FreeCommander 2009.02 review

By: Codrut Nistor, Editor, Software Reviews
Published: 11th March 2009

I will never understand those people who simply refuse to make their work with a computer more efficient. I understand my parents, because they are stuck in their ways with more than just using computers efficiently(NOT!), but when it comes to young people still using Windows Explorer, and telling me that the file manager I use while messing with their computers is great, just that I should make sure to remove it once I'm done...should I say more?

Price is no excuse, because while Total Commander or Frigate are awesome programs for a great price, there are plenty of excellent alternatives, like Unreal Commander, A43, or today's subject - FreeCommander.

Setup

FreeCommander's latest version is 2009.02, released last month. As you can see, the number is made up by the year and month when that version got released, so there's nothing wrong with it. If you want something a bit difficult, think about the fact that the setup program and the Help file are available as individual downloads. The keyboard shortcuts also come in a separate DOC file, but let's leave this aside now.

The thing you should be careful with when running the 2 MB setup package is, as you can see in the first image attached to the review, adding(or not) eBay links. Since I like keeping my computer clean, I just installed FreeCommander, without creating a program group, QuickLaunch links, or the eBay links. This is no advice, you just do as you wish and need.

Just as a final hint - FreeCommander is also available in a Portable version, so there's no excuse for not taking it with you when away from home. It will surely help you spare a lot of time, believe me! Now, that you know all these, let's move on to next item on the list...

Interface

FreeCommander's interface is highly customizable, and this is all that really matters when talking about file managers, after all. Remember you're using it to do things faster and easier, and not as a desktop wallpaper. You can easily add new items to the toolbar, although drag and drop isn't supported for this task, as it happens in Total Commander or Unreal Commander, and there are countless interface layouts possible.

As you probably imagined already, the rich View menu takes care of most interface-related settings, like the view mode(list, details, icons, thumbnails, and more), file filter/sorting, or quick windows split options. Obviously, most features are shortcuts-driven, and once you learn the usual keyboard shortcuts, everything starts moving with the speed of light.

Features

When we talk about programs like FreeCommander, a little part of me says "Go right to Tips & Tricks" instantly. To be honest, this time we're talking about more than just "a little part," and the reason should be pretty obvious already - FreeCommander is more about enjoyment, than study. After all, if you ever used a two-pane file manager, the ones that come after it require less and less time to discover what's inside the package.

This time, we have an excellent Multi rename tool, probably the best one I've seen in a free file manager so far, but this is only the beginning...

The tabbed interface and the vertical/horizontal dual-panel approach help a lot, giving enough flexibility without making the interface become too cluttered as you mess with the layout options.

When it comes to file viewing, FreeCommander has a built-in viewer capable of hex/binary/text/image format handling, and the archives supported right out of the box are ZIP, CAB, and RAR, with the last one allowing only read only access.

One feature very useful to a lot of people is the ability to compare and sync folders, but I must confess I only used it a few times since my dark age of computing. On the other hand, I often use the Search feature of any file manager I mess with, and when it can also look for files inside archives, as FreeCommander does, it's awesome!

I guess I should say more about FreeCommander, but I don't want to ruin your first encounter with it. For me, any program has a story, like most games or movies, and since I hate spoilers, I'll stop here with the Features part and give you a few useful hints to help you get started the right way.

Tips & Tricks

1. Ctrl+M is the shortcut to the Multi rename tool. Use it!

2. To split the two panels 50-50, go to the View menu and choose the obvious option from the Split window submenu or simply press Shift+Ctrl+F2.

3. The built-in FTP client allows you to set advanced options for each connection, so if you get errors, be sure to check the Connection details and Transfer settings.

4. To quickly add your current folder to the Favorites, press Shift+Ctrl+V.

5. If you want to view/edit current keyboard shortcuts, open the Extras menu and click on Keyboard shortcuts.

Strengths

FreeCommander has the same strong points as most file managers I've seen: ease of use, reliability, flexibility, as well as a low memory footprint(used about 9 MB of memory all the time). If you want to see an entire list of reasons to use it, just take a look at the features I mentioned a bit earlier...and be sure they all work as supposed to!

Weaknesses

If you're one of those skins freaks, you may be disappointed by the fact that FreeCommander can't have "wallpapers" or custom icon sets in the toolbar, but these are not serious problems. The only serious problems I found with FreeCommander is the fact that, more than just once, the program took quite a while to access a folder or start a packing operation. I guess there's some optimization work waiting to be completed...

Final Thoughts

Apart from the speed problems I noticed, FreeCommander is an excellent file manager, and if we also add the cost into the equation, the result can be only one - FreeCommander is a great piece of code, and if you're still struggling with Windows Explorer, you have no excuse to avoid it! Even more, if you're using a shareware version of Total Commander or Frigate, you should drop those and enjoy freedom with FreeCommander!

Editors Pick

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