exe, 4.5MB, www.eudora.com

Write On

If Microsoft Word is the 800-pound gorilla of word processors, Yeah Write is a smaller and nimbler primate. It uses a fill-in-the-blanks approach and a handy folder-based filing system, and it lets you format documents using Windows' conventional Ctrl-x keystrokes. The program also displays and prints ANSI characters and has other features normally found in pricier packages. 5 min. yw32.exe, 1.1MB, www.yeahwrite.com

Free E-Mail, No Web Access Required

Want to send and receive e-mail without getting stuck on the Net? Juno may be your best bet. Unlike Web-based mail services, Juno uses its own private network. Just dial one of Juno's local access numbers to read, write, send, and receive e-mail. It's perfect for people who are unwilling to pay for an Internet service provider. The catch? You have to look at ads while online, and Juno doesn't support file attachments. 7 min. junoinst.exe, 1.37MB, www.juno.com

An Easygoing PIM

You don't need to overload your PC with Outlook 98 to get a good personal information manager: Above & Beyond 98's calendar, to-do list, and group-aware scheduler are good enough to verge on low-end project management. The program handles alarms and recurring appointments; packs many printing views and options; and sports an entire Juggle menu to help you even out your workload. 6.5 min. $49, 30-day free trial. ab98sx06.exe, 1.3MB, www.1soft.com

A Database on Home Base

Databases don't need to be intimidating, expensive, or even big. Instabase is more accessible and approachable than its famous-name competition. You can build flat-file databases using name fields and frames, and include graphics using a copy/paste option. The program even recognizes Web and e-mail addresses: Double-clicking on such addresses in the database automatically lets your browser retrieve them. 15 min. $29, 30-day free trial. 3.2MB, www.instabase.com

Master Your Business in a Snap

Not sure what to include in a business plan, or how to format it? Versatile Software Solutions' fill-in-the-blanks templates provide all you need to generate convincing reports, cash-flow analyses, income statements, and balance sheets. You simply insert your raw data in an easy, step-by-step process. 2 min. $34, 10-day free trial. bmpwin.exe, 304KB, users.aol.com/versatiles/files/vssi.html

Quickie Spreadsheet

If you really must have the latest Microsoft Excel with Small Business Manager add-ins, get it. But if you just need a simple tool to quickly add columns of numbers, calculate loan repayments, figure depreciation, and perform 120 other statistical and financial functions, this spreadsheet package is a great alternative. And it charts like the Beatles, too. 6 min. $19.95, 30-day free trial. vtsclc25 .zip, 1.2MB, www.softseek.com

Idea Generator

Productivity isn't all about simply using tools--it's just as often about applying skills. Therefore a roundup on productivity tools wouldn't be complete without a skill-building element. Brainstorming 101, free to nonprofit and government agencies, is a virtual workshop providing 3 to 6 hours of training in generating and applying good ideas. 7 min. $15, 30-day free trial for individuals. i4e-14-95.exe, 1.4MB, www.brainstorming.org

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