Free, useful software

Click on the links. Some will try to install immediately, click the run button to begin installing the program. Other links will bring you to the creator’s webpage, follow instructions on each page to download or install the program.

General
CCleaner (recommended but not for a beginner user) Does a nice general cleaning of outdated and unused files

Google Pack (recommended) Just remove the parts you do not want It contains an antivirus and a spyware remover

Spyware removers (Find out more)
Ad-aware (recommended)
Removes spyware and ad-ware, remember to keep it updated

CWShredder (Advanced)
Removes the Cool WebSearch browser hijacker and its variants

Microsoft® Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) (Advanced)
Removes spyware and ad-ware, this require a genuine copy of Windows

HiJackThis (Advanced)
Allows individual cleaning

Spyware blockers (Find out more)
SpyWare Blaster
Prevents the installing of Spyware

Anti Phishing Software (Find out more)
Spoofstick (recommended)
A simple browser extension that helps users detect spoofed (fake) websites, download is at the bottom of the page.

Virus Protection (Find out more)
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition (recommended)
Antivirus protection tool, remember to keep it updated

Avast
Antivirus protection tool, remember to keep it updated

AntiVir
Antivirus protection tool, remember to keep it updated

Pop Up Blockers (Find out more)
Google Toolbar (recommended)
Stops pop-ups and gives you many Google extras

Pop Up Stopper
Stops pop-up ads

Firewalls (Find out more)
ZoneAlarm Firewall
PCs' defense against hacker attacks and intrusions

Unzip Software FreeZip
Small, fast and efficient Zip utility for compression and decompression of files and directories.

Web Browsers (Find out more)
Internet explorer

Mozilla Firefox (recommended)
Fast, full-featured Web browser that makes browsing more efficient than ever before

Netscape navigator

Opera
Surf the Internet in a safer, faster, and easier way

Photo Editors
Picassa 2 (recommended)
Find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC

The Gimp (GNU Image Manipulation Program)
For such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring

Image Resizer
This enables you to resize one or many image files with a right-click. Very useful for preparing photos to be emailed

Free Office Software (Find out more)
Openoffice
An alternative to Microsoft Office software

602PC Suite
An alternative to Microsoft Office software

PDF Software (Find out more)
Adobe Acrobat Reader (recommended)
Allows you to open a PDF document, many government papers are in this format

Pdfcamp
Allows you to create PDF documents in most application, very useful if you are sending something

Miscellaneous Software
iTunes
Allows you to listen and organize your music. Also it has a music store and free podcasts. Get a tutorial soon.

Google Earth
View various locales and points of interest for planning, navigation and recreation. Get a tutorial soon.

QuickTime
Gives your computer the ability to view QuickTime movies or files

Macromedia Flash Player (recommended)
Gives your computer the ability to view flash on the internet. This is becoming an essential.

Shockwave (recommended)
Gives your computer the ability to view shockwave on the internet. This is becoming an essential.