The following list of favourite or recommended programs was initially based on one produced by Personal Computer World magazine, and has been modified as I try out new programs and read other people's reviews. I have used many of these myself but you must take sensible precautions before running any new software (backups, virus check, system restore etc.). All were free at the time of listing unless marked otherwise. If you find a bad link or have a suggestion for this list I would love to hear from you. | | AUDIO, VIDEO AND PHOTO | Ashampoo Photo Commander | www.ashampoo.com | Manage, edit and create slideshows from your favourite photos | Audacity | audacity.sourceforge.net | Record and edit audio files, then export them as WAV, AIFF, MP3, and OGG | DVR-Edit | thegreenbutton.com/files | Crop recordings and cut out adverts from ripped video | DVD Region+CSS Free | www.dvdidle.com/dvd-region-free.htm | DVD Region+CSS Free works automatically in the background to make a DVD appear region code free and unprotected to any DVD player and DVD copy software | GB-PVR | www.gbpvr.com | Schedule TV recordings, and view and pause live TV with a tuner card | Gimp | www.gimp.org/ | GNU Image Manipulation Program. photo retouching, image composition and authoring | G-Spot | www.headbands.com/gspot | Identify which CODEC your movie is requiring for playback | Installed Codec | www.nirsoft.net/utils/installed_codec | Analyse which codecs are installed on your system | Irfanview | www.irfanview.com/ | IrfanView is a fast, small, and innovative FREEWARE graphic & slideshow viewer for Windows | K-Lite Mega Codec Pack | www.codecguide.com | A collection of useful codecs for encoding and playing back audio and video files | LifeExtender | www.lifextender.com/ | A simple commercial removal application designed for Windows Vista Media Center | MCEBuddy | mcebuddy.com | H.264 compression of videos and MCE TV programmes | Media Info | mediainfo.sourceforge.net | MediaInfo supplies technical and tag information about a video or audio file | Mediacoder | mediacoder.sourceforge.net | Universal batch transcoder for converting files between audio or video formats | Paint.net | www.getpaint.net | image and photo manipulation software | Picasa | www.picasa.com | Transfer pictures from a digital camera, organise on a hard disk and edit them | Screenshot Captor | www.donationcoder.com | Capture active windows, selected regions, fixed regions, or the entire desktop | Sib Icon Editor | www.sibcode.com | Design high-quality icons | Songbird | www.songbirdnest.com | Media browser and music player built on Firefox's browser engine | Studioline Photo Basic | www.studioline.biz | Superb image and photo-management application | VideoDVDMaker Free | www.protectedsoft.com | Flexible, easy-to-use OVD maker lets you create your own DVD movies quickly | Videospin | videospin.com | Create films using videos and pictures and export them to your home page | VLC Media Player | vlc-media-player.en.softonic.com | VLC (VideoLAN Client) is a portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats | Wavosaur | www.wavosaur.com | Audio editor, ideal for editing audio clips, sound designing, mastering and more |
| | | BACKUP, RESTORE & FILE MANAGEMENT | Acronis True Image (trial) | www.acronis.com | Disk imaging tool that lets you create a backup image of your entire hard disk | Avira AntiVir Rescue System | www.free-av.com | Build a bootable system rescue disc to safeguard against major issues | Bart's PE Builder | www.nu2.nu | Create a bootable CD or DUD from the XP/Windows Server 2003 installation CD | Clonezilla | clonezilla.org/ | Clone a disk - via an image file or direct. | Cobian Backup | www.educ.umuse/-cobian | Back up your files and folders in original or compressed form | Dropbox | www.getdropbox.com | Share and synchronize your files with other users, via a remote site | EASEUS Disk Copy | www.todo-backup.com | Copy or clone a drive or partition to another drive or partition or image | Erunt | larshederer.homepage.t-online.de | Registry backup tool for use before installing and testing programs on your PC | Evernote | www.evernote.com | Online portal for sharing and storing notes and other important info | Orivelmage XML | www.runtime.org | Easy-to-use