I bang criticism from myself and in relation to the topikstarter and in relation to the enemy)

1. Firewood - no comments here, they are needed. True, for starters (if possible), we update Windows through a Windows update (as for Windows 7 and everything above), a good half of the firewood gets up, or even that's it. What do you need to put firewood from the off site and the latest it is on the video card (otherwise you don’t mess it up normally) and on the sound system (if it’s not built-in and you’re a freaking sounder)))) There are, of course, cases that none of the methods given the author is not suitable for some crap (such as a USB 3.0 controller on a monoblock mother, and there is no pancake disk in the box, and firewood on the current offsite on Win10 x64, and on a monoblock even get out of the ass 7-ka x86 should stand, but without firewood 2 usb ports do not work, DRPs does not help and you have to look for the controller chip and slip a different driver in general, but the main thing is everything works) But this is an exception.

2. Browser, then as someone likes (someone and ikplorer 5.0 surf and he's okay). I won’t say anything against Edg, but browser extensions like AdBlock and BrowSec are more fun with them.

3. Antivirus. A separate issue, of course. A regular user should not live without it. I completely agree that the built-in defender in Win8-10 is generally a clear thing, it catches everything with a bang, dr web, kaspersky, nod32 missed it, but the defender caught everything. Avira, Avast, Comodo and the like ( free version, paid did not test) trash is still the same, viruses were missed, and quite serious ones, after this I don’t install and don’t advise anyone to them. In general, in Windows 7 too (with latest updates) there is a built-in defender, but I can’t say anything about its work, so if you have Windows 7, XP, you need to install something like dr web, kaspersky, nod32.

4. Archiver. The built-in archiver... hmm... to be honest, I rarely see zip, but rar is more common, especially in a corporate environment. WinRar is paid, this is its main disadvantage, 7Zip is required to be installed, it simply reads a lot of archive formats, it is cool to use as a console archiver for Reserve copy, easy and most importantly free.

5. Codecs yes, definitely yes at home. Provided that you download movies somewhere and watch them on your computer. In the population, this type of viewing is becoming a thing of the past. No one has been downloading movies and series for a long time - they watch online, watch online on smart TV, watch online on a tablet, and so on and so forth. Codecs were relevant at the dawn of the development of peer-to-peer networks, when providers created their own local networks in cities / districts of the city and everyone hung in flylinkDC ++, pumped up pyrobytes of films for themselves (which, by the way, they never watched), the films were in archaic formats. Well, you can stick a kanesh on a home computer, so just in case, definitely not on an office computer. No codecs.

6. PDF, I used it somehow with the distant version 4.0, in general it suited me with the interface and functionality, but in the latest versions it has become very heavy, it breaks down all the time, starts its services and positions itself in security reports as an information collector on a par with google, apple, etc., so I'm starting to abandon it. A good alternative to FoxitReader is lightweight and convenient. Regarding djvu “and a lot of different formats”, I haven’t seen djvu for a long time (at the university there were only books on mathematical analysis and linear algebra in this format), if someone is directly interested in heaps of books scanned in poor quality, then you can djvu viewer without installing throw it off, but “the masses of other formats” seem to not even come to mind what it could be and to whom it could be useful.

7. Office Applications for anyone (well, when installing, we select Word and Excel, of course, the rest is not needed at home), to a corporate computer plus PowerPoint and Outlook, by the way, you can also use the mailer at home, a convenient thing. And there are so many documents on the net in doc and xls format, so without an office, people often take work home, finish a sign there, some document, well, someone even a presentation. If you do everything according to feng shui (feng shui in the field of copyright), then put an open office - it will fit home with a head.

