20 free programs you must have

Byline: Tim Smith

Could you be getting more from your computer? Find out by looking at our collection of essential software that won’t leave a hole in your wallet

A computer with no software is like a garden with no tools, not much is going to happen without a rake, trowel or spade. But don’t worry because help is at hand. We have collected 20 programs that will quickly become indispensable; some are replacements for the offerings supplied with Windows and others are worthy alternatives to expensive software.

Wherever possible we have found software that costs nothing beyond the internet connection and will do everything that the software you buy in the shops does. To make sure you have the best possible chance of getting the software, we have put aside a dedicated part of our website for this purpose. You can find all of these programs at www.computeractive.co.uk/2163187.

OpenOffice

www.computeractive.co.uk/2128963

An office suite is an essential tool for getting the best out of your computer and if you’re lucky it will have been supplied with Microsoft Office. If not, there is good news in the form of OpenOffice, and the only cost will be the time taken to download it.

As well as a word processor and spreadsheet, OpenOffice now includes a graphic design program and a database. It doesn’t have email and contacts software, but read on to find software that can do this. Dial-up users may prefer to order a CD with the software from companies such as CheepLinux (www.cheeplinux.com) for a nominal fee.

Firefox

www.computeractive.co.uk/2129122

Internet Explorer is supplied with Windows and is necessary for Windows Update, but that’s no reason to be tied to it. Firefox offers greater security online and boasts several extra features such as tabbed browsing. Firefox can also use extra tools called extensions, so if you think of a feature that would

be useful, the browser can probably be modified

to do it. Extensions include mouse gestures for moving between web pages and controls for media players. Firefox can also block annoying pop-up advertisements and use RSS feeds to change bookmarks to show the latest news.

Thunderbird

www.computeractive.co.uk/2129012

Thunderbird does for Outlook Express what Firefox does for Internet Explorer, offering better security and interesting extras. Unlike Outlook Express, viruses cannot be activated by reading an email. Also Thunderbird will import emails and account details from Outlook Express.

An anti-phishing guard checks for fake emails that might try to persuade you to give away personal details, and junk-mail filters block the less dangerous but no less annoying spam emails.

Skype

www.computeractive.co.uk/2129042

Skype not only allows you to chat with other users for free but savings can be made when calling landlines and mobiles too. If you are willing to spend some cash there are several extra services. Skype can be made to make national or international calls at a greatly reduced cost. It is even possible to lease a telephone number to use for incoming calls to the Skype account with voicemail for when you are not online. Just be careful with capped broadband accounts not to exceed the download quota, as Skype conversations count towards this.

Trillian

www.computeractive.co.uk/2128097

Instant messaging is a great way to chat online and is far more dynamic than email. Trillian is a solution to the many different standards of instant messaging programs because it can connect to AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger and ICQ.

Conversations with people from the same group of contacts are kept in the same window to ease Desktop clutter. Audio conversations are possible although video calls need the paid-for version of the software. Trillian can also show when emails have been received by the chat accounts.

The GIMP

www.computeractive.co.uk/2128969

Even photos taken with the best camera or scanner sometimes need adjusting or resizing. The GIMP (Graphics Image Manipulation Program) is a

powerful image editor that can give impressive results. It does lack some of the more helpful

touches of programs like Photoshop Elements or

Paint Shop Pro but it is very capable none the less. Each section has a separate window, so it is easy to organise the working environment.

iTunes

www.computeractive.co.uk/2129121

A lot of us are used to listening to music while using a computer, and iTunes offers several advantages. For example, iTunes can share music over a home network, which is useful when there are several people using a network. The program also has a direct link to an online store for buying music and audio books. Music can be organised by artist and album or automatically into your favourites. CDs can be made directly from iTunes and the program will back up music purchased from the iTunes store.

7-Zip

www.computeractive.co.uk/2128748

Most computer files can be compressed to save space or reduce the amount of time needed to send them in emails. Windows can extract files from their compressed state but only some basic types. 7-Zip can use most compressed file formats including .RAR, a format that the alternative Winzip does not support, despite costing money. 7-Zip integrates itself into Windows so that the option to uncompress files is included in the right-click menu.

Turbo Cash

www.computeractive.co.uk/2163188

Bookkeeping might be one of the greatest chores

in life but a computer can make it far less painful. TurboCASH is a very comprehensive program

that can, for example, be used to run accounts for tax returns.

