Essential Computer/Technology Software

irlrobins

Here's a list of favourite free software for windows as submitted by boards users (see the unix forum for a similar thread). If you have software you think should be added to this list, PM one of the mods and we'll edit this thread. Be aware that there are alse other commercial software that might suit your needs better.

Thanks to Bedlam for the categorised version. Respect!

Anti Spyware
Ad-Aware - Anti-spyware
Hijackthis - lists all installed browser add-ons, other features
SpyBot Search and Destroy - Anti Spyware
XP Anti Spy - lets you disable some built-in update and authentication features in WindowsXP
MS Windows Defender

Anti Virus
Avast! Antivirus - Antivirus software
AVG antivirus - Free antivirus prog
AVG Email scanner plugin for use with Mozilla Thunderbird.
BitDefender - Antivirus software
ClamWin - AV software to use in conjunction with AVG
Stinger - Small app to scan for most common viruses

Archivers (Compression tools)
7-Zip - compression software (very high compression ratio)
FilZip - compression software
Power Archiver - Compression utility

Audio
EphPhod - manage your iPod
Foobar2000 - Audio media player
CDex - For Ripping CD's (also converts to compressed formats (e.g. MP3))
EAC - For those who demand the highest quality ripping their own music collection
iTunes - Apple's itunes music player / purchasing tool
Godfather - MP3, Ogg, etc. tagging
FLAC - Lossless (i.e. perfect cd quality) music compression
ID3-TagIT - manage your mp3 id3 tags
AudioGrabber - CD ripper / mp3 creator
WinAmp - Excellent music player
Realplayer alternative
Quicktime alternative

Backup
G4u - Hard Disk cloning
MaxLister - allows you to create virtual images of hard drives, floppy disks, CD-ROMs or other removable media

Browsers / RSS Readers
Firefox - web browser
FreeReader - RSS and XML reader
GoogleBar - Google toolbar for Mozilla / Firefox
Opera - Web Browser
Flash Flash plugin for browser
shockwave players - Shockwave Plugin for browser
winhttrack - View websites offline

Burners (CD/DVD)
CDBurner XP Pro - great replacement for Nero
isorecorder - Tool for burning iso files in XP

Chat
mIrc - IRC (chat) client
GAIM - Multi IM Chat Client
XChat - IRC Client for linux and windows
Trillian - multi IM chat client
Skype - VOIP application
Teamspeak - Talk program. Useful for talking to mates, or gaming.
Chatzilla - IRC Plugin for Firefox

Codecs
Xvid Codec - Free video compressor codec
Ogg Vorbis Codec - The new mp3 but free & apparently better (winamp plays ogg files)
K-Lite codec pack - every video and audio codec you could need (and media player classic)

Document Viewers / Creators
Acrobat Reader - For reading PDF files
Damn NFO Viewer - .nfo file viewer
Lavalys Everest - Gives you lots of system information (like sisoft sandra, but completely free)
OpenOffice.org - Microsoft office replacement
PDF Creator
Volo View Express - views autocad drawings


Email
Foxmail - Mail reader
Outlook Express - Email tool. Nice for managing multiple hotmail accounts.
Plaxo - program for keeping your Outlook (and Outlook express) address book up to date
Incredimail - Email prog add-on (emoticons, etc.)
Thunderbird - email client

File Recovery
iso buster - Rescue lost files from a bad or trashed CD or DVD

Firewalls
Kerio Personal Firewall
ZoneAlarm - Security suite
Comodo
Sygate Personal Firewall - V5.6, no longer supported

Graphics
IrFanView - more graphics software
Gimpshop - gimp with photoshop look and feel.
Fraps - handy for taking screenshots of games and monitoring their performance
The Gimp - graphics software

Music
Powertab Editor - Best prog out there for tab editing/playback
AP Guitar Tuner

Networking
Apache - Worlds most popular http web server.
Ethereal - Packet sniffer
Filezilla - FTP client and server software
DU Meter - Upload/Download speed for Internet
nmap - Network security tool
PuTTY - SSH client
Real VNC - An implementation of VNC. VNC allows you to control a computers desktop (or "x-windows" session) remotely.
Smart FTP - Free for non-commercial use
NeoTrace Express - visual traceroute
NetStumbler - WiFi diagnostic software
WinSCP - GUI based SCP client
TightVNC - VNC client
Windump - network sniffer
Sam Spade - network query tool
UltraVNC - VNC

irlrobins

Peer to Peer
Azureus - Cross Platform BitTorrent Client
BitTornado - Alternative BitTorrent client
BitTorrent - Original BitTorrent client
DC++ - Filesharing
Limewire - File sharing prog
SoulSeek - the best p2p for dance music

Privacy
CCleaner - Cleans computer of temp files and browser history.
TOR - Tor can help you anonymize web browsing and publishing, instant messaging, IRC.
Privoxy - a web proxy with advanced filtering capabilities for protecting privacy, modifying web page content, managing cookies, controlling access, and removing ads
Privacy Mantra -Cleans your computer from online and offline tracks;

Programming
Bloodshed Dev-C++ - Free programming editor
JCreator LE - Free Java editor
Eclipse - Free Java IDE, but also useful for other languages
Netbeans - Free Java IDE

Security
DBan - securely wipe hard drives
Eraser - securely wipe files or free space
GPGShell - Front endd to GPG
Password Safe - a password safe
TrueCrypt - encryption software

System
Diskeeper - Shareware defrag utility
CPUZ - provides some information on your CPU
cygwin - a Linux-like environment for Windows
Daemon Tools - For mounting ISO (and other) images
Autoruns - See what programs are configured to startup automatically when your system boots
Belarc advisor - a snapshot of your system details
O&O Defrag - Disk defrag tool
Desktop Sidebar - provides lots of useful system / application information.
Sysinternals apps - Various freeware apps available here
Motherboard Monitor - Shows you lots of information from your motherboard...temperatures, voltage rails, etc.
proexp - Process Explorer - Alternative to task manager
RBTray - allows you to minimise any program to the tray area.
Prime95 - Stress Tester to check stablility (also a distributed attempt at finding mersenne prime numbers)
Total Commander - Windows Explorer replacement
Treesize - For working out whats taking up space on your system
TweakUI - Allows you to change your windows UI in lots of ways. Link is for XP version. Google for others, or search microsoft.com
Various windows cusomisations
SiSoft Sandra - Information Tool for Checking your CPU,BIOS etc.
SpaceMonger - to see what's wasting space
Microsoft regclean - Cleans your registry. Couldn't find a microsoft.com link. This one is for download.com.
RegSeeker - Registry Cleaner
Winbar
Object Dock - Customizable Taskbar like in AppleOS
Speedfan - monitors voltages, fan speeds and temperatures in computers with hardware monitor chips

Time (NTP)
NetTime - NTP client
SmartClock - Clock tool

Video
DIKO - Free AVI to DVD converter
DVD Shrink - DVD Ripping program. Can also burn if you have nero installed.
Gordion Knot - DVD backup software
AnyDVD - Helps with DVD ripping (21 day trial period)
Auto GK (Gordion Knot) - foolproof dvd to avi software
VirtualDub - Free video editing tool
virtualdubmod - Virtual Dub alternative. Video editing software.
VLC - Video Player with lots of codec support
DScaler - best video picture quality from TV card

Miscellaneous
WorkRave - RSI recovery software (break reminder with exercise suggestions)
3dMark - Benchmarking tools
Mame32 - Arcade machine emulator
DeviantArt - Free wallpapers
Java JRE - For running applets, or anything else java based.
The Open CD - A cd full of open source software for windows.