Audio

Edit

• Audacity:
• Multi-track audio editor with many effects.

• MP3Gain:
• Lossless volume adjustment for MP3 files.

• mp3DirectCut:
• Lossless trimming of MP3 files.

Encode

• LAME MP3:
• Best MP3 encoder.

• Monkey's Audio:
• Great lossless audio format.

• Ogg Vorbis:
• Great lossy audio format.

Play

• 1by1:
• Small, simple MP3 player. Has a nifty single-window design to both browse and play files.

• Apollo:
• Small, simple MP3 player. It's no longer being developed though. An Ogg plug-in is available.

• Winamp:
• Good all-around player. Pro version adds more CD ripping and burning features.

Rip

• Audiograbber:
• Easy to use ripper. Rips CD+G also.

• CDex:
• Good ripper for most users.

• Exact Audio Copy:
• Some advanced options. Some advanced issues.

Tag

• MP3 Tag Studio:
• Tags MP3 files. Good right-click commands in Explorer. Trial shows an ad while program is running.

Diagnostics

Hard Drive

• Drive Fitness Test:
• Tool from Hitachi to check the health of a hard drive.

RAM

• Memtest86+:
• Create a bootable floppy or CD that will test system RAM for errors.

Productivity

Hex

• Hexplorer:
• Good hex editor.

• HxD:
• Another good hex editor.

Office

• OpenOffice.org:
• Comes with word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and database applications. Uses non-proprietary file formats, but works with Microsoft formats too.

Text

• EditPad:
• Has a tabbed window and many other features. Pro version adds even more.

• Notepad++:
• Good for programmers. Provides syntax highlighting for many languages (or define your own) and allows folding (hiding) of nested code for readability.

Images

View

• IrfanView:
• Allows image viewing, manipulation, and format conversion.

Security

Malware Removal

• Ad-Aware:
• On-demand and active scanning.

• Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware:
• On-demand scanning. Active scanning is in the non-free version only.

• Microsoft Security Essentials:
• On-demand and active scanning.

• Spybot:
• On-demand scanning. Active scanning for registry changes. Mostly finds spyware.

• VIPRE:
• On-demand and active scanning. Trial functions for a limited number of days.

Startups

• Autoruns:
• Allows viewing, disabling, and deletion of all kinds of things configured to start with Windows. Like msconfig, but much better.

• HijackThis:
• Allows viewing and deletion of certain non-default startups, start pages, and browser plug-ins.

Utilities

CD/DVD Burning

• CDBurnerXP:
• Good CD and DVD burning program.

• Nero:
• Good CD and DVD burning program. Although it has become rather bloated with components most people don't use. Trial is time-limited.

Compression

• WinRAR:
• Great file compression program. Trial is time-limited, but keeps working after limit.

File Syncronization

• Allway Sync:
• Compares folders for differences and can also synchronize automatically. Free version for personal use only (limited to 20000 synced files per month). Anything less than a full sync can be awkward to perform though.

• Beyond Compare:
• Compares two (or sometimes 3) files or folders for differences and allows for easy synchronization. Loads of options available. Trial is time-limited.

Video

Player

• GOM Player:
• Easily plays most of the popular video formats. Has many options. Will auto-download most missing codecs.

• Media Player Classic Home Cinema:
• Easily plays most of the popular video formats. Has many options.

• VLC media player:
• Easily plays most of the popular video formats. Has many options.

Web

Browser

• Firefox:
• Great alternative to Internet Explorer.

Downloading

• µTorrent:
• Great BitTorrent client.

Instant Messaging

• AIM:
• Official AOL Instant Messenger client.

• BitWise IM:
• Uses it's own separate IM network. Good File sharing, voice, drawing features, and more. Also supports IM encryption. Pro version adds better encryption, VPN connectivity, and more.

• Pidgin:
• Allows usage of numerous IM networks within one program. Also has many plug-ins available that add more features.

• Trillian:
• Allows chatting and other basic usage of the AIM, MSN, ICQ, Yahoo, and IRC networks within one program. There are more features in the Pro version.

• Yahoo Messenger:
• Official Yahoo Messenger client.

• Windows Live Messenger:
• Official Windows Live Messenger client. Previously known as MSN Messenger.

FTP

• Filezilla:
• Good FTP client and server.

Remote Access

• Hamachi:
• Great VPN program. Connect two or more computers securely through the internet as if they were on the same LAN. Commercial use requires a paid subscription.

• LogMeIn:
• Great VNC program. View and control a remote computer as if you were sitting in front of it. Fast and secure.