10 must-have programs for your PC

Computers are only useful because of the software that runs on them. Sometimes, however, software creates problems. Some of them contain viruses and malware constructed to avoid detection, take over your PC and steal your personal information. But there are also poorly designed applications that slow down your computer and even fail on a regular basis, potentially leading to lost work and limited productivity — not to mention borderline insanity.

That’s why choosing the right software is very important. Here are 10 useful and reliable recommendations. They are what you should first install on any new computer running Windows (only avast! and Paint.NET don’t have versions for the Mac OS). Best of all, they’re free!

Chrome (google.com/chrome)

This browser devotes more space to showing the actual web pages than many competitors, leaving you with more visual real estate for reading text, watching videos, or even playing online games. With a fast Internet connection, Chrome loads websites almost instantly, and you can install extensions that add to the browser’s capabilities. Last but not least, Chrome keeps browser tabs separate under the hood. So even if one of the web pages you’re looking at crashes, it won’t bring down the whole browser.

avast! Antivirus (avast.com)

The antivirus program has a proven track record as an effective protection tool. It has won multiple awards for its ability to detect 100% of all known viruses. avast! updates itself regularly, ensuring that new viruses, spyware, and other kinds of malware won’t slip through.

OpenOffice.org (openoffice.org)

If you can’t afford Microsoft Office (and the basic editions are cheap), OpenOffice.org is your best bet. This free office suite has its own word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation programs — all of which work with Microsoft Office documents.

Skype (skype.com)

Skype can host free international video calls. Families use it to keep in touch with relatives based in other countries, while multinationals conduct conference calls through the program. With a webcam, loved ones can see each other, while businessmen can close deals face-to-face.

Pidgin (pidgin.im)

Forget Yahoo Messenger. Pidgin allows users to chat with contacts through their YM, GTalk, MSN, AIM accounts — all at the same time.

VLC Media Player (videolan.org/vlc)

If you’ve got a file you can’t play on Windows Media Player or Quicktime, chances are it will play on VLC Media Player. The program supports nearly every conceivable video and music format out there.

iTunes (itunes.com)

iTunes remains one of the best music collection managers out there; finding that Britney Spears single in your library of 3,000+ pop diva songs is a snap. It’s just too bad people in the Philippines still can’t buy music or TV shows from the iTunes store, an online marketplace of music, TV shows, and iOS apps built into the program. The latest version runs much faster than its predecessors, the result of Apple finally taking note of user complaints.

Picasa (picasa.com)

Picasa lets you browse your photos, sort them into albums, and even categorize them for easy searching. It also features photo retouching tools that straighten crooked pictures, crop unnecessary portions out, and apply some minor color corrections. This photo manager creates photo CDs or DVDs for distribution to friends and family, or upload photos to an online album for easy sharing.

DestroyTwitter (destroytwitter.com)

Many programs let you post updates on your Twitter account, and keep track of what other Twitter users are saying. But DestroyTwitter does all this without putting too much strain on your PC. You’ll also love the built-in filters that you can set to block specific Twitter messages — or updates from specific people.

Paint.NET (getpaint.net)

Think of Paint.NET as a free and limited-functionality version of Photoshop. It supports layers, transparencies, specific color selection, and other tools the pros use. While it won’t beat Adobe’ flagship any time soon, the photo editor is still much more powerful than Windows Paint.