Software for new laptop

mutley74

I am getting a new laptop in the next few days and wonder what software MSE'ers recommend i should install from the start.

I was thinking of uninstalling the trail antivirus and installing Microsoft Security Essentials.

Rapport (although it has slowed down surfing on my current laptop)

any recommendations please...

-TangleFoot-

What I've got:

• 7-Zip (optional)
• Adobe Reader*
• Google Chrome
• Java (for LibreOffice)
• LibreOffice
• Microsoft Security Essentials**
• Paint.NET (also optional)

If you don't plan on using Chrome, you'll probably want Flash too.

*Also see: Windows Reader
**Superseded by Defender in Windows 8.

Toxteth_OGrady

I use PDF-Xchange Viewer in preference to Adobe bloatware. Foxit Reader is another excellent alternative to Adobe Reader.

-TangleFoot-

Toxteth_OGrady wrote: »

Foxit Reader is another excellent alternative to Adobe Reader.

I stopped using that when they started adding stuff to the installer.

macman

Rather depends what trial AV it has. If it's McCrappy, then that should be the first to go. Replace it with Avast, Avira or MSE.

mutley74

macman wrote: »

Rather depends what trial AV it has. If it's McCrappy, then that should be the first to go. Replace it with Avast, Avira or MSE.

that is the plan (replace it) as laptop is for my parents use.

-TangleFoot-

mutley74 wrote: »

that is the plan

Don't forget:

Windows Defender and Windows SmartScreen are built into Windows 8 and Windows RT...

fenlander_uk

mutley74 wrote: »

any recommendations please...

You need to give us some idea what you want to do with your new laptop. No good recommending Libre Office if your interests are game playing and watching movies and you never author a document.

Have you checked out ninite.com? - quick and easy installs for loads of top freeware. From the ninite selection, my choices would be:

Browser: Chrome
Messaging (email): Thunderbird
Media: VLC, Foobar2000
Runtimes: Flash
Imaging: Irfanview, Faststone
Documents: Libre Office, Cute PDF, Foxit Reader
Security: Essentials, Malwarebytes, Spybot
Other: Google Earth, Everything
Utilities: ImgBurn, Auslogics, Teracopy, Truecrypt, Revo
Compression: 7-Zip
If you need to remote-maintain your parents' laptop add: Team Viewer

Plus (not in ninite):
Backup: Macrium, Syncback
Disk Partition Manager: Easeus
E-book Manager: Calibre
File Manager: FreeCommander
Video Converter: Handbrake
Internet Radio: RadioSure
For non-techy parents, try Boom audio player instead of Foobar. One tenth as complicated, but one hundredth as capable.

Everything free so far. I'd pay for Photoshop Elements, because free advanced photo editors are mostly pants.

Forget Rapport and Java - even Libre Office doesn't need it any more and recently it's been full of vulnerabilities.

Of course, everyone will have different ideas because everyone has different interests. I'm not into social networking and this is evident in my choices.

-TangleFoot-

fenlander_uk wrote: »

Libre Office doesn't need it any more

Really? That's good to hear.

closed

If you put too much bloat on, rapport etc, it won't run fast for long

ccleaner, macrium reflect free for backups, avast free, create windows discs.

mutley74

laptop will mainly be used for internet, word etc., not gaming.

i use Easeus todo for pc backup at present. Macrium is only free for 30 days.
IT supervisor at last company recommended Tune up utilities for a slow pc and for pc optimisation.