Looking at some software to use for digital image organization and found that ThumbsPlus has a unique way of giving users a free demo. Instead of downloading a crippleware/expireware demo version (which you could probably get a serial# to unlock in about 30s if you know where to look), the demo version of the software connects, via java applet, to a citrix server and lets you log into someone’s windows machine (all secure and everything I’m sure) and run the software there. Neat idea! Of course, does you no good to see how the software works on your computer with your digital images, but still, a different way of doing it. The plus side is you don’t get a bunch of extra crap on your computer, or your application prefs messed with (digital image organization programs have a bad habit of assuming they are the only ones that should get to use image files, and configure windows to do that).
Picasa on the other hand, uses the free demo method. Not a bad looking program, though still lacking in a couple of areas. It does seem to leave your photos where you put them originally though, which is good (for me who stores everything on the fileserver). No idea what happens if you move images around though, and if the metadata keywords and whatnot will get found and re-attached or not.