Below are a few basic programs we always recommend. They are all free and safe. We install almost all of these programs on computers that we set up because they are so useful and reliable.

Security

Microsoft Security Essentials – The best free antivirus available

MalwareBytes Anti-Malware – An excellent second line of defense against Malware

Super Antispyware – Another great scanner, catches many things the other two don’t

Internet Browsing

Google Chrome – The fastest browser yet, just passed Safari in market share

Mozilla Firefox – The most established third party browser, fast and reliable with lots of great add-ons

Media

K-Lite Codec Pack – Allows you to play almost any media format

VLC Media Player – The best basic media player for any format

7-Zip – Excellent free zip extractor

Documents

OpenOffice.org – An excellent free alternative to Microsoft Office, it’s open-source and free!

FoxIt Reader – A great alternative to Adobe Reader

Maintenance

CCleaner – The best computer maintenance application, cleans: programs, registry, startup, etc