My laptops were stolen from my apartment this weekend, so I was forced to get a new one.I’m supposed to get it tomorrow. Until then, between one post and the other, I created a list of software and apps I want to install on it.

Free Software to Install on a New Computer

Firefox

It’s not just a browser, it’s a work station. I don’t use IE (because it’s a horrible browser) and Firefox definitely qualifies as my most used software. In fact, it’s open on my PC all day long. I use it to read mail, surf the net, develop websites and WordPress themes and manage my sites. Of course, Firefox by itself isn’t enough – you need some good add-ons. Some good Firefox add-ons include: Firebug, Measure-it, Colorzilla, Twitter Bar, TinyURL creator, Better Gmail, ScribeFire and more.

Comodo Internet Security

A free anti-virus and a firewall in one. Comodo can be a bit of a nag sometimes, and has some false positives, but it gives your computer an overhaul great security, and the fact that it’s a firewall, an anti-virus and malware protector combined makes it very useful.

Chrome

It’s a very fast browser, and if you are web developer, you’re gonna need one in order to check that your sites look OK.

Pidgin

I’m not much of a fan when it comes to IM, but Pidgin is a very lean and useful tool. It combines most known instant message apps, it’s free and it’s fun to use. Use it to connect easily to MSN, Google Talk, Yahoo, AIM and other chat networks all at once.

Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware

Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware is a high performance anti-malware application that thoroughly removes even the most advanced malware and spyware. It’s very efficient and once saved my butt from a very annoying malware.

Ccleaner

Ccleaner, which stands for Crap Cleaner, does exactly that – it cleans your computer and erases unnecessary files, internet cache and history, and can even fix some registry errors.

Notepad ++

A great advanced text editor, with tabbed interface, configurable syntax highlighting, syntax folding, line numbering, multi-view, bookmarks and much more.

FileZilla

Amazingly enough, FTP is still one of the most useful protocols on the net. FileZilla is a free, fast and easy to use FTP client.

Foxit Reader

A wonderful, light-weight alternative to Adobe Acrobat. Use it to read PDF documents and throw away the bulky has-been Acrobat.

7-Zip

Remember WinZip? Well, forget about it. Although window has a built-in archive support, 7-zip easily surpasses it – and it’s free!

Media Player Classic Home Cinema

This project is based on the original “Media Player Classic” and was created after Gabest, the original author, stopped working on it. Many new player features have been integrated in this player, which is a great alternative to Microsoft’s media player.

AxCrypt

AxCrypt is a freeware file encryption utility that locks down file and folders. It is a very lightweight program, that takes up little space on your hard drive, and is not that memory hungry, compared to other tools. AxCrypt encrypts files that are safely and easily sent to other users via e-mail or any other means. Self-decrypting files are also supported, removing the need to install AxCrypt to decrypt.