Links to all of my favorite free or open source software is right here. This will be updated periodically as things change so check back.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Trillian<\/a> :: Although it loads slowly due to having many features that you unfortunately can't disable, this is a reliable first choice for IM applications and allows you to communicate using all of the popular IM services. Email<\/u><\/strong> Web Browser<\/u><\/strong> Office\/Productivity<\/u><\/strong> Security<\/u><\/strong> Utilities<\/u><\/strong>
Instant Messaging<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n
Pidgin<\/a> :: This open source software is a close second. I must admit I haven't used this since they changed the name and who knows what else, but when it was called Gaim, it was a good second choice that loaded quickly but just didn't seem as reliable as Trillian.<\/p>\n
Eudora<\/a> :: I still like Eudora but it can take a long time to load which frustrates me these days. I see on their web site that they no longer have a paid version but the ad sponsored version is still available. The BIG<\/em> news however is that apparently Mozilla, the makers of Firefox, will be releasing an open source version soon called Penelope<\/a>, so I'll be anxious to test that!
Microsoft Outlook :: which of course comes bundled with Windows, is the preferred choice of many. I don't like it simply because it tries to take over all of your communications.
Pegasus<\/a> :: is a strong and free contender which I have used at times. It's fairly powerful\/flexible making it a little slow to load and it may have more options than many people need.
Scribe<\/a> :: This is a recent discovery for me, and so far I really like it. It's available in a free or paid version. This is a fine program that's simple to use and really fast that's quite noteworthy.<\/p>\n
Firefox 2<\/a> :: With tabbed browsing and freely available extensions you can download that add extra functionality, this in my opinion, is the best choice for a Windows web browser. It's MUCH more secure and faster than MS IE.
Opera<\/a> :: is a good second choice and is now free. This is the original tabbed browser and is very similar to Firefox.<\/p>\n
OpenOffice<\/a> :: This is an open source, full-blown office suite<\/u> with word processor, spreadsheet, and more. It's a slow load, but still faster than MS Office, and offers a powerful suite of tools that rivals MS Office.
AbiWord<\/a> :: A free word processor that will open all of the common document formats. Since it's only a word processor it loads quickly, allowing you to get in and get out without waiting on other functions to load.
ConTEXT<\/a> and Notepad++<\/a> :: I group these two together because they're both excellent, simple text editors with similar functionality. There are some differences between them making one a better choice than the other based on your needs, however both are highly recommended.
WordWeb<\/a> :: an excellent, free English thesaurus and dictionary that will also help you with checking your spelling.
Foxit Reader<\/a> :: A free and very fast loading program that will do a great job of allowing you to view PDF files.<\/p>\n
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition<\/a> :: This is a solid anti-virus software that gets updated several times a week, keeping you protected from all the latest bugs.
ZoneAlarm Free<\/a> :: I turn off the built-in MS firewall and use ZoneAlarm which offers better and more flexible intrusion blocking.
If you want to go beyond the basics mentioned above, the following are great for securing your PC: HijackThis<\/a>, SpywareBlaster<\/a>, and Spybot – Search & Destroy<\/a><\/p>\n
CCleaner<\/a> :: A freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system – allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space.
Fresh UI<\/a> :: A tool for configuring and optimizing Windows.
Startup Control Panel<\/a> :: Allows you to easily configure which programs run when your computer starts.
xplorer2<\/a> :: This is a great Windows Explorer replacement that gives you a lot of functionality and a 2 pane window which makes file management much simpler.
PageDefrag<\/a> :: This nifty program defragments your paging files, Registry hives, event log files, and Windows 2000\/XP hibernation files (where system memory is saved when you hibernate a laptop) every time your start your computer.
Process Explorer<\/a> :: A much more detailed replacement for the Windows Task Manager.
ZipGenius<\/a> :: Compress files to almost any kind of archive. A must for opening ZIP files.<\/p>\n