Essential Freeware/Shareware Applications for your Windows Desktop

Your Ad Here

Word processors, spreadsheets, presentation tools, database and internet tools are essential components of a desktop PC now-a-days. Most of the users never give attention to setup a fully working computing environment by installing essential software for their regular use. Installation of a software is usually done when they forced to install any of them to open a file which is downloaded from Internet or to open a video or an applet on a web page. My opinion is that install all the essential software immediately after the installation of the OS. It may be difficult to get and install all of them together, but make a schedule and install them without much delay. If you search for a virus scanner only after an attack from an internet source, it is difficult for you to continue your work. So keep all essential things ready, so there may not be much trouble with regular computing. Some of the most important software from freeware/shareware category are listed out here and which are downloadable free from their respective sites. Read the details about the software given below and selection part is up to you as per your requirement.

OpenOffice.org is an open-source, multiplatform and multilingual office suite comparable with MS Office. It is compatible with all other major office suites and is free to download, use, and distribute. OpenOffice comes with OpenWriter - a word processor, OpenCalc - a spreadsheet and OpenImpress - a presentational package. OpenOffice is the first office suite to use the new OASIS OpenDocument format, the future-proof international standard for office software. It is easy to install with any version of windows OS. You may download OpenOffice.org completely free of any licence fees, use it for any purpose - private, educational, government and public administration, commercial - and pass on copies free of charge to family, friends, students, employees, etc.

Firefox is the award-winning Web browser is better than ever. Browse the Web with confidence. Firefox protects you from viruses, spyware and pop-ups. Enjoy improvements to performance, ease of use and privacy. It’s easy to import your favorites and settings and get started. The latest version delivers easier navigation for everyone, including those who are visually or motor-impaired. Firefox is the first browser to support DHTML accessibility, which, when enabled by Web authors, allows rich Web applications to be read aloud. Users may navigate with keystrokes rather than mouse clicks, reducing the tabbing required to navigate documents such as spreadsheets. Firefox is also the first browser to meet US federal government requirements that software be easily accessible to users with physical impairments.

Opera is a full-featured Internet browser, includes pop-up blocking, tabbed browsing, integrated searches, and advanced functions like Opera’s groundbreaking E-mail program, RSS Newsfeeds and IRC chat. And because we know that our users have different needs, you can customize the look and content of your Opera browser with a few clicks of the mouse.

Java software allows you to run applications called “applets” that are written in the Java programming language. These applets allow you to play online games, chat with people around the world, calculate your mortgage interest, and view images in 3D. Many cross platform applications also require this to run.

Adobe Flash Player is the high performance, lightweight, highly expressive client runtime that delivers powerful and consistent user experiences across major operating systems, browsers, mobile phones and devices. Installed on over 750 million Internet-connected desktops and mobile devices, Flash Player enables organizations and individuals to build and deliver great digital experiences to their end users. Immersive experiences with Flash video, content and applications with full-screen mode.

Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies designed to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and displaying applications rich in multimedia elements such as full-color graphics, video, 3D animation, and rich audio. DirectX 9.0 includes security and performance updates, along with many new features across all technologies, which can be accessed by applications using the DirectX 9.0 APIs.

Microsoft .NET Framework 3 is the new managed code programming model for Windows®. It combines the power of the .NET Framework version 2.0 with new technologies for building applications that have visually compelling user experiences, seamless communication across technology boundaries, and the ability to support a wide range of business processes. These new technologies are Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows Communication Foundation, Windows Workflow Foundation, and Windows CardSpace. The .NET Framework 3 is included as part of the Windows Vista operating system; you can install it or uninstall it using Windows Features Control Panel. This redistributable package is for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. The latest version (3.5) contains many new features building incrementally upon .NET Framework 2.0 and 3.0, and includes .NET Framework 2.0 service pack 1 and .NET Framework 3.0 service pack 1.

Use Yahoo! Messenger to call and talk over the Internet just like you’re on the phone. All you need is a headset, or a microphone and speakers. It’s that easy - just click the Call button. If no one’s there, leave a voicemail! You can also get much better sound quality than regular phone lines. Try it out - you and your friends will really hear a difference. Find, add, share friends… It’s easier than ever to add and invite friends to Messenger. You can even send your contact information to a friend’s Address Book.

