Users of the Microsoft Office XP and 2003 programs Word, Excel, or PowerPoint—please install all High-Priority updates from Microsoft Update before downloading the Compatibility Pack.

By installing the Compatibility Pack in addition to Microsoft Office 2000, Office XP, or Office 2003, you will be able to open, edit, and save files using the file formats new to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007. The Compatibility Pack can also be used in conjunction with the Microsoft Office Word Viewer 2003, Excel Viewer 2003, and PowerPoint Viewer 2003 to view files saved in these new formats. For more information about the Compatibility Pack, see Knowledge Base article 924074.

Note: If you use Microsoft Word 2000 or Microsoft Word 2002 to read or write documents containing complex scripts, please see this Knowledge Base Article for information to enable Word 2007 documents to be displayed correctly in your version of Word.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Fileconverts.exe

Photobucket is an easy-to-organize photo-and-video repository that offers quick access to codes for embedding your images into your social-networking pages. You can share photos and videos with others or password-protect your account. Photobucket also offers a slew of editing options, and a free account provides up to 1GB of storage. The site lets you search for icons you can use to personalize your Facebook, MySpace, and other social-networking pages.

CLICK HERE TO access PHOTOBUCKET

CutePDF's PDF-creation process employs the Print button. In whichever app you're viewing your target document, choose CutePDF Writer as your printer, hit Print, and choose a save location for the PDF—that's all there is to it. You don't get much in the way of adjustment options (the few that the software's online FAQ details are really hacks) or anything in terms of PDF-manipulation features, but CutePDF Writer is a low-overhead tool worth considering. Acro Software, the maker, also offers a $50 Professional version, which adds a host of editing and security features.

CLICK HERE TO download a copy of CUTE PDF Writer

TaxACT from 2nd Story Software is perfect for those uncomfortable with signing on with a lesser-known provider. New users are offered an online tour of the product to get familiar with the tab-based interface, navigation, help system, and other features. As with boxed tax-prep software, TaxACT Online walks you through a plain-English interview (including major life events) while it fills in forms in the background. TaxACT will also automatically import relevant data if you used the program for last year's filings. Its review process offers red alerts for incomplete or inconsistent information and yellow alerts for items that require action.

TaxACT was very efficient at helping us prepare a 1040 return, prompting us not only for wage data but also dividend and other investment income, as well as income and expenses from any business we owned. Unlike for-pay solutions, it cannot automatically import earnings data from payroll services or financial firms. No context-sensitive help is available, and you will see some ads.

CLICK HERE TO access TAXACT

Jahshaka is the closest freeware we've seen to commercial level editors like Premiere Elements and Corel VideoStudio. In some ways it exceeds them in capability; Jahshaka has animation, paint, and effects modules that bring to mind Adobe's After Effects. Jahshaka is powerful, but it can also be frustrating: The documentation is minimal, and the interface isn't overly intuitive. (The best help we found was some YouTube tutorial videos assembled by the Jahshaka faithful.) Veterans of video editing should be semicomfortable after a few hours of experimentation, but beginners are better off elsewhere. As an early-in-the-game, open-source app with a good following, however, it bears watching.

CLICK HERE TO download JAHSHAKA