A Windows Explorer alternative that packs a punch, FreeCommander is a portable application that can be used from a CD or USB stick (or from your hard disk, of course). Copy the installation directory to the media and use the program on any computer.. just like that!
FreeCommander features a dual-panel window which, divides your screen into two halves. You can open folders in both these panels. If you choose to open more windows in the panel, they are displayed under tabs. You toggle between viewing folders in a column with sub-menus, or in rows. The software can handle archives to open ZIP, CAB, and RAR files. You can also preview images just like in the Explorer shell.
Apart from the usual copy, paste, rename, move, and delete functions, FreeCommander also allows you to delete files for good (shred them). It allows you to change the attributes of any file. While running a search, the software can even look inside compressed archives. You can assign other programs to FreeCommander for opening specific file-types. For example, freeware like ATViewer, which opens image files, can be downloaded from :
A list of hotkeys you can use with FreeCommander can be found at Free Commander Hot Keys. Give it a try and share your experience here.