These Circuits Run on Booze

After dropping many not-so-subtle hints to my parents and relatives for months, I’m happy to report I am the proud owner of a brand spankin’ new laptop. Though I will certainly miss my old Compaq’s dual-functionality as a heater once I move back to Montreal, it is kind of nice to have a computer than can run programs without nearing detonation.

But now I’m just being reminded how much of a pain it is to remember all the software I should install on my shiny new computer, so I’m making this list of essential software to help myself and those of you who were lucky and received a new PC this holiday.

All of these software are free, some have “pro” versions for a fee if you need them. And if you have any software you can’t live without that not on this list, be sure to drop me a note! (Note the list is PC only, I’ve never used a Mac before and I’m definitely not yet savvy enough to get into Linux)

• Utilities:
  • Defraggler: Fastest, most reliable disk defragment-er I’ve ever used, hands down. [Free]
  • CCleaner: It cleans all the crap (unused registry keys, temp files, browsing history etc.) you don’t need from your computer. [Free]
  • Revo Uninstaller: This will be a HUGE help in getting rid of all the bloatware your computer no doubt came with, especially now that many computer no longer come with Windows reinstall CDs. [Free and Pro]
  • Microsoft Security Essentials: Some swear by AVG for free antivirus software, but I find this one is much faster. [Free]
  • 7-Zip: The only free and non-nagware unzipping program that does it all that I know of. [Free]
• Internet and Communication:
  • Google Chrome: Yeah, I’ve entirely given up on both IE and FF. I recommend the beta since it now has extension and bookmark syncing support [Free]
  • TweetDeck/DestroyTwitter: TweetDeck has more features, but DestroyTwitter is much less resource heavy. Both are fantastic. [Free]
  • Skype: Skype is the absolute best for… skyping. [Free]
  • uTorrent: It’s small and it has the most features, other BitTorrent clients just can’t compare. [Free]
• Multimedia:
  • VLC: It plays every kind of video you’d ever want to play. [Free]
  • iTunes/Songbird: If you have an iPod/iPhone, you should stick to iTunes, if not, Songbird all the way. [Free]
• Productivity/Organization:
  • Evernote: It syncs your notes across every platform imaginable, and it’s free. Do a search for Evernote uses, you’d be surprised how much you’ll find. UPDATE: I wrote about how you can become a better gift shopper with Evernotehere.[Free]
  • Dropbox: Like Evernote, but for your files. It’s an absolutely fantastic service that I can no longer live without.[Free]

I know this list is far from comprehensive, I’ve yet to find a free, non-nagware disk burning app that I like, and I don’t do much multimedia editing so I know very little about those (though I hear good things about GIMP [Pictures] and Audacity [Audio]). If you have something to recommend for either of these categories or anything else, please leave me a comment!

Not a bad way to kick off a new blog, I say! Please follow me on Twitter if you liked this post!