5 essential and useful software for Windows
Do you have a new Windows-based computer? Or have you recently formatted everything and reinstalled the Windows operating system? In any case, you need to install some important software that you will need again and again. Windows 7 or 8 comes with a list of useful software, but these are not enough. You need a lot more apps to get the most out of your PC.
Let’s talk about some important software applications (free or paid) that most people would need to have on their computers. Without these apps, your PC would be boring and not that useful. Every time you format Windows, you may want to reinstall all these softwares again. Therefore, this list below may prove useful to you in the future.
1. Browsers to browse the Internet:
Windows comes with Internet Explorer already installed. However, most people are not fans of this browser. There are much better alternatives on the market that make browsing a truly beautiful experience. Popular browser alternatives are Chrome and Firefox.
The good news is that both Firefox and Chrome are free to download and use. They have very good user interfaces. There are many free or paid plugins that add additional capabilities to these browsers. You can really get addicted to many of these plugins when you start using them regularly.
2. Skype for instant messaging:
When it comes to instant messaging and chat (be it text or voice chat), Skype is the #1 choice for many people. It is one of the most popular messaging applications all over the world. Voice quality is excellent even when you are in a long-distance voice chat.
3. Anti-virus software:
It is very important to protect your PC from malware, spyware, and viruses. If your PC gets infected with viruses, it can become very slow and almost unusable. There have been many times when I had to format my PC due to virus issues. In such cases, there is a risk of losing important data due to formatting. You can try to recover the lost files using data recovery software, but it is usually a long and unreliable process. It is always better to be safe than sorry. So, to protect your PC, you may want to take a look at Microsoft Security Essentials, which is a good program that offers strong protection against malware.
4. Compress and uncompress:
Many large files that you download from the Internet may be in a compressed format. Therefore, you must unzip them first. At the same time, you may want to upload a large file or even an entire folder to the web. In such a case, you also need compression software to do the job. There are 2 great options available to you. The first is Winrar, which is not free but comes with a 30-day trial version. So you can use it for 30 days to see how you like it. Another software is 7-search, which is completely free. You can use it as long as you want without any problem.
5. Ninite to install multiple programs:
There are many other important programs that you may need to install. Instead of installing them one by one, wouldn’t it be much more convenient to do them all at once? This is what ‘Ninite’ does. It is a cool app that allows you to choose from dozens of commonly used software applications and installs them all in one go. Some of the programs you can install are: Skype, GoogleTalk, Yahoo Messenger, 7-search, Firefox, Chrome, antivirus software, Filezilla, Picasa, Open Office, etc.
