What to install on a new PC

Posted by The Technocrat | Filed under Geeky

Firefox logoSo my friend just had me help him buy a laptop from Dell (he had an Employee Purchase discount), and I’m helping him set it up. It’s a Dell XPS M140 with Windows XP Media Center Edition. What would you consider an ‘essential application’ for him? Now, before someone chimes in with the ‘OSX’ or ‘Gentoo’ comments, think about what you would recommend to someone other than yourselves, possibly your mother or first-time computer user. You’re still on the mac/linux thing. OK, he wants to leverage his investment in Win32 software. (ok, stop with the ‘Wine‘ already)
I’m thinking the following:

A VirusScan utility. Preferably something like Symantec Antivirus or other application that comes on a CD. Costs money, but so does a hijacked box. I can’t recommend Norton, I’ve seen way too many machines destroyed for it to be a coincidence… haven’t been impressed with the free offerings, but the last time I tried was about 18 months ago, and haven’t had a reason to test since then…

A browser. Firefox. Possibly with Google toolbar (for the spellcheck, he’s a blogger also) and StumbleUpon (we all get bored) Got any other killer extensions?

An email client / RSS aggregator. Thunderbird 1.5, but I would set him up myself. I’ll be writing a post later on the annoyances of Thunderbird, and how once you get them sorted out, it rocks! (default settings are counter-intuitive, though – what’s with putting my sig underneath the inline reply text???) The RSS is a nice addition. It’s an easy-to-use tech that most people have never heard of.

Spyware protection. Spybot Search and Destroy with TeaTimer and IE. Update the def’s and scan, WinXP MCE had a few red flags out of the box…

Productivity suite. He had a free copy of Office XP through his graduate program, but otherwise I’d advise people to use OpenOffice. A few days ago I completely uninstalled Office XP (my org’s standard). Only annoyances so far are difficulty graphing in Calc. Definitely set it up to save as Microsoft file format by default though, otherwise no-one else will be able to open your stuff. (for now. When the next version of office natively supports the open office standard, wait 5 years fr everyone to upgrade, then switch the defaults back…) If they don’t already have Office, install OO and go spend the $373 they save on a new __________? Multifunction printer? iPod? 7 day thermostat and light bulbs? (ok, shameless, nerdy plug) $20 donations to each of the free softwares listed here?

PrimoPDF. This free utility will allow you to make anything printable into a pdf file, no adobe products needed. (except viewer).

What else? I’m sure I’m forgetting something. Post your suggestions with the URL’s. Save Google some bandwidth. (That last one is a joke, obviously)

In additon, you’ll want to make some tweaks to the OS, of course.

Comments (1) | February 21st, 2006

One Response to “What to install on a new PC”

  1. Pdf To Word Converters Says:
    July 29, 2010 at 11:19 pm

    The horror of getting up is unparalleled, and I am filled with amazement every morning when I find that I have done it.¨CLytton Strachey (1880¨C1932), Engl

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