Free Windows software to go (2.0)

The software list meme never grows old. One person's list cannot possibly cover everyone's needs, so I've linked to some of my favorites at the bottom of this article. Here are some of the finer points to my list[1]: Organized so that all the apps can fit on a 256 MB flash drive (available as downloadable ZIP packages on this page). Additional, larger apps will soon be listed at the end which would allow it to fit on a 700 MB CD. Easy to follow even if you're not computer savvy. All applications are free for home use!

Contents

Windows OS maintenance

Before installing any third party applications, make sure you run Microsoft Update (requires at least Windows 98; you can get the operating system (OS) updates without Internet Explorer using WindizUpdate). This keeps your computer's Microsoft products up to date with the latest fixes. When running for the first time, it will likely take a long time to download everything (anywhere from .5 to 2,000 MB), and you will likely need to reboot several times. It is a good idea to enable the Automatic Updates tool in the Control Panel (requires at least Windows 2000) to keep you protected over time. More detailed Microsoft protection can be gained from the new ('05Nov) Windows Live Safety Center (beta).

Windows needs occasional defragmenting and scanning, as well. It's a good idea to do this about once a month. As a general note about the following programs, I usually go to the vendor's website two or three times a year to see if there are any new versions of their software. Most sites have discussion forums or you can Google a review of the product's latest version to see if anyone is having problems with it. I've found SnapFiles and Nonags to be the most reliable software review sites; Download.com and FileForum are more popular, but the comments aren't as helpful as SnapFiles and Nonags.

Basic protection

AVG (antivirus)
16 MB Anti-Virus Free, v. 7.1.375 Grisoft. Whether you're online or not, antivirus protection on a computer is essential. Virus updates and scans should be performed at least monthly. Pro (pay) version supports Linux. I've also heard good things about avast!, AntiVir, and ClamWin, each having its own pros and cons. Important: Make sure you remove your existing antivirus program before trying these.
ZoneAlarm (firewall)
10 MB 6.1.737 Zone Labs. A firewall basically plugs up any vulnerable holes in your computer network. It is only needed if you connect to the Internet. I used ZA when my home computer had Windows 2000, so I haven't used version 6. If you have XP SP2, the built-in Windows Firewall works well for the average user (I use it at home in addition to the built-in hardware firewall on my Netgear MR314 router).
Windows Defender (anti-spyware)
6 MB 1.1.1051 Microsoft. When using Firefox as my browser, I've found this to be adequate spyware protection. Since Defender (formerly called Antispyware) requires Windows 2000 or later, others swear by Ad-Aware, Spybot (even works with Windows 95) and/or Spyware Blaster as additional protection. Like the firewalls, spyware-blocking apps probably aren't needed if you're not using the Internet.

Tools for working online

Firefox (web browser)
L M 5 MB 1.5.0.1 Mozilla (Yes, I personally use the Google Toolbar with Firefox). Kill Bill's Browser and Switch both list reasons to use Firefox (FF). The ability to add extensions alone puts this far above other browsers[2]. A steady alternative is Opera (over 1 out of 100 users browsing the web use the big O). In addition to being the only major player with a Mobile version, an e-mail client, RSS reader, and IRC are all integrated into the product, as well.
Thunderbird (e-mail)
L M 6 MB 1.5 Mozilla. I've never actually found the ideal e-mail client; you may not even need one at all if you don't care to back up your e-mail, calendar, and/or contact list[3]. I use Thunderbird to create a copy of my Gmail and @megsnjj.com e-mails. There are many considerations to take into account when choosing your e-mail client. Wikipedia has a good comparison of email clients.
μTorrent (BitTorrent downloader)
130 KB 1.4. This is the smallest download in the bunch. μTorrent has only been out since October '05, but it's proved to be the best simple, stand-alone BitTorrent downloader out there. Now if we could all agree how to pronounce it: microtorrent, meetorrent, myou-torrent, U-torrent?
Online applications
paper cd case
Nedwolf's Best Free Web Applications is just one of many lists of applications that you can use through a web browser. Web apps usually run more slowly than conventional apps, but the benefit of universal, community access to a tool is too good not to mention on a list like this. Wikipedia, Flickr, Gmail, Google Maps, Last.fm, and Remember The Milk are just a few examples of sites that I frequent. This is as good a place as any to mention papercdcase.com which I've used countless times; enter your CD info and it creates a foldable PDF.

