There are many guides on the internet listing the best freeware applications that provide a decent solution to many computing tasks. These lists tend to be long, the software briefly mentioned and inaccurately reviewed, sometimes it can be difficult to narrow down the right tool for your specific job.
1. Dropbox
Dropbox, put simply, is the internet equivalent of your USB key or hard drive. When installed, the application will create a folder on your computer that will be your “Drop Box”, a folder that you drop files into and then be synced with your online storage and any other computer (Mac, Windows, Linux) that you decide to install the Dropbox client on.
File changes are tracked by the software and there is the option to “undelete” files that you may have mistakenly deleted or moved previously. Dropbox offer 2 Gigabytes of storage free to all users but also allow additional chunks of storage to be purchased should you use up your allotted quota.
The screenshot above shows my Dropbox storage. You can create as many different folders as you wish and fill them with any type of file. The small green icons on the folders and files indicate these files have been synced.
Perhaps the most useful part of my Dropbox account is the ability to share files with my friends and family. Each Dropbox account comes with a “Public” folder where you can drop files, photos and music, right click on the file and then select “Copy Public Link”. Sharing this URL will then allow anybody to download that file.
All in all, Dropbox is a great way to make sure your important files are synced from your work, home, laptop and desktop without having to carry around any piece of hardware.
Disclosure: If you sign up to the service using the link below, both you and I will receive an extra 250MB of storage, on top of the default 2GB. Neither myself or WillINeedIt will receive any referral fee whatsoever.
Link: www.get-dropbox.com
2. Crossloop
Crossloop is a really useful tool that enables you to remotely administer both yours and other peoples computers. Crossloop employs the popular screen sharing software VNC but makes it a lot easier for the two parties to connect.
The software allows two parties to connect by using a randomly generated access codes, the connector asking for the connectee’s details and then entering the exact code into their Crossloop panel.
Once both sides have approved the connection, the person accessing the connectee’s computer will have full control of that persons computer via a VNC connection screen. They are then free to help identify or eliminate any problems, install problematic programs or generally perform any tasks wished for by the person in distress.
Crossloop do offer a service for IT Professionals, allowing them to advertise their services and create an online IT assistance practice, but for most people it’s a very quick and easy way to help another computer user in distress.
Link: Crossloop
3. Paint.NET
Paint.NET is a free image and graphic editor that was originally started as a senior college design project, mentored by Microsoft and grew to be a software released to replace the original Microsoft Paint program bundled with copies of Windows.
Paint.NET incorporates features that would typically be found in higher end, paid-for, software releases like Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro. The software, in it’s current release, supports; layers, special effects, unlimited undo, plugins and external tools.
This program has become my editor of choice, it’s features are clever and intuitive and the program runs quickly and efficiently. It’s a great substitute for people who need an editor that doesn’t cost the earth to purchase.
Link: Paint.net
4. VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player is the self titled “Swiss Army Knife” of video players. For years I used to struggle with the sheer amount of codecs and files needed to play a simple video file. VLC takes away the need for that, it literally plays anything you can throw at it.
Besides playing videos, did you know it can also:
- Rip DVD’s
- Record Videos
- Play Files Within A RAR File
- Play Hundreds Of Radio Stations (via Shoutcast)
- Converts Audio and Video To Different Formats
VLC Media Player isn’t just for Windows but is supported on Mac as well as Linux. Replace Windows Media Player with VLC, you won’t regret it.
Link: Videolan.org
5. Rocketdock
I don’t know about you but I hate clutter. I like my computer desktop to be clear albeit for a few icons. One of the applications that helps me do this is Rocketdock, a system tool that mimics the OS X dock, allowing you to launch and minimise programs to and from it.
One of the good things about Rocketdock is the sheer amount of customization you can apply to the dock itself. The dock comes with over twenty inbuilt styles, some matching the styling of Vista, Mac, Ubuntu, with some more generic styles also.
You can choose whether running applications minimise to the dock (although this increases memory usage), specify the fonts used, the location and also the applications you wish to have present on the dock (probably the most important part).