8. Disk images. Here UltraIso (by the way, paid, if anything) is needed by admins, enikeys and others like them, and usually at work or for work purposes, it’s very good for her system images are collected (the necessary wim archive is thrown into the original msdn image), boot disks are recorded (and in vain the critic is shouting that disks like mammoth shit are already and we are all suckers here, a hot topic at enterprises, and in some places even necessary - where computers are categorized, who knows, he will understand), bootable flash drives etc. An ordinary user does not need UltraIso, especially since it needs to be additionally quacked. “Win10-8 works with images out of the box - you are all suckers” the question is more extensive than it might seem, on this moment 7% - Windows XP market share, 50% - Windows 7 market share (MacOS - 9%, *nix - 2%), draw your own conclusions about what kind of work out of the box with images))) Almost all games come in iso images, so DTLite is at home for me it won’t be superfluous, I don’t need nafig at work.

9.Skype is a rather individual thing, if you communicate with relatives from another city, then yes (well, or at work you arrange something like a conference between branches). And now everyone is on the telegram and wats "up, there are even video calls and mobile phones (:-D even in the mail agent it is) and cellular became quite cheap.

10.Torrent. Well, at home, yes, everyone seems to use this thing, of course not at work. some other rocking chairs are incomprehensible - nafig are not needed, there are quite enough built-in browsers. All the same, we don’t download IE 4.0 via the dial-up channel (just don’t disconnect, just don’t disconnect!!! aaaaa!!! if anyone remembers Masyanya))))

12. Flash player. Well, if you are fond of watching "vidyashek" all sorts of shitty in the internet, then you can bet, definitely not at work.

13. Player. Well, if you install K-lite codecs, then an MPC player (media player classic) is installed with them, a great thing, IMHO you don’t need an extra hat on your computer, and the player built into Windows is also normal.

14. Well, burning discs ... again, Nero (I have nothing against an excellent program in its class) - it is paid (copyrights, feng shui and all that). Just burn a disc or a disc with music - Windows (starting with 7) and the built-in player do everything perfectly with this. If you really want something special, then there is a free analogue of BurnAwareFree theme. There is also a freemake video converter - it burns discs, dvd can make menus and navigation.

15. Punto Switcher- well, it tastes good. I always put myself, though only at work, at home she didn’t fucking give up. If only someone prints a lot of something (well, that is, works at home). Generally a handy thing.

16. Remote access. Again, teamviewer and ammy admin are paid. If you want to work even harder helping everyone. This is if you have some outsourced office, then yes, these programs are needed (oh God, copyright infringement and feng shui). And at the enterprise there is RDP. In general, there are houses (if there is a white ip, of course), but I do not recommend allowing it at home.

18.03.2016

When installing or reinstalling Windows you will need to reinstall the most necessary programs in the work. If you are doing this for the first time, a banal question may arise regarding what programs are needed?

There is no single list for everyone. The set of preferred programs varies from person to person. In this article, we will talk only about the most necessary ones, including those that you will use from the first seconds of working with the new operating system. So ?

Start with drivers

anew installed system Windows 7 on a computer is able to immediately open many different formats and types of files. However, if you install the same system on a laptop, you may encounter difficulties. It may not contain suitable drivers for various devices. For example, for a video card. And here you can stumble over the problem of performing some of the operations familiar to you. Full communication with the computer in this case will become impossible.

There are two ways out of this situation. The first is to find a disk that usually comes with any computer or laptop. If the computer has been upgraded, then such a disk may not be suitable. For laptop there is next option- download the drivers from the official website of the manufacturer. The company, as you understand, is indicated on the case and, most likely, is written rather capital letters, and the model, most often, is written on the bottom of the laptop after the manufacturer's name with the note " Model».

If for some reason the above option did not suit you, use the program, which you can download at official website. This program will automatically select the necessary set of drivers for your computer.

There is another, most difficult and time-consuming option - searching for each of the drivers on the Internet in manual mode. For such work, we recommend that you be patient and have a good antivirus.

CompDude warns : If you are looking for drivers on your own, choosing each separately, be sure to download them only from the official website of the manufacturer of a particular component or device.

