Ten free apps to install on every new PC

[TimberWolf]

Been using MSSE since i installed windows 7, very unobtrusive but seems to catch more than other anti virus programs I've used.
I did dig out a few comparison web links a few weeks back and MSSE fared very favouribly compared to the big AV

Been using windows media player for years and not had a problem with it, use media player classic for anything wmp won't handle

One program they don't mention is paint.net, best free application i've ever used.

I must be one of the last few remaining users of Pain Shop Pro (which I'm quite happy with), so don't know what I'm missing with the seemingly ubiquitous Photoshop, let alone paint.net. Re MSSE, I was about to download it, but the there doesn't seem to be a version to download for MS Vista. Although it may just be the way the O/S download options were presented on screen, where I played safe and didn't download it. McAfee seems to be still working on my machine anyway, even though I thought my subscription had run out some time back.

[TimberWolf]

Isn't that the professional job title of a dominatrix?

Okay, what comedian edited my post?

[AtW]

Firefox 2 - every other browser should be erased with extreme prejudice.

[NickFitz]

Firefox 2 - every other browser should be erased with extreme prejudice.

As FF2 was EOLed in December 2008, no sane person would continue to use it: it's as much of a security risk as using IE6 on XP < SP2.

You may know a lot about HTTP, AtW, but if you still use FF2 then you sure as hell know **** all about staying safe on the web

[NotAllThere]

iTunes on Windows is crappy, if you aren't using it for your iPod I can't see the reason to use it. On a Mac it's a totally different story, but on Windows I find Media Player is really quite good these days.

It works nicely in Windows 7 64 bit.

I use Gimp for graphical work. Stupid name for a powerful program.

[voodooflux]

Not for me it doesn't. 14 days out of the country and you're blocked, sorry, invited to upgrade to Premium ion order to continue.

Have you tried a proxy?

For those interested, there was a major update to the Spotify client yesterday with a raft of new features added, including support for local media.

[dang65]

One program they don't mention is paint.net, best free application i've ever used.

Absolutely. Often install this on clients' PCs as well while waiting for them to go through the usual 3 week bureaucratic red tape for getting hold of Photoshop. An excellent substitute.

[Durbs]

[*]Microsoft Security Essentials. Does anyone use this?

Yes, totally free, totally unobtrusive, whats not to like? I never used to bother with Antivirus apps until finding this and its now on all my Windows machines as its so hassle-free.

[xoggoth]

I discovered one thing about Firefox today. If you accidentally use a path to a php script or whatever with \ instead of /, it will still work in ever major browser except Firefox. Well done Mozilla, only browser with the political sense to reject horrible lefty slanting separators where right slanting separators are required.

On free apps I find multipad most useful, the macros saves a lot of time.

[C0ldf1re]

Since replacing IE browser with the free Firefox 3.6.3, my surfing is much faster. Download Firefox here.