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April 22, 2009 3:36 PM PDT

23 downloads win CNET Editors' Choice

by Lindsey Turrentine
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If you read CNET's hardware reviews, you've probably seen the CNET Editors' Choice award appear from time to time. The badge has always denoted our editors' favorite products--best-of-breed technology that stands apart from the competition.

Today, we're pleased to extend the CNET Editors' Choice badge to software listed on CNET Download.com.

CNET Editors' Choice badge

CNET Editors' Choice badge indicates award winner.

(Credit: CNET Download.com)

We're introducing the award on 23 products, each a clear leader in its category. We determine award winners on a case-by-case basis, and we always mark the award with the month and date so that you know when the software in question won the prize. As time goes on and we continue to review new software, we will award more badges. We may remove awards if we find that the winning software is no longer a leader in its class. (Read more about how we determine Editors' Choice winners here.)

Not all categories of software on CNET Download.com will have a winner--we reserve the award only for software that truly knocks our socks off. So without further ado, we present our very first CNET Download.com Editors' Choice winners:

Windows software
Antivirus software: Avira Antivir
Diagnostic software: CCleaner
Encryption software: TrueCrypt
FTP software: FileZilla
Internet security suite: ESET Smart Security
Media management: Picasa 3
Office suite: OpenOffice
PDF reader: Foxit Reader
Screen capture: SnagIt 9
Spyware removers: Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
System utilities: Smart Defrag
Video Jukebox: Miro

Mac software
Browser: Mozilla Firefox
Communications: Adium
Educational: Google Earth
Encryption software: TrueCrypt Mac
Image editor: Pixelmator
Music jukebox: iTunes
Password manager: 1Password

