Want to turn one computer into two? If you're running Linux and have a box that can support two monitors, you can do it for free with a two-user license of Desktop Multiplier. Once installed, the program lets two users access simultaneously, with what the developer says are only minor performance hits (though we imagine that it might be a little tougher if both users are running graphics or ... Read more »

Like digg? Wish you owned it? Well, now you can, sort of. Technocast has a tutorial up on how to create your own digg-like service, using nothing more than WordPress and a the Pligg plug-in. Follow a few simple steps, and you'll be diggin' it in no time. Of course, if your digg-clone catches on, you may need to pay your hosting service for lots of extra bandwidth. But, presumably, by then you'll ... Read more »

Here's a quick-and-dirty hack to help you access sites that your company's firewall may block: Just use Google's language tools to access the site. You can set your parameters to "translate" the site from Engish to English, and then plug in any URL: http://www.google.com/translate?langpair=en|en&u=www.downloadsquad.com It may not work with every firewall, or with every site you ... Read more »

If you have a digital SLR camera, you may be familiar with RAW files, the uncompressed, uncorrected "digital negatives" that your camera can produce.  While these images can be edited in programs like Photoshop or the image editing application supplied with your camera, they can't be viewed as thumbnails in Windows Explorer. That is, unless you download and install today's free ... Read more »

Why on earth would you want to get someone a holiday gift made from dead trees? For one simple reason: Linux Format magazine, from the UK's Future Publishing, comes with tons of free software (well, free after the $15 each issue will run you in the US). In fact, many issues come with  pre-configured distros that you can install and run instantly. Yes, you (or your gift recipient) can download ... Read more »

The last time Bill Gates was on the cover of Time Magazine (a scant seven months ago), he shared it with his latest toy, the Xbox 360. This week, he's in different company: as co-recipient of Time's "Person of the Year" honor, he shares the cover of this week's issue with his wife, Melinda, and U2 frontman Bono. Their joint claim to fame: "being shrewd about doing good, rewiring ... Read more »

Due to system maintenance, comments will be disabled on Download Squad this weekend. But don't worry; come Monday, you can waltz right back in here and tell us what you really think of us. ... Read more »

I know some of you are going to flame me for recommending a macro program that goes for $79.99 when there are plenty of free alternatives out there, but hear me out. And remember, this is a gift guide; I'm not suggesting you get this for yourself, but for someone who might be less technically inclined, but who can still benefit from some automation of repetitive tasks on their PCs.  QuicKeys ... Read more »

If you find yourself using the "Send To" contextual menu a lot, and wish it could do more, you owe it to yourself to check out Send To Toys, a free program that adds some useful options to the menu. Install this, and you can quickly send anything to the clipboard, to the command prompt (yes, some of us still use it!) or to the folder of your choice, among other options. ... Read more »

After months of speculation over Time Warner's plans for AOL, the fix is finally in: Google will pay TW a whopping $1 billion for a 5% stake in the business, giving the AOL group an estimated value of $20 billion. The deal locks the two companies together in a more formal way — AOL is already Google's top source of ad revenue — and leaves Microsoft on the outs in its efforts to carve ... Read more »

If you've been waiting for Gmail to come out with a quick-loading, text-only version that you can use on your cellphone, the wait is over. Just go to m.gmail.com, log in, and start reading your mail on that tiny screen. You may even want to use the mobile version on a PC, if you're stuck on a dial-up connection and need to quickly get into your mail. (But don't tell anyone at Google that — ... Read more »

I don't know if it was the EFF's tough talk or the fact that Google is now doing the same thing that angered Warner/Chappell in the first place, but either way, it looks like the record company has backed down on its threats against tiny freeware program pearLyrics, and issued an apology to developer Walter Ritter. In a joint statement, Ritter and Warner/Chappell CEO Richard Blackstone said that ... Read more »

Software or web-service subscriptions make great gifts: They don't need to be wrapped, you can order at the last minute, and you can find a program or service for just about anyone (or at least anyone who owns a computer). With this in mind, we present our holiday gift guide, featuring products and services we've picked because we like them and use them ourselves (and, no, nobody has paid us or ... Read more »

The second release candidate of Mozilla Thunderbird 1.5 hasn't even been officially released yet, but that hasn't stopped eWeek from reviewing the program, and writer Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols likes what he sees. In contrast to earlier versions of T-bird, which Vauhgan-Nichols says were plagued by "poor search functionality and memory leaks," 1.5 may well be "poised to regain its ... Read more »

Apparently unbowed by recent moves by the music-publishing industry to go after companies that make it easier to find lyrics on the web, Google plans to make music info more readily available via searches. The new feature, set to debut today, will work much like Google's existing system for searching for stock quotes or news from within its core engine, bumping relevant info to the top of a list ... Read more »