Essential Software

For many years now I have continually maintained a list of software that I recommend should be used on every computer.

Note: This list is managed for the Microsoft Windows XP operating system, if you are aware of a cross platform alternative, please feel free to make a suggestion.

The Swiss Army

A short list of applications that even the Swiss army would be proud of, so much so I even keep them stored on my USB Swiss army knife flash drive. Don’t leave home without them!

• AntiVirus: avast! 4 Home Edition – install (free)
• System Information: CPU-Z - standalone (free)
• Task Manager: Process Explorer - standalone (free)
• Startup Management: StartupCPL – standalone (free) or Autoruns – standalone (free)
• Malware removal: HiJackThis - standalone or install (free)
• Memory Checking: memtest – boot time (free)
• File System Analysis: TreeSize – standalone (free) or TreeSize Pro – install (not free)
• SSH Client: PuTTY Tray -standalone (free)
• Hard Drive Monitoring: HDTune – install (free)
• Firewall: Kerio Personal Firewall 2.1.5 – install (free)
• Password Recovery: Cain – install (free)
• Packet Sniffer: Wireshark – install (free)
• Portscan: nmap – install (free)
• Virtual Drive: PowerISO – install or MagicDisc – install (free)
• File (Un)Compression: Squeez (free) or WinRAR (almost free)
• Remote Desktop: RealVNC – install (free)

Daily Life

I use these applications on a day-to-day basis, and usually go out of my way to install them for other people, usually if I discover they are using a rival application which is asking them to pay.

• Web Browser : Mozilla Firefox (free)
• VoIP: Express Talk
• Messenger: Pidgin (free)
• CD Burning: ImgBurn (free) or burnatonce (free) or CD BurningXP Pro (free)
• Peer-to-Peer File Sharing (Gnutella): LimeWire (free)
• Peer-to-Peer File Sharing (ed2k): eMule (free)
• BitTorrent Client: uTorrent (free)
• Media Player: Winamp (free)
• Video Player: VLC (free)
• DVD Player: Intervideo DVD
• Media Conversion: SUPER (free)
• Webcam: WebcamXP
• Screen Capture: Snagit
• Password Storage: Safesex (free)
• IRC Client: mIRC

At The Office

This list is software that I find myself and others using in their office environment.

• Word Processor, Spreadsheets, Presentations: Open Office (free) or Microsoft Office
• Accountancy: Sage
• OCR: ABBYY FineReader
• Faxing: FaxTalk

The Web Developer

Tools that I use as a web developer to get the job done.

• Graphics: Photoshop 7.0.1
• FTP Client: Filezilla FTP Client (free)
• SCP Client: WinSCP (free)
• Text Editor: EditPlus
• Icon Editor: Microangelo Studio
• Diff: WinMerge (free)
• Font Management: FontHit (free)
• SVN Tool: TortoiseSVN (free)
• Web Server: XAMPP (free)
• Colour Picker: Color Cop (free)

The DJ list

Finally, I have a short list of audio tools I’ve used in the past for various tasks, perhaps I would use them more if I had more spare time.

• Audio Editing: AudaCity (free) or Adobe Audition
• Audio CD to MP3: CDex (free)
• Cue Splitter: Medieval CUE Splitter
• Mp3 Renamer: The GodFather (free)
• Music Sequencer: Ableton Live or flstudio
• Mixing: Atomix MP3