GIMP is a multiplatform photo manipulation tool. GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. The GIMP is suitable for a variety of image manipulation tasks, including photo retouching, image composition, and image construction. It has many capabilities. It can be used as a simple paint program, an expert quality photo retouching program, an online batch processing system, a mass production image renderer, an image format converter, etc. GIMP is expandable and extensible. It is designed to be augmented with plug-ins and extensions to do just about anything. The advanced scripting interface allows everything from the simplest task to the most complex image manipulation procedures to be easily scripted.Note that, if this is the first time you’re installing The GIMP, you will also need GTK+ 2 Runtime Environment from here. Note that the Gimp help files are also available from the same place.

Picasa is software that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC. Every time you open Picasa, it automatically locates all your pictures (even ones you forgot you had) and sorts them into visual albums organized by date with folder names you will recognize. You can drag and drop to arrange your albums and make labels to create new groups. Picasa makes sure your pictures are always organized. Picasa also makes advanced editing simple by putting one-click fixes and powerful effects at your fingertips. And Picasa makes it a snap to share your pictures, you can email, print photos home, make gift CDs, instantly share via Hello, and even post pictures on your own blog. The latest version includes Web Albums (along with other improvements), but requires that you request an account from Google.

Keep the power of Google search close at hand. Google Toolbar puts a search box in your browser, making it easier than ever to find anything you want on the Web. The version available here is for Internet Explorer only. A Firefox version is also available from Browsers and Plugins.

AVG Free Edition is the well-known anti-virus protection tool. AVG Free is available free-of-charge to home users for the life of the product! Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high-level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Free is easy-to-use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements).

ZoneAlarm is an easy-to-use firewall that blocks hackers and other unknown threats. It’s Intrusion Blocking systematically identifies hackers and blocks access attempts. Automatic Program Configuration provides safety and simplicity by automatically configuring programs. Automatically decides whether to allow or deny Internet access to individual programs.

WinZip is the original Windows Zip file utility. Combining power and flexibility with ease of use, WinZip appeals to the entire spectrum of data-compression users. First-time users are comfortable with the intuitive WinZip Wizard, while power users appreciate WinZip’s seamless Windows Explorer interface and choose the award-winning WinZip Classic interface for their most sophisticated compression needs. In addition to basic zipping and unzipping, features include tight integration with Windows Explorer, support for most Internet file formats, advanced AES encryption, and much more.

Adobe Reader is free software that lets you open, view, search, and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files.

uickTime Player from Apple allows the playback of quicktime movies (.mov) and many other formats:The new QuickTime Player not only delivers startling quality, but it’s easier to use than ever. It requires no set up for content that streams over the network. Instead, QuickTime Player automatically determines your system’s connection speed and chooses the highest quality stream for the amount of bandwidth you have available. And if you ever lose a connection while watching streaming video, QuickTime Player automatically reconnects.

Windows Media Player is the all-in-one media player that provides the best experience for discovering, playing, and taking your digital entertainment anywhere on Windows XP-based PCs and the widest choice of portable devices. The Player provides faster access to top activities, such as ripping, burning, and syncing. You can also fine-tune the layout, choose from a range of online music and video stores and services, and much more.

RealPlayer is a digital-media player for finding and downloading new music, playing and managing audio and video clips, and taking your digital entertainment with you. RealPlayer offers a streamlined interface that allows you to keep your media library close at hand. Keep all your digital-media clips organized in one place; save CD tracks with one click; pause and rewind live streams; transfer music to CDs and portable devices; and enjoy clear, smooth video playback and multichannel, surround-sound support.

PowerDVD allows you to playback DVDs on your computer. CyberLink’s second-generation dynamic video technology (CLEV-2) delivers DVD movies with greater luminance and more natural colors. Intelligent frame-by-frame analysis produces ultra-smooth DVD playback by eliminating ghosting, feathering, and other elements.