To furnish your dock, all you need to do is to drag a programs shortcut to the application and it will sit on the dock where you specify. To delete, drag the icon off of the dock, it’s that easy.
Link: Rocketdock
6. Microsoft Security Essentials
This is a very new addition to my list but I think it deserves it all the same. The new release antivirus, spyware and malware scanner from Microsoft and were very impressed with it’s simplicity and scanning results. Many “Top X Freeware” lists include the obligatory nod to AVG Free but I have found it to be a resource hog and actually cause more problems that it solves. AVG must have been listening because they have recently announced a new version of their software that aims to reduce the very problems mentioned above.
Microsoft Security Essentials is a free download but requires you to have a valid copy of Windows. With new releases planned very soon, we will hopefully see more and more customizable features from the already very useful software.
Link: Microsoft
7. IZArc
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Another Windows utility is, IZArc is a compression tool that is every bit as good as it’s well known competitor; WinRAR.
IZArc supports a huge number of different file formats: 7-ZIP, A, ACE, ARC, ARJ, B64, BH, BIN, BZ2, BZA, C2D, CAB, CDI, CPIO, DEB, ENC, GCA, GZ, GZA, HA, IMG, ISO, JAR, LHA, LIB, LZH, MDF, MBF, MIM, NRG, PAK, PDI, PK3, RAR, RPM, TAR, TAZ, TBZ, TGZ, TZ, UUE, WAR, XXE, YZ1, Z, ZIP, ZOO.
If you are sent or send a lot of compressed archives, IZArc is a very functional piece of software that reduces the need to install separate tools for the same job.
Link: IZArc
8. Pidgin / Digsby
I include two suggestions here, mainly because of how Digsby stand with their software agreements.
Pidgin is a freeware, multi-protocol chat client. It connects to MSN, AIM, IRC, Yahoo, gTalk, Facebook Chat and many more services. It has the ability to be themed, extended with plugins and generally does everything you need within a chat application.
Digsby is very similar to Pidgin in how it works, it supports a large number of chat networks but it also allows you to bring in your social profiles like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and Linkedin aswell as handling email accounts. The only thing that may stop people from using Digsby is the fact it has an agreement in place that bundles a piece of software on to your computer that, with your permission, will use your computers idle processing time to crunch data. Until recently this wasn’t disclosed and users couldn’t opt out but since a public uproar they have changed their terms and allowed people to choose whether this feature is enabled or not.
Links: Pidgin / Digsby
9. Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox brought change to the internet browser market. Being completely open-source, customizable, extensible, standards compliant and best of all, free, it revolutionised how people could browse the internet.
Firefox allows it’s users to create custom extensions for the browser, enhancing the already powerful built in features and sometimes removing annoyances such as website advertising and popups.
New features are being rolled out for this browser all the time and as developers keep creating fantastic extensions, it’s uses will know no bounds.
Link: Mozilla Firefox
10. OpenOffice
The final addition to this list is probably one of the most important, mainly because it takes on the might of Microsoft at full force and has triumphed. OpenOffice is basically an open-source, free alternative to the very popular Microsoft Office. It caters for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and more, supporting it’s own open standards aswell as opening any Office created files.
OpenOffice currently supports over 80 languages and is available on nearly every operating system in existence. If you don’t want to spend lots of money just to open Microsoft Office documents, this is your knight in shining armor.
Link: OpenOffice
Conclusion
It was a difficult decision to list just ten applications that should be installed on a Windows PC. I had intended to name more but because the functionality of some of the programs that run on Windows XP has now been implemented into Windows 7, it didn’t make sense to include them.
some other mentions:
- Filezilla – A very useful FTP client.
- Audacity – A great sound editing program.
- Notepad++ – My text editor of choice, supports all well known programming language.
- Taskbar Shuffle – Allows you to drag and drop your open programs on your Windows XP taskbar.
- uTorrent – A lightweight but massively powerful Bittorrent client.
- CDBurner XP Pro – Probably the best free Windows CD burning software.
- CCleaner – a system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool.
Again, all of these tools are free and are easily available to download from the links provided. If you think we omitted something glaringly obvious or have suggested something that you feel has a better alternative, let us know in the comments.
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