----Keep watching this space for new software updates-----

 

And there you have it. You successfully formatted your pc (or someone else did it for you), and now it is as fresh and clean as you first bought it.

Now, what?

Let's see some essential software your pc needs to perfom, collected together, ready for you to download and install. With these two packs, you won't have to worry ever again whether your pc is missing something crucial. Did I mention they're all free?

BASIC PACK

The basic pack is an excellent choice for a begginer who faces a "naked" computer and doesn't really know what programs to install, yet. It contains everything you need to keep your pc safe, fast and able to perform on or off line.

ANTIVIRUS

First of all, to secure your pc from possible threats, you need to install a good antivirus. Here are a couple of suggestions. Independent testers from all over the world, but also satisfied users consider them as the best free antivirus out there.

•    Avast Free Antivirus
  
•     Avg
•    Avira Free Antivirus

You should also have a seperate anti-malware software like:

•     Spybot   or
  
•     Malwarebytes Anti-Malware  

Now, you're good to go!

INTERNET BROWSER

After securing your pc, it's time for the right browser. Here are two recommendations.  Google Chrome and                  Mozzila Firefox. They are both considered to be the best browsers for their speed and safery.

COMPRESSION

You will definitely need some compression utility. The most popular choises are

•    winrar and        7zip

They are both free, but if you don't like nagging for purchasing go for 7zip.

PC OPTIMIZATION

The tool I recommend for optimizing your pc is      ccleaner

It analyzes and deletes all unnecessary bits your pc collects and it keeps it fast and clean. Also, it's a great uninstaller for any program you no longer need.

RUNTIMES

Now, in order to view some web pages, to play games or sometimes to run a program, you'll need the "runtimes" applications (Java 8, .Net, Shockwave, Silverlight, Air ).  You may not need them all at first, but I suggest you install them now, so you don't have to worry later.

PDF READER

A pdf reader is a must, since almost every document you'll find on line is in this form. You can choose the classic                           Adobe Acrobat Reader, or go for the lighter but equally performing application, Foxit reader.

MEDIA

Of course, it wouldn't be a proper essentials list, if there wasn't any media player software. Either for listening to music,  or watching a movie    vlc media player is your go to program. It supports almost all formats and without any need of codecs.

OFFICE

The list wouldn't be complete without an office suit.   LibreOffice  is a free, very good alternative for Microsoft's office. You can create text documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. 

This concludes the basic pack. Download the programs on above after formating your pc, and within 10 or 15 minutes you'll have everything you need for a smooth experience.

Note! Remember to update your software regularilly and always have the latest version installed.

Now that you got your basics, if you want to leave it at that, that's totally fine. However, if you want to go for the extra mile, then continue reading.

STANDARD PACK

While the basic pack is for the avarage user, the standard pack has some carefully picked software for all of you who want something more than just browsing the internet and watching movies. Not, that there's anything wrong with that.

This pack, is more of an extention of the basic one, than an entire new one. So, if you have all the basic stuff, let's have a look at these little cuties.

RECUVA

It's happened to all of us. That moment when you realize that inside the recycle bin you just emptied, was the draft of your paper that you really needed. That's what recuva is for. It restores your deleted files, even after you have emptied your recycle bin. Click here to download.

Google Drive

Even though dropbox is more popular, I find its' 2Gb limit to be unsatisfying. That,  and if you also happen to be an android user (all your devices can be synchronized), Google Drive is the perfect option for cloud starage. Google Drive offers 15Gb of free storage limit. Sure, you have to share that with your gmail, but still it's more than enough. Besides, you can always earn more space by earning "google" points. Click here to download.

GIMP

If you always wanted to be a photoshop expert but found it to be way too expensive, GIMP is here for you. No more excuses. This free image editor doesn't have many things to be jealous of. So, find a good tutorial and get your editing game on. Click here to download.

SKYPE

Love it or hate it, Skype is everywhere. From mobile phones to smart TVs, you won't find a device that doesn't support it. With features like group calling, instant messages and real-time translation it's a must for everyone. Click here to download.

CDBurnerXP

Usually, free disk burning software lacks a lot of useful features or support only limited different formats, but that's not the case with CDBurnerXP. You can burn cds (audio and data), dvds and Blu-rays with great quality. You can also create and burn an iso image, which is a strong plus. Click here to download.

Note! In order to run, you need to have installed the latest version of .NET framework (see basic pack)

Audacity

Is your dream to become a popoular musician, or an amazing podcast host? Even if you only do it as a hobby, Audacity is your starting point. It provides you with a full set of tools that you can use to edit audio files and add effects through a clear and accessible interface. It's the best free audio editing software out there. In fact, it's better than some of the paid ones too! Click here to download.

Free Download Manager

Once you get this one you'll wonder how you managed until now without it. This one-click download manager is everything you've ever dreamt of. You can download audio, video, BitTorrent files and pretty much everything you can imagine up to 5 times faster than what you used to. Try it out and you'll never go back to life as it was before. Click here to download.

CyberGhost VPN

If you want to surf anonymously, either cause you want to by-pass a goverment block, or to access a forum you got banned, or even to secure your data when accessing a public wi-fi hotspot, then you need a VPN. CyberGhost is one o the best free software you can find. Of course, compared with the paid plan or other paid options, there are certain limitations. Overall, it's a secure reliable connection, without any monthly data limits and keeps the adds to the minimum. Click here to download.

TeamViewer

Did your mother broke her pc trying to get online and you are away and can't fix it, or do you want just to have remote control of your pc at work, while you're at home? TeamViewer is the software that makes it possible. It's easy, fast, and secure! Click here to download.

STEAM

If you don't know STEAM by now, I take it you don't play any video games. If you want to change that, then let me introduce you. Steam, is an online game platform where you can download, buy, or even exchange games with each other. With it's huge library with games suitable for any age, I'm sure you'll find the one that's right for you. Click here to download.Click here to download.

What do you think about these packs? Do you know any programs worth mentioning? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments bellow.

 Waterfox Browser

This is an open-source web browser built for 64-bit OS and it is based on the Mozilla Firefox  template. It comes with all the perks Mozilla has but it even goes a bit further to support legacy addons (that Firefox has stopped is is going to stop supporting). Also, it has removed the stansard data collection feature its' daddy uses and it's compatible with windows XP (x64)