program for imaging and backing up | OriverMax | www.innovative-sol.com | Easily reinstalls all your drives if you need to get Windows back | PC Tools File Recover (trial) | www.pctools.com | Find and recover lost files and fragments of data stored on your hard drive | Recuva | www.recuva.com | Recover accidentally deleted tiles, particularly those in the Recycle Bin | Spybot Boot CD | www.safer-networking.org | Create a bootable secure recovery CD | Syncback (trial) | www.2brightsparks.com | Synchronise important files across computers, online or via a USB memory key | Syncplicity | www.syncplicity.com | Keep your files up to date by synchronising them across your computers | Synctoy | www.microsoft.com | Advanced folder synchronisation tool | System Rescue CD | www.sysresccd.org | linux on a bootable CD, with tools for system repair and recovery | Ultimate Boot CD | www.ultimatebootcd.com | Bootable CD with a range of diagnostic, repair and system enhancement tools | XXclone | www.xxclone.com/idwnload.htm | Makes a self-bootable clone of Windows system disk | MacDrive | www.mediafour.com/products/macdrive/ | Allows disks formatted for Apple Macintosh computers to be Windows accessible | DVD Span | hcidesign.com/dvdspan/ | a backup tool for writing the contents of large folders to multiple DVDs | GFI Backup | www.gfi.com/backup-hm | The best free solution I know of. No disk image possible though. |
| | | BROWSERS, MANAGERS AND EXTENSIONS | Adblock Plus | adblock.mozdev.org | Firefox add-on that helps prevent adverts and annoying pop-ups | All in one Sidebar | www.firefox.exxile.net | An add-on for Firefox that makes it easy to verify the authenticity of a website | Allpeers | www.allpeers.com | Whenever you use Firefox, use this peer network to share your files | Cookieswap | www.cookieswap.mozdev.org | Cookie manager for Firefox that lets you set up multiple users with one browser | Firefox Backup Extension | www.customsoftwareconsult.com | Back up Firefox settings, including themes, preferences, bookmarks and more | Firefox Showcase | www.showcase.uworks.net | Manage your Firefox tabs and windows by viewing them as thumbnails | Flashgot | www.flashgot.net | Firefox extension to handle downloads. Support for external download managers | Foxmarks Bookmark Sync | www.foxmarks.com | Access bookmarks from any machine | Gmail Notifier | www.google.com | Simple application that alerts you when you have new Google Mail messages | GoogIe Chrome | www.google.com | Interesting web browser with some exciting technological changes | Google Preview | ackroyd.de/googlepreview | Firefox add-on to preview Google search results as website images | Google Toolbar | www.google.com | Instant access to a variety of Google services via your browser's toolbar | IE Tab | www.ietab.mozdev.org | View pages that require Internet Explorer, without leaving Firefox | Jiwire Hotspot Helper | www.jiwire.com | Find hotspots easily, from the Windows Taskbar | Maxthon | www.maxthon.com | A popular and regularly updated replacement for Internet Explorer | McAfee Site Advisor | www.mcafee.com | Add instant security alerts to your browser, for warnings about scam websites | Mini Map Sidebar | minimap.spatialviews.com | A suite of in-built maps and mapping tools for your web browser | Morning Coffee | addons.mozilla.org/firefox | Firefox plug-in that highlights different web pages on particular days | Mozilla Firefox | www.mozilla.com | Probably the most popular alternative web browser. Flexible, powerful and stable | Mozilla Weave | labs.mozilla.com | Synchronise bookmarks across computers, with Firefox 3 | Netscape Navigator | browser.netscape.com | The latest - and last - version of Netscape's alternative browser | Opera | www.opera.com | A fast, reliable web browser, opera is popular and very flexible too | Orbit Downloader | www.orbitdownloader.com | Easy-to-use free download manager | Personas | labs.mozilla.com | Change the appearance of your web browser | Scribefire | www.scribefire.com | Blog directly from Firefox, whatever site you're viewing | Web Developer Toolbar | www.chrispederick.com | Web developer tool - see the effect of CSS and other page changes instantly |