AVG

www.computeractive.co.uk/2129071

These days using a Windows PC without anti-virus protection is like leaving the front door open. Completely free for home users, AVG will scan your computer for viruses and keep an eye on emails. This free version updates itself once a day but will wait for you to connect to the internet rather than run up costly bills. The email scanner will integrate with several email programs such as Outlook Express and Outlook, or will use a generic scanner so everybody is protected.

ZoneAlarm

www.computeractive.co.uk/2128997

Just like anti-virus protection, a firewall prevents hackers from gaining access to a computer. The basic version of ZoneAlarm is a free firewall for home users, and unlike the Windows Firewall, it monitors programs on your computer that try to access the internet, as well as connections made to it from outside. ZoneAlarm can also distinguish between a home network and the internet so it will not interfere with activities such as gaming and sharing music.

Adaware

www.computeractive.co.uk/2128934

Unfortunately, viruses and hackers are not the only threats online. Spyware may pose less of a risk but it is still a great annoyance and can slow down surfing the internet. Adaware will scan a computer to remove any spyware that has been installed and monitor it to make sure there are no further problems. This is particularly valuable for dial-up users as it ensures the telephone number used for the internet is not changed to a premium-rate number.

RSSOwl

www.computeractive.co.uk/2140567

Really Simple Syndication (or RSS) is an easy way to receive new content from websites. Instead of visiting the site, RSSOwl downloads a summary of the new content. Some feeds provide all of the content in the feed so it is even easier. Examples include news from the BBC and many blogs. There are plenty of feeds suggested by RSSOwl, none of which will download automatically, thus preventing high dial-up bills.

Acrobat Reader

www.computeractive.co.uk/2129117

Acrobat reader has become an essential tool for reading manuals. The reason is that the file format used by Reader — Pdf — guarantees that what you see onscreen or printed out is exactly as intended. Adobe Reader can automatically scroll long documents to make reading them easier and readjust page sizes to fit what is in the printer.

Google Desktop

www.computeractive.co.uk/2129066

It is easy to have so many files that you can’t find what you’re looking for. The solution can be found in the form of Google Desktop. This tool indexes all the content of office documents; all you have to do is tell Google Desktop what you are looking for and it will show all of the files on the computer that match up. To ensure your computer is not slowed down, Google does the indexing when the PC is not busy.

Post-it Software notes

www.computeractive.co.uk/2140183

Some of the most useful programs are also the simplest. Post-it Software notes are a useful way to keep snippets of information on a computer. Notes can be moved around the screen or reduced to a small icon. You can even change the colour of the text or add an alarm to draw attention to the note. It’s even possible to insert pictures; great for keeping a photo of a loved one.

Audacity

www.computeractive.co.uk/2128750

Audacity is a capable recording program for recording musical instruments, voice or just sounds played on the computer from the internet. Unlike Windows Sound Recorder, Audacity can record clips longer than a minute and can mix up to 16 different recordings together. A level meter makes sure that the input is the right volume, and advanced users can even change the pitch or speed of a track.

Cheetah Audio Converter

www.computeractive.co.uk/2128754

One of the greatest frustrations of media players is that songs are often in the wrong format so they can’t be played on the move. Cheetah Audio Converter is a simple program that can convert between mp3, wav, OGG and WMA. The sound quality of tracks can be reduced to save hard disk space, although this may not be an optioin for audiophiles. The program looks a little basic but is easy to use; all you have to do is drag and drop files directly into the program’s Windows.

DeepBurner

www.computeractive.co.uk/2144830

Windows can write files to CD and DVDs but only in a basic fashion. Should you want to create an audio or movie disc, Deepburner gives you the ability to create discs with photo albums or from ISO images. It can use both internal and external drives and is easy to use. Discs can be created in one go or added to for making regular backups. A graph at the bottom of the screen makes sure that everything can fit on the disc. For the professional touch it is possible to create labels for discs and cases.

PDF reDirect

www.computeractive.co.uk/2129070

As already mentioned for Adobe Reader, the Pdf format is excellent for making sure that documents look the way they should. OpenOffice can save to Pdf but unfortunately not many other programs can. PDF reDirect solves this problem by installing a virtual printer; simply print a document from any program using the PDF reDirect printer and a Pdf will be created.

All for one

There should be something in this list for everyone, whether you have only just got a new computer or if you have had one for some time. The ability and generosity of the people who have created these programs is impressive. If you have found them useful, have a look at their websites, as some accept donations for their work. We have an even larger collection of downloads at www.computeractive.co.uk/

downloads. If you feel that we have missed a good program, email us at letters@computeractive.co.uk.

Tim Smith