What freeware do you install when building a PC for typical low-end user?

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Dew itt right

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I build alot of computers but typically only for family and friends. Sometimes they'll call me back after a couple of days asking why they can't open a PDF file or play a DVD and I'll realize I forgot you install a program on their computer when I set it up. So I'm looking to put together a list of freeware that would be installed on the typical budget-PC-user's machine. Here's what I've got so far...

Foxit PDF reader (thanks knothead34)
Adobe Flash Player
Adobe Shockwave Player
Avira antivirus (thanks Apophis)
OpenOffice.org
PDFCreator (thanks IeSLIe)
Quicktime alternative?
DivX
k-lite codec pack (thanks snaggletooth)
VLC Player (for the DVD decoders)
Windows Media Player extension add-on
IMGburn (thanks snaggletooth)
ExtractNow

So what freeware do you guys install on a new PC for a typical low-end PC user? I'm hoping I can add a few to the list here...
 
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Swap Adobe shna for Foxit setup. Scrap Quicktime completely. They can apple up their PC on their own time. No support for that iTunes/Quicktime shna coming from me.

Add Gimp, IMGBurn, k-Lite Codec Pack, Spybot Search and Destroy, 7-Zip, Google Earth...

Done for now.
 
-forget about pdf995, and go with PDFCreator

-VLC Player, ok. either k-Lite Codec Pack or CCCP
and Media Player Classic

-CCleaner and Revo Uninstaller

:)
 
Imgburn definitely...I've switched to avira lately over AVG....Media Player Classic and VLC...I agree with previous poster about the quicktime comment as well as the Real format(when is that gonna just die out finally?)...Some formats create more problems than they are worth...also, maybe the latest stable XVID codecs.....:cool:
 
Thanks for the input! Keep in mind folks this is for those middle age people who want a "dual quad computer with 2.8 GHz of RAM"! I forgot to include ExtractNow for all the compressed file types.

I like the idea of Spybot and CCleaner but these people will completely forget what they are and how to use them before I even leave their house. Same goes with Google Earth. I'm basically looking for all of the essentials to make the PC fully functional.

I like the IMGburn too. I only install the Quicktime for the website that require it to show certain videos. Would the K-lite pack remove this requirement? I believe it has quicktime alternative in it, no?

I removed FireFox too. I'm tired of repeatedly explaining to people what it is. They tell me they don't want it because they need Internet Explorer to check their Yahoo Mail... :rolleyes:

List updated...
 
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i recommend

foxit reader
cd burner xp
malwarebytes
superantispyware
infrarecorder.
ccleaner
not sure what you mean when they say they cant check yahoo mail with firefox but ok..
avg
avira
siw not so much this its just handy to see detailed info about your computer.

at least educate them on spyware that can turn bad if they dont use it and update it. ccleaner can help the computer stay or appear fast while surfing.
 
knothead34 said:
"not sure what you mean when they say they cant check yahoo mail with firefox but ok"
Click to expand...

That's my point exactly, I explain to them over and over that firefox is functionally the same thing as internet explorer. "It's an internet browser - you use it for all things internet." But they still don't get it. Then I teach them to use spyware scanners and they call me everything a cleaner finds "threats" that are nothing but internet cookies. I do alot of this for older people in my church and I'm just looking for a set of software that'll meet all of their daily usage needs without being complicated or requiring alot of written instructions...
 
Here's generally what I install:

Foxit Reader (for .pdf files)
Media Player Classic - Home Cinema
Matroska Splitter
AVG or Avast! Anti-Virus
Karen's Replicator (for auto-backups)
CDBurnerXP
 
snaggletooth said:
Swap Adobe shna for Foxit setup. Scrap Quicktime completely. They can apple up their PC on their own time. No support for that iTunes/Quicktime shna coming from me.

Add Gimp, IMGBurn, k-Lite Codec Pack, Spybot Search and Destroy, 7-Zip, Google Earth...

Done for now.
Click to expand...

OP, what ever you do, PLEASE stay away from K-Lite Codec pack. It's been a bloated POS for years.

And snaggletooth, what does Google Earth have to do with anything?

Dew itt right said:
I removed FireFox too. I'm tired of repeatedly explaining to people what it is. They tell me they don't want it because they need Internet Explorer to check their Yahoo Mail...
Click to expand...

Well if they must run IE, please please please make sure it's IE 8. IE sucks, sure, but at least IE 8 is somewhat functional, and it's lightyears better than IE 6 or 7.

