Useful programs EVERYONE should have or consider

I was going to post this in the lounge, but I thought here would be better since it's advertising, sort of.

I have an anthology of programs that vary greatly from helping you become even more lazy, to saving your computer from viruses and spyware to multimedia.

(I'm not a spam-bot, these programs actually help, take the time and read through some of them)

These are all free programs, feel free to add more and I'll edit, but here's my list so far*.

Key:
Firefox add-ons, Internet Explorer extensions, Programs I have not personally tried



Tables of Contents
I. User Friendly (i.e. I'm a Bum Programs)
i. Stardock
ii. Trilian
iii. Wallpaper Changer

II. Computer Protection
i. AVG Antivirus
ii. Comodo Firewall
iii. Hijack This
iv. Killbox
v. No Script
vi. Peer Blocker
vii. Spybot Search & Destroy
viii. Zone Alarm

III. Downloads
i. Azuerus Vuse
ii. eMule
ii. FrostWire
iii. Download Manager
iv. DownthemAll
v. uTorrent

IV. Browsers
i. Avast Browser
ii. Firefox
iii. Opera

V. Miscellaneous Useful Programs
i. CCleaner
ii. Diskeeper
iii. O&O Products
iv. Open Office


I. User Ease Programs

Name: Stardock
Website: http://www.stardock.com/products/objectdock/
Description: A dock for windows users that don't have vista, just for clicking ease.

Name: Trillian
Website: http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/
Description: It runs a multitude of IM services in one nifty window, saves you a lot of time with pop-up blocker and changing windows and such.

Name: Wallpaper Changer
Website: http://cs.ecs.baylor.edu/~lovej/projects/wallpaperchanger/
Description: Once again, no mac? No problem, you can have wallpaper rotation too, which is a big deal for me.

II. Computer Protection

Name: AVG Antivirus
Website: http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1
Description: A good free anti-virus, better than lots of others. This does NOT include spyware and adware to the fullest extent, I'll have those coming up.

Name: Comodo Firewall
Website: http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/
Description: A firewall, once again, if you're short on money this can save you from lots of headaches.

Name: Hijack This
Website: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Popup-Ad-Spyware-Blockers/HijackThis.shtml
Description: Great against keloggers, spyware, and anyone peeking at your screen. Takes them out very quickly and efficiently.

Name: KillBox
Website: http://www.killbox.net/
Description: PROS ONLY! This is very unsafe to people who do not know their way around a computer. If you suspect you have malware, this thing WILL destroy it, however, and I caution you. If you delete something stupid, your computer may fail. Once again, BE CAREFUL! I'd rather you use the next thing.

Name: NoScript
Website: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/722
Description: Blocks scripts which could initiate everything from simple unclosable pop-ups to trojan installations. Once again, this is a firefox add-on.

Name: PeerBlocker
Website: http://phoenixlabs.org/pg2/
Description: Blocks harmful IPs found by the PB so you don't accidentally go do something stupid. If a site is blocked, there is usually good reason. If you KNOW that the site is safe, you can always unblock it.

Name: Spybot Search and Destroy
Website: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
Description: Bar the last program, the most potent free malware removal software. Worth a try if you get/got malware.

Name: ZoneAlarm
Website: http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/home.jsp
Description: Okay firewall+okay spyware and adware removal. It's worth it the first 15 days but then you have to pay.

III. Downloads

Name: Azuerus Vuse
Website: http://azureus.sourceforge.net/
Description: A java coded torrent application that eats ram faster than pac-man. But it is extremely user friendly and cool to look at.

Name: eMule
Website: http://www.emule-project.net/home/perl/general.cgi?l=1
Description: An online shareware downloading software that is said to be pop-up free for your viewing pleasure.

Name: FrostWire
Website: http://www.frostwire.com/
Description: Like LimeWire pro, but free and... BLUE!!!

Name: Download Manager
Website: http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/
Description: It manages downloads, yeah. Breaks downloads into chuncks allowing you to pause, resume, and download up to 3 times faster. Of course, results vary.

Name: DownthemAll
Website: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/201
Description: An add-on for firefox users only. Similar to Download manager but it's dependent on firefox and can accelerate downloads to up to 4x speeds.

