I just got a new computer. What are the things I NEED to download on it? I primarily use it for home, including internet and games.
I have:
Adaware
Spybot
ZoneAlarm
Pop-Up Stopper
What other essentials are there? Not necessarily for security, but also to keep things humming.
HubZilla, maybe you could tell us what computer it is?
Winzip
Winamp (v. 2.91 recommended)
Adobe Acrobat
Media Player Classic
something for anti-virus
MSN Messenger
AVG Anti-virus (it’s free)
Mozilla web browser (I gotta have tabbed browsing, plus it blocks popups)
If you’re using dialup or an unreliable broadband connection, get GetRight download manager. If a download is interuppted, GetRight will let you pick up where it left off, if the server you are downloading from supports resume (most do).
You might want to skip Pop-Up Stopper, and just install the Google Toolbar. It’s the first thing I install, after the operating system.
This will be a matter of opinion, so I’ll move this thread to IMHO.
bibliophage
moderator GQ
Snood
a new wallpaper
I’m sorry, it’s a Sony Vaio PC (Pent 4, 2.8GHz, 1MB Ram, 120GB hard drive) hooked up to a cable modem. I updated the Ram using the advice from another thread.
If you’re doing Windows, go get your patches.
1MB RAM?? That can’t be right. Even video cards carry more RAM than that these days.
Ooooooo…I bet you mean cache memory. That’s about right for a P4.
I don’t think I could survive without Reg Cleaner. Unfortunately, the guy who made it has upgraded the software and is now charging. The site at the link still let you download the older version for free.
Basically, if you’re less than a pro, reg cleaner let’s you do things in the registry of Windows, without risk. Whatever you do, will create a backup (as opposed to RegEdit), so if you screw up, you can always go back.
Reg Cleaner looks for orhaned registry entries, let you see what’s starting up through the registry (not the start up folder) and is a good way of cleaning the computer after you’ve un-installed some software or deleted some files. I run it at least every week, and it has helped me get rid of some pesky stuff that ad-aware and spybot couldn’t handle.
Errr, 1 GIGAbyte ram.
:smack:
Linux 
I wouldn’t own a computer without some sort of utilities package. I use Norton Systemworks, but there are others.
Don’t let M$ get its hand in everything you do. Zoom Player plays everything for me, even mp3s, because it has an option to use the mouse wheel to jump forward and back five seconds per wheel position.
Urban Ranger, please don’t hijack.