14 DAY TRIAL // What is it going to take for you to manage the files on your computer? A file manager, of course. Although many users believe in the capabilities of Windows Explorer I try as much as I can to stay away from it. I know it is not that bad once you get accustomed to it, but I'd rather use a file manager able to ease my work and save me precious time.
When it comes to this sort of software I definitely choose double paned ones. There is a much greater comfort when copying and moving the files around, plus you can view the contents of the folders much easier.
And from the myriad of file managers out there I am most used to Total Commander. It is one of the fastest, though not the one with the most features (that would be EF Commander). However, the need to have a free such application has pushed me to a constant look on the Internet.
I never found an application to cover all my needs, as there would be always something missing. A couple of days ago one of my colleagues presented me Unreal Commander. I took a look at it and could not believe what I saw. It looked just like Total Commander and it was absolutely free for both home and corporate use.
So the interface is designed after TC model. This could only mean two things: flexibility and comfort. Also, the great thing is that it even mimics the tabbed windows. That will definitely help you in opening several folders in different windows and then toggle between them with the greatest ease. The only problem with the looks of the application window is that it isn't very good-looking. The default color configuration is just not right. Trust me, your eyes will hurt.
Fortunately, there is a way to fix this aspect. And for this we will have to penetrate deeper in the software and appeal to the Configuration capabilities. The options available are not professional, but they will cover all the essential an average user needs. The alternatives available permit you to change the general layout of the screen, define the colors for the directories, background, selection and files according to their extension, add your archive packers, set the external viewer for the files etc.
To put it briefly, here you can customize your copy of Unreal Commander. And if you are not content with any of the visual styles available, you can always download more from the website, directly from the application. I must confess that I found some pretty good ones out there.
The basic file operations like move, copy, delete are supported by the software and the shortcuts for them are displayed at the bottom of the screen. If you are a TC user these will come in very handy as they are the same as in the original application.
FTP connections are also supported by the application, but this may not work as you expected. I tried to connect to a free FTP address that did not require a username and a password and I received an error message instead. Testing the address in a dedicated FTP application resulted successful. I just had to see if TC would do any better so I attempted to connect. Failure again. It is just a matter of password and username because connecting to all the secured addresses worked like a charm while for those that were not protected in any way I received the "Server not found" message.
Perusing Unreal Commander not only made me realize the striking resemblance with Total Commander (let's face it, it looks and feels exactly like a TC with lesser features) but it also revealed some mischiefs an user may not want to surpass. Split/Combine option is not one included in Unreal Commander. Although not many users append it to the daily routine, it is extremely helpful on some occasions.
Also, when deleting the files or folders their name is not displayed in the prompt message. Some times this is really helpful and prevents you from deleting the wrong data. However, if you want the files lost without a trace, you can use WIPE function.
Though it is not the real thing, Unreal Commander will definitely be a helpful buddy when it comes to manipulating your files the easy way. Its features incorporate almost all the functionality in Total Commander and the application is absolutely free.
The Good
Unreal Commander is absolutely free. You can receive license for either home use or for corporate use. The procedure is extremely simple and you'll get the key via e-mail.
The ease of use is amazing: multi-rename tool (pretty limited in options but it does its job), built-in FTP client, a plethora of visual styles plus the possibility of customizing the interface by yourself, tabbed windows, dual paned, what more do you want?
The Bad
The options are limited to the basic and most used ones. The default style is quite crappy and the developer should have set it top white so that the eyes of the user would not be prone to a "heart-attack".
The Truth
Free to try and use, a perfect companion for arranging the files of your "cabinet". And if you've been using Total Commander in excess to the 30 days trial, now you can give up on it and grab the free version. It will not be the same, but it is definitely worth a try.
There are no helpers in the toolbar, but you can customize it by placing the shortcuts to whatever software you want. However, you will not be able to place shortcuts for the internal packer, built in FTP client or anything internal, but you can place the executables of third party softwares.
Running on both XP and Vista with the same success Unreal Commmander is designed to help the average user to a better file management. It is highly stable and satisfies all the average needs in handling your data.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