| | BURNING AND MEDIA | Ashampoo Burning Studio | www.ashampoo.com | Burning package for quickly writing and producing discs | B-PVR | www.gbpvr.com | Schedule TV recordings, and view and pause live TV | Burnaware Free Edition | www.glorylogic.com | Burn your data and audio discs with minimum hassle | CDBurner XP Pro | www.cdburnerxp.se | Burn any kind of disc, from CD through to Blu-ray | Finalburner | www.protectedsoft.com | This small application enables you to create almost any disc format | Floola | www.floola.com | Efficiently manage your iPod or your Motorola mobile phone | Imgburn | www.imgburn.com | Create and manage ISO images, or burn them to disc | Libra | www.getlibra.com | Create a library to organise your books, audio CDs, movies and video games | MediaMan | www.imediaman.com | Organise your books, audio CDs, movies, video games and other media files | MediaMonkey | www.mediamonkey.com | music manager and media jukebox for music collectors and iPod users | MediaPortal | www.team-mediaportal.com | Turn your PC/TV into an advanced Media Center | Romeo Burner Lite | www.romeoburner.com | A simple yet powerful CD burning application | Video DVD Maker | www.protectedsoft.com | Convert video into an appropriate format and burn it to disc | VlC Media Player | www.videolan.org | Comprehensive audio and video media player that plays back most formats |
| | CHAT & COMMUNICATION | Camfrog | www.camfrog.com | join real streaming video chat rooms | Digsby | www.digsby.com | An instant messaging client with tools for social networking online | Gizmo Project | www.gizmoproject.com | Use your internet connection to make calls to other computers | PeerAware | www.peeraware.com | Share articles, addresses and links by pasting them into the chat area | Pidgin | www.pidgin.im | Multi-platform instant messaging program | Skype | www.skype.com | Cheap local and international calls over the internet |
| | DEVELOPER AND WEB DEVELOPMENT TOOLS | Aptana Studio Community | www.aptana.com | Coding tool designed for developers who want to program using HTML, CSS or Javascript | Free CSS Toolbox | www.blumentals.net | Edit existing CSS style sheets and code | Inno Setup | www.jrsoftware.org | Create Windows installation packages for your files | Instant Update | www.wyday.com | Enables software developers to add an auto-update facility | Style Master | www.westciv.com | Professional C5S editor for web designers | Twistpad | www.carthagosoft.net | Coding tool that's used as a Notepad replacement, or an editor for web developers | WebCEO | www.webceo.com/download/ | Search engine marketing and optimization from the WebCEO free Edition | WinMerge | winmerge.org/ | Load two text files and compare the differences | wyUpdate Express | www.wyday.com | Add an auto-update facility to your software |
| | | INTERNET, NETWORKING & WIFI TOOLS | CrossLoop | www.crossloop.com | Secure screen sharer designed for people of all technical skill levels | Devicescape | www.devicescape.com | Auto-connect to networks and hotspots according to your preferences | Filezilla | filezilla-project.org | Download files from the internet using FTP and auto-resume | Free Download Manager | www.freedownloadmanager.org | Download accelerator and manager which can even grab an entire website | Gizmo Project | www.gizmoproject.com | Make calls to computers via broadband. Any call to another Gizmo Project user is free | logMeln Hamachi | www.hamachi.cc | Zero-configuration VPN tool that will quickly connect multiple computers | Mozilla Thunderbird | www.mozilla.com | Popular email client that has a small footprint and some smart ways to stop junk mail | Siteup | www.xequte.com | Simple site checking tool that will enable you to monitor websites to check their status | Skype | www.skype.com | Cheap calls over the internet. Use Skype to start a group conversation between friends | SmartFTP | www.smartftp.com | Advanced FTP client - can be used to sync files between a computer and a remote server | WeFi | www.wefi.com | Roam wireless network users and connect to free Wifi networks | Whisher | www.whisher.com | Share your Wifi network and find free networks | WinSCP | winscp.net | FTP client for logging in to remote servers, websites or other locations | Wysiwyg Web Builder (trial) | www.wysiwygwebbuilder.com | Templates for designing, building and uploading a website | ZFTP Server | zftpserver.serveftp.com | Comprehensive, free FTP server that lets you set up secure access to your files | OpenVPN | openvpn.net/ | open-source VPN (Virtual Private Network) client/server application | DynDNS | www.dyndns.com/ | provides an easy-to-remember URL for quick remote access to your network. | NetWorx | softperfect.com/products/networx/ | Network bandwidth monitor |
