Forums > General Chatter > Helpful Freeware Programs

I make use of several programs in the interest of writing review articles; I would like to help others by sharing some of these free programs to aid them in their journalistic pursuits and simple convenience. Feel free to contribute with some great freeware programs you use! I'll update this post as the topic progresses.

4K Video Downloader is my program of choice for saving videos from YouTube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, and more to examine at a later time, which is handy as my internet connection is pretty spotty and I don't have to worry about being at a lack of certain information if I save the video to view at any time. This excellent, efficient freeware supports playlist downloads, subtitles (including annotations), resolutions up to 1080p 60FPS, and a variety of file formats, including mp3. Plus, it isn't browser-based, which means you can pin it to your taskbar to bring up regardless if you're swapping between browsers. There's even more features to love, such as a communicative interface and automatic downloads from subscribed channels, yet I think I've made it clear that this is the definitive YouTube to mp3/mp4 program.


EditPad Lite is my favorite alternative to Notepad. With convenient tabbing, search options, and a dearth of backup features, this can be a real beast for writing, especially if you get some good plugins.


ShareX is essential for my screenshot-capturing purposes. With its hotkey functionality and variety of capturing options, ShareX is easy to use from the start yet grows more appreciable over time.

I use OpenOffice Writer to write my reviews, even though I have and like Microsoft Word. I use Irfanview to do most of my image work around the site, even though I have and like Photoshop.

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy on reality

"What if everything you see is more than what you see--the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn't? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things." - Shigeru Miyamoto on secret doors to another world2

I write my reviews directly in the submission box! Like a true old school GameFAQs gangster.

I don't have to prove I'm refined - that's what makes me refined!