What are the basic software needs for a PC, what do you recommend?

don't forget Firefox Mozilla browser and put some add-ons in it. iTunes player works great for podcast subscription. McAfee or Norton Antivirus are essential softwares too.

To install softwares for your computer do following High priced software installation 1. Get genuine Windows 2. Get AdAware proversion 3. Get Norton Internet security 4. Install Adobe Acrobat, Shockwave, Flash players 5. Install WinRar it opens zip are rar both type of files. 7. Install MS Office Genuine. For cheap and free versions Office suits Abi-Word, Open Office, Avir/Avast/AVG anti Virus, Firewall your Windows and keep off updates. FDM is best free download manager free with no adwares never install peer to peer softwares, Keep Adaware SE, and Use Fire Fox or Opera as Browser. do this after clean install of OS. Always run anti virus thrice a week. ** Please keep all the update off if you are using second hand copy of licensed softwares.

First of all you need an operating system. Then you need office utility software. then a good browser (please donot use Internet Explorer). A photo editing software.

i think these softwares are sufficient for the smooth running of a pc. just add classic media player in the list for playing music and movies. and i'd like to suggest that if u r constantly connected with internet use NOD32 as ur antivirus. i've tested many antiviruses and i think that it is the best.

It really depends on the user. Everyone should know how to defragment the hard drive. Although newer drives aren't as profoundly impacted as older drives, anyone who defrags for the very first time after a year of use would still notice a distinct change. Even better is an offline defrag, which can help to stabilize the system. I recommend PerfectDisk, as it's the only product whose offline defrag I've never experienced problems with (knock on wood). Almost everyone needs a productivity suite. I happen to have training in clerical office, and use certain features that only MS Office has. For average users, though, OpenOffice should be sufficient. I have WinRAR, but could just as easily recommend 7-Zip. It can't create a RAR archive, but it can open one. I haven't used a download manager since I moved to Lodi, as Comcast's download speeds are plenty for me. But a download manager is never a bad thing to have, especially in the event of connection breakage. The one I liked the best was MetaProducts Download Express. I'd recommend Foxit Reader over Adobe. It's lighter, it's less of a target for exploits, and it doesn't have to be updated every week! I can't stand Adobe Reader. UGH!!! Flash Player, yes, yes. For security, my recommendation is McAfee SecurityCenter special edition from AOL. It's the only all-in-one suite I've found for free, and extremely powerful. It has antivirus, antispyware, firewall, IDS, IP tracing, and script blocking. Script blocking takes care of those pesky iFrames that are running around now. Sign up for a free e-mail account with AOL, and McAfee SecurityCenter is all yours: http://safety.aol.com/isc/index.adp? If you don't clean up after yourself occasionally, cookies can slow you down a bit. Free Internet Eraser is a good thing to have. In addition, temporary Windows files can present their own problems. CCleaner is good to have, though one should take a look at its settings before using it. One thing I'd especially recommend turning off is the registry cleaner. CCleaner is not a specialized registry cleaner, and could cause serious problems. One last thing that comes to mind is burning ROM. If you have a burner, and you didn't get Nero or something else with it, you should have something. Nero is the only one I like, but there are plenty others, and even some freebies that may be appealing to certain users. You can find a handful of these at Gizmo's site: http://www.techsupportalert.com/more/extended.htm#86 Hope this helps!

The basic software I would recommend are: - Ms Office or Open office if you want a freeware software - Firefox or Opera for web browser - Avira anti-vir personal or nod32 for anti-virus software and Spyware terminator - Winrar - Download Accelarator Plus - Adobe Reader and Adobe Photoshop if your into image editing - Mozilla Thunderbird email software - Flash Flayer and Java - Media codecs for playing all formats video and music I think thats about it for me and it all depends also to the one whose gonna use the computer. ;-)

I will tell you the things require & recommend for smoth working of your PC. 1st your need to choose appropriate operating system, I would suggest Windows XP & Windows2000 is the best OS ever. Then 2nd important this is to keep in mind is Virus protection, I would say use Norton Antivirus or McAfee Antivirus. Install Internet security, its taking care of virus, spywares, adwares, hackers, malwares etc. Now about softwares, you can install Ms-Office, & some basic operating softwares which you are using. Dont go for AVG Antivirs , its already leak once my pc was hacked using AVG antivirus. dont use AVG Antivirus, go to Norton or McAfee Antivirus or internet security suits. Then install some browsers which is quck loading websites like Opera, Slim browsers etc. Flash player comes with IE but you have to install is seperately. I hope this will help you.