Got a new computer? Did you format your PC? If yes, then here are the techsnitch's top ten essential software for average computer users. It is recommended to have these type of software.
1. Web browser - Even though operating systems have default web browser, I find it incomplete and has a big security hole. Thank God we have other FREE web browsers better than the default installed web browser. Welcome Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Opera. Goodbye Internet Explorer!
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2. Antivirus Software - Security of your computer is one of the important things that you should consider. Having full antivirus software would protect your system from any malicious files and contents. I recommend Avast over Antivir due to its complete protection. Imagine having your thesis documents being corrupted by a virus; I know you don't want that to happen to you. If you have the budget, go for Kaspersky Antivirus.
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3. File Compression - Sometimes the file that you downloaded has a weird file extension like .tar or .rar. That only means that the file is compressed and you need to unpack or extract the file to be able to see what's inside the package. I use winrar although it's not completely free; you'll be able to compress/decompress files easily. The only problem is that you can't put passwords on the files you'll compress.
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4. Instant Messenger - You probably need to get in touch with your classmates and/or relatives that's why you need an instant messenger. It could come in handy whenever you need something from you friends.
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5. Office Suite - Word processing, Slide Presentation, and Spreadsheets are the most common application of office suite. You probably need it whether you are working at the office, or at school. Microsoft Office is widely used in offices, schools and cafes. Open-Office is the alternative system that is free compared to Microsoft.
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6. Flash Player - Some of the websites that you visit would require you to have flash player installed before you can
view the contents of the files. It is essential to have Flash Player 10 if you're playing games on facebook. :)
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7. Optical Disk Burner - You'll need a good software to burn your files easily and with compatibility to other system. You can use IMGBurn - a free tool for burning images and files to disk. A complete Disk Utility and burner like Nero is also a good choice for burning DVD Videos and MP3s.
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8. Download Manager - If you like to download multiple and larger files at the same time, it could be practical to use a download manager. Not only does it manage your downloaded files by separating them into different folders depending on the file format but it could also resume broken or interrupted downloads, saving you time.
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9. All-In-One Media Player - it could be disappointing when you got a copy of the video you want to view but you can't even open the file. All-In-One Media player are great life savers when you need to play the most popular types of video and audio. I recommend using VLC Media Player to play your media files.
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10. Driver(s) - Installing your printer drivers right away could prevent you from searching for it at unwanted times like when you are in a rush to finish late documents. You're done but you find out that the printer driver is still not installed. Great. It could be troublesome, so save yourself from letting that happen to you by installing not only your printer drivers but also other peripheral drivers.
Find and download your printer driver:
I have Dropbox installed on my laptop and my sister's laptop. Every time she wants some MP3s or files, I just drop the files in the 'My Dropbox' folder and she'll automatically receive the files. I don't need to attach the files in my email account anymore, or send the files through IM. What I only need to do isdrop it in my dropbox. Try it now, it's free and secure.
