# Lets do it in Software. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2006, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-it-in-software/340497 "2006-01-18T10:27:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sniperfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@sniperfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sniperfang)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-it-in-software/340497/1 "2006-01-18T10:27:17Z")
Just bought a spanking new notebook - 2 GHz 64-bit processor, 1 GB of DDR-2 RAM, 60 GB Hard disk, DVD dual layer writer, 15.4" widescreen, Wireless (802.11 b/g), Firewire, USB 2.0. 🆒 Now here’s where the teeming millions jump in with their 2¢ and tell me what to load it up with. Seeings as how I is a control-freak, Ive divvied software up into categories for easy referencing, and listed the obvious choices to get things started. 1. Operating System - Windows XP Pro (Vista 64-bit when it’s released as the secondary OS) 1. Internet and Internet Security - Firefox - Thunderbird - Adaware - Spybot S&D - Zone Alarm 1. Media and Entertainment - iTunes (Ive got a 30 gig iPod Photo ) - Winamp 5.0 (with the iPod hack) - DivX and Xvid players and codecs 1. Productivity (yeah. sure.) - MS Office - Ahead Nero Oh, yeah - I’ll probably get a Linksys or NetGear wireless router at home and surf wirelessly. I’m pretty new to this, though, so any suggestions y’all can make will be tres welcome. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-it-in-software/340497/2 "2006-01-18T12:17:20Z")
1. Internet and Internet Security [ > [@](#): > > a-squared Free > Trojans, Dialers, Worms and Spyware (Adware) ]([http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/](http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/)) [ > [@](#): > > Ad-Aware SE Personal > Trojans, dialers, malware, browser hijackers, and tracking components ]([http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/](http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/)) [ > [@](#): > > ewido anti-malware > Hijackers and Spyware, Worms, Dialers, Trojans, and Keyloggers ]([http://www.ewido.net/en/](http://www.ewido.net/en/)) [ > [@](#): > > SpywareBlaster > Prevent the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, browser hijackers, dialers, and other potentially unwanted software. > Block spyware/tracking cookies in Internet Explorer and Mozilla/Firefox. > Restrict the actions of potentially unwanted sites in Internet Explorer. ]([http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html](http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html)) [ > [@](#): > > WinPatrol > Spyware. ADware. > Viral infections. IE Add-Ons. Detect & Restore File Type Changes. Automatically Filter Unwanted Cookies. Avoid Start Page Hijacking. Detect changes to HOSTS & critical system files. Kill Multiple Tasks that replicate each other, in a single step! > Stop programs that repeatedly add themselves to your Startup List! ]([http://www.winpatrol.com/](http://www.winpatrol.com/)) [BitDefender](http://www.bitdefender.com/) [avast](http://www.avast.com/) [AVG](http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1) Ok, this sounds like over kill, but it’s not, I ran them all this week and each program found something! This IMHO is one of the biggest security problems ya face, anti-virus progs don’t find the Trojans, anti-trojans don’t kill viruses! I only have three running at all times (WinPatrol, AVG, and Microsoft’s Anti-Spyware) the rest I try to run every week or so. WinPatrol is a must have, it prevents progs from adding themselves to your start-up without your permission, helps keep viruses from adding registry keys to auto-start them, and lets you kill annoyances like RealPlayer’s auto-start. One extra [IrfanView](http://www.irfanview.com/)really pic/video/audio viewer. BTW Everything I linked to is freeware! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-it-in-software/340497/3 "2006-01-18T12:24:49Z")
Another yes for AVG - I started using it when my Norton’s licence expired and it is just as good…and free. The best adware program I have found is the [free Microsoft Beta](http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx) by a long, long way. I have 3 others but don’t bother with them any more. ---
**Author:** ![sniperfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@sniperfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sniperfang)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-it-in-software/340497/4 "2006-01-18T12:49:58Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > 1. Internet and Internet Security > [ > [URL=http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/]](http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/) > [ > [URL=http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html]](http://www.ewido.net/en/) > [ > [URL=http://www.bitdefender.com/]BitDefender](http://www.winpatrol.com/) > [avast](http://www.avast.com/) > [AVG](http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1) > Ok, this sounds like over kill, but it’s not, I ran them all this week and each program found something! > This IMHO is one of the biggest security problems ya face, anti-virus progs don’t find the Trojans, anti-trojans don’t kill viruses! > I only have three running at all times (WinPatrol, AVG, and Microsoft’s Anti-Spyware) the rest I try to run every week or so. > WinPatrol is a must have, it prevents progs from adding themselves to your start-up without your permission, helps keep viruses from adding registry keys to auto-start them, and lets you kill annoyances like RealPlayer’s auto-start. > > One extra > [IrfanView](http://www.irfanview.com/)really pic/video/audio viewer. > BTW Everything I linked to is freeware! Most excellent list. I cant believe I forgot to mention IrfanView. Ive been using it for years, its the best damn viewer around. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-it-in-software/340497/5 "2006-01-18T12:50:38Z")
OP wants opinions, so let’s go to IMHO. **samclem** GQ moderator ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2006, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-it-in-software/340497/6 "2006-01-18T17:38:30Z")
If you do any instant messaging at all, get [gaim.](http://gaim.sourceforge.net) It does AIM, MSIM, YahooIM, IRC, and several others. If you want to do some photo editing, but don’t feel like you need something as fancy as Adobe Photoshop, get [Gimp.](http://www.gimp.org) Not as much functionality as Photoshop, but 100% free. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2006, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-do-it-in-software/340497/7 "2006-01-19T00:13:54Z")
I can’t add anything to that list above. I would ask one question: Do you forsee the need to text-edit huge files? If so, I’d think about adding something that would allow you to do this. I have no specific recommendations, there are several out there that do a really good job at this. The only reason I’m not recommending a specific one is that I only need to do this occasionally, and just don’t have enough experience with them to recommend a specific one. But do think about it.