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Thread ID: 32489 2003-04-20 05:14:00 Survey: Essential applications Susan B (19) Press F1
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137268 2003-04-20 05:14:00 Time for another survey . :-)

What applications (apart from your operating system, of course) do you consider absolutely essential . That is, if you have formatted, which apps do you install first because you cannot do without them?

Please list just the first five to ten apps you would install . Alternative browsers and/or email programs to Microsoft ones may be included in your list if you use them but they can be additional to the maximum ten . Please provide a brief description of the app and a link to obtaining it if it was downloaded from the internet . Information regarding cost would also be good .

I think we could make a FAQ out of the results of this list and if nothing else it could introduce people to some good programs that they have never heard of before .


To start these are the programs I could not be without:

1 . Kerio firewall (http://www . kerio . com/) - firewall supporting ICS . Suitable for more advanced computer users rather than inexperienced users . Personal version free .

2 . AVG (http://www . grisoft . com) - anti-virus program . A free alternative to Nortons .

3 . Trillian (http://www . ceruleanstudios . com/) - instant messaging program combining ICQ, MSN, AIM, IRC and Yahoo all in the one app . Free .

4 . AZZ CardFile ( . omnitel . net/zdramys/azzcardfile" target="_blank">www . omnitel . net) - MS Cardfile replacement for Windows 95-XP . Extremely handy for keeping notes . Shareware, early version is free, otherwise $US12 .

5 . IrfanView (http://www . irfanview . com/) - graphics viewer and editor with many plugins for additional features, eg media player . Free .

6 . FooBar 2000 (http://foobar2000 . hydrogenaudio . org/) - audio player that uses minimal resources and sounds great . Free .

7 . PaintShop Pro (Version 7) ( . jasc . com/) - graphics editor with many resources/tutorials" target="_blank">www . jasc . com/) - graphics editor with many resources available on internet . Shareware available from some PCW CDs - free to try, pay if you like and use it .

8 . WS_FTP LE ( . ipswitch . com/cgi/t . pl/0071" target="_blank">www . ipswitch . com) - file transfer client for downloading/uploading files to your website or other FTP sites . Limited edition is free .

9 . FlastGet (http://www . amazesoft . com/) - download manager and accelerator . Shareware $US29 . 95 .

Opera (http://www . opera . com) - fast internet browser with many features not available in Internet Explorer . Free with advert banner displayed .

Eudora ( . qualcomm . com/eudora" target="_blank">www . qualcomm . com) - email client alternative to Outlook/Outlook Express . Free for Sponsered (adverts) version .


I have lots more very useful programs, of course, but these are the ones that HAVE to be installed immediately after a format . The others can be installed at my leisure . What are yours? :-)
Susan B (19)
137269 2003-04-20 05:19:00 1. MSN Messenger. I've tried Trillian, but don't really like it. - Free
2. IE - In order to post this message - Free
3. Norton Internet Security 2002 - It stops trojans or something trying to attack my computer. - Don't know price, as I got it with my mobo.
4. Flashget - very good download manager
5. Winzip - Good for opening downloaded files - Shareware
somebody (208)
137270 2003-04-20 05:23:00 1. Windows agent (30)
137271 2003-04-20 05:30:00 #7 go for GIMP. all free http://www.gimp.org

and #10 try MOZILLA no advertisements www.mozilla.org (http:)

and then OPEN OFFICE www.openoffice.org/


Windows (give us a break)
E.ric (351)
137272 2003-04-20 05:30:00 flashget adware supported (install as shareware and install fake cydor spyware

opera THE best browser ;-)

eudora email

winamp best music player. free.

zoomplayer video player and dvd front end.

ifranview free piture veiwer and basic editor.

regcleaner and jv16 power tools repair tool free

tweakui free addon for windows from microsoft.

divx free codec for watching divx movies.

norton system works antivirus and tools for repair and maintainence.

letter assigner to assign drive letters to mulitable drives in win9x/me.

adaware get rid of spyware!

icq(pro) instant messageing

x-setup mother of all tweakers. free.

vcool free cpu cooling program.
tweak'e (174)
137273 2003-04-20 05:35:00 1. Windows XP Professional
2. Windows Media Player 9
3. MSN Messenger
4. Internet Explorer 6 with modified hosts file, so ads don't display
5. Microsoft Office 2000 SBE
6. Microsoft Access 2002
7. CloneCD
8. Nero Burning ROM
9. Roxio DirectCD 5
10. Ummm.... *struggles to think of something*................most FPS games
agent (30)
137274 2003-04-20 05:43:00 In order of importance after re-loading:

OS update packs
Eudora
McAfee AV
MS Office Pro (XP) (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access)
Office update packs
Ulead PhotoImpact 6
Nero
Adobe Acrobat Reader
FreeWX (weather monitoring software, for my weather station)

In fact on the PC I am using at the monment, thats all that is loaded.

Once in a blue moon I may install and run AdAware or similar, but as I am not paranoid about adware/spyware its not a big issue, nor do I usually find anything when I do run it. I usually uninstall it afterwards.


I use an ADSL router as a firewall, so no software is needed, and if I was on dial-up I would probably still not run a firewall unless I was connected for long periods of time.

As I use Ghost for restoration, the above order is irrelevant anyway, as all would be done simultaneously.
godfather (25)
137275 2003-04-20 05:45:00 My theory on Windows/Microsoft is:

"If it works, is good, and I like it, I won't try to find an alternative"

I've had very bad luck with Linux - every attempt to install it (3 different versions, several times over the last 3 years) has failed, and Knoppix didn't work either. I have however found some very good free software recently:


* WAMPP - A combination of Apache, MYSQL, PHP, and PERL, preconfigured, which works on Windows. Great for testing out websites before uploading them to the server.
* MovieXOne - good for video editing, even though I don't do any :)
* n-Track Studio - A shareware multitrack recording program. In my opinion, it is well up there with Cubase, and other expensive recording software.
somebody (208)
137276 2003-04-20 06:05:00 1. winamp - plays music and videos, has its own equalizer avalible from winamp.com ,free

2. Kazaa Lite - download anything get it from kazaalite.com or k-lite.tk , free

3. Zone Alarm Pro - protects from hackers,

4.Ifran View, look at many types of pictures and its free

5 CDEX, grab music from your music cd's and bring them to your hardrive
Patrick 2003 (277)
137277 2003-04-20 06:07:00 In no specific order.................

Nortons AV with all available updates.
All Windows Updates
MS Office 2000 because I need Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel
ZoneAlarm
PaintshopPro 7.02
Adobe Paintshop 7
Adobe Acobat Full Version 5 reader/writer
Solsuite - for those stressful times
ThumbsPlus - still using 3.3
WinFax 10
Winzip and less importantly, Winrar
Windows Commander 5
Gordon. (2217)
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