Web Browsing

Many people use either Internet Explorer, Safari, or Netscape as their web browser. Even more people are switching to the browser called Firefox. Firefox is the best browser I have ever used. Everything is better about it from the speed of going to a website to the quality of the interface. Also the icon just looks darn cool. Unlike Internet Explorer, Firefox doesn't suffer the terrible fate of drowning in toolbars. All of what you will ever need on Firefox will fit onto one or maybe two toolbars depending on how much stuff you really need. The next thing that makes Firefox better than most web browsers is that it can have plug-ins installed. These don't necessarily have to have toolbars so you still avoid the terrible clogging of space. Overall Firefox is a great quality browser that looks really pretty as well. As for the price of this browser, it is free! All you have to do is go to Mozilla Firefox and you can download it there.

Instant Messaging

This is an easy one. The program you must get is Windows Live Messenger (I think this use to be known as MSN Messenger). This program is perfect. The layout of everything is so much better than AIM or Yahoo. Windows Live Messenger is also good for sharing files. If you want to get something sent you a friend or family member Windows Live Messenger is the key to getting the job done. One of the best parts is that with this instant messaging program you can also add Yahoo members and chat with them. This way if you have a friend who uses Yahoo, neither of you have to switch programs. With Windows Live Messenger you can also talk through voice chat and web cam, but there is a better program for that. I will get to that program later.  Go to Windows Live Messenger. The program is free.

Voice Chat and Web Cam

As I promised, here is the best program for voice chatting and using a web cam. This program is called Skype. Skype has the best quality for voice chatting. It is also a pretty program. The interface is nicer that Windows Live Messenger. You can also do many of the things Windows Live Messenger does like send files and chat by typing. The downfall is you can't send massive amounts of files like Windows Live Messenger and you can't add Yahoo users. You can only add Skype members. One cool thing about Skype is that there are giant chat room like places online with voice chatting. You can actually look for a room of you interest such as music or gaming. Many of them also can help you with things like computer problems. Skype also allows you to call other people's telephone numbers. The downfall with this is that you have to pay in order to obtain this function. Also you can buy a number for you Skype account so that people can call you from their phones while you are on your computer. Skype also allows you to have an answering machine so people can leave you messages. While Skype is the best program for calling other people and other people calling you in a computer to phone way, I will talk about another program later that can do this but for free. 

Computer To Phone

While Skype is the best for this, there is another program that can call phones from the computer for free. This program is called Free Call. I am unsure of the limits that this program has, but I do know if you live in the United States you can call anyone in the United States for free. 

Painting Program

While Photoshop and Corel Draw are some of the best program for painting and fixing up photos, there is a free program that does the same sort of things pretty darn well. This program is called Paint.net. Paint.net is a program that is very similar to Photoshop. The layout is even similar. Paint.net has the clone tool like Photoshop. It even has a lot of Photoshop's filters. This program is a must have if you don't want to spend a lot of money for a drawing program. 

Word Processor

I am sorry to say that for this program you will have to pay, but it is worth it. This program is around the same price as Microsoft Word, but it is better. The program is called Word Perfect. The interface of Word Perfect is nice, and it has more features that Microsoft Word. Word Perfect makes it simple to save to other formats, which was one of the flaws of Microsoft Word. I remember having to type something and going to print it off somewhere else, but because my version of Microsoft Word was higher than the computer I was trying to print from, I couldn't even open the file. Now this isn't to say you can't save it as a different format in Microsoft Word, but Word Perfect makes it easier. Corel also contains some other nice programs as well.

Music

There is one program that stands above all others for listening to music. This program is called iTunes. iTunes is a very popular program and for good reasons. First of all it has a great interface and is easy to use. Next you can buy songs and even movies from the iTunes store which is already in the program. Finally you will never have a problem with using the program. Other programs can sometime lock up or have other weird errors, iTunes is nice, simple, and well organized. iTunes is also a free program. 

Final Words

I hope that these program will help your life on the computer be a better one. All of these programs are good quality and have great interfaces. These cover the most basic needs you will have with a computer such as browsing the internet, communicating, typing, and entertaining. I hope you enjoy and have fun!