Install an antivirus

Having sketched out a list of necessary programs, do not rush to download and install them. Everything has its time! First of all, you should make sure that your computer is protected by installing an antivirus. Before installation antivirus program do not use the Internet, visit any sites in which you are not sure. Having picked up a virus on the network, you may need to return to the very beginning, namely, to the beginning Windows installation 7. Use only trusted sites, ask your friends for advice. Make sure the downloaded version of the antivirus is up to date. Outdated software will not be able to protect your computer from modern viruses. If possible, update the antivirus database.

For more information about which antiviruses exist, which one is better to choose for your computer and laptop, as well as where to download the appropriate antivirus software, you can find in .

Specialists Microsoft release updates at regular intervals Windows, which also includes all sorts of improvements, bug fixes, etc. Installing these updates will increase the security of your computer against threats that constantly strive to ruin your life. However, this is far from the only reason why you just need to take care of updating the system. Many programs need latest versions and improvements. They may slow down, not work or not be installed at all. Versions with built-in updates and basic software are not uncommon on the Internet. By installing one of these assemblies, you may not need to update the system in the near future. However, a quality assembly that can meet all your expectations is extremely difficult to find.

Codecs for audio and video
Operating system Windows 7 includes standard set codecs for video playback and audio playback. However, these codecs do not support all formats. Most likely, you will encounter difficulties in playing some video files or music. To increase the number of formats, you will need to install an additional codec pack. One of the most complete collections - which you can download by this link. This collection includes a pretty good Media Player Classic . Thanks to him, all popular file formats will be available to your computer.

So anyway, what programs are needed windows computer 7 ?

You have made the minimum preparation of the system: installed codecs, drivers and antivirus. Now let's look at the programs needed to open and work with all the files that the average PC user may need.

1. 
   A browser is a program for searching all sorts of information on various websites. Thanks to it, you can download the necessary program, find your favorite movie or music, send a letter, chat on social networks and share multimedia files. When installing Windows 7 browser will automatically install Internet explorer. Its functionality is not suitable for every user. However, thanks to him, you can download from the Internet any convenient for you.

On our website you can find an article about what browsers exist for a computer and, having read , choose the one that suits you best.

1. Microsoft office.

This software package is designed to edit and create text documents, tables, presentations, etc. Most users cannot imagine a computer without programs excel and Word, which are the main subroutines Microsoft office presented on official website.

If you do not have enough money to buy this program, use its free counterpart openoffice.org, or other software with similar functionality.

1. Audio and video player.

Although this is not mandatory, it is still desirable software, since few people are satisfied with the functionality of a standard media player integrated into Windows.

Perfect for watching videos WinPlayer or VLC that support all current video formats. The possibilities of playing them are limited only by the capacity of your video card and the performance of the PC as a whole.

But for audio playback, the good old, well-known to everyone will be quite enough or alternatively, AIMP . If you like to listen to music in lossless formats, we recommend using a simple and convenient foobar 2000 , which can be downloaded from this link.

This program will help you view images that are stored on your computer. internal, similar program systems Windows 7 , of course, will be able to open all the pictures and photos, however, the abundance of its capabilities is extremely small. This forces users to look for additional programs such as ACDSee Photo Software or others similar. First - professional program, allowing not only to open and view, but also edit images. The second one is free, however, many photo lovers like it. You can download it at official website.

1. Foxit reader.

The program is designed to view files in pdf format. Almost all modern companies issue their catalogs, drawings, documents, brochures in this format. Programs from Windows, working with pdf does not exist today. Competitor of modern and nimble Foxit is a well-known program Adobe Acrobat reader which you can download from this link.

Download Foxit reader you can on official website.

1. Archiver.

A proven archiver that is designed to reduce the volume of files. This program will help you send files by e-mail by combining them. You do not need to send and drag individual files into the letter, just transfer the archive created in advance. Competitors of this program are free 7- Zip, winzip and others.

Download trial version you can on developer site.

Thanks to this program, you can write data to CD and DVD media. These carriers are losing their popularity every year. This is facilitated by the growth of information on the Internet, hard drives and Flash media. A standard Windows 7 program such as Windows Media can burn music discs, DVDs, and CD media. Windows DVD Maker can help you create a DVD video disc. This is the functionality of the standard Windows programs ends. For those who want to have a little more options, we recommend installing Nero Buring ROM or Ashampoo Burning Studio . These are the most convenient and fairly popular programs in this area. However ordinary user enough and free, which you can download from here.

