Essential software that need to be in a laptop

I'm trying to run a little survey here:

What software, in your opinion is absolutely essential in a new laptop? Typically, when I purchase a new laptop, I hate to see 'bloatware' on it. So I usually move the bloatware into a separate area in my Start menu.

Here is a list of essential programs that I deem to be needed in every Windows based laptop:

1) Microsoft Office suite (minimum Excel, Word, Powerpoint and Outlook)
2) Winzip
3) Mozilla Firefox
4) Adobe Acrobat Reader
5) PDFCreator (allows you to print to PDF without purchasing the full Acrobat)
6) Apple iTunes and Quicktime
7) Driver programs for your webcam, cellphone, printer
8) Ulead VideoStudio (for my video editing needs)
9) UltraEdit (for editing text files)
10) Freemind (for mind mapping)
11) MSN Messenger
12) Paint Shop Pro (for image editing)
13) Second Copy (for backup)
14) Picasa (for photo organization).

Anyone has other ideas?

 

Antivirus software. I use Avira.

 

Suggestions:
1) <del> Microsoft Office</del> OpenOffice
4) <del>Adobe Acrobat Reader</del> Foxit Reader

CCleaner

 

Haha, I see you're not a Microsoft fan, w500.

 

I second Foxit.. It's much easier on the system resources..

As for MS Office.. It's a necessity.. Too many people use it by default.. and OpenOffice doesn't have all the proprietory fonts, and doesn't support all formats that MS supports.. I keep both..

 

What's with foxit reader why would you choose it over the standard adobe?

 

1) Yes, definately. It's so much better than OpenOffice - which I had convinced myself was better 'cos it was Open Source for years. Office was preinstalled on my laptop and it beats OO hands down.
2) 7-zip
3) This shouldn't even be questioned, I carry a portable version for pc's that don't have it
4) God no, Foxit is so much faster
5) Printing PDF? Pretty sure Foxit AND Office can do it so why bother?
6) Sweet suffering jesus no. iTunes is the cause of so much lag on so many Windows boxes. MediaMonkey & Quicktime Alternative.
7) I hate driver programmes - just gimme a driver and leave it at that. Use my webcam as a webcam, my phone as removable storage etc - I don't need more bloat
8) I've no VideoEditing needs so I can't comment here
9) If I need to edit anything, Office or Notepad will suffice
10) Same as #8
11) Yep
12) Gimp
13) Backups on an external HD
14) I organise by folders - easier IMO

My turn:
Security: Avast!, SuperAntiSpyware & Threatfire
VLC Media Player

That's about it really, plus Firefox addons; dictionary, Adblock Plus, Stumble & Plugins - flash etc.

 

hmm here is my list

1. Firewall ( Comodo Firewall )
2. AV ( Symantec Endpoint Security or Avira )
3. FireFox and IE 8 (infact i have all browsers installed in my system . Why ? :rolleyes )
4. FFDshow + Vista Components x64 + Media player Classic HC
5. Winamp for Music
6. Izarc & Winrar
7. Notepad for Normal use and GVim for Programming
8. Paint.Net for Photo Editing ( Sufficient for me )
9. Offcourse Office 2007 why i am not comfortable with any other Office suite and few them needs a different learning curve
10. Vmware Server ( Can't live it )
11. Miranda IM ( Skype for A/V chat )
12. PDF X-Change Viewer for PDF's ( has more features than Foxit )
and many more ...

 

This is what i always install first:

1. Windows Firewall (inbound+outbound), Windows Defender
2. Avast Antivirus + Antispyware
3. HP Potectools (fingerprint, tpm, device access manager)
4. Firefox
5. OpenOffice
6. Paint.NET
7. Adobe Reader + Flash
8. PrimoPDF (pdf printer)
9. XP Codec Pack (video codecs)
10. Areca backup

Then i have some more i often use:

Nero (no explanation needed, untick the crap when installing)
Axcrypt (on the fly file encryption)
Truecrypt (drive encryption)
Eraser (file, folder, drive shredder)
Scilab/Scicos (matlab/simulink like freeware)
Gimp (haven't learned it quite yet but seems worth learning)
Sysinternals (good tools)
Microsoft Network Monitor
Wireshark (Network Sniffer, good for problem solving network problems)
WinRar
VirtualBox (virtual machines)
Java

 

Adobe Reader is a memory hog, Foxit is a much faster and less bloated PDF reader.

 

hard to say, using FoxIt when Adobe was having issue with 6x version, and never looked back. I am sure that Adobe is getting better now, but installing FoxIt Reader is so simple that I just stick with it.

And with latest version 3.0.1120, FoxIT is definitively my PDF reader of choice
http://www.filehippo.com/download_foxit/

cheers ...

 

FoxIt is less bloated and it loads extremely fast.

 

Fraps
Pidgin
CCleaner
Goldwave
K-Lite Codec
VideoLan

 

Utorrent
Peerguardian
7-zip
AVG Free (switching as soon as it expires, it's become too bloated)
Photoshop
Bootvis (to optimize boot times)
Diskeeper
Driver Cleaner
DVD Shrink
Firefox and Opera
Thunderbird
I8kfangui
Nero
TuneXP
Fox-it reader
Micro Office (and open office writing portion only)
Pidgin
XP Codec Pack

 

1) Microsoft Office
2) Mozilla Firefox/Thunderbird
3) Foxit
4) Photoshop/gimp
5) MSN Messenger
6) AIM
7) Acronis
8) Codecs to playback my videos
9) Torrent client (your choice)
10) FTP Client
11) mirc
12) VPN (hamachi)
13) Ventrilo
14) DAEMON Tools
15) Nero
16) Winrar

 

So many threads like this...;x

 

Protest!
1) MS Office - Outlook is very handy, I use it, but you may just as well use Windows Live Mail or Mozilla Thunderbird...
Really depends on what you want the software for - just e-mail or contacts and calendar too.
2) Winzip - again, debateable, unzipping is done by Windows' integrated utility, and you can zip too, unless you need to zip a lot of files, what for? I actually haven't used winzip in years.
3) Firefox - I use it, but its not essential - only useful.
4) Agree on that one.
5) Next one: PDF creator - Office 2007 can save files in pdf format, all you need is a little free download from Microsoft.
6) iTunes - unless you own an iPod/iphone you don't need it. There are other good programs to organize your music library, so you don't need itunes, it definitely isn't essential - Quicktime - sooner or later you need it...
7) Driver for your cellphone? The software for my old (now broken) Sony Ericsson z520i never worked on XP Home and always broke on XP professional - it depends on the phone you use.
8) I haven't got video editting software on my SZ - most people don't really need it... (well, excluding the Windows utility...)
9) ?? What's that? Software for text files? Can it do something special? Also, if its actually a plain text file, copy into word, spell check and copy back...
Notepad!
10) I hate mind maps - i.e. some people don't need it.
11) Depends - I've used ICQ rather than MSN for some time - depends on what platform you use.
12) Different people different needs.
13) What sort of Backup?
14) I thought you already have some photo software - organizing, try Windows explorer.

Basically what I want to say is that your list may be useful for you but is in no way generic. And your phrasing "needed in every Windows based laptop" is a bit to general.

You should have said "I deem useful".
With the wealth of software around no generic list can be found.

Oh, and some people mentioned an antivirus - I'd recommend Kaspersky Internet Security 2009.

Edit: Please don't take offense.

 

My list is here

 

Vista has Zip/UnZip built-in

The free Microsoft add-in for Office 2007, Save as PDF or XPS works, too