There are many software products you can buy to help you use, tune, or protect your computer. If you are a user of a Windows PC then many of these tools are bundled right in with the Microsoft operating system. There are, however, also many software products available for FREE. While the old adage goes ... you get what you pay for ... there are in fact many very good and safe FREE products. The information contained here is to help point you in the right direction so that you know what is out there and what is good and safe to use.

A few of my favorite sites to look for software are:
    Download.com by c|net
    tucows by tucows

For computer protection, I use and recommend the following FREE tools:
    Spybot-S&D by Safer Networking (anti-spyware)
    Ad-Aware by Lavasoft (anti-spyware)
    AVG by Grisoft (anti-virus)
    avast! by ALWIL Software (anti-virus)
    ZoneAlarm by Zone Labs (firewall)

For simple photo viewing, converting, editing, and slideshows,
I use and recommend this FREE utility:
    IrfanView by IrvanView (photo handling)

For playing music for video files, I use and recommend these FREE applications:
    Winamp by Null Soft (music player)
    Windows Media Player by Microsoft (media player)
    RealPlayer by RealNetworks (media player)
    iTunes by Apple (music player)
    QuickTime by Apple (video player)

For shopping or pricing or product research, I use and recommend these FREE web sites:
    eBayby eBay (auction site)
    uBidby uBid (auction site)
    ZDnet by c|net (product info)
    mySimon by c|net (product info)
    NexTag by NexTag (product info)

For searching the world wide web, I find these FREE search engines the best:
    MSN by Microsoft (has good IE toolbar)
    Yahoo by Yahoo (has good IE toolbar)
    Google by Google (has good IE toolbar)
    Switchboard by InfoSpace -- find people and businesses

Other very useful utilities I use and recommend (that are also mostly free):
    !Quick Screen Capture by Etrusoft -- for screen captures (full screen, window, or region)
    nero by Nero -- for burning CD/DVD of data, video, or music (not free)
    EZ CD Creator by Roxio -- for burning CD/DVD of data, video, or music (not free)
    Photo Suite by Roxio -- for advanced image processing (not free)
    Google Earth by Google -- for satellite images and mapping
    Microsoft Streets & Trips -- for trip planning and maps (not free)
    WeatherBug by WeatherBug -- Keep track of your local weather
    Webshots by c|net -- changing photos on you desktop w/ calendar
    LimeWire by LimeWire -- for P2P file sharing
    WinZip by WinZip -- for all your file compression handling needs
    Acrobat by Adobe -- for all your PDF handling needs
    Trillian by Cerulean Studios -- for all your IM needs (works with ICQ, AIM, MSN, Yahoo, IRC, ...)

Feel free to contact me or ask me a question at
lee@pc-lee.com

To set up a consultation just give me a call at (702) 860-9414. 

Thank you and have a nice day.  

This page was last updated on 03/04/2006