We're familiar with the various methods of copying files from one computer to another, from the File and Settings Transfer Wizard to some of the more sophisticated methods using special USB cables.

A common limitation is that these programs only copy files, not software. This is particulary frustrating for those with software pre installed without the original disks.

So, imagine my delight when I found the Windows Easy Transfer Companion! You can find the full list of supported software by following the link, and it is quite impressive. It includes Firefox, Eudora, Opera, Paint Shop Pro, WordPerfect Office and, of course, Microsoft Office.

It is still in Beta but well worth a look. As a beta it will stop working after 1 July 2007. It is free now but Microsoft are reserving the right to start charging when it is finished.

Sadly things were not as straightforward as we had hoped. After downloading and installing the software a warning appeared saying that the program only supports US English and it went off in a huff. I will try changing the system language to see if that fixes the problem.