Other essential applications

Adobe Reader (PDF viewer)
L M 20 MB 7.0.7 Adobe Systems. Reader version 7 only works on Windows 2000 or later. Earlier versions of Adobe Reader run way too slowly; while I've never had a need to use them, Foxit Software has several faster applications like PDF Reader and PDF Editor (both of which are less than 2 MB; the Reader is a stand-alone app that doesn't even require an install). If you have a need to create simple PDFs, I've found PDF Creator to be very useful; it allows you to create a PDF out of any printable document by adding PDFCreator (10 MB) as a printer.
OpenOffice.org (office suite)
L M 91 MB 2.0.1 w/ JRE Sun Microsystems. AKA OOo, this open source app opens up more slowly than MS Office (there are workarounds), but it's a small price to pay for a suite that includes spreadsheet, word processing, database, presentation, and drawing components. You can also save as a PDF (with advanced content like links and forms). John T. Haller has created a Portable OpenOffice.org (75 MB 2.0.1) that can be run straight from a flash drive.
Real Alternative (media player)
6 MB 1.47 KL Software. Includes Media Player Classic (MPC), a stand-alone app that plays almost any type of sound or video file. Real Alternative can play most RealMedia formats[4]. KL Software has several MPC codec packs to choose from, such as QuickTime Alternative (if you're not already using iTunes for your media organizer) or the all-out K-Lite Mega (34 MB, includes all of the above functionality and more).
7-Zip (file compression)
L M 1 MB 4.32. WinZip may be the seminal file compression program, but I've found 7-Zip to be the most powerful. I like how it can split an archive file into multiple volumes; I believe that it creates smaller file sizes than any other archiving program, too. If you want a program that can read nearly 50 archive types, try IZArc.
AIDA32 (PC inventory)
2 MB 3.75 Personal Edition. This program is really only essential for users with Windows 95. The native System Information (msinfo32.exe) tool in Windows 98 (and later) does basically the same thing, although it doesn't have nearly as many options as AIDA32[5]. AIDA32 is helpful when you want a quick view of your system specs (hard drive space, RAM, exact processor model, installed programs, etc.). This is quite handy when you see a "System Requirements" list for something you want to install on your computer and you're not sure if your computer meets those requirements. It's also helpful for determining versions during firmware and driver updates.

Non-essential applications

Up until this point in the software list, I've mentioned essential programs that should be installed on every computer you use. The following are tools that may already be built-in to Windows; however, these do the job ten times better.

XnView (image viewer)
L M 1 MB 1.82.3 Minimal. Very fast image browser and file converter. Also has some cropping and EXIF/IPTC-editing capabilities. Haven't had a need for any of the additional file types in the extended versions. Discovered this one through Nedwolf and have been using it regularly since '04Nov.
GIMP (graphics editor)
L M 11 MB 2.2.10 w/ GTK+. I'm spoiled with Paint Shop Pro (not free), but I've tested out the GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and it's not bad. Its cross-platform compatibility (Linux, Mac, even Windows 98) is probably the best part about it. I've heard good things about Paint.NET, too. I've also tried out Google's Picasa, which is a popular organizer and photo editor in one, but I prefer the quickness of XnView and the robustness of PSP. Additionally, I use Exifer, which manipulates EXIF and IPTC data in JPG pictures. I recently discovered that Flickr will import IPTC info straight into the title, description, and tagging (including GeoTagging) fields during upload! This ongoing Flickr discussion mentions other software options that work well with Flickr. Those are my three main graphics programs (four if you count Flickr itself); take it or leave it.
FileZilla (FTP)
EditPad (text editor)
Trillian (instant messenger)
PowerToys for Windows XP (Microsoft's add-ons)
Tweak UI
Exact Audio Copy (MP3 ripper)
2 MB 0.95b4 w/ CDRDAO. EAC ensures that you have a near-perfect ripping experience. It can point to LAME (included in one of the bigger K-Lite codec packs mentioned above); combined, you've got a handy tool for manipulating CDs, MP3s, and more. I've found MP3Gain to be a useful volume (loudness) modifier, particularly handy when making mix CDs; there is also a Mac version.
ImgBurn
Just like the audio tools mentioned above, it would take at least a whole page to outline the video tools I use. I actually don't do much work with video files, so I can't say that I'm an expert here. I use Nero. VideoHelp.com

Other software lists

Download

I've packaged together a good portion of the programs mentioned above (143 MB total)[6]. You can then burn the extracted files to a CD or copy them to a USB drive for a handy Free Windows software to go kit. Each ZIP file comes with a readme.txt which outlines the contents of the package. The only major program missing from the packages is OOo since it is over 90 MB by itself.

