So, you've just unboxed, set up and plugged in your new PC. What are the free Windows programs you should download first -- the ones that are essential to getting the most out of your new computer? And since you just dropped real coin on the computer, this list is only for freebies. Here's the list of free Windows programs I download and install before any others. Call 'em my must-haves.
- Microsoft Security Essentials. This program is aptly named. Security Essentials gives you everything you need to protect yourself from viruses and spyware. It's also very easy to use and really good at finding and removing the bad stuff from your computer. And, by the way, it allows you to get rid of your other security programs and their monthly or yearly fees. It is the first thing I load onto my computer or any computer I set up for others.
- Acrobat Reader. I wish Adobe's Acrobat Reader wasn't such a necessity; it's got security problems and can be buggy. It also opens you up to Adobe's endless prompts to update it. On the other hand, it's a crucial program for reading PDFs, one of the dominant document formats on the Internet. I'd love to see other formats become popular, but at least for now, this is a must-have.
- Adobe Flash Player. Speaking of Adobe... Yeah, it's another bit of ubiquitous Adobe software that tons of sites use. Flash is so insecure that Apple won't allow it on the iPhone, and it's caused no end of friction between the companies. But if you wanna see video (or many other types of animation) on the Web, it's something you simply have to have. That may also be slowly changing, but for the time being, Flash should be one of your first downloads. (Tip: if the download page has a free "McAfee Security Scan Plus" box checked, uncheck it before downloading. Remember, you're using Microsoft Security Essentials. You'll eventually need to pay to use McAfee. It's just more obnoxiousness from Adobe.)
- Skype. I think every parent with a child in college has Skype. Ditto for grandparents, or anyone else who needs to connect over distance. Skype used to be mainly about phone calls, but it seems like it's used more often for video chats now. Skype is one of those technologies that brings a smile to one's face. The first time most folks use it is a "Wow" moment, when they see the true power of the Internet.
- QuickTime/iTunes. This is the Apple duo; they're seperate programs, but I've combined them here. QuickTime is another technology, like Flash, that displays video on Web pages. It's not as popular as Flash, but still something you'll be sorry to be without. As for iTunes, it's a simple question: got an iPhone/iPod/iPad? If that's you, iTunes is your point of entry. I just wish it worked better on Windows; it doesn't sing like it does on a Mac.
- Firefox. You'll get Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) browser with Windows. But I like choices when it comes to browsers, so I quickly add Mozilla's Firefox. It's fast, lightweight, and endlessly customizable through add-ins. Fanboys used to claim it was more secure than IE as well; I'm not so sure that's the case, as Firefox is updated often, and usually for security reasons. I do know, however, that it seems to run better on less-capable hardware than IE.