A program that creates a virtual emulation of a CD / DVD drive. This program will be able to open images of game discs, programs you found on the Internet. Disk image - full copy laser disc with information written to it. Such a disk should not be inserted into a mechanical, but into virtual drive, which works similarly. - free, enough popular program. The analogue of this program is Alcohol 120% and derivatives.

Download DAEMON Tools Lite you can by this link(official site).

1. Skype.

Program for instant exchange of data and messages, as well as video messages. You will be able to make video calls to users from all over the world, as well as write them text messages, exchange multimedia files, and arrange conferences.

For more information about Skype, as well as where to download it, you can read here. . If for some reason this program you are not satisfied, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with.

1. Punto Switcher (optional).

A unique program to automatically switch languages ​​on your keyboard. The most popular keyboard layouts in our country are Russian and English. If necessary, the user can change the layout himself, using hot keys or the language button on the desktop. However, the rapid parallel communication in social networks, Skype and ICQ can make you make an involuntary mistake. Russian text will be typed in English layout. You will get something similar to “dfjnkjdfldf”. The program will automatically track the language of writing and, if necessary, change the layout on its own. You can download this utility .

The programs we have reviewed are useful, but not required. If codecs, drivers are installed, an antivirus is installed, the system is updated, everything will work. The specifics of the job and your preferences will help you understand what programs are needed for a windows 7 computer? The list presented by us may be very different from the list of programs you need.

Download Software Collection (WPI) website edition for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10

WPI x86-x64 1.2019 1DVD

Description and composition of the WPI (Windows Post-Installation Wizard) collectionWPI Pack 1.2019. (updated 01/17/2019)

Release Date: January 2019

Size 5.7GB - To fit the image on DVD disc, remove unnecessary programs from the install folder!

Interface language: Russian.

System requirements: Platform - Windows XP/Vista/Win7/Win8/Win8.1/Win10. (see notes)

Bit depth - x86/x64 (32/64 bit).

Description: a package of programs with a "silent" installation, placed in the shell of the Windows Post-Install Wizard (WPI) program installer, the programs are divided into categories and the entire installation and registration process takes place completely in automatic mode. You only have to choose necessary programs and run the installation. All programs in the assembly have short description, there you can find links to instructions for working with the program. Most programs automatically determine the bit depth of the system and install according to it. All 32-bit programs are compatible with 64-bit OS.
The assembly is presented in ISO image e, which can be burned to one DVD or simply unpacked to a place convenient for you with the WinRAR archiver. You can mount to a virtual drive and copy from there to a separate folder.

Video on using the collection:

Disable firewall, antivirus (if installed) and disable UAC. For Win 8 and 10 additionally disable Windows Defender and smartscreen. This is necessary because some antiviruses falsely work on program cures.
- do not install programs over similar ones already in the system; because of this, programs may not work correctly.
- do not install programs in large blocks, no more than 10 - 15 at a time, on weak computers maximum 5-10.
- the computer must be restarted after installing each block of programs, so you will avoid glitches in the future.
- if not installed, install one of the first. NET Framework ,
- install the antivirus last,
- Install MS Office separately, because the installation takes quite a long time, and upon completion, wait for the computer to stop activity for the correct automatic activation,
- when installing programs on Win8 and Win8.1, be sure to run the .NET Framework OS component
*** The most ideal option is to install on a clean system ***

The composition of the collection of programs WPI

System Utilities.