Mobile software
Mobile browser: Opera Mini
Mobile music: Slacker Radio for BlackBerry
Mobile RSS: Viigo
Mobile reference: Google Mobile App (BlackBerry|iPhone|Windows Mobile)
Lindsey Turrentine is an executive editor at CNET.
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by 01Phyxius April 23, 2009 5:59 PM PDT
Since when was CCleaner a diagnostic software?
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by mr.sms April 23, 2009 8:56 PM PDT
they can't make a category for every software, what do you suggest? "Cleaning Software" ?
by mjrindewitt April 24, 2009 4:19 AM PDT
is there a linux catagory?
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by monkeyfun14 April 24, 2009 4:49 AM PDT
Linux whats that.
by bevis91157 April 24, 2009 3:51 PM PDT
Linux is a computer operating system its just like Windows or Macintosh but it is more simple to use and often cheaper than windows or mac computers
by chronoboi001 April 24, 2009 4:21 AM PDT
-= May be it would be nice if they had a gold badge, silver badge and a bronze badge so we may keep track of who's behind who..
Reply to this comment
by olegion April 26, 2009 3:27 AM PDT
Internet Security Suite: Comodo Internet Security<br />http://www.matousec.com/projects/proactive-security-challenge/results.php<br />why need to buy, if can use free?
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by abir-killer- April 26, 2009 9:36 AM PDT
I Think CNET Made The Right Choice...<br />tho there should be more editor' choice..<br />-v12
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by Dango517 April 28, 2009 8:28 PM PDT
Picasa 3 is terrible. Grainy poor quality images in the application and on line. It loads tons of needless images into your system to clutter it up. The utilities for editing photos are just so, so. This is one to skip altogether. No stars for this one, 2 black holes from me <br /> <br />Smart Defrag is great and so is OpenOffice. Both are must haves. <br /> <br />CCleaner is over kill. Be careful with it. <br /> <br />I'd add: <br /> <br />Gimp <br />McAfee Site Advisor <br />Paint.net <br />WinCleaner Memory Optimizer
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by Travisuberdownloader April 28, 2009 10:54 PM PDT
I'd take IrFanview over Picasa any day! And for easy quick system maintenance, Ccleaner is my choice too!<br /><br />Quote: <br /> "by bevis91157 April 24, 2009 3:51 PM PDT<br /> Linux is a computer operating system its just like Windows or Macintosh but it is more simple to use and often cheaper than windows or mac computers"<br /><br />Microsoft Windows - Easy, pushbutton interface<br />Linux - Make up the rules as you go<br />Microsoft Windows - You want a sandwich, you go get the sandwich<br />Linux - You want a sandwich, you must learn to make the dough, then bake the bread, etc...
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by joemama99 April 29, 2009 12:34 PM PDT
Microsoft Windows - You turn around and some has eaten part of your sandwich and sprinkled ex-lax on it.<br />Microsoft Windows - Every 2-3 years the cook will come out with a new improved sandwich, it'll be bigger requiring you to buy larger plates. It'll still have bologna and American cheese inside, but the bread will be different.<br />Linux - comes with some ready-made sandwiches, but if you want, you can make any sandwich you want.<br /><br />Seriously, have you looked at Linux in the past 2-3 years? My (now) 7 year old son has been using Linux only, for 3 years, never had a problem.
by figmentKLM April 29, 2009 4:47 AM PDT
It is disappointing to find trial software in editors choice. It seems to me primary reason for download.com is to locate the best freeware or shareware.<br /><br />BTW, I love this quote. It succinctly presents my feelings about Linux -<br />"Linux - You want a sandwich, you must learn to make the dough, then bake the bread, etc..."
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by getgeet7 April 29, 2009 4:54 AM PDT
I think everthing is ok,simply perfect.
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by japass April 29, 2009 6:28 AM PDT
Let see!!!!! <br />AVG 187,715,610 highest cnet rating, highest user rating (new 8.5 should be higher ) <br />Avast 44,152,286 highest cnet rating <br />Avira 35,043,452 highest cnet rating, 3 1/2 stars user rating <br />THESE ARE YOUR NUMBERS!!!! <br />Why would your choice be NUMBER #3 ???? <br />Better Pay, Better Kickbacks ????????????? WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO TRUST YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINIONS !!!!!!!!!!
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by April 29, 2009 8:49 AM PDT
"Video Jukebox: Miro" ? Do you even read your members comments? No one seems to like this as much as you do!
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by April 29, 2009 9:44 AM PDT
Very good regarding the linux sandwich, however you forgot to mention "growing the wheat, milking the cow etc"
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by Bossiesie April 30, 2009 11:23 PM PDT
You should also add: FREE virus with every windows sandwich!
by zeronach April 29, 2009 3:26 PM PDT
japass is right, seems like they just don't care. The best should always be the winner !! This sucks!! Now im hungry ! ...going for a sandwich.
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by abzakaria April 29, 2009 5:39 PM PDT
yeah...u r right. a sandwich is a sandwich is a sand wich, any which way u look at it. the best one should be the one that satisfy your hunger pangs... now i'm hungry....
by indianastump April 29, 2009 6:11 PM PDT
we should think about our rankings a "lil" bit, there cnet, you guys have been my hero for years, but,,,,, <br />this ranking another subpar antivirus over your own personal favorite, that, i personally have used about 9 .5 years AVG FREE version, baffles me. and yes, i have tried the current favorite for awhile, didnt take long to know, thay cnet had been right for years, AVG RULES. <br />INDIANA STUMP
