First install

There are a few free programs that I install on any MS Windows PC that I touch. The list that follows will include download links and a brief description. More details will follow in my individual posts for each program.

7-Zip
The very first program I install on every system I touch. It's an excellent multi-format compressed-file handler with a built-in file manager that has both single-pane and dual-pane view modes. This makes it much easier to copy or move files or install new programs. There are more fully-functional file managers, but 7-Zip does things that the others cannot. My later article discussing 7-Zip is here.

Mozilla Firefox
The Windows-integrated Internet Explorer (IE) web browser is an insecure mess. Firefox beats it on speed, security, and extensibility via add-ons; it's also much more standards-compliant than IE. There are occasional sites that still need IE, but those numbers are shrinking.

IrfanView
Another must-have. It's a flexible graphics-file viewer that can handle a broad variety of filetypes, especially if you add the plug-ins available as a separate download from the same sources. It also includes simple-but-useful graphics-file editing tools.

WinAmp
I like music. Windows can multi-task. If I'm on broadband, I like to go to SHOUTcast or Icecast and "tune in" a music stream while I work. WinAmp is an excellent player for streaming music and video, though I prefer VLC for video. Grab a few skins to vary the way it looks. My later article discussing WinAmp is here.


That's it for this installment. There's more to come!

Ya gotta start somewhere!

I am starting this blog in support of my work with computer clubs, as well as a general desire to share the information I have gleaned over the last thirty years or so. The main thrust of this blog is the content covering free software under the Microsoft Windows operating systems, but I will include the occasional rant, hardware heads-up, and Linux reference. Much of the software I will be discussing is cross-platform, with versions available for both Windows and Linux -- and, often, other operating systems as well. I will point this out where it's appropriate.

I will start with the software that I consider essential, including my reasons for doing so. My next post will be a list of the first batch of programs, followed by a post on each program. I will do my best to provide links to download sources, detailed descriptions, and tutorials.

Later, I will discuss how to combine the use of certain software packages for specific tasks.

I have a number of web pages open to all, including my Yahoo! Groups Links pages and my Protopage links pages; I will make those available in the sidebar.

Watch this space!