Free online storage from Google Docs or DropBox allows you easy browser access to files from anywhere. But have you ever wondered how to save a file from the Internet directly to your online storage account? For example, what if you are on a public computer, and need to save a file you found online? Tech-Recipes explains how to copy the file’s URL (right click / Copy Link Location) and then paste it into Filename / Open (the entire URL including the http:// part.) For details and screen shots, read Tech Recipes or Lifehacker.

Lifehacker recently announced their annual list of best Windows downloads. And this year, they packaged them all into a single download package with an auto-installer that will install exactly the programs you want, while you raid the refrigerator. The utilities include a few of my must-haves, such as Pidgin (a universal instant messaging tool), Dropbox (free cloud storage) and Mozy (free cloud backup service). To read about each tool, or to download the Lifehacker Pack 2010 for Windows 7, click here: http://lifehacker.com/5548767/lifehacker-pack-2010-our-list-of-essential-windows-downloads.

Tired of buying Microsoft Office for each computer you use? OpenOffice is an open-source (i.e. free) software suite for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. It stores all your data in file formats that are compatible with Microsoft Office, and works on many computer platforms including Windows, Mac and Unix. The newest release, OpenOffice 3.1 is now available for download.

Although both Windows and Mac have built-in font viewers, there are quite a few utilities that do a better job, many of them free. I like Font Picker, a free download that runs on Adobe Air for both Mac and Windows. For more typography tools, read Lifehacker .

The Creative Commons Add-In for Office is a free utility that licenses your Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents in just a few clicks. The drop-down menu sits on a tab (on the Ribbon menu for Office 2007) and uses a wizard to guide you through choosing the appropriate license. Unfortunately, it’s Windows only, no Mac. The free download is available from Microsoft for Office 2007 and Office 2003/XP.

There are many Internet speed tests that will measure your download and upload speeds. Speedtest.net, CNET Bandwidth Meter Speed Test and PC Pitstop are a few. But before using them, you need to understand terms such as “k”, “m”, “bits” and “bytes.” For that, I recommend reading Ask-Leo.

When downloading a file, Windows users must choose between Run or Save. Run is actually a two-step process. First the file is saved to a temporary location, and then it is run (or executed) the same as if you had traversed to its location in Windows Explorer and double-clicked on it. The key is that the location is temporary. If you will ever need the file again, it is better to Save it, so you know where you to access it again. For more on the difference between Run and Save, read Ask-Leo.com.

Most instructions on downloading an ebook tell you to right-click on the download link and save the file on your computer. But what if the download link is in an email, or if the ebook is sent as an attachment? Because no one set of instructions covers all the possibilities, Ask-Leo.com has written a comprehensive guide to ebook downloading. Leo even includes a free ebook (titled “How do I keep my computer safe on the internet?”) for you to practice on.

Computer books can be expensive, but if you know where to look, you can (legally) download some tech books for free. Here are three resources: Tech Books for Free , O’Reilly Open Books Project, and Bruce Perens’ Open Source Series.

Java, which is a required plug-in for many online games, is no longer included with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and must be downloaded and installed separately. If you do not see a Java option in Internet Explorer/Tools/Internet Options/Advanced, you can download the Java runtime environment from Sun Microsystems.