A friend asked what is that weird program I use to manage files.

I told her it was Total Commander, my true love when it comes to file management. It helps me use FTP, Multiple rename, zip, rar and synchronize folders in one tools. It can be totally keyboard-driven and customized, and it has TONS of plugins to view any file type (like digging inside ISO file like they were zip files as an example). The new version supports tabs and many features which you can't really find in windows Explorer. Highly recommended.

However, there are others out there, who prefer other programs to manage their file system, which have many of the same features, with different levels of usability and configurability built in. It's a religion, really.

Some of the best known ones out there are:

• Total Commander (The image on the site looks hideous, but it is truly a monster for productivity)
• Directory Opus (better interface, lots of shortcuts - but Total Commander just feels more "natural" to me. A friend of mine swear by it though)
• Servant Salamander (I know some people who really like it
• FAR Manager (text only) (Why oh why use a dos based tool these days? though some people love it)
• Xplorer(2) (I don't like it too much- but it seems to be a favorite for those who really like clicking mouse buttons.
• Accelman - Seems like an interesting new one I hadn't seen before
• XYplorer seems interesting as well!

What are your favorites? (Here's a long discussion with many other suggestions)