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Ask Download Squad: What's the best download manager?
Last week, we asked you to tell us whether you actually use widgets. Turns out quite a few of you do, and some of you even use Apple's Dashboard instead of Yahoo's Konfabulator. But it looks like, for most of you, there's still no killer app making widget programss must-run tools. Here's this week's question:If you're reading this, chances are you do a lot of downloading (that's just a lucky guess). And if you download using a browser, chances are you've swapped out its built-in download manager for a replacement, in order to take advantage of features like auto-resume and adjustable thread counts. So, what do you use? The downloader built into your browser? An extension? Or a standalone app? Post your answer in the Comments section below. And, if you'd like to have your question included here, send it to us using this form. We'll post one question each week.
Comments
36
Subscribe to commentsdonelyAug 5th 2005 9:48AM
I'm quite content with the one built into Firefox. Being on very fast connections all the time, a download manager really isn't necessary, at least for me. Firefox's DLM handles even large files, like linux distros.
I used to use GetRight and have also tried FreshDownload. I remember having been quite happy with GetRight - it's simple and focuses on one thing, downloading! But I think they're somewhat obsolete. I don't find all that useful.
TedAug 5th 2005 9:58AM
Opera has an excellent built in download manager.
SamanAug 5th 2005 10:02AM
I use Net Transport and Flashget.
Jason TurgeonAug 5th 2005 10:07AM
I use firefox with Free Download Manager and the FlashGot extension. FDM is a great little piece of software--perfect for finding all the MP3's on a page, and definitely faster than the built-in client in Firefox.
Matt PettyAug 5th 2005 10:11AM
I use Firefox's built-in download tool. It can carry on where you left off, and it's actually downloading while you decide where you want to save the file. You can also run/open the downloaded file directly if you want (with warnings).
No frills, but does all I need.
LisaAug 5th 2005 10:11AM
I use the FF Flashot extension (which supports almost all download managers out there) and forward all my downloads to Net Transport.
Eric JAug 5th 2005 10:29AM
I use the built-in Firefox downloader with the Download Manager Tweak extension. I also use Down Them All! for downloading everything linked from a page.
otakucodeAug 5th 2005 10:32AM
I'd have to agree with the first poster... download managers are obsolete. I don't use them at all any more, and I only know a few instances where they might be warranted. If you had an account with Easynews.com and wanted to download usenet postings through them, that would be a prime candidate for a download manager so you can maximize the throughput.
Mostly, though, large scale downloading is done by me through Azureus (bit torrent client) or Newsleecher (usenet client, used to snatch posts using NZB files from newzbin.com).
HoltAug 5th 2005 10:52AM
The one built into Opera works well for me most of the time, if I want to use an external one I like using WackGet, a minimalist download manager based on wget.
Michael PateAug 5th 2005 11:17AM
Download Managers were great back when we were using IE over Dialup. They just seem sort of quaint now.
BartAug 5th 2005 11:58AM
I usually use download manager built into Firefox with Download Manager Tweak extension. Time-to-time I also use Free Download Manager. It's light, has all the things I need, also include site explorer, and drop box. And the best thing - it's really "free", no adware.
Leon McComishAug 5th 2005 12:13PM
I use the Firefox extension Download Statusbar for everyday downloading (http://downloadstatusbar.mozdev.org/)
Flashget (www.amazesoft.com/) for large downloads/many files etc
RussellAug 5th 2005 12:50PM
Firefox DLM
chrisAug 6th 2005 11:48AM
Firefox's Flashgot extension + Reget Deluxe.
Clifford CaoileAug 5th 2005 12:41PM
I occasionally use GetRight, a shareware FTP/HTTP download tool, for my Windows browsing sessions. I've been using it for more than 3 years, but I don't use it much these days. I like it because it can show you a detailed list of a links only version of a web page, for example, so you can quickly select a bunch of links to download. This is called the "GetRight Browser". This feature alone is worth the price for multiple point-and-click downloading.
I think that these download managers are losing their relevance because web designers are getting smarter at hiding their links and because most any free tools nowadays can do download resuming.
As for other tools, I use curl and wget on a daily basis for my automated uploading, FileZilla for mouse-based file uploading and WinSCP for mouse-based file uploading via SSH. Hope This Helps.
SUMwonAug 8th 2005 10:45PM
Free Download Manager using FlashGot on Firefox
SkullyFMAug 5th 2005 3:07PM
I'm using Net Transport.
I also have Firefox + Flashgot (which is Net Transport compatible"
RichardAug 5th 2005 5:08PM
I use Star Downloader Free:
http://www.stardownloader.com/
http://www.snapfiles.com/opinions/Star_Downloader_Free/Star_Downloader_Free.html
strayanAug 8th 2005 5:01AM
I use a the downloadwith firefox extension paired with a command line download manager called wget http://xoomer.virgilio.it/hherold/
MikeAug 5th 2005 8:50PM
GetRight (period)
Classic, been using it since a long time. Even when you're using DSL sometimes you just can't leave the computer all the time it needs to download a file so I use GetRight. It also allows me to shut down the computer when finished.