Must-have Windows Programs

[Deozaan]

The first things I install when doing a fresh install of Windows generally are (in no particular order):

• Firefox (though I've been using Chrome predominantly as of late). And the following extensions:
  
  • Adblock Plus - Blocks probably 99% of ads
  • BugMeNot - Login details for avoiding compulsory registration.
  • All-in-One Gestures - Mouse gestures for easy browser navigation
  • Download Statusbar - Little download progress bars for downloads
• Google Chrome (which has become my primary browser)
• DropBox - Data synchronization/backup/sharing
• Steam (and all the games from my Steam account)
• 7-Zip - For handling all those various compressed file formats
• FileZilla - FTP Client/Server (I use only the client)
• Picasa - Photo management and web albums
• Acrobat Reader
• Flash
• Google Talk - The best IM client, IMO
• AVG Free - Free Anti-Virus software
• ImgBurn - The Ultimate Image Burner
• Google Earth - It's like Google Maps, but more interactive and cooler
• Evernote - Notes, lists, photos, ideas, drawings, etc. in the cloud
• Java (Runtime Engine)

All of the above is Freeware (or has free versions for personal use), and a few of them are open source.

Basically this: http://ninite.com/in...2817c4b91590d84aa6b9 WARNING: Link leads to a download of a small installer for all of the above (minus the Firefox extensions).

Other things that usually get put on the machine shortly thereafter (again, in no particular order):

• Gizmo Central (Gizmo Drive for virtual CD/DVD drives and Gizmo Hasher to compare checksums)
• DcUpdater (which makes it easy to install ScreenshotCaptor and update other DC software)
• Trout - Tiny lightweight music player
• The Holy Blizzard Triumvirate: Starcraft, Diablo II, and Warcraft III
• LogMeIn Hamachi² - VPN to play LAN games over the internet
• Torque Game Builder and Torsion IDE
• Office 2007
• EditPad Pro - Best text editor IMO (fast and lightweight), there's also the free Lite version for non-commercial use.
• Free Download Manager (to resume large downloads and for torrents)

As before, most of these are freeware, donationware, open source, or have free versions for personal use, with the obvious exceptions of the games, game engine (and IDE), and Office 2007.

I have all of these currently installed on a Windows 7 (64-bit) machine.

[Darwin]

The Holy Blizzard Triumvirate: Starcraft, Diablo II, and [url=http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/games/war3/]Warcraft III

-Deozaan (February 11, 2010, 01:17 AM)

Ah! A man after my own heart 

[widgewunner]

Process Explorer
EditPad Pro
ZTree
FileZilla
Opera
Deus Ex
7Zip
Paint Shop Pro 8
Putty
Nero 6
HashTab

Edit: Added hashtab!

[vetegr]

Curt, re:  JBMail not updated for six years:  It is indeed unfortunate that XP is the last Windows version it runs on.  I hope they update it for Vista and 7.

Other than that, the lack of updates doesn't really matter.  It provides only basic email functions; there's not much to update if you're going to leave it at basic functions.  Being basic, it's not for everybody.  It's for those who don't need the other wonderful things a modern email program can do.  It's really, really fast, and very secure.  Small, portable.

[OldElmerFudd]

Hello Folks. I wish I knew just what you all have forgotten. As I read over the site it is painful to feel so stupid. You talk about 100 things that you must have an I don't have a clue what they are or what you would need them for. I am always trying downloads, when I see them in, Cnet or Znet and with out exception I mess up my computer. In my effort to try and make something that works well run better I end up with a program that dozen work at all.

-rodgarnett (December 23, 2009, 03:14 PM)

rodgarnett - If you find you're "messing up" your computer with multiple installs/uninstalls, try this routine:

1) Before running an installer, backup your registry. ERUNT is easy to use. http://www.larsheder...e.t-online.de/erunt/
2) If your OS is Windows XP or higher, create a restore point with System Restore.
3) Use Revo Uninstaller Free to remove any leftover entries when you remove a program from your drive. http://www.revounins...r_free_download.html
Should keep you from problems as a rule.

To everyone else: all the combinations and permutations of software show we all tend to use much of the same software. A cursory look at the lists tells me I'm using 95% of these on different machines. (I have a fair amount of commercial graphic and audio software) Not necessarily "the Best" for everyone, but certainly skewed in favor of a bunch of tech heads like DC members. The programs I don't recognize/know well are going to get a second look, so thanks to zridling for the thread!

[mouser]

If you find you're "messing up" your computer with multiple installs/uninstalls,

I still say the best way to handle this is by using a Virtual Machine for testing software until you are sure you want it.
I would avoid System Restore for anything but catastrophic crashes -- it's just too risky that you will roll back some user data you didn't want to.

[criss]

Only three must have progs:

AM-Notebook http://www.aignes.com/notebook.htm
Taskmerlin http://www.taskmerlin.com/
and
Jescopy http://software.thom...details/jescopy.html

I use these for some time now: very reliable, not bloated, small progs.

[steeladept]

If you find you're "messing up" your computer with multiple installs/uninstalls,

I still say the best way to handle this is by using a Virtual Machine for testing software until you are sure you want it.
I would avoid System Restore for anything but catastrophic crashes -- it's just too risky that you will roll back some user data you didn't want to.

-mouser (February 13, 2010, 02:43 AM)

Agreed.  In fact, I have taken to using Virtual Machines for everything that I can so that it is easy to restore/upgrade/migrate as needed.  Honestly, I haven't found anything I do that I can't do in a virtual machine.  I know there are games and such out there that need the native horsepower of the machine without the VM overhead, but I haven't run into any software I use now that has that.  Once the desktop hypervisors become more common/reasonable, I forsee even that will stop being a roadblock on "normal" machines.

[unitg2]

NoScript for Firefox

[miva2]

useful topic
i checked some of the programs, nice addition to my pc
i didn't have FARR yet on this comp 0__o
screenshot captor looks nice
i should check out total commander and notepad++ website watcher looks interesting too hehe

my list:
firefox, with some nice add-ons for browsing
FARR, on laptop and pc now
Media Monkey, for playing audio, there's probably better but it's best i tried and i like it. it has a monkey!

[rgdot]

Just to name three:

Powerpro remains on top of my list, it really is all in one.
Dropbox is proving very useful every day.
do Organizer, may not be the best ever but it does the job for me.