Downloads
Free recommended software. Naturally, use any of these at your own risk.
My Advice:
ONLY DONWLOAD SOFTWARE FROM AN OFFICIAL WEBSITE
BEWARE OF FAKE ADVERTS PRETENDING TO SOLVE NON-EXISTENT PROBLEMS
NEVER PART WITH BANK DETAILS IF UNSURE
IF IN DOUBT ASK A GENUINE EXPERT - LIKE ME!
Windows Software
PCs benefit from a little TLC!
Microsoft Security (Windows XP/Vista/7) - AntiMalware
Panda Cloud Antivirus (Windows XP/Vista/7) - AntiVirus
AVG Free Edition (Windows XP/Vista/7) - AntiVirus
Malwarebytes (Windows XP/Vista/7) - AntiMalware
SuperAntiSpyware (Windows XP/Vista/7) - AntiMalware
IO Bit Smart Defrag (Windows XP/Vista/7) - System Maintenance
IO Bit Advanced System Care (Windows XP/Vista/7) - System Maintenance
CCleaner (Windows XP/Vista/7) - System Maintenance
Zone Alarm (Windows XP/Vista/7) - Firewall
Mac Software
Macs tend to need less fettling - but they like to be loved!
ClamXav AntiVirus Free Edition (Mac OSX) - AntiVirus
Onyx X (Mac OSX) - System Maintenance
Common software:
Versions for both Mac and PC
Mozilla Firefox (Windows XP/Vista/7 & Mac OSX) - Web Browser
Mozilla Thunderbird (Windows XP/Vista/7 & Mac OSX) - Email Client
Adobe Reader (Windows XP/Vista/7 & Mac OSX) - PDF reader
LibreOffice (Windows XP/Vista/7/Mac OSX & Linux) - Free alternative to Microsoft Office
Google Picassa (Windows XP/Vista/7/Mac OSX & Linux) - Manage & edit your Photos
Other Software:
More stuff I find useful everyday
Evernote (Windows XP/Vista/7 & Mac OSX) - Send snippets of web text in the Cloud
Mendeley (Windows XP/Vista/7/Mac OSX & Linux) - Reference journals and e-books in the Cloud
Dropbox (Windows XP/Vista/7/Mac OSX & Linux) - Share documents in the Cloud
Google Calendar (Windows XP/Vista/7/Mac OSX & Linux) - Store, even share your appointments online
Bluefish (Windows XP/Vista/7/Mac OSX & Linux) - HTML Editor
GIMP (Windows XP/Vista/7/Mac OSX & Linux) - Free alternative to PhotoShop
GetPaid! (Apple iPhone/iPad) - Lets me to create my invoices 'on the road'
Ubuntu Linux (Installs on any PC) - Free Operating System. OK, it's a bit geeky, but as a credible alternative to Windows, which costs nothing, it is unbeatable. OSX is still my facvourite, but Linux is a close second. Once you get your head around the way you install extra software it's a piece of cake and secure and just works!
You've probably got the message now that it's not the comouter you have, but the software installed on it that helps you achieve things. There's an amazing wealth of stuff out there, and a lot of it is free. Those people who can be bothered to think a little outside of the box can be rewarded with fruitful creative capability that will not have cost them the earth.
Enjoy!