Ninite

Pick, download, and install together your freeware software essentials! Visit http://ninite.com/


"The easiest way to get apps:

1. Pick the apps you want.
2. Start your customized installer.
3. You're done!

Ninite runs on Windows XP/Vista/7 and works in the background 100% hands-free.  It installs apps with default settings and say "no" to browser toolbars and other junk.  All it does is install the latest versions of the apps you choose. Not even Ninite is installed. Want to see how it works? Read a step-by-step walkthrough at How-To Geek or Simple Help.  NOTE: When it was in private beta, Ninite was called Volery."

Me, I included the following software essentials in my Ninite downloader:

• Microsoft .NET 
• Google Chrome (I'm not installing Safari or Firefox anymore only because my laptop is slow!)
• Java and Flash for all web browsers including Flash for Internet Explorer 
• Skype 
• Yahoo! Messenger 
• WinRAR
• VLC 
• uTorrent 
• FileZilla 
• iTunes 
• Foxit Reader (alternative to the bloated Adobe Acrobat Reader, though I really wanted PDF-XChange Viewer instead)
• CutePDF (I really wanted PDF995 with PS2PDF995 and PDFedit995)
• Google Earth 
• AVG Antivirus

Not included in the above is Windows Media Player 11 or the latest Internet Explorer, so I guess you can just download them from Microsoft.  By the way, I use VLC to watch videos, Windows Media Player 11 to play audio, and iTunes to organize my music collection, download podcasts, and listen to internet radio.

PDF995

Pros: more customization options, plus together with this you can get the free PDFEDIT995 with even more PDF editing tools!
Cons: shows annoying pop-up ads everytime you print to PDF!  and it can be confusing to install as you need to install something else (PS2PDF995?) to make it work!  lastly, like most of these freeware PDF creation tools, there are some custom paper sizes that this cannot print to.  for book-publisher-wannabes like myself, that's a bummer!

CutePDF and TinyPDF

Pros: no pop-up ads, therefore absolutely free!
Cons: fewer options compared to PDF995!  i also had a problem uninstalling TinyPDF one time.  lastly, like most of these freeware PDF creation tools, there are some custom paper sizes that this cannot print to. for book-publisher-wannabes like myself, that's a bummer!

the ronjie.com software essential vote: PDF995 if you don't mind those silly pop-up ads! otherwise, if you have money, go get Adobe Acrobat (not the reader) instead.

Microsoft SyncToy 2.0

Starting from the earlier versions of Windows, I have been using its Briefcase functionality to synchronize files between my computer and a second location (usually a second computer or a back-up drive), effectively creating a mirror and back-up of files important to me.  Briefcase has some limitations though, and sometimes in my experience, I have forever lost some files because of Briefcase.
Microsoft's software engineers who have created a series of very useful small programs (that Microsoft officially does not support) called PowerToys have now created what they call SyncToy which basically does most of what Briefcase does, only better.  It does just that: synchronize two files.  Is it a toy?  Technically, it is but for most of us, it can be very handy particularly for backing up files.
It has some limitations compared to Briefcase but with the problems I have encountered with Briefcase, I just tossed those limitations to my Recycle Bin.  Download SyncToy (version 2.0) for FREE.

Mozilla Firefox

Based on previous to current performance, my number 1 recommended web browser is Mozilla Firefox. Browse the web faster. Get Firefox with Google Toolbar.

Google Chrome

When I reformatted my PC, I have since abandoned Mozilla Firefox and switched to Google Chrome. I like it a lot more. More screen space! That would be most people's number one reason. But behind the fact that you can see about two lines more of your favorite blog, there are a lot of technical innovations that Chrome presents. I do have a problem though when I have more than 10 tabs open - I am using a fairly slow computer though (Pentium Centrino/M 1.6GHz processor with just 512Mb RAM and 40Gb hard disk - not even enough for 'temporary memory' that Windows sometimes needs). But I guess it is not Chrome's problem, it is my problem when I have more than 10 tabs open. Hello ADHDness. Actually, I would think Firefox would present the same problem. But Internet Explorer sucks the most in this department.

Anyway, try Google Chrome out yourself!

Internet Explorer and Safari

Yeah, yeah, why is MSIE even still on my list. Well, there are still some websites that cannot function if the browser you are using is not Internet Explorer. Why? Well, what OS are you on? You're not on a Mac are you? If you were, what are you doing on this blog? Running Parallels? Good for you if you're on a Mac. But I guess you would need IE too. But not as much as me.

It is because a lot of people use Windows and other Microsoft products, so the things they make tend to be prettier on IE.

Microsoft's online services for one such as Microsoft Update (or is it Windows Update) function better on IE. Our company e-mail web access. My bank's website. My stock broker's website. Et cetera, et cetera.

Anyway, if you are getting Explorer, you should get at least version 7 or later. The Tabs thing is just something that IE was late in the ball game for. You see what kind of software development Microsoft does?

Oh, and IE runs ActiveX strips - when you hear anything 'Active,' it is usually 'virus'-prone. (For the techie hypocrites out there, I just used the term virus to encompass all security threats; I am talking to non-techies too. Supposedly.) I would only use IE on trusted websites.

Oh and it is neat to have two or more web browsers on one PC. I actually have four. Chrome. Firefox. Internet Explorer. Apple's Safari. Why? Because if you have multiple accounts on the same service, you can open them up all at the same time without having to logoff - just use different browsers. So for my real stuff, I use Chrome. For my work-related stuff I use IE. For other stuff (no, you don't know what I mean), I use Firefox and Safari.

Oh wait, there's more! If you download IE now, you should download Safari, too! So what can I say about Safari? Okay, do you see this series of dashed lines below:

-------------------------------------------

Above this series of dashed lines, just interchange Safari and Internet Explorer, and Microsoft and Apple. Well it's not an exact translation. But the thing is, what IE is to Windows, Safari is to the MacOS. There are just some websites you can view better on Safari than on other browsers.

Should you download IE and its latest versions? Should you download Safari and its latest version? Only if you need to open separate web browsers for other accounts. I would suggest Portable Firefox or similar web browsers instead.

welcome

welcome to ronjie.com software essentials.

here we feature the most important windows software you should have on your PC in the following categories:

• web browser
  
• compressed file (ZIP, RAR) handler
  
• PDF viewer
  
• PDF printer
  
• e-mail app
  
• torrent downloader
  
• chat/IM app
  
• office suite
  
• FTP (file transfer) browser
  
• media player
  
• ipod software
  
• website downloader
  
• windows tweaker
  
• antivirus
• firewall
• java runtime environment

for your gadgets: 

• itunes
  
• palm desktop
  
• nokia PC suite
  
• windows media player 11
  
• printer drivers

the above are 'important' or essential such that when you have a new or newly formatted computer, these are the very first things you need to install.  well, that's what i do.

we will also feature these useful tools:

• linux switcher
  
• mac osx skinner
  
• google calendar sync
  
• fliqlo screen saver
• google earth
• google updater
• multiply autoupload
• file renamer
  
• switchoff - windows shutdown timer