PC Starter Kit (Free collection of Software Tools)

Free Software List:

Browser:

http://www.download.com/Mozilla-Firefox/3000-2356_4-10208565.html?tag=hed

Long known for providing a more secure surfing experience than Microsoft, this top-rated browser has an extremely potent pop-up blocker that has become one of its calling cards. The convenience of tabbed browsing seals the deal.

Anti-Virus:

http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10320142.html?tag=hed

True to its name, AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition keeps your computer safe from the Internet's hazards at no cost.

Firewall:

http://www.download.com/ZoneAlarm/3000-10435_4-10039884.html?tag=hed

A firewall is absolutely essential to prevent hackers and other cyberthreats from accessing your PC. ZoneAlarm walks you through the setup process, offers several levels of security, and doesn't overload you with jargon. Set it and forget it.

Anti-Spy/Ad ware:

http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?tag=hed

This program is extremely effective at finding and removing the Web's most notorious spyware components, as well as new, deadly threats. You won't find bells and whistles, but you will get rock-solid protection.

Microsoft Windows Defender beta:

http://www.download.com/Microsoft-Windows-Defender/3000-8022_4-10353597.html?tag=hed

Microsoft recently beefed up its free antispyware app with new tools and other improvements, but the verification process is annoying. Still, if your operating system is compatible, Windows Defender provides excellent protection.

HijackThis:

http://www.download.com/HijackThis/3000-8022_4-10227353.html?tag=hed

If your spyware-removal arsenal has failed to defeat a particularly insidious intruder, this program could be your last hope. While you may need to consult a Web-based forum to make sense of the program's scans, this program will spot almost all potential threats.

System-optimization Tool:

http://www.download.com/CCleaner/3000-2144_4-10315544.html?tag=hed

This free program makes it easy to wipe away your tracks from Internet browsers, various Windows system areas, and some third-party applications. Its Registry-cleaning utility scans for invalid entries and backs up your Registry before removing them.

PDF Reader:

http://www.download.com/Adobe-Reader/3000-2378_4-10000062.html?tag=hed

Though many users will never have to create a PDF file, almost every Web surfer will eventually want to read one. To decipher documents in Adobe's portable document format, you'll need this free program, which has the distinction of being enshrined in

Un-Rar Files:

http://www.download.com/WinRAR/3000-2250_4-10007677.html?tag=hed

We have seen the future of archiving, and it has candy-colored icons. Once you see the size savings of a RAR archive over the established ZIP format, you might be prepared to make the switch.

Encryption Utility:

http://www.download.com/BCArchive/3000-2092_4-10322720.html?tag=hed

If you have secrets you'd like to keep, encryption utilities work. BCArchive provides all the essentials in an easy-to-use package. The program can even create self-decrypting archives so you can share sensitive data with people who don't have BCArchive.

CD/DVD Burner:

http://www.download.com/CDBurnerXP-Pro/3000-2646_4-10409086.html?tag=hed

Don't let this free product's name fool you--CDBurnerXP Pro does more than you think on more platforms. Not only does it burn CDs, it also lets you write to DVDs, create ISO files, rip audio CDs, and print simple covers. It runs on Windows 98, Me, and 2000, in addition to XP.

Chat Client:

http://www.download.com/Trillian/3000-2150_4-10047473.html?tag=hed

Running multiple chat clients simultaneously can kill system performance. Trillian is a fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC. Stop fooling with multiple windows, user names, and passwords, and enjoy one-stop chatting.

sweet nice package there but you might want to make it more clear to other people (title wise).

This is a very nice collection of free software. I'll sticky this =]