10 Essential Windows Freeware Programs – Part I
Posted on March 15, 2010 at 5:30 am
Looking for some quality freeware programs for your PC? This compilation features everything from utilities to make your computer run faster, to antivirus and spyware programs. Best of all, every program on this list is free.
Aside from listing the free Apps, we will also make a comparison with some popular premium software in the same category. Check out this list and find out how much money you can save by using freeware apps.
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Open Office vs. Microsoft Office
One essential application, that every computer user needs, is a decent word processing software. If you are a student or business professional, you will probably need even more than that.
Rather, a word processing app, presentation software, spreadsheet software, and more. For most people, this is where Microsoft Office comes in handy. Just a reminder, Microsoft Office is Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
However, Microsoft Office costs you approximately $400 for the full version. To be exact, Microsoft Office Standard 2007 goes for $393.99 on Amazon.com.
Is that 30-day trial of Microsoft Office that you got with your new computer about to expire? You may want to consider trying out Open Office’s open source office suite.
Open Office is a completely free alternative to Microsoft Office that gives you many of the same features, without having to spend a dime. Not only that, but Open Office also has the flexibility to work with Word documents. You can learn more about, and download Open Office here.
Open Office can save you $400.
Microsoft Security Essentials vs. Norton Antivirus
Another popular trial software, that comes pre loaded on most computers, is Norton Antivirus. Norton Antivirus is a premium antivirus software that sells for around $25.
With premium antivirus software like this, you must also pay a fee every year, if you wish to have access to the latest virus definitions and updates. Meaning, Norton Antivirus really isn’t as cheap as $25, if you plan on using it for more than 1 year.
Microsoft offers a completely free antivirus solution called Microsoft Security Essentials. Security Essentials is actually a pretty decent antivirus program, especially for being free. You can read our review of Microsoft Security Essentials.
What does Norton Antivirus offer that Microsoft Security Essentials doesn’t?… for the $25 price and yearly update fees? Not much. Essentially, Norton Antivirus and Security Essentials do two basic things: scan your computer for viruses, and protect your computer from viruses using live protection.
Norton Antivirus gives you a couple of extra features such as a CPU and memory monitor. However, the majority of people will never use features like those.
Microsoft Security Essentials can save you $25
Malwarebytes vs. Symantec PC Tools Spyware Doctor
Aside from antivirus protection, another common security software that many people use on their PCs is an anti spyware/malware app. One of the most popular premium programs, Symantec PC Tools Spyware Doctor, retails for approximately $34.00.
Although Symantec PC Tool Spyware Doctor is a great antispyware program, is there anything that works just as good, without the price tag? Absolutely, and that program is called Malwarebytes.
In fact, Malwarebytes is such an effective antispyware/malware application, that many industry professionals use it for their own computers. Malwarebytes has received good to outstanding reviews from experts and consumers alike.
If you have ever seen those local ads that claim to remove spyware/malware from your computer for $50, chances are, those people use Malwarebytes. How’s that for profit! They get Malwarebytes for free here, and then use it to remove spyware off people’s computers, and charge them a fee!
Malwarebytes can save you $34.00.
Want to check out some more great freeware apps, compared against their premium cost counterparts? Be sure to check out part two of the series 10 Essential Windows Freeware Programs.
» Filed Under Free Software Downloads
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7 Responses to “10 Essential Windows Freeware Programs – Part I”
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10 Essential Windows Freeware Programs – Part 2 Says:
[...] article is Part 2 in the series Freeware Programs Worth Checking Out. Check out Part I here. Now we will continue on with the list of great freeware apps that you can use as alternatives [...]
March 16th, 2010 at 5:01 am
As good as the list is, I am sorry, but the Office part is just misleading. A student can get Office 2007 Ultimate for under 60 bucks (https://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-us/default.aspx) and if you buy now, you get a free upgrade to 2010… There is nothing like OneNote for free and Outlook might be worth it too…
The figure 400 is just to shock and sounds like OO-Fanboyish. Fair enough, but then let make it clear that it is this way and I can be sure that I can keep trusting this blog.
@jorgusch
True. Yep, most students can actually get Office free, as their schools just give them it. I agree, not every single office app can be fully replaced with Open Office. I just see Open Office as the best alternative. The free 2010 upgrade is an awesome thing to have. I tried the beta of 2010 from technet but i believe it had quite a few bugs. It kept crashing my Windows.
Haha definitely not a fanboy of anyone. I went directly to the Microsoft website, got the number, and wrote it. There are better deals out there, but I always try and list the actual manufacturer as the official reference and that’s what Microsoft had. I hope you can still trust the blog lol.
@jorgusch – I don’t think there was any kind of misleading. There was an omission, but not misleading. If you want everything that OpenOffice has in Office 2007 or 2010, you’re going to pay several hundred dollars.
The Student edition is only for students and hence cuts out the majority of users anyway.
@jorgusch
You are the only (M$-) fanboy here. I am not a student anymore and for me it costs 400$. There are other people out there than you. Start thinking.
I will never pay for software when free alternatives are available! When it comes to Microsoft, there is no free, just pay up… at any price!
If you are looking for something free and just as good, you should rather have a look at SSuite Office for a free office suite.
No trials, no registering your personal information, no strings attached at all. Just free office software.
ssuitesoft.com/index.htm
The whole point of discount or free MS Office to students is to get everybody hooked on MS on campus premises(sound familiar?).
When they move to the business sector, they can’t imagine (and often are not aware of) free alternatives. Thus businesses and home users end up paying premium for the earlier discount.
This is a good business practice on MS part, but I don’t understand why campuses encourage (or sometimes, require) students to use a pricy product when a free alternative is available.