Download Commander for Windows

Internet downloading got a major boost from bit torrents and the widespread availability of broadband, but conventional Web-based downloads are still limited by single-thread technology. Download Commander from Heitmeijer is a downloading application that uses the familiar HTTP protocol but enables multiple simultaneous downloads via multithreading, so instead of downloading each file on a Web site, you can download them all at once. It will also save various credentials so you don't have to re-enter them constantly.

Download Commander integrates itself with Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser. Right-clicking a Web page calls up the context menu with Download Commander's selections. The program's pop-up interface has just the basics, but it's nicely finished and efficiently laid out. There are File, Edit, and Help menus and a handful of large, colorful icons to control the application's functions. Two configurable display panes round out the interface, one for tracking downloads and the other for files. You can choose to download a single file, multiple files, or all the files on the page. The program makes best use of your high-speed connections to improve the download speed of single files, but we were really impressed when it snagged a page full of files in record time.

Download Commander installs desktop icons without asking and leaves folders behind when it's uninstalled; it also requires the .NET Framework. The latest release includes a full user's manual and support for Windows Vista. The free trial version is limited to 10 simultaneous downloads and reminds you it's unregistered every 10 minutes.