Advanced Driver Updater 4.5, AIDA64 5.97.4600,AOMEI Partition Assistant 7, Ashampoo Uninstaller v7.00.10, Ashampoo WinOptimizer 16.00.11, AusLogics BoostSpeed ​​10.0.2.0, Auslogics DriverUpdater 1.10, CCleaner 5.52, Defraggler 2.22, DriverPack Network 01.2019, DriverPack 17 Online 01.2019, HashTab 6, IObit driver booster Free 6.1, K-Lite codec-pack 14.6.5 MEGA, Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7.2, Network Activity Indicator 1.6, Raxco PerfectDisk 14.0.880, Recuva 1.53, Revo Uninstaller Pro v3.2.1, SDI 01.2019,Speccy 1.32,Total Commander 9.12, Uninstall Tool v3.5.6, Unlocker 1.9.2 x86_x64, USB Safely Remove 6.0.8, VirtualBox 6.0.2, WinUtilities 15.22, Wise Care 365 4.9.1, Z-Info.

Archivers.

7-Zip 18.06, WinRAR 5.60.

Antiviruses.

360 Total Security 10.2.0, AdwCleaner 7.2.6, CureIT 01.2019, ESET internet security 11, Kaspersky Free Antivirus 19, MBAM 3.6.1.

Safety.

AnVir Task Manager 9.2.6, Sandboxie 5.26, Shadow Defender 1.4.0, Unchecky 1.2.

CD-DVD utilities.

Ashampoo Burning Studio 20.0.2.7,CD Burner XP 4.5.6, Daemon Tools Lite 10.6, Daemon Tools Pro 8.2, Nero 17 RUS,SPTD driver v1.87, UltraISO v9.7, Virtual CloneDrive 5.4.9.0 Final.

Internet applications.

Adobe Flash Player 30, Avira Phantom VPN, CyberGhost VPN 6.5.1, Google Chrome 69, ICQ 8.4 Build 7786 Final, Java SE JRE 1.8 x86-x64, MicrosoftSilverlight 5.1 x86-x64, Mozilla Firefox 64, Mozilla Thunderbird 38.2.0 En, Opera 57, QIP 2012 4.0.9380,Old Skype 7.4, Skype 8.37, TeamViewer 13.1,Telegram 1.5.4, The Bat Professional v7.0.0.56, TOR Browser 8.0.4, Viber 9.9, µTorrent Pro 3.5.3.

Audio and Video editors.

Adobe Audition CS6 5.0.2.7, Any Video Converter Ultimate 6.2.5, Ashampoo Music Studio v7.0.2.5, DVDFab 9.2.1.5,Free Studio 6.6.39, MediaInfo 0.7.80, MKVToolNix 29.0.0 x86-64, mp3Tag Pro 2.91.

Work with documents and texts.

ABBYY FineReader v14, Adobe Reader DC 2019 RU, Foxit Advanced PDF Editor v3.10, FoxitReader 7.2.5.930 Standard, ICE Book Reader v9.4.4 Rus, Microsoft Office 2016 Pro Plus, Notepad++ 7.5.4, PuntoSwitcher v4.4.0

Graphic editors.

ACDSee Pro 21, Adobe Photoshop CC 14.1.2, FastStone ImageViewer 6.7, Home PhotoStudio 11, Paint.net 4.1.5, Picasa 3.9.141, STDU Viewer 1.6.375, XnView 2.45.

Players.

AIMP 4.51, Daum PotPlayer 1.7,foobar2000 v1.3.9,GOM Player 2.2.67,media player Classic 1.7.13 (x86 and x64), QuickTime Pro 7.7.8, RadioTochka Plus 15 RU, RusTVplayer 3.3, The KMPlayer 4.2.2, VLC media player 3.0.3.

For games.

DirectX 9.0c, 10, 11 and 12, MS VC++ 2005 - 2017 x86-x64, Steam 2.10, Runtme Pack lite 17.3.14.

For Windows 10.

Destroy Win10 Spying 2019, FixWin10 2019.

Note: the assembly is open for editing, you can remove or add your programs as you wish (unzip WPI to disk, run WPI, a hidden menu will appear in it), we can also add the desired program to the assembly, after voting in the comments. Write what program you would like to add to the assembly in the comments, if your comment gets a certain number of likes, then we will add it to the assembly.

