15-Minute Reviews :: Background Optimizer v1.2.9.64

Hello all and welcome to another 15-Minute Review. Today’s application is Background Optimizer version 1.2.9.64 by Nikolai Kurkov – A modular program for doing various tasks in the background.

Software Description

As Giveaway of the Day states:

“Background optimizer – computer optimizer, which automatically optimizes computer while it’s idle.

Once it’s installed the program optimize your computer in the background without interfering with your normal work on your PC – it does its Background Optimizer whenever you take a break. One of the most valuable tools for your computer!

With this application you divide these 2 hours of computer tuning into free 5 minute periods and don’t even think about it!”

Quick Pros

• Very easy-to-use interface
• Offers disk cleanup, defragmenter and start commands
• A modular set-up for future upgrades
• Does run quickly and quietly

Quick Cons

• Only three modules so far and no more downloadable yet
• Disk cleanup and defragmenter appears to use existing systems
• Some typos and ????s littered about
• Help file for the most part is not English

Expansion

Upon launching Background Optimizer for the first time, you will be greeted by a wizard interface. The first step of the wizard is a description of the application and then a table to choose the language of choice. The second step of the wizard is dedicated to selecting which of the three modules you wish to use and setting up their options; There is a link on this page to more modules (Which leads you to a page that says ‘In Progress’. Finally the third step, which doesn’t pertain to people with Giveaway of the Day, activation.

When you’ve completed setup, you are greeted by a small window. Inside this window you will find a row of buttons along the top (Including general setup and module optimization), followed by the application status as well as a situation-specific button (Turn off, Turn on and Wake up). Below this is a small box on the modules themselves; It shows information on each module one at a time, using the arrows to scroll through the modules and usually a Module Settings button. When you’re done with the window, you can minimize to the System Tray.

The application has three modules currently; Disk cleanup, Defragmenter and Start applications. Monitoring the Task Manager, Disk cleanup appears to be based (at least partially – See below) on Windows Disk Cleanup functionality (cleanmgr.exe). The defragment functionality appears to use the Windows built-in defragmentation functionality to support itself (dfrgntfs.exe). Start applications is a handy way to have other applications (besides the previous two) launch at idle time – This could be a handy feature to use your own tools as well as what is provided. It appears this is all the modules currently available with this application (As noted above). Looking through the Plugins directory, there are files referencing Ad-Aware, CCleaner (This may already be in this title besides the Windows Disk Cleanup functionality), clean (Not sure on that one), and reg_organizer. While it does not appear the Ad-Aware or Reg_Organizer functionality does not work, there is the possibility that clean and CCleaner may factored into the Disk cleanup function.

When the application does run, it does seem pretty quick to fire off all of its tasks; Granted, this is only running third-party applications, it does seem to do a decent job at it and keeping it from being too intrusive.

While using the application, I bumped into typographical issues. Granted, most of the ones inside the application are minor and can be ignored, when you head into the help file, you will find yourself staring at most of the helpfile (The part actually meant to tell you how to use the application) is all in an alternate language, including the screenshots and actual text. There seems to be some English in the helpfile, but it is all pertaining to informational purposes such as System requirements, version history, how to translate the application, and the licensing information.

Final Verdict

While this application is fairly limited in its functionality, it does show some promise in growing with modular support – Browsing on the website, it seems it may gain Anti-Virus, and by the plugins folder the possibility for anti-spyware as well. For free, this title isn’t bad if you want a good way to roll all of your system maintenance together (including your own applications so long as they accept command-line) – You may however want to use the Windows Scheduler instead. As for paying $39.98, for an application which relies on other tools for the most part (And not many of them at that), I would want to wait for the application to mature some before purchasing this title for that price.

Posted by BladedThoth on Thursday, January 31, 2008