Instructions: Unless you have Windows XP (with built-in ZIP support), you will need to install 7-Zip or make sure you already have something that can open ZIP files. Next, just click on the package that you want below to download it directly.

Contributions to this project can be made through this secure PayPal form.

Endnotes

  1. I would not recommend installing most of these programs on a business computer (licensing and network security issues may be violated). Note that an application is only essential if it fits your computer usage style. Some of the online tools aren't really needed if you're not on a broadband connection. Furthermore, there is a fine line between overdoing it and not having enough protection; it all depends on how safe you want your computer, what you use it for, and if you care about the computer getting bloated with too many tools. Sometimes it's better to use two fast, efficient programs instead of one slow, resource-hogging, all-in-one app. This is why it's helpful to look at online discussions about products and decide for yourself what looks the best.

    While all these programs work on Microsoft Windows operating systems, I've notated if they have versions for Linux (L) or the Mac (M), as well; this is followed by a link to the latest version of the product that I've used and then a link to the manufacturer's main website.

    I will do my best to mark any updates that I make to this list over time—I want people to be able to come to this page and know that they're seeing a reliable list. While I don't review software for a living and am providing this list as free advice, I've been using all of these programs for at least six months on both Windows 2000 and Windows XP Pro, so they've been time-tested. If you're still running Windows 95, I would recommend dropping the money to buy a new computer and Windows XP; many of these programs don't apply to Windows 95 (and not so much to Windows 98, either).

  2. While it's sometimes hard to stay up to date with the latest version of extensions (especially since the '05Nov release of FF 1.5 as a major version change), these are a few of my favorites: SessionSaver, Tab Mix Plus, Google Toolbar, and Greasemonkey. Another warning: FF tends to take up a lot of memory when running; I've read of many supposed tweaks, but I've never been able to fix the problem on the three main computers that I use with FF. Version 1.5 seems to work a little faster than previous versions.
  3. My ideal e-mail client would consist of a calendar and address book that could sync with my PDA (Palm or Windows Mobile). Microsoft Outlook is currently the only program that does this even remotely to my satisfaction. Unfortunately, it's not free. Currently, I keep all my contacts informally in Gmail and up to date in my Treo 600; I then sync to Palm Desktop using the included HotSync tool or to Yahoo! with the free Yahoo! Intellisync. The biggest problem with syncing contacts is keeping all of the fields updated;. As far as the calendar goes, Mozilla does not have anything that syncs with PDAs easily yet.
  4. I've found a mix-and-match of media applications is usually the best option. While MPC is efficient, it doesn't include simple brightness adjustments like Windows Media Player. I'm pretty sure that Real Alternative won't work with some Real files (particularly streaming on the web, even with K-Lite Meta), but I try to stay away from Real for the most part since their software is so bloated and has annoying ties to AOL. Otherwise, I've also found Winamp to be the fastest and easiest MP3 player over the years (plus, it easily plugs in to Last.fm—mentioned above). I've never had a need for a huge media library app like iTunes or Musicmatch Jukebox.
  5. AIDA32 is also useful for doing computer inventory audits over a network. Versioning is very confusing since Lavalys took over the AIDA32 project (now called EVEREST). If you look at the April 2004 aida32.hu Internet Archive, you can see that 3.93 was the final version. Note the variants chart, too; I prefer the Network Edition, mainly because it's a little bit lighter in file size. FYI, the embedded Windows System Information tool is scarce on support; I thought that this was not available on Windows 98, but I guess I'm wrong!
  6. Using a file upload site is not my ideal solution for distributing packages. First of all, BitTorrents are much more flexible: they allow you to pick and choose the files in the package that you want to download. Also, BitTorrents automatically resume downloads so you don't have to worry about losing it halfway through. Furthermore, while I checked out several file hosting sites, even my choice of Uploading.com had its flaws (the site won't work with the Opera browser, for example). FYI, I tried creating my own BitTorrent to distribute the files, but it was next to impossible to find or create a reliable BitTorrent tracker.

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