WPI assembly notes.

- Run the assembly only as an administrator, otherwise the installation of programs is not guaranteed!

Assembly tested on WinXP x32 OS (not all programs work because the OS is outdated.) Win7 x86/x64, Win8.1 x32/x64 Final and Win10x86/x64 .
- The assembly was checked for viruses by KIS, Avast, ESET IS 11 antiviruses. There are no viruses in the collection! If you are still afraid, then just do not download!). Some antiviruses falsely work on programs in the assembly due to healers. The assembly was carefully and for a long time checked for all types of threats and viruses by various antiviruses, antimalware, antirootkits, EVERYTHING IS CLEAN!
- .NET Framework and MS Office 2016. It takes a long time to install, just wait.
Features of installing programs on Win8.1 and 10:
- Disable Windows Defender and SmartScreen before installing programs.
- Be sure to run the .NET Framework OS component, as many programs require it.
- Do not support OS Win8.1 and 10 program and some others (see description).

- New antiviruses do not work on old OS, be careful!

Not all programs are installed in silent mode, we recommend that you monitor the installation.

Antivirus , Kaspersky Free Antivirus 19 and TS 360 will be installed only with the Internet turned on. In order for the installation of all programs to take place at 100%, it is necessary working connection to the internet.

Assembly history:

• More than 71% of programs are updated, programs that have not been updated are up-to-date or have not been updated by the publisher.
  
• Removed some programsWinZip Pro 21,Winamp v5.666.3516,MozBackup 1.5.1,Orbit Downloader 4.1.1.3,PROMT Pro 9.0.443 Giant,Media Coder 0.8.37.5790,DVDInfo Pro 6.5.2.3 En. ), they are either buggy or out of date.
• Added new programs ( Z info, ESET Internet Security 11,AdwCleaner 7.2.2,Avira Phantom VPN, CyberGhost VPN 6.5.1,Old Skype 7.4,Teamviewer 13.1Any Video Converter Ultimate 6.2.5).
  
• Added new instructions.

Assembly suggestions.

Write your suggestions in the comments, but keep in mind that the assembly is not rubber and it is not possible to fit huge programs on 1 disk. Every day people use DVDs less and less. In this regard, this time the image exceeded 4.7 gigabytes and the entire image on a regular DVD disc will not work. If you still need to put WPI on disk, then unzip the ISO image to your computer's disk and remove any programs you don't need from the INSTALL folder. As soon as the data volume is reduced to 4.7 gigs or less, you can write WPI to a regular disk.

Below you can download old versions of our WPI assembly:

Updated: 07/17/2018 Published: 2016 or earlier

This list contains a set of the most necessary programs for Windows that will simplify your work and make your system safer.