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by pugmom06331 April 30, 2009 3:16 AM PDT
AVG USED to "rule" for me, but no more. The last version I used, I THINK it was Version 8, worked fine, for a while, then, for whatever reason, it stopped letting me update. No matter what I tried, it just stopped letting me update. So, I got rid of AVG and switched to avast! which has turned out to be a good move for me. It works very well, and unlike AVG, it automatically updates itself.
by April 29, 2009 6:32 PM PDT
Avira??? Is this choice a memory lapse? Whatever happened to Cnets choice of AVG free????
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by kitkimes April 29, 2009 9:41 PM PDT
I'm sure all of these choices are good ones. I've usually liked anything that cnet recommends. But there are two programs that I use more than any other and neither are listed. Irfanview is the best viewer and casual editor that I have ever used. I use it almost every day. I scanned some old slides from the 50's and did a color correction with Irfanview that made them look like they were just taken. <br /> <br />For sound, nothing beats Audicity. I import music from old vinyl records. Audicity does a great job of cleaning up any clicks and pops. It also does a great job of normalizing sound levels if you record too low (or pick up MP3s that are too low) and it is an easy editor to use also. <br /> <br />Both are free and have excellent support. <br /> <br />Not free but an excellent piece of software is Replay Converter. I download a lot of videos from youtube and use it to rip the music as MP3s so I can play them mp3 player. Yeah, I know it's a grey area but I have bought a lot of albums as a direct result of finding music this way. <br /> <br />Kit Kimes <br />Oswego, IL USA
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by cheekku September 10, 2009 12:03 AM PDT
You must try using FastStone before committing on Irfanview or Picasa! The program speaks for itself. <br />Besides these I don't know why Directory Opus is never given exposure in CNet; it is a great software. And Maxthon, too gets zero publicity although that too is a good software.
by pugmom06331 April 30, 2009 3:04 AM PDT
What? No firewall choice? I have one for you. ZoneAlarm. I can't imagine using any other firewall, nor do I think I WANT to because I don't think there's a better or easier to use firewall. If there is, I don't know about it.
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by bparsons12 May 4, 2009 8:47 AM PDT
I had Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite for a year or so, but started having problems with other programs. I now use AVG's Internet Security Suite, and it is by far superior to anything I have used.
by mtpockit April 30, 2009 9:19 PM PDT
You gave your "award" to CCleaner, yet your own editor's review only gave it 4 stars. If one of the sofware programs you review and assign only 4 stars to it, and it "blows your socks off" then what would a 5 star editor's rating do for you? hmmmm Again, how much value should we place in your editors review and star assignment?
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by yuyiya April 30, 2009 10:23 PM PDT
What, no browser award? <br /><br />I know the editors were keen on Google Chrome when it first appeared, but since it managed to crash Windows XP for me 3 times in 26 hours - on a system that's hammered daily and had only once fallen over since XP was released! - I quickly removed it. Somewhat chastened by the experience, I then resolved to only follow CNet recommendations for software with at least a 3-month history ...<br /><br />... and went straight back to using Mozilla Firefox 3. Tell me there's a better browser? I'll listen - but may be a bit hard to convince.<br /><br />Here are my other favourites (but none match the CNet Editors Choices!):<br /><br />IrfanView - absolutely wonderful program, which I use daily for photo correction and enhancement, art image digital effects using plugins, smooth image resizer, quick image folder review, slideshow maker, batch file processor and renamer, and its no-frills media player. Quick links to your choice of 3 paint programs - so who can go past ...<br /><br />... Paint.NET? This provides layers and does all of the most-wanted paint operations and effects.<br /><br />Sound editing? Audacity - free and amazingly capable.<br /><br />Music composition and notation? NoteWorthy Composer is excellent value, and very quick with a little practice.<br /><br />Antivirus? AVG Free 8 still works fine.<br /><br />Malware crusher? Spybot Search and Destroy is cool; I also like Anvir.<br /><br />Email handler. Haven't seen anything to touch Microsoft Outlook. Way back when, I used Pegasus, but I wouldn't know what's free or cheap, reliable and capable right now.<br /><br />Spam fighter? MailWasher, of course!<br /><br />Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks, I guess!
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by Ken_Saunders May 1, 2009 12:40 PM PDT
What a bizarre and quite questionable list. Especially since there is no listing for a browser for Windows. Should we all just assume that it is Firefox? That's fine with me, but I don't think that readers would read that and just think, duh!<br /><br />I've either tried or used some of the ones listed for Windows, but I'd only give FileZilla such a prestigious award and honor. I truly hope that this isn't anyway inspired monetarily. That would be a huge disappointment and devastating to your credibility.<br />I don't mean to sound accusatory, but the marketing value for receiving such an honor is huge and like others have pointed out, the choices contradict those already posted on CNET.
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