What are some essential computer software that every person should have?

Question

I'm about to build a pc for my brother (who lives in another state) and would like to know what software I should install to keep his computer running in top shape, or even programs that are useful, such as paint/pic viewing/burning software, freeware preffered

So far I have:

1. Grisoft AVG Free Edition - (antivirus)
2. Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal - (spyware remover)
3. Spybot Search and Destroy - (spyware remover)
4. Videolan - (plays most video formats)
5. Winrar/Winzip
6. CDburner XPpro 3 - (iso, music, file burning software)

Any additional software suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

Answer 1

office suite: open office http://openoffice.org

paint/graphic editor: gimp http://www.gimp.org/

web suite( browser, email, composer, news group): sea monkey http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/

text editor: notepad++: http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/about.php

pdf reader: http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php

file manager, explorer replacement: http://www.freecommander.com/index_en.htm

music& video player: winamp http://www.winamp.com/player/

window clean up: ccleaner http://www.ccleaner.com/

sticky notes for desktop: turbo note http://www.turbonote.com/ v3.4 is freeware

real time spyware protection: http://www.prevx.com/ v2.1 is freeware

instant message - for multiple ip- aim, yahoo, msn...: trillion im http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/downloads/ 'basic' is freeware

Answer 2

You should install the good stuff.... not this free junk.
Vlc and WinRar/WinZip is pretty much the good stuff I see. If you know wheat kind of internet service you brother has, like Comcast HSI, then your brother can gett free McAfee Spyware, Internet Security, and AntiVirus for free. And use Nero, Roxio, or NTI for the Cd Burning, they are some good and reliable cd burning softwares. And make sure you dont give him some crappy OS. Microsoft Office 2003 Professional. Fully Update the computer and turn on Automatic Updates. Give him a TV Tuner or something and throw in Windows Media Center Edition.

Answer 3

Since the questions you have asked is similar to a lot that appear on answers, I have prepared this to aid you. Topics covered are: Anti virus, Anti spyware, Browsers, e-mail, Word processors, Database, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Drawings and Photo manipulations. All programmes described are free to use, some even for commercial use.

Antiviral.
AVG free. Excellent protection available from: http://www.Grisoft.com

Don't use two antiviral products together as they may be incompatible. If your Antiviral trial has run out, then remove product from your computer and get the AVG installed.

Antispyware
Essential products are: Adaware SE from: http://www.lavasoft.com
Spybot SD from: Download.com or similar, Tucows etc
Spywareblaster “ “ “ “
Windows Defender - from Microsoft downloads.

Office Applications
Open Office has an extremely good free to use and distribute product at http://www.openoffice.org

It contains programmes fully functional in Word-processing, Database, Spreadsheets, Drawing and Presentation. It looks and feels like Microsoft Office and can even make PDF's

Photo-manipulations
For ease of use and management of your photo files try Kodak easyshare software or Picasso.

For advanced and fully functional photographic manipulation gimp2 is very similar to Photoshop and is available from http://gimp.org

Browsers and E-mail programmes.
Can recommend Firefox for browsing and has many safety features installed and is self updating and for a general e-mail programme, Thunderbird is very good. Go to:

http://www.mozilla.com/products/

Fun and helpful programmes
Have a look at Calendar Magic, it has lots of Scientific, Geometry, Factor and Expression calculators as well as Global distances, Sun and Moon Data, a Pregnancy Calculator, Time Data and Alarm clocks as well as an extremely comprehensive range of Calendars in about 27 different formats from Afghanistan to Vietnamese, including Chinese and Hindu.

C Cleaner.http://www.ccleaner.com/
This will tell you a lot about what is on your computer, such as running programmes,cookies, History, settings etc. and will help you clean up and remove unwanted items. Be careful how you use it as it is a very powerful programme and you should read the help index before you do anything with it.

Hope this information is of help to you and others.

Answer 4

Windows XP. Turn on the Windows Updates to automatically download and install Windows updates, otherwise he won't do it.

Also, enable the firewall or use a third party firewall like Norton.

Be sure to also DL SPK2 for Win XP.

And lastly but not least, a computer is only as good as the idiot sitting in front of it. If he screws it up there's no software package on earth that will ever make things the way they were when the box was new.

Answer 5

FireFox and Irfan View.

FireFox is an open-source internet browser and a million times better than Internet Explorer. Make sure to get 2 extensions: AdBlock and Filterset.G Updater. Adblock gets rid of those annoying ads beautifully and Filterset.G Updater automatically updates the adblock list.

Irfan View is a free small image editing program. Very nice. I do professional web design and the big reason I use it is that it can make icon files.

Oh, yeah. And a paid for Anti-Virus program that updates from time to time.

Answer 6

i take advantage of Linux, so as it really is all the protection software i desire for my pc. :) yet for a domicile windows pc, domicile windows protection necessities is actual particularly reliable. i'd nevertheless recommend getting a competent loose anti-virus software like AVG or Avast. keep away from Norton and McAfee, as they are no better appropriate than the loose possibilities, and now and again are worse. (I really hate McAfee, because it never needs to thoroughly uninstall.) utilising an internet browser except internet Explorer is a competent theory. utilising one which ought to dam classified ads, which includes Firefox or Chrome (utilising the Adblock Plus extension). i'd also propose utilising an IP blocker which includes PeerBlock, really in case you will be utilising a bittorrent filesharing client. although the most important vulnerability to any pc's protection is the bit between the keyboard and the chair. If a person would not use some reliable protection practices and quite straight forward sense at the same time as utilising the pc, it would not remember what software he has put in. Use reliable and remarkable passwords. do not use a similar password for diverse money owed. and do not use a password manager (really the single outfitted in on your internet browser). a competent password could be memorable sufficient that you may't desire the pc to undergo in thoughts it for you. in truth, as said in the article appropriate below, a password utilising 3 everyday words, which includes "that's exciting" is exponentially better than one like "d3@hD2", and straightforward sufficient to undergo in thoughts that there isn't any desire to write down it down on a positioned up-it really is conscious so that you'll undergo in thoughts it later. (obviously, distinctive applications and internet web pages nevertheless require you to apply a blend of letters, numbers, and particular characters, yet it really is because they both don't understand any better appropriate, or they are merely masking their tails so human beings do not use "password" for his or her password. merely use some thing like "that's 2 exciting" somewhat.)

Answer 7

OpenOffice - view/edit everything.
Kazaa Lite Codec Pack - Everything to play every media.
InfranView - Nice Photo and media tool.
EAC + LAME - Turn those CDs to MP3.
FireFox + Thunderbird - To browse Yahoo! Answers.

Answer 8

after these security and CDs burning soft wares, you should also install the some office's software that will help your brother to work his text (e.g. openoffice.org or Microsoft office). what about some messengers to chat with friends (e.g. AOL, ICQ, pal talk, etc)

Answer 9

Mozilla Firefox (web browser)
Trillian Basic (Instant messenger)
I use avast for antivirus