Essential Software to Have

When you buy a laptop, you get a bunch of programs installed, such as Microsoft Office. You get the full version, but that’s about it. What about the other programs? You’ll have to download them. Stocking up on essential software is important because it makes using the laptop easier and safer.

There’s a lot of free software out there, most of them you’re already familiar with, but don’t use at all. If you just got a new laptop, look at some of the basics.

Internet Browsing

By now, you’ve probably used Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. Why are these browsers so popular anyway? What makes them different from the venerable Internet Explorer?

You’ve probably seen on the Internet that millions of people irrationally hate Internet Explorer. Why is that? Well, there are problems with Internet Explorer.

For example, it became very buggy as time went by. When Internet Explorer became the biggest browser, Microsoft stopped updating the product. When other browsers came along, like Firefox, it had new features such as tabbed browsing and better coding.

Right now though, Microsoft is redeeming Internet Explorer by offering better updates, but Firefox and Chrome are already way ahead.

If you’re going to pick a good browser, it’s best to choose between Firefox and Chrome. The features of the two are essentially the same. You get tabbed browsing, a neat download manager, advanced settings and the ability to add extensions.

For example, you can add small Twitter extensions in the corner of Chrome or Firefox. You can tweet directly there without having to log on to the website. Neat! They even have private browsing.

It all comes down to the aesthetics of the browser.

Instant Messaging

For purposes of communicating with people not only at work, but also for relatives around the world, a good instant messaging client is important. It allows you to quickly chat with other people for free, but if you want to get more personal, you can initiate a video chat.

If you’re looking for good software that offers great IM services, then you can use Skype. As popular as it may seem, many people don’t fully utilize it yet. Not everyone has a Skype account, but it has features that are definitely useful.

You can initiate free audio and video chats. You can also make international calls, but with a price. Hey, that’s not so bad, considering that you can directly call someone halfway around the world.

Antivirus

It’s a no brainer that you should always have an antivirus program installed on your computer. Sadly, people neglect this and as time flies, their computer is invaded with a number of viruses. Pretty soon, their computers don’t work the way they’re supposed to be.

There are several things you can try, but Microsoft Security Essentials and AVG Antivirus are your best bet. They update automatically and you can schedule regular computer scans without bogging down performance.

Conclusion

The software mentioned in this article is definitely a big help to laptop users. If you’re not using them, get them right now. It’s free anyway, so go ahead!