Here’s a list of the software that I commonly used. I’ll be updating it as time goes on, and as I find better alternatives.

Operating System - Microsoft Windows XP
I like Windows. It works, and it’s simple. For all the nay-sayers, you must have done something pretty stupid to royally screw it up. As long as you keep Automatic Updates enabled, you’ll be fine. If you feel the need, install an anti-virus program, but it’s really not necessary as long as you don’t do silly things.

Anti-Virus - NONE!!
What…? No anti-virus. This guy must be crazy, right? Nope… I’ve been without an anti-virus program since Aug 2006, and I’ve been perfectly fine. In my opinion, anti-virus programs should be a backup for those “Whoops!” moments - not your primary line of defense. It’s like where you choose to walk in town. If you often walk down that dark alleyway - sure, you’ll want a can of mace, but as long as you stay in “nice” areas, you don’t need any additional protection.

Web Browser - Opera
This is an endless debate among many. Some like IE, some like Firefox, and some like Opera. Whatever. I like Opera. Why? It does what I need, and I can customize it to my liking. The insta-back is also a nice feature (Firefox 2.0 is almost there… not quite). People say to me that I can get what I have in Opera with extensions in Firefox - honestly, I couldn’t be bothered to find this extension, figure out why it breaks that part of the browser, blah blah blah. In terms of security - that’s really up to the user. I’m sure that I could find a way to screw up a computer while browsing with Opera or Firefox - the browser only makes so much of a difference.

E-mail Client - Microsoft Outlook 2003
I’m still using Office 2003 for the time being, since I don’t really think that 2007 “fits” with XP. Outlook is a pretty essential part of my day, since it not only lets me check my e-mail, but I can also plan my work, schedule, and so on. It’s one of the few all-in-one tools that actually works well. Alternatives just don’t compare.

Audio Player - Winamp
I was first introduced to Winamp years ago, back when 2.25 was the latest version (yea… that long ago). For me, it does what I need, and with various plugins, can even sync with my iPod well. Lots of skins, simple, easy to use. What more could you ask for?

Video Player - Media Player Classic
I like MPC because it’s simple. I want something to play videos, and nothing more. I don’t like “all-in-one” media players, because they don’t really seem to do one or the other well (WMP11 is better than the rest though). It’s also customizable to no end, meaning you can make it your video player.

Codec Pack - K-Lite Codec Pack Standard
Based on FFDShow, the K-Lite Codec Pack Standard has been able to play every non-QT/RM video file I’ve ever come across. It also comes with MPC bundled, so it’s a nice package to give to a friend. The basic version only relies on XviD and DivX codecs, so you might find some videos that give you troubles. The Full version has a lot more than most need (for encoding videos and whatnot), so it’s not worth the download.

Burning Software - Nero Burning ROM
I really can’t be bothered with the rest of the Nero Suite, but the burning program itself is great. I’ve never had a coaster with it, and it just works. There’s something to be said for good software.

More to come…