Nine Must-Have Programs For Windows Xp/Vista

All of these are freeware unless otherwise specified.

In Order of Importance:

1. Mozilla Firefox - Regarded by most to be the best web browser, fast with lots of available add-ons
2. 7-Zip - Free file compressor/decompressor, supports most formats out there
3. Sun Java - Better alternative to Microsoft Java (you will need this)
4. Adobe Acrobat Reader - Necessary to read PDF files (you will need this)
5. CCleaner - Small, fast app that helps you remove all the accumulated clutter on your system, also has a registry fixer
6. K-Lite Mega Codec Pack - Installs all the codecs you need to view any video file. NOTE: you need to remove all previous codec packs (if you have any) before using this or they will conflict
7. Trillian Instant Messenger - Combines AIM, MSN, Yahoo IM, and many other chat programs into one program
8. Winamp -  Simple music player compatible with most formats
9. Metapad - Replacement for notepad with no filesize limit. After you download it, unzip it using 7-Zip and rename it as "notepad.exe" and place it in your windows folder to replace notepad.