# New Computer: canonical downloads **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2003, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180 "2003-10-18T10:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/1 "2003-10-18T10:37:05Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/2 "2003-10-18T14:51:43Z")
HubZilla, maybe you could tell us what computer it is? ---
**Author:** ![BaldTaco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/47e85d/32.png) [@BaldTaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldTaco)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/3 "2003-10-18T15:13:05Z")
Winzip Winamp (v. 2.91 recommended) Adobe Acrobat Media Player Classic something for anti-virus MSN Messenger ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/4 "2003-10-18T15:30:49Z")
AVG Anti-virus (it’s free) > **[AVG Free Antivirus Download | Virus Protection Software](https://www.avg.com/en-us/free-antivirus-download)** > > Download FREE AVG antivirus software. Get protection against viruses, malware and spyware. Easy-to-use virus scanner for PC, Mac & mobile. Download TODAY. Mozilla web browser (I gotta have tabbed browsing, plus it blocks popups) > **[Internet for people, not profit](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/)** > > Mozilla is the not-for-profit behind the lightning fast Firefox browser. We put people over profit to give everyone more power online. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/5 "2003-10-18T15:45:33Z")
If you’re using dialup or an unreliable broadband connection, get [GetRight](http://www.getright.com/) 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). ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/6 "2003-10-18T15:48:29Z")
You might want to skip Pop-Up Stopper, and just install the [Google Toolbar](http://toolbar.google.com/). It’s the first thing I install, after the operating system. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/7 "2003-10-18T17:25:25Z")
This will be a matter of opinion, so I’ll move this thread to IMHO. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/8 "2003-10-18T17:28:09Z")
Snood ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/9 "2003-10-18T18:13:09Z")
a new wallpaper ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/10 "2003-10-18T21:00:05Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![quothz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/da6949/32.png) [@quothz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quothz)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/11 "2003-10-18T21:10:10Z")
If you’re doing Windows, go get your patches. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/12 "2003-10-18T22:49:15Z")
1MB RAM?? That can’t be right. Even video cards carry more RAM than that these days. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/13 "2003-10-18T22:50:33Z")
Ooooooo…I bet you mean cache memory. That’s about right for a P4. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/14 "2003-10-18T22:54:04Z")
I don’t think I could survive without [Reg Cleaner](http://www.pcmedixwebs.com/regclean.htm). 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. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/15 "2003-10-19T01:57:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > \*\*Ooooooo…I bet you mean cache memory. That’s about right for a P4. \*\* Errr, 1 GIGAbyte ram. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/16 "2003-10-19T02:55:02Z")
Linux 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/17 "2003-10-19T06:34:50Z")
I wouldn’t own a computer without some sort of utilities package. I use Norton Systemworks, but there are others. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/18 "2003-10-19T19:37:58Z")
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. [http://download.com.com/3000-2139-10147281.html?tag=lst-0-1](http://download.com.com/3000-2139-10147281.html?tag=lst-0-1) ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-computer-canonical-downloads/208180/19 "2003-10-19T21:32:06Z")
Urban Ranger, please don’t hijack.