Useful Program List by RalphvandenBerg.com

Working as the IT guy, I often need to format a computer and reinstall windows and all other software. Over time I've compiled a nice list of software I like to use, and instead of making a word document and keeping it on a handy drive I've decided to put it up online. This will help me when I'm at a friend's house helping them out, or anyone who happens to stumble upon this. Enjoy!

As a guideline I remark on the priority of each program where high priority is a must have for any computer, and low priority is something only few users would need. To make sure, I recommend downloading and installing the programs with high priority first. All programs are for Windows and free to download except where otherwise noted.

Sort list: Alphabetical (Rev.), by Priority (Rev.), by Date added (Rev.), Default

7zip
Great utility for zipping and unzipping all kinds of files. Recommended as first download to enable unpacking other downloads. Download 7zip	Priority: High	Dependency: none

AutoHotKey
AutoHotKey is a free open-source utility that you can use to do many things. For starters, you can map any key to be a shortcut key to anything you like. You can also use it to automate tasks and much more. Download AutoHotKey	Priority: Medium	Dependency: none

AVG Anti-virus Free Edition
AVG Anti-virus is an application that protects your computer from malicious software or hackers. For added security, it is recommended to upgrade to a paid version. Download AVG Anti-virus Free Edition	Priority: High	Dependency: none

Dropbox
Synchronize your files between your computers and backs up multiple versions online so you can be sure to always have access to your important files. Dropbox also serves as a great file sharing tool. Download Dropbox	Priority: High	Dependency: none

FileZilla
FileZilla is a free FTP solution that is very lightweight and updated frequently. FileZilla supports drag-and-drop and multiple hosts suitable for amateur or professional users. Download FileZilla	Priority: Low	Dependency: none

Firefox
Firefox is a fast and secure internet browser that is very customizable through its vast library of addons. Download Firefox	Priority: High	Dependency: none

Foxit Reader
Foxit Reader is a small and fast PDF viewer great for all your PDF viewing needs. Download Foxit Reader	Priority: Medium	Dependency: none

GIMP
Many say GIMP is the open source (free) alternative to photoshop and to a certain extent, that's true. If all you need are relatively basic tools then GIMP is the graphics/photo editing program for you. Download GIMP	Priority: Low	Dependency: none

Image Resizer 2.0
Select a whole folder of images and resize them all through a simple right-click menu option. Great for creating thumbnails of large amounts of images quickly and easily. Download Image Resizer 2.0	Priority: Medium	Dependency: none

ImgBurn
Very functional CD/DVD burning tool including options for creating disc images and burning blu-ray DVDs. Download ImgBurn	Priority: Medium	Dependency: none

K-Lite Mega Codec Pack
Install this Codec Pack and you will be able to play any kind of video or audio files using Windows Media Player or WMP Classic (depending on setup). Very handy if you want to avoid installing multiple players for many different video file types. Download K-Lite Mega Codec Pack	Priority: Medium	Dependency: none

MozBackup
A great tool for backing up and restoring everything in your Firefox profile, including stored passwords, history, favorites, and addons. You can also choose to password protect your backup file. Download MozBackup	Priority: Medium	Dependency: Firefox

Nitro PDF Reader
This free PDF reader allows you to create PDF files, comment and review, save PDF forms, extract text and images, type directly onto the page and more. Download Nitro PDF Reader	Priority: High	Dependency: none

Skype
Use this Voice-Over-IP (VoIP) to call other Skype users around the world for free. You also use Skype to chat, video conferencing, and simple file sharing. For a very small charge you can call any normal phones worldwide. Download Skype	Priority: Medium	Dependency: none

Spybot Search & Destroy
Spybot Search & Destroy is a great utility to have on your computer armament. This program has been voted best spyware removal tool by lifehacker readers, though arguably you're better off keeping them out in the first place with good anti-virus software and firewalls. Download Spybot Search & Destroy	Priority: Medium	Dependency: none

Teracopy
A utility that replaces Windows default cut / copy & paste functionality with more control and security. Download Teracopy	Priority: High	Dependency: none

Ubiquity for Firefox
Ubiquity is an experimental addon for Firefox that attempts to restructure the way you use the internet and a browser. The main interface works like a very intuitive command line and after getting familiar with a few keystrokes you'll be flying around the web, pulling maps from the left and translations from the right. Download Ubiquity for Firefox	Priority: Medium	Dependency: Firefox

uTorrent
uTorrent is a very lightweight bit torrent client. Supports a good deal of customization and features while keeping it very fast so it won't eat up any system resources. Download uTorrent	Priority: Medium	Dependency: none

Virtual CloneDrive
Virtual CloneDrive is a simple program for mounting disc images. It is lightweight and doesn't have a ton of features that you would otherwise never use anyway, in other words: no-frills and to-the-point. Download Virtual CloneDrive	Priority: Low	Dependency: none

XAMPP for Windows
XAMPP by Apache Friends is a tool for Windows that acts like a webserver. This is crucial for people who are coding in PHP and want to try out their creations before uploading to a live server. Also supports other server side codes and MySQL databases. Download XAMPP for Windows	Priority: Low	Dependency: none