Essential Windows Freeware

If you are like me, you are probably planning to get or give a Windows PC as a gift this holiday season. Most PC companies pre-load their PCs with a lot of applications - some of which are good but not all.

To get the best use out of your Windows PC, you will need to download and install additional applications or programs.

In this article, I list a few applications that I have been using for the past several years and which I think are indispensable.

I will also include some information about each of the program and where to get it.

There are several other 'nice to have' applications that I will cover in another article.

The best thing about this list? All the applications are freeware and won't cost you a cent.

1. Firefox - a very powerful and capable alternative to Internet Explorer (IE) - the default web browser on Windows. Firefox is a much more secure browser than IE and is highly recommended as a replacement. There are hundreds of extensions for Firefox that add to its capabilities. Some extensions add features like ad blocking, RSS support and bookmark management while others improve upon the built-in functionality.

Get it at http://www.getfirefox.com

2. Zone Alarm/Kerio Personal Firewall - Software firewalls are applications that protect PCs from Internet threats. They inspect both incoming and outgoing connections ensuring that only legitimate traffic is allowed. Windows XP includes a firewall but these third-party products have more features.

Both Zone Alarm and Kerio Personal Firewall have received top reviews. You can't use both of them at the same time but you can try both - one at a time - and choose to keep the one that is easier for you to use.

Get it the Kerio Personal Firewall at http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Kerio.cfm and

Zone Alarm at http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list_za.jsp

3. SpyBotSD - Spybot SD (Search & Destroy) detects and removes spyware from your computer. In addition it also removes certain usage tracks such as lists of web sites visited.