Buying and setting up a computer can be very expensive, however a lot of the costs can be dramatically cut if you utilize free programs available online. Anything from operating systems to anti-virus software can be acquired for FREE on the internet! So without further ado lets run down the list here:

1) Ubuntu: Ubuntu (for your basic user) is probably the easiest entry point into the wonderful (and mostly free) world of Linux. If you are a long time Windows user and hate paying the cost for an upgrade every time a new operating system comes out you might give this a shot. You can download it or order a free disc that they will ship to you. The only downside is that it is much more difficult to run programs you purchase in a store on Ubuntu (or any Linux build for that matter), however it is still possible if you take the time to learn how to use programs such as Wine.

The learning curve on Ubuntu (coming from a Windows computer) is very short. The desktops and menus are very similar as far as the basic user is concerned. If the prospect of switching scares you, you can always opt to try the live version of Ubuntu. This will allow you to try the operating system without actually installing it or doing anything to your Windows operating system. It simply runs it off of the disc so you can demo the product before you plunge in. The rest of my items in this list will comprise mostly of Windows programs, only because almost every program for Linux is free to use. It would be impossible to go through them all. Also, lets be honest, just because I say it’s a good deal, it won’t convince the majority of you to switch. I personally run one Ubuntu computer and one Windows computer. I use my Ubuntu as my everyday computer for word processing, spreadsheets, internet etc.. etc.. The Windows computer I have hooked up to my TV and use mostly as an entertainment computer.

Avira AntiVir Personal – FREE Antivirus is a reliable free antivirus solution, that constantly and rapidly scans your computer for malicious programs such as viruses, Trojans, backdoor programs, hoaxes, worms, dialers etc. Monitors every action executed by the user or the operating system and reacts promptly when a malicious program is detected.

Avira AntiVir Personal is a comprehensive, easy to use antivirus program, designed to offer reliable free of charge virus protection to home-users, for personal use only, and is not for business or commercial use. Available for Windows or UNIX.

The only drawback to speak of is a pop up that comes up about once a day wanting you to upgrade to the premium version.

Limitations: Free of charge for private and not for commercial use.

3) Firefox: Internet Explorer may be ok for most people out there, but I find the customization available for Firefox is unmatched. Here is a list of some of the other features available on Firefox -

Private Browsing: Surf the Web without leaving a single trace.

Password Manager: Remember site passwords without ever seeing a pop-up.

Awesome Bar: Find the sites you love in seconds (and without having to remember clunky URLs).

Super Speed: View Web pages way faster, using less of your computer’s memory.

Anti-Phishing & Anti-Malware: Enjoy the most advanced protection against online bad guys.

Session Restore: Unexpected shutdown? Go back to exactly where you left off.

One-Click Bookmarking: Bookmark, search and organize Web sites quickly and easily.

Easy Customization: Thousands of add-ons give you the freedom to make your browser your own.

Tabs: Do more at once with tabs you can organize with the drag of a mouse.

Personas: Instantly change the look of your Firefox with thousands of easy-to-install themes.

4) iTunes: I think this one goes without saying. iTunes is by far the easiest way to organize/buy music online. The features keep increasing with each year.

iTunes is a free application for Mac and PC. It plays all your digital music and video. It syncs content to your iPod, iPhone, and Apple TV. And you can add to your collection anytime, 24/7. Learn more

5) JukeFly: JukeFly operates much like iTunes, the only difference is that you make playlists of your favorite music from the web. JukeFly goes and finds the music and video from YouTube then displays it for you. All you have to know is the Song name, artist or album and you can add pretty much anything into your playlist with this great program.

6) OpenOffice.org 3.2: Are you sick of paying a hundred dollars every time you want to upgrade to a new version of Word? Give OpenOffice 3.2 a try! It’s free, no ads and you can even save your projects in Word format. It has almost all of the same features you are used to in Word. If you can’t deal with the changes… You can always pay to get Word. On the other hand, at the price of FREE, what’s the harm in trying it?

7) Skype: Skype is software that enables the world’s conversations. Millions of individuals and businesses use Skype to make free video and voice calls, send instant messages and share files with other Skype users. Everyday, people also use Skype to make low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles.

Dungeons & Dragons Online: I had to include an MMO. As far as free game-play is concerned, I have to say this is one of the best I’ve tried. I have played WOW (World of Warcraft) in the past and EverQuest before that… I think I’m a fair judge of a good MMO. Again, for the price of FREE? You can’t beat this!

9) WinRAR: Windows compression utility. Use this to zip and unzip files. An essential program for any windows computer!

10) WordPress: Last and certainly not least, WordPress! This is one of my most used and favorite programs. It is, in my opinion, the top blogging program available! Obviously I’m biased since it happens to be what I’m writing this blog on, however, that’s why this is MY top ten list and not yours! =)

Thanks for letting me throw my top ten list your way and I hope that it was helpful in some way to you. I know my least favorite part of getting a new computer is getting all of the software downloaded off of the net so I can get it up and running. Hopefully this list will provide you with a quick reference for some of the best programs on the internet.