Recommended Programs
This is a list of recommended free programs you should download to your new computer. If I recommend a program that is not free, I have tried to show the price.
- Programs I consider essential are highlighted thus.
Security
- Zone Alarm - a firewall that you use to control which of your programs you allow to access the internet. Also blocks incoming intrusions from the internet.
- AVG Antivirus - a popular antivirus program. AVG became bloated in version 8, so if you want something leaner, try Avira.
- Ad-Aware - searches your hard disk for rogue files that could present a security issue.
Communication
- Skype - free or cheap telephone calls. You will need a mic and speakers.
- Windows Live Messenger - instant message and talk to friends. Alternatively, use Pidgin, Trillian or Gaim.
- Google Talk - instant message and talk to friends.
- Express Talk - SIP telephone program for making VOIP calls (and get a free SIP account and UK telephone number with Sipgate).
Office
- Google Docs - your documents, spreadsheets and presentations online. The great new alternative to Microsoft Office and Open Office.
- Adobe Reader - for viewing PDF's (formerly known as Adobe Acrobat). Reader does not enable you to create PDFs, for that I recommend Primo PDF. More info below.
Web / Email
- Firefox - excellent web browser (faster and more secure than Internet Explorer).
- Flash Player - essential plugin for your browser.
- Shockwave Player - sometimes a required plugin for websites.
- Mozilla Thunderbird - email client (excellent alternative to Outlook and Outlook Express).
- Java - Java 2 Runtime Environment is required for some websites.
- SharpReader - decent, easy-to-use RSS reader.
Music / Video
- iTunes - for listening to MP3s and ripping CDs (comes bundled with QuickTime for watching movies).
- VideoLAN - a cross-platform media player that supports a large number of multimedia formats, without the need for additional codecs.
- Real Alternative - for playing Real movies and listening to streaming audio/video over the internet (the BBC website uses the Real format). Real Alternative is an advert-free, simple program unlike the full version of Real Player (which is clunky, slow and resource heavy).
- DivX Player - for playing movies and DVDs (like Real, Windows Media Player and QuickTime - except it is better and comes with a codec often required for watching movies on your computer).
- iPod Update - latest firmware updates and software for your iPod. (Try Outpod and Ephpod for other iPod music management).
- MediaMonkey - has tools to organise and clean up your MP3 files and meta tags (you could also try TagScanner).
- Audacity - record and edit sound files.
Other
- Picasa - the free photo management and editing program from Google. Also lets you easily publish photos for free on the web.
- Izarc - for zipping/unzipping files (like WinZip, but free).
- Plaxo - synchronises your contacts so that they are up-to-date on all your computers and also online (also see the LinkedIn toolbar).
- Panorama Factory - does a great job of stitching together sequential photos to create a panorama ($30 approx).
- Google Earth - zoom in and out of the entire world.
- Portable Apps - if you have a big USB stick, you might like to load on these portable applications so that you can use your favourite apps wherever you are. They are stand-alone versions and do not need to be installed on the host computer.
- Bulk Rename Utility - for renaming lots of files in one go.
- Free Download Manager - speeds up file downloads by breaking them into pieces.
- PSTCompactor - for compressing large Outlook PSTs (always stay under 2GB!). Free trial, then $24.95.
- DefaultMail - makes switching between email clients very easy.
- MozBackup - the best tool for backing up your Firefox and Thunderbird settings, profiles, email etc.
- Shup or ScreenPrint 32- excellent free tools to take screenshots of your computer. Shup can also edit them and upload them.
- Primo PDF - Free program that enables you to create a PDF from a webpage, text document, spreadsheet, etc by choosing "Print" and selecting the Primo PDF printer.
- WirelessKeyView - Free program to recover lost wireless network keys.
Web Developer tools
- Graphics - Adobe Photoshop ($649).
- Coding - Aptana (free for basic version), NVU (free), Dreamweaver ($399), Edit Plus (shareware).
- Animation - Flash ($699).
- Xenu Link Sleuth - excellent link checker.
- FileZilla - very good free FTP program.
- Icon Sushi - for creating favicons.
- Google Analytics - use this free stats service from Google which works through a piece of JavaScript you place in every webpage. For log file analysis on your Apache server, use the free AWStats. To analyse log files on your hard disk, try Analog, WebLog Expert Lite or pay for 123 Log Analyzer ($129.99).
- Domain Name Analyzer - checks multiple domains in one go and gives status including DNS.
- PuTTY - command line and SSH login for server admin.
- WinHTTrack - for making copies of entire websites.
- WinSCP - for secure access to server files.
Drivers
Screensavers
- Lunarmedia Clock - nice simple analogue clock.
- BBC Climate Change Screensaver - uses your computer to process climate change predictions in a huge international experiment.
- SereneScreen Marine Aquarium - realistic fishtank, very cool, $20.
Other lists
- There are useful links to other popular software here.
- This is a pretty good list of the best freeware.
- For Jakes benefit when he reinstalls Windows on his Vaio.
- Here is a list of recommended websites.
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