1. Browser. Required to view site pages on the Internet.
   • Google Chrome. Fast and convenient browser based on chromium from google.
   • Yandex browser . Fast and convenient based on chromium from Yandex.
   • Mozilla Firefox. With lots of extras.
   • Opera. Good browser for browsing websites.
2. Antivirus. Protects against unwanted software, spam, hacker attacks. You can not install several antiviruses, as this will lead to their conflict and greatly slow down the computer. I recommend:
   • 360 Total Security. An antivirus that can be used for free in commercial organizations (with ads).
   • A.V.G. Free antivirus. Good virus protection, convenient to use;
   • nod. Good protection and performance. Only paid versions;
   • Kaspersky Anti-Virus. Great protection, but poor performance. Only paid versions.
3. Codecs. Needed to watch video and listen to audio files. I recommend
   • K-Lite Codec Pack free set codecs + fast player.
   • VLC media player - free set of codecs + functional player.
4. Archiver. Used to unpack and create archives. I recommend:
   • 7-Zip. Free archiver. Works with all archives + archive 7z;
   • winrar. Paid archiver. Works with all archives.
5. PDF Reader. Allows you to open pdf documents. I recommend:
   • Adobe Reader. Free PDF reader;
   • Fox Reader. Free PDF reader;
   • Adobe Acrobat. Paid program. In addition to viewing, it allows you to edit PDF files.
6. Adobe Flash Player. Needed to display flash elements on websites (video, audio, games, menus, video chats). Chromium-based browsers (Google Chrome, Yandex browser, Amigo, Vivaldi and others) are already built-in and require separate installation.
7. Office package. Designed to work with documents and work data. I recommend:
   • Microsoft office. Easy to use and world famous office. Includes programs for editing texts, spreadsheets, presentations, databases and more. Paid;
   • openoffice. Free office suite. Comfortable enough for home use. Includes programs for editing texts, spreadsheets, presentations, databases and more.
8. CD recorder. For working with CDs (burning, creating and burning images). I recommend:
   • Infra Recorder. Free software for burning discs. Convenient to use. Does not work with BlueRay discs;
   • Nero. Powerful program, which includes many tools for working with disks. Paid.
9. Means of communication. For unlimited communication, I recommend installing the following programs:
   • skype. Free calls skype to skype. Cheap international calls.
   • Viber. Convenient messenger and free calls.
   • Q.I.P. old program to send instant messages based on the ICQ protocol.
10. Viewing images. The program built into Windows is not always convenient and functionally limited. To view images, you can stop the selection on:
    • faststone. Free functional program.
    • IrfanView. Free and very fast program.
11. Useful Utilities. Help in configuring, diagnosing and maintaining the health of the computer. I recommend:
    • CCleaner. Cleans the computer from "garbage";
    • Defraggler. Performs disk defragmentation;

Long chose new computer, and finally here he is - standing on the table, on the screen Windows splash screen, and what to do next, what programs need to be installed? Somewhere I saw something, somewhere I heard, in general, porridge in my head! Let this article be a small guide to the TOP of the most necessary programs for a computer, according to the site.

No matter how Microsoft tries to ennoble its operating system, a clean OS can only be used in limited conditions - for example, at work, where the installation additional programs prohibited or not.

What to choose, paid or free programs

It just so happens that some free programs are not enough, it turns out somewhere 50 to 50. In no case do I call for the use of hacked versions, but such is our reality that “cracked” programs are used everywhere. In my experience, to solve almost any problem, there is at least one free program, which is enough with the head. But paid software usually more convenient and with more functions. But they are needed for bulk work or for professional activities.

Antivirus - necessary protection

I have already touched on the topic of antivirus more than once, this is an absolutely necessary program that I download on any computer immediately after installing Windows. Perhaps the antivirus is the program that is better to buy and live in peace. Paid versions save you from headaches in searches updated keys and signature databases. Our most common:

Which one to choose is a personal matter for everyone. 100% protection will not give any, so just choose which one you like best.

Of the free ones are good:

Alternative browser

For the convenience of using the Internet, you will need to install one of the replacements for the standard Internet Explorer/ Edge. Popular in our area:

They are all free and very desired programs. Today, the browser from Yandex is rapidly gaining popularity. This is undoubtedly one of best browsers but everyone has their own preferences.

In terms of speed and system resource consumption, I prefer Opera. And who likes flexibility in customization can choose Mozilla FireFox. If you stay on the standard Internet Explorer, then at least update it to the latest version.

Archiver

Default Microsoft Windows does not know how to work with such a common archive format as “.rar”. Probably in the west everyone only uses zip. I install a wrapper that supports all the necessary archive formats, including ".zip". WinRAR is built into the operating system, allowing you to work with archives from context menu in the conductor.

As an alternative, I can recommend the 7-Zip program. It also has everything desired functions, but it does not know how to pack in the “.rar” format. But it can unpack the “.7z” format.

Office software package

Mandatory thing for working with texts and tables: Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Although I included this in the mandatory list, it is still not for everyone. But I have yet to meet a laptop without Microsoft Office or its free analogue openoffice. From lighter office suites I recommend WPS Office.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read PDF books. PDF is the most common format for documentation, books, and manuals. It will work without a special program, but the functionality will be limited to the simplest actions. Acrobat Reader is completely free software.