AVG is pretty bad too. Avira is a better choice. As is Foxit Reader.
 
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IE8 does not suck so it would be nice if people would stop saying that stupid bullshit. ;)

Just because it ain't Firefox and it's not as "expandable" because of addons, etc does not mean it sucks.

So stop it! :D
 
Joe Average said:
IE8 does not suck so it would be nice if people would stop saying that stupid bullshit. ;)

Just because it ain't Firefox and it's not as "expandable" because of addons, etc does not mean it sucks.

So stop it! :D
Click to expand...

You wanna hang around my house to end the arugments and bullcrap that happens here? I pay generously :)
 
Jon55 said:
OP, what ever you do, PLEASE stay away from K-Lite Codec pack. It's been a bloated POS for years...
Click to expand...

Any alternatives? I'm currently installing the following just to get web video and DVD playback:

Quicktime alternative
DivX
k-lite codec pack
VLC Player (for the DVD decoders)
Windows Media Player extension add-on
 
If you're going to put QuickTime on a machine for a customer, go ahead and put the real thing on their, including iTunes. While we enthusiasts can't stand that shit, it's not in the customer's best interest to not put those two particular things on the machines.

For video playback, I put Media Player Classic and FFDShow on machines - with those two things alone, that's about 98% of all the video capability anybody will ever need on XP-based hardware; if it's Vista, then MPC-HC + FFDShow; when Windows 7 hits, it'll be MPC-HC and that's it.

I prefer to put the full version of Adobe Reader Lite on all my hardware nowadays - Foxit/Sumatra/etc all have rendering issues with some stuff I read and I just won't tolerate it anymore. The Lite version of Adobe Reader is lean, mean, and it loads very fast compared to the full blown bloated piece of shit you get directly from Adobe.

For AV software, Avira, period. When Microsoft Security Essentials is out, that'll be what gets installed, always. CCleaner, Firefox (not as the default browser, however - the customer can decide that for themselves if they wish), DVD playback software if they don't want MPC/MPC-HC (usually an OEM copy of WinDVD 5 I've been using for a very long time), etc.

Not much else goes on a clean install anymore, most certainly no instant messaging apps, etc. I've had clients bring me machines that take 10+ minutes to get to a usable Desktop because they'll have 5 or more different IM apps trying to get loaded along with the OS, including whatever crap they have that autostarts on top of even all that junk. It's insanity...
 
i think VLC player takes the cake from any media player. simple, easy, diverse and powerful all in a single program (put that in a marketing slogan ;)). oh, and screw wmp
 
For client's who consistently get themselves into trouble on the internet, I will change Firefox's icon to the IE icon and add an IE 8 skin. Figure it's for their own good. I work for my university's IT department so I wouldn't profit from return business anyway.
 
Security Apps:
  • Avira Anti-Vir
  • Malware Bytes
  • SuperAntiSpyware
  • Spybot S&D

Maintenance and Monitoring Apps:
  • CCleaner
  • SpeedFan (Helps to know if the PC is too hot)

Media:
  • MPC-HC
  • iTunes (If they have an Ipod)

Misc:
  • 7-Zip
  • OpenOffice (if they don't have a copy of Word)
 
Usquabach said:
i think VLC player takes the cake from any media player. simple, easy, diverse and powerful all in a single program (put that in a marketing slogan ;)). oh, and screw wmp
Click to expand...

I have to agree. I don't even need any kind of additional codec(s) anymore. It may be that I don't watch enough different video file types but VLC plays everything I ever throw at it flawlessly.
 
Dew itt right said:
Foxit PDF reader (thanks knothead34) - Adobe 9.1 lite is superior (uncheck Internet open in browser setting)
Adobe Flash Player
Adobe Macromedia Player
Avira antivirus (thanks Apophis) - Microsoft Security Essentials is superior
OpenOffice.org
PDFCreator (thanks IeSLIe)
Quicktime alternative? Quicktime Alt + MPC and Realtime alt
DivX
k-lite codec pack (thanks snaggletooth) Probably not needed with MPC
VLC Player (for the DVD decoders) Not needed with MPC
Windows Media Player extension add-on
IMGburn (thanks snaggletooth)
ExtractNow

So what freeware do you guys install on a new PC for a typical low-end PC user? I'm hoping I can add a few to the list here...
Click to expand...

Infrarecorder
Irfanview
Java 6.10 (uncheck quick launch)
 
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