Quite simply, a page of interesting or useful links/downloads. Clicking the name of each program will take you to the creator's website. Alternatively, I have (mostly) up-to-date installers for these, and many other programs here. Some of these tools are quite powerful, so please either ask me or do some research before using them!
Ninite
Ninite is an interesting utility that allows you to install all your favourite programs with a few simple clicks. Just go to the website, check the boxes beside the program you use, then click "Get Installer". Run this installer, and it will download and install all the programs you selected without any user input required. If you're not sure what you want, click here for one that has the basic programs most people need (Opera, CCleaner, VLC and OpenOffice.org and more), or click here to download a more complete application pack (this one includes dev tools such as JDK, Eclipse and Notepad++).
CCleaner
CCleaner (formerly Crap Cleaner) does exactly as the name alludes - it cleans out all the crap that accumulates on your computer over months or years of use. It is completely safe to use, and will not affect any of your personal files. Running this on many computers will reclaim several gigabytes of hard drive space. Be warned that during setup, it will have a checkbox to install the Yahoo! toolbar. Uncheck it if you don't want it (you don't).
Microsoft Security Essentials
Surprisingly, this lightweight and very unintrusive program does a great job of protecting you from various security threats. Completely free, and no nag screens. In addition, MSE has almost zero impact on system performance, unlike the majority of antivirus/antimalware applications. It has replaced Avira on my desktop, and I have had no problems with it since. My new favourite free AV solution! (If the version available from the "Download" link above does not work, please visit the MSE site above for versions made for XP and Vista/7 64-bit.)
Avira Antivirus
Avira Antivirus has a whole collection of active antivirus options. The one I have linked to is their free version. It has an excellent detection rate, requires very little system resources, and automatically updates itself.
MalwareBytes' AntiMalware
Unlike Avira, the free version of MBAM is an on-demand scanner, meaning you have to run it yourself periodically. It is extremely effective - MBAM has detected infected files on almost every computer I have ever run it on (it detected over 400 on one computer... *shudder*). Once you install it, update it, then run it every week or so. It does not update itself automatically, so remember to do that before running it.
a-squared Free
a-squared Free is a free on-demand scanner, similar to MBAM. Like MBAM, it also has an excellent detection rate, and very few false positives. It's always a good idea to have more than one on-demand scanner, and to run them every week or so. This ensures that if malware fails to be detected by one program, another may be able to identify it. Remember to keep a-squared updated after you install it!
Spybot - Search and Destroy
Spybot - Search and Destroy can practically be called the granddaddy of modern anti-malware programs. Initially developed around 2000, it specifically targets adware and spyware, two of the most obnoxious types of malware. After installing it, keep it updated, and make sure to "Immunize" your system (this is a way that Spybot protects from being infected by blocking known malware sites). I have noticed that it does occasionally freeze while scanning. This is irritating, but harmless. Just close it and re-run it, it will usually work no problems the second time.
Opera Web Browser
The Opera web browser is an alternative to Internet Explorer or Firefox. Although these two have plenty of features, Opera tends to be on the cutting edge - features that appear in Opera generally don't show up in other browsers until months or years later (tabs, RSS reader, mail, etc). It is secure, customizable, and thanks to a new server-side compression technology, is faster than ever.
VLC Media Player
Potentially the most useful media player I have ever found, VLC Media Player comes with a huge number of codecs. This allows it to play basically any media file you shoot it at (including commercial DVDs), from mp3 and mp4 files to obscure ones such as QCELP and Speex (don't ask). It is available on a wide range of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, BeOS and more.
Jalbum Photo Album Creator
Excellent program that I used to use to make the web photo albums on this site. Has tons of options, skins, all sorts of stuff. Also has the option to show EXIF data at the bottom of each picture, which is a nice touch and makes you feel super-special.
Webhostingpad
My current web host. Great uptime, and every time something has gone wrong, it's been fixed within an hour of contacting them. Cheap packages, too!
