Recommended Software
Stuff to install after a System Rebuild or Format (after drivers, security patches and so forth)Everyone has thier own list of favorite software, well, since most of the stuff I am going to list is very well documented I am not going to write seperate reviews about them. It feels like it would better serve everyone if I just gave a list of all the stuff I use, and it's purpose. I have spent years collecting this information. So Enjoy. EVERYTHING LISTED BELOW IS 100% FREE SOFTWARE (not all open source though).
Firefox - This is the first thing that goes on a new system. Noone should ever open Internet Explorer. This is a fully featured, security enhanced, super Web Browser! and it's open source.
Thunderbird - This is an open source e-mail client much like Outlook... only runs on multiple platforms and is free.
Notepad++ - As a programmer I physically NEED! this program, but it's nice to have anyway, even if you are not a programmer. It supports a lot of different file types and does so much stuff that notepad can't do, for example: text wrap, hex view (this is my decompiler :D), tabbed windows, find and replace, highlighting of syntax (for programming), Unix newlines as well as Windows and Mac (/n, /n/r, /r), and Macros. Plus (Get it, cause it's notepad plus plus and I'm saying plus to add a feature... haha) it is open source. All of my website... that means every little character was produced in this program... Yes, I am one of the few web developers left who makes advanced websites by hand. None of this ASP or WEB.NET stuff. No dreamweaver, NVU, or Frontpage... I am a text kinda guy.
Frostwire - This is an open source alternative to Limewire Pro. We all know that Limewire is open source, but the pro version with enhanced features is extra $$. Frostwire is free and looks identical (except everything is blue instead of green. I like it).
Open Office.Org - This is a free and open source alternative to Microsoft Office. It can open Microsoft Office formats and edit them, but defaults to the open standard document (thank god) .odt. It is a godsend.
Azureus - This is my favorite torrent program. It is java based and open source. It is therefore platform independant. Enjoy the many great features.
Alt.Binz - This is a glorious open source news group leecher. Nothing is easier to use (that was a lie, but it's not bad).
Image Burn - Created by Lightning UK (the creator of DVD Decryptor). This burner takes over where DVD Decryptor left off (only the burning portion, not the DVD cracking). It allows you to burn almost any type of disc image to any media. It has loads of settings for individual burners and for all in general. It allows you to bitset and everything. There is now an iso creation mode, but it doesn't break any encryptions.
Media Coder - This one might gets it's own review eventually. It is a great program that allows you to go from any media type to any other. Works beautifully.
VLC Media Player - The only Media Player I have found that will play ANYTHING (assuming it's media and not encrypted or borked). It will repair some common problems as well, it repairs .avi files if it can. It has a lot of settings for convience as well.
Daemon Tools - Cd Drive Emulating software. This program will pretend it is a cd-drive in your computer and allow you to mount disc images. It will even emulate copy protections if the disc was copied properly (doesnt make images, just mounts them).
DevC++ - A C++ compiler (bloodshed).
Visual Studio 2005 - My edition isn't free, but you can make due with the Express editions if you really need a good IDE. I'm trying to get away from it because it has spoiled me. I have trouble living without intellisense, but I'm getting back to real programming in a normal editor... Rely more on my own brain.
I will eventually extend this list to include some others that I use, but I'm sure this list will do for now. I will also give links to everything, but until then put the name in google. If you haven't used any of these before, I recommend giving them a try, it's worth it.