| | | OPTIMISATION AND DIAGNOSTICS | Active Hard Disk Monitor | www.disk-monitor.com | Checks and monitors the status of your hard drives to help prevent data loss | Antifreeze | www.resplendence.com | A quick-launch task manager, to help you avoid system lock-ups | Auslogics Disk Defrag | www.auslogics.com | Speed up your old computer by defragmenting your hard drive or partition | Auslogics Registry Defrag | www.auslogics.com | Scan through the Registry to reclaim wasted space and reduce its size | Autoruns | www.sysinternals.com | Manage start-up items quickly and easily | CCleaner | www.ccleaner.com | Cleanse your system of unused and unnecessary files | Defraggler | www.defraggler.com | A compact defragmenting tool that works on a selection of files, as well as your entire drive | DPT | www.dataproductservices.com/dpt | Dead pixel tester | Eusing Registry Cleaner | www.eusing.com | Scan your Windows Registry for invalid or obsolete information | HWMonitor | www.cpuid.com/hwmonitor.php | Hardware monitoring program reads main health sensors: voltages, temperatures, fans speed | IObit SmartDefrag 1.03'° | www.iobit.com | Defrag tool for when you find your system starting to run a little slow | lolo Search and Recover 5' | www.iolo.com | Locates and restores accidentally deleted or lost files | Modem weasel analyser | www.blackice.com/DownloadForms | Reports on which COM ports have a fax modem installed | Paragon Partition Manager | www.paragon-software.com | Excellent partitioning software for amending, resizing, deleting and merging partitions | GParted | sourceforge.net/projects/gparted/ | Gnome Partition Editor. It uses libparted to detect and manipulate devices and partition tables | PC Tools Registry Mechanic 7'' | www.pctools.com | Comprehensive Registry optimisation and tool for speeding up your computer | Process Monitor 2.02' | www.microsoftcom | Monitoring tool that shows real-time file system, Registry and process/thread activity | Recuva | www.recuva.com | Recover files that you've accidentally deleted | Revo Uninstaller 1.75 | www.revouninstalleccom | Remove any unwanted application without leaving any traces on your drive | SUMo 2.3.8.64" | www.kcsoftwares.com | Update tool that will check installed software and look for updates | Total Uninstall | www.martau.com | Makes a good attempt at completely erasing an installed application | TweakVl Basic | www.totalidea.com | Tweak and optimise your internet connection | Updatestar | www.updatestar.com | Search for and download updates to your installed applications | VLite | www.vlite.net | Remove unwanted components from Vista or build a Vista lite install DVD | WinOptimizer | www.ashampoo.com | Complete suite of tools for optimising, boosting, recovering and enhancing Windows |
| | | PORTABLE APPLICATIONS | 7-Zip Portable | www.7-zip.org | Work with compressed 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2, TAR, RAR files on the go | Audacity Portable | audacity.sourceforge.net | Portable version of the popular audio editor | Clam Win Portable 0.94.1t` | portableapps.com | one of the few open source and regularly updated and supported anti-virus tools | Eraser Portable 5.82t' | portableapps.com | Make sure the files you want to delete are permanently erased from your computer | EssentiaIPIM Free Portable | www.essentialpim.com | Superb tool for taking your contact information, to-do list and diary on the road | Firefox Portable | portableapps.com | Mozilla Firefox Portable edition is a transportable version of the popular web browser | GIMP Portable 2.6.3t' | portableapps.com | Quickly edit and enhance your photos with the portable version of the image editor | Keepass | keepass.sourceforge.net | Portable version of the password manager | Miranda Portable 0.7.12t" | portableapps.com | For when you have friends on all the instant messaging services | Openoffice Portable | portableapps.com | office application suite with word processor, spreadsheet and presentation graphics | Opera USB Edition | opera-usb.com | Portable version of opera which leaves no traces of your internet session on the computer | PeaZip Portable 2.2t' | peazip.sourceforge.net | Open and create archive types, including primary formats such as ZIP, RAR and TAR | Photofiltre Portable | photofiltre.free.fr | An image and photo editor that will enable you to touch up digital photos on your laptop | Pidgin Portable 2.5.2t" | portableapps.com | Multi-network messenger application that enables you to chat with other friends | PNotes Portable 4.0.112t' | pnotes.sourceforge.net | Throw your physical stickies away and replace them with virtual equivalents | Portable Bookmarks | www.portable-bookmarks.com | Store bookmarks on any removable device, such as a USB key | Portable Start Menu | www.aignes.com | Launch applications from a USB stick or external drive | Revo Uninstaller Portable | www.revouninstaller.com | Quickly remove any trace of unwanted software installed on your computer | Roboform2Go | www.roboform.com | Generate passwords, store form information and create identities for general form-filling | Task Coach Portable | portableapps.com | Single-person solution for managing a project, or a set of projects | Thunderbird Portable | portableapps.com | Safe, fast email client that's easy to use | UL( Media Player Portable | www.videolan.org | Multimedia player that supports MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, Did, MP3 and OGGSecurity | VirtualDub Portable 1.8.6t' | portableapps.com | Turn your laptop into an editing suite with this portable video-processing tool | VLC Media Player Portable | www.videolan.org | Portable multimedia player with support for MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, Did, MP3, and OGG |
| | | SECURITY | Ad-Aware | www.lavasoftusa.com | identify and remove any adware or spyware components on your PC | Ashampoo Antivirus | www.pctools.com | Free anti-virus software | AVG AntiVirus Free | free.grisoft.com/ | Widely used anti-virus tool | Comodo Internet Security | www.personalfirewall.comodo.com | Suite of security tools designed to protect you against the majority of online threats | Eraser | www.heidi.ie | Permanently erase sensitive data from your hard drive | Hotspot Shield 1.08' | anchorfree.com/ | Keeps your internet connection secure and anonymous on public networks | Keepass | keepass.sourceforge.net | Store and manage multiple passwords easily | lolo Drive Scrubber 3.5'' | www.iolo.com | Complete wipe your drive and drive contents so other users can't retrieve your data | Malicious Removal Tool | www.microsoft.com | Scan your PC for malicious software | McAfee SiteAdvisor 26.6' | www.mcafee.com | Watch the image change colour depending on a website's legitimacy status | PC Tools Antivirus | www.pctools.com | Protect your PC from viruses | PC Tools Firewall Plus | www.pctools.com | Powerful but easy-to-configure firewall software | PC Tools Spyware Doctor 6 Starter | www.pctools.com | Protection against the most nefarious cyber-threats | Sandboxie | www.sandboxie.com | Test software in a secure environment without affecting the rest of your PC | Spamihilator 0.9.9.43" | www.spamihilatoccom | works between your email client and the internet, and filters junk mail | Spybot Search and Destroy | www.safer-networking.org | Anti-spyware tool that can also shred personal information | TrueCrypt | www.truecrypt.org | Creates a strongly encrypted folder or partition | Webroot Desktop Firewall | www.webroot.com | Free, high-quality firewall application | Webroot Spy Sweeper (full) | www.webroot.com | Popular anti-spyware application | ZoneAlarm Free 8` | www.zonelabs.com | one of the best-known firewalls, partly because it's free but also because it's effective |
Other similar lists may be found at www.opensourcewindows.org www.pctoptips.co.uk/software.html www.freewareplanet.net www.bearbottoms1.com www.freebyte.com/ osswin.sourceforge.net www.tinyapps.org/ www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm www.snap2objects.com/2007/07/20/45-best-freeware-design-programs/ www.digitaldarknet.net/thelist/index.php?page=windows |