Messenger, internet phone

Programs for free communication around the world via the Internet:

• Skype - the most famous, but outdated, there is a detailed
• Viber - actively gaining popularity
• WhatsApp is one of the most popular in the world

All programs support voice, video and chat. An indispensable thing for communication, in addition to social networks. To do this, headphones and a webcam (for video communication), as well as installed program on both devices of the interlocutors. Messengers also allow you to call landlines and Cell phones but it's no longer free.

In order for you to be able to communicate with relatives and friends, you need to find out what programs they themselves use. But usually they install everything at once. I note that in order for Viber and WhatsApp to work on a PC, they must be installed on a smartphone too.

I showed the main programs for the laptop in a minimal variety. For the more advanced, I will recommend another pack of software.

After installing the drivers, first of all I install file manager. This program provides easy access to file system, to replace standard conductor Windows. It is much more convenient to copy, move, change files. I advise everyone! With the launch of Total Commander, my work with the computer begins.

Mail client

To check your email a person usually goes to a website like gmail.com and looks at their inbox. But it's much more convenient to use special programs – mail clients, especially if email boxes you have several.

The program connects to the server and downloads all mail to the computer. You can view it without browser delays, quickly switching between boxes. I recommend either Mozilla Thunderbird. Not bad standard Microsoft Outlook(built into Windows XP/7 and Microsoft Office) and the Mail app in Windows 10, but The Bat! I like it better because mail is very easy to transfer to another computer or to a new operating system without the risk of losing important information.

Convenient video and audio player

Recommend for replacement standard Windows Media Player install separate video and audio players. No matter how the developers try, they cannot combine both the video and audio player in one program so that everyone likes it. For these purposes, it is better to use separate programs. For playing videos, they have proven themselves well:

Torrent download

Today, you can download something worthwhile for free on the Internet either from file hosting services or using torrents. You will need uTorrent for this.

Password manager

In order not to remember all the logins and passwords that you will certainly begin to acquire, I recommend using one of the password managers. The program remembers all your passwords and stores them on the server. Subsequently, they can be used from anywhere, on any computer and browser. I recommend using or LastPass .

RoboForm is the first thing I install because it stores all my access to internet services and applications on my computer. I also have an addition to Mozilla browser Firefox on a smartphone, with the help of which I always have up-to-date logins and passwords on my phone.

CCleaner System Cleaner

I'm sure a useful thing for any system under Windows control 7/8/10 is the CCleaner program. Designed for periodic, about once a month, cleaning operating system and programs from the accumulated garbage. Basically, these are various temporary folders, files, caches, which not only clog free place on the disk, but often degrade the performance of the computer. Especially useful for improving the performance of browsers that start to slow down over time.

Optional settings

Useful only if you have special system requirements.

A set of codecs for video and audio

By Windows default can play only the most basic formats of video and audio files. To support other formats, you will need one of the codec packs, such as the K-Lite Codec Pack or Win7Codecs . This installation is optional because any modern multimedia player already has all common codecs built in, or it immediately offers to download them.

Disc burning software

DVD drives are less commonly used than they used to be, but are still found in almost every computer. I use the program to burn discs. From the free one, I can recommend JetBee FREE or ImgBurn.

Outdated, somewhere else popular ICQ

A popular client for communication using the ICQ protocol (“ICQ” in the folk language). It used to be on every computer, the former de facto standard for instant messaging over the Internet, such as free SMS, only in a larger volume. You can often see it in contacts on various service sites and online stores.

I use at the same time social networks, Telegram and ICQ. Thus, you can keep a constant connection with people. Instead of the cumbersome ICQ program, I recommend installing a convenient QIP client. The program is in Russian, has a simple and intuitive interface.

Bonus - Punto Switcher

This is the minimum of programs that are needed for a computer and I myself use them. Literally opened my start menu and chose the most basic. I do not recommend using different Windows builds, such as "Zver", although they already have part required software. But it is because of them that inexplicable problems with the computer then pop up.