Application Suites
Rather than paying hundreds to buy Microsoft Office, you can get Open Office for free. This is an office software suite just like Microsoft Office and supports MS Office document formats (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). It has its own Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Presentation, HTML Editor. It even lets you create PDF files. Only thing is, it doesn't have a program to support Access database files.
OpenOffice 2
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Essential Software
Adobe Reader is the main reader program needed to open and view PDF files. PDF files are. Adobe Reader can be downloaded free from www.adobe.com
Adobe Reader 6 and 7 load time is unbearably slow for many. Get Adobe speedup from TNK-Bootblock to speed up the loading time of the reader so it's more bearable for every day use.
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Fun
Satellite images of the world. Zoom in a find your house!
Google Earth
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Imaging Software
Open Source Image Editor
Gimp
Image viewer
IrFan View
Batch resize images. If you have many big JPEGs you want to put on the web, then this will save you a lot of time.
Mihov Image Resizer
Image Editor from Google
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Internet Tools
Web Browsers
Firefox is an OpenSource (and FREE) web browser. It is a much better alternative to Internet Explorer as it has tabbed browsing (open webpages in a new 'tab' within one Firefox Window). You can also download a bunch of handy plugins for it to give it many features and to let it do all sorts of neat things. It is also faster and more secure than Internet Explorer. Give it a try.
If you're on broadband, once you've installed Firefox, do the following to speed it up!
1.Type "about:config" into the address bar and hit return. Scroll down and look for the following entries:
network.http.pipelining network.http.proxy.pipelining network.http.pipelining.maxrequests
Normally the browser will make one request to a web page at a time. When you enable pipelining it will make several at once, which really speeds up page loading.
2. Set the following:
Set "network.http.pipelining" to "true"
Set "network.http.proxy.pipelining" to "true"
Set "network.http.pipelining.maxrequests" to 30. This means it will make 30 requests at once but you can use a higher number.
3. Right-click anywhere in the list and select New >> Integer. Give it the name: "nglayout.initialpaint.delay" and set its value to "0". This value is the amount of time the browser waits before it acts on information it recieves.
Opera browser is now free! Has tabbed browser.
Opera Browser
Internet Explorer-based web browser with tabbed browsing.
Avant Browser
FTP
A great free FTP client.
Smart FTP
Skype
Tired of big telephone bills? Try Skype. It's free to use download and use and free for PC to PC phone calls. Call a friend or relative abroad using your landline = MASSIVE phone. Call a friend or relative abroad from your PC to their PC = FREE
You can also call landlines from your PC. You need to pay for this but prices are much cheaper than landline costs. The new updated Skype also has webcam chat! If you use MSN, Yahoo Chat or AIM, then this is for you. The VOIP (Voice Over IP) Internet telephone call sound quality is crystal clear! Want to make PC to PC/landline phone calls but don't want to use a microphone/headset?
From the makes of Firefox, an Open Source email client.
Mozilla Thunderbird
Mozilla Suite
Web browser, advanced e-mail and newsgroup client, IRC chat client,
and HTML editor. Free alternative to Internet Explorer that's faster,
more secure with tabbed browsing.
Other Recommended:
Try GetRight Download Manager for Free >>
Pause and resume large downloads. Accelerate them!
Get GetRight PRO
and download more quickly starting today.
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Multimedia Software
Daemon Tools
The most popular optical drive emulator around. If you have an ISO CD/DVD image, you can run whatever you have in it as a disc on your computer. This saves burning the files to a disc before being able to access and use the content on an ISO.
VideoLAN Media Player
Versatile media player with built-in Codecs. A 'must have'!
Virtual Dub
OpenSource Video capture, editor and encoder Software
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Security Software
Grisoft AVG Free
Anti-Virus. Does the job most of the time.
Avast AntiVirus
Cool anti-virus program. Announces when your virus database is updated and whenever it detects a virus.
Sygate Personal Firewall
Nice free firewall
ZoneAlarm
Most popular free firewall software around.
Lavasoft Adaware
Spyware removal
Spybot Search and Destroy
Spyware removal
Recommended:
Kaspersky AntiVirus - Get discount Now
Powerful Anti-Virus software
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Tools and Utilities
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What do the software terms mean?
BETA
This is software that is in its testing phase but released for users to test. Problems with the software are reported by the users to the software vendor so they can be corrected.
FREEWARE
This is software that is free for you to use. You do not need to pay anything but software authors may hint for donations inside the software or on their website.
OEM
Short for 'Original Equipment Manufacturer', this type of software is included with hardware and should not be sold without accompanying hardware. The operating system i.e. Windows XP, that comes with computers is usually an OEM version, which costs less than retail versions. Other OEM software could include CD/DVD writing software being included with a DVD writer drive.
RETAIL
This is full version software that you can buy from shops. Usually distributed on CD/DVD and accompanied by pretty packaging.
SHAREWARE
This type of software is similar to Trial / Demo software but it is usually distributed over the Internet. Shareware usually lets you try the software for a limited amount of time before it stops functioning. Some may continue to function but would 'nag' you into registering/buying with message boxes and 'count down' timers that will only let you get on with something after the time has passed. i.e. Wait 20 seconds before you can press 'OK'. Shareware may have limited features and restrictions but others may not. Shareware limits and restrictions are usually lifted once you register / buy the software license, which usually involves a registration key/code, which you enter into the software.
TRIALWARE / DEMO
These are versions of software for you to try, before you buy the full version. These usually have a time limit set on them, meaning the sofware stops functioning after a set period of time. Often 30 days but varies depending on the sofware. Some may have limited
features, where more advanced features are disabled or it limits you to how many things you produce in total or at a time. i.e. Limited to printing 10 objects. Some may
'mark' the product it produces with 'trial software'
so that you can see the results but cannot use what it produces.
OPEN SOURCE
This is software where the code is also availble for download. The software is free and is developed by various people from around the world. Improvements are made to the software by various people and changes are submitted and if approved, the features are implemented into the future releases of the software. There are many open source programs out there. The Linux operating system (alternative to Windows) is open source, hence free to download. Getting them on CD with customer support may cost something.
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