Name: uTorrent
Website: http://www.utorrent.com/
Description: A basic torrent application that eats minimum ram, if you don't know what a torrent is, wiki it.

IV. Browsers

Name: Avant Browser
Website: http://www.avantbrowser.com/support.html
Description: Well I've given FF a lot of stuff, gotta balance it a little for IE. Avant is for IE and is very useful if that's the browser of your choice.

Name: Firefox
Website: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
Description: A browser made for mac and its worthless dock.

Name: Opera
Website: http://www.opera.com
Description: Another browser for you to try.

V. Miscellaneous Useful Programs

Name: CCleaner
Website: http://ccleaner.com/
Description: Cleans your computer better than disk clean up ever can, allows you to free up space and run games smoother.

Name: Diskeeper
Website: http://www.diskeeper.com/defrag.asp
Description: A 'relatively fast and very effective' disk cleaner.

Name: O&O Products
Website: http://www.oo-software.com/home/en/products/
Description: Everything from a faster defrag (for the bums) to clean up to everything, worth the trial at least.

Name: Open Office
Website: http://www.openoffice.org/
Description: Word office costs money, and as a college student, that's hard to come by. Open Office is an open source and can do everything word office can except extremely complicated things that no one uses anyways.





*Download and use at your own risk. I've personally downloaded all of these at one point, and do NOT recommend you download all of them at the same time -.- I've found them safe but if you don't trust me, or some website, you don't have to download. I will not be held responsible if one of these programs hurts your computer, but once again, I've personally tried all of them and found them safe.

**Also, add programs according to SC2F rules, I do not want anyone getting penalized because of this for posting a program that contradicts the rules.

~Edit 22-10-2007---Added eMule
~Edit 21-09-2007---Browsers, Viewer Friendliness, Diskeeper
~Edit 20-09-2007---Torrent Applications


Bonus 800 minerals for a New Thread of Significant Interest

 

strange you didn't include links to either Opera or Firefox other than that, great list. I had frostwire on my comp over the summer until I brught it to school with me. The college doesn't allow P2P utilities on their network I'm afraid. I've never heard of Open Office, sounds interesting, too bad I already bought Microsoft Office. Though my school does sell it at a special offer lower than the normal student addition price, which was nice.

The only software I have that you listed are SpyBot and AVG. That Killbox sounds interesting, especially since you say it is even more aggressive than SpyBot, and SpyBot, when put on the proper settings, is extremely aggressive at finding potential malware.

I might look into that Wallpaper Changer. It sounds interesting.

 

Great list. Thanks owerup:

 

I recommend Diskeeper as the primary defragging software. Relatively fast and very effective.

 

I got azures and S&D

 

Awesome great list! already got the AVG anti virus program but it's a great list! owerup: to you!

 

Okay, edited, feel free to add guys.

 

w00t, i got more than 50% already

 

Nice. I see you edited it. Great topic!

 

Can a moderator please move this to the new computer and technology section?

I don't want to just re-type the whole thing.

 

I don't think firefox was made specifically for macs, I may be wrong though. The Safari is the original mac browser, but even so, all the browsers can be downloaded for both windows and for macs.

 

Somebody should move this into computers board. And why is this in
space junk in the first place?

 

Thanks. I usually report this, but I forgot this time.

 

A great list! Already installed some of the programs, thanks a lot! I have a question tho. I installed stardock (because of it's functionality and cause it looks good) and I want to remove all the icons from the desktop so I only have the docks and the wallpaper on the desktop. The problem is that I can't remove the recycle bin icon. Anyone knows how to do it?

 

Yeah, I believe there's something you can do to remove the recycle bin, but I can't recall atm, I'll ask around.

Also, it was in space junk because I didn't want to spam up the lounge.

 

For the download section:

eMule
http://www.emule-project.net/home/perl/general.cgi?l=1

best file-sharing network I've found, it doesn't have quite the volumn of some of the big boys, but it also doesn't have pop-ups, and all the random crap you get with most file-sharing programs - easy to use as well

 

LimeWire is way better.

 

last time I installed Limewire I got a buttload of popups and crap

 

I never get that. I have Limewire PRO and when I didn't have it I didn't get the popups.

 

Limewire is full of spyware and adware these days.