top 10 Essential programs for a comp?

[MonKENy]

So I built my son a comp and I cant think of what he might need for it or what would be just plain good to have. He will be running win 7 64. He is 10 Years old, Wont be using the comp THAT hardcore at first, i am hoping that the next year will help him get comfortable using a comp and that in a year or two I can start introducing more complex stuff for him if he takes care of it and show interest.

So far I have

1. Avast Antivirus
2. Microsoft Office

and thats where I draw a blank...


Also I am thinking I show install hamachi so I can remote into his desktop if I need to. I live in AZ he lives in Cali. Any recommendations for a different way or alternative easier method?

 

[arredondo]

Top 8 for me....

Security
1. NOD32 Anti-virus
2. Ad Aware
3. Spybot
4. Spyware Blaster

Fun & Productivity
5. Firefox 4.0 (fantastic add-on mods makes it the best browser)
6. Jarte (a cheap but awesome alternative to MS Word. My daughter uses it for school)
7. Steam (gaming heaven)
8. Radeon Pro (video card enhancments)

 

[lxskllr]

This is what consider essential. I use LogMeIn for remote assistance...

Firefox
7Zip
LibreOffice
Paint.NET
Avira
Foobar2000
VLC
Foxit reader
Thunderbird
Pidgin
uTorrent

 

[Chiropteran]

It's hard to list 10, because I find it "essential" to keep a system clean and uncluttered of stuff I don't need...

That said, I find myself almost always installing the following-

All the latest windows updates, IE, directX, etc.
All latest non-beta drivers.
Chrome
Firefox
Opera
(I like having multiple options for my browsers).
Flash.
Adobe reader.
Steam.
Impulse.
Microsoft Security Essentials.
VMWare Player (or workstation on my main PC).

On a list from a year ago or longer, you could add-
ISO recorder
...but I find it less needed now, I don't even have an optical drive on my primary desktop, as I find using a bootable USB flash stick is just easier.


I usually end up installing these-

Silverlight
Java
7-zip

But I don't consider them essential, and I install only when I realize I have a specific need for one of them.

iTunes
I hate all the crap this adds to a computer, so I only install it on one computer so as to control and add/remove music from my iPod.

 

[oynaz]

This is what consider essential. I use LogMeIn for remote assistance...

Firefox
7Zip
LibreOffice
Paint.NET
Avira
Foobar2000
VLC
Foxit reader
Thunderbird
Pidgin
uTorrent

Very close to my list:

Firefox
7Zip
LibreOffice
Paint.NET
Avast
Pidgin
VLC
Foxit reader
Irfanview
ImgBurn
uTorrent

 

[MrChad]

He's 10 years old. I would provide him with a Limited User account and set up Microsoft Security Essentials for virus protection.

I would also look into Windows Live Family Safety (http://explore.live.com/windows-live-family-safety?os=other) which allows you to administer web filters as well as software restriction policies remotely.

EDIT: I think you need to use IE for the web filters, but IE 9 on a limited account should be well-protected.

Other than that, I would set him up with some easy to use applications for music (does he have an iPod or MP3 player?) and writing papers (you mentioned office). Does he have an email account? Something like Thunderbird or Windows Live Mail would be good. Perhaps set him up with Skype and a webcam so you can video call to each other.

 

[Chiefcrowe]

Some that I like:

Firefox
VLC Player
Malwarebytes
MSE
Secunia PSI
Paint.net
CD Burner XP
7zip
pidgin

 

[Saint Nick]

Make sure you lock up your internet.

 

[KeypoX]

Essential
browser
office
virus scanner

 

[JechtShot]

Avira or MSE
Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome
Foxit Reader
Paint.Net
Nero (Easy to use burning software)
Skype
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Microsoft Office Suite or Openoffice.org
VLC

Other miscellaneous programs: 7-zip, Spywareblaster, HWMonitor, CPU-Z, Update Checker (from filehippo.com, its awesome btw), Secunia PSI, Speccy, Google Earth, Auslogics Disk Defrag, LogMeIn (easy to use remote desktop software), etc etc

 

[dguy6789]

All windows updates
Latest Drivers
Google Chrome
Microsoft Security Essentials
7zip
Steam
Pidgin

 

[MonKENy]

He's 10 years old. I would provide him with a Limited User account and set up Microsoft Security Essentials for virus protection.

I would also look into Windows Live Family Safety (http://explore.live.com/windows-live-family-safety?os=other) which allows you to administer web filters as well as software restriction policies remotely.

EDIT: I think you need to use IE for the web filters, but IE 9 on a limited account should be well-protected.

Other than that, I would set him up with some easy to use applications for music (does he have an iPod or MP3 player?) and writing papers (you mentioned office). Does he have an email account? Something like Thunderbird or Windows Live Mail would be good. Perhaps set him up with Skype and a webcam so you can video call to each other.

I agree, I think thats what I will do. He wont have internet right away but when he gets it that will be a good idea. He does have an Ipod I believe so itune will prob be the best bet. I set him up a gmail account.

I will be getting us webcams when he gets the internet.

Make sure you lock up your internet.

I will. any recommendations for a good web filter service?

 

[Firefox264]

Try team viewer for remote desktop connection . It's free and simple to use www.teamviewer.com

 

[TSDible]

I will. any recommendations for a good web filter service?

I use OpenDNS

 

[Lobo56]

It's nice to see a parent actually giving a damn about what their kids are doing on the computers. Too many parents just let their young kids have full reign of a computer in their bedroom and then wonder why the computer gets viruses or some random stranger from facebook wants to meet up.

 

[LiuKangBakinPie]

So I built my son a comp and I cant think of what he might need for it or what would be just plain good to have. He will be running win 7 64. He is 10 Years old, Wont be using the comp THAT hardcore at first, i am hoping that the next year will help him get comfortable using a comp and that in a year or two I can start introducing more complex stuff for him if he takes care of it and show interest.

So far I have

1. Avast Antivirus
2. Microsoft Office

and thats where I draw a blank...


Also I am thinking I show install hamachi so I can remote into his desktop if I need to. I live in AZ he lives in Cali. Any recommendations for a different way or alternative easier method?

Firefox with the following add ons
No Script
ADD block
WOT safe browsing

You need to install spyware blaster to protect the pc settings.

Autoruns
Bluescreen view
Process explorer somewhere in a safe place. Or you can just download nirsoft utilities its got all.

You need to install Adobe flash.
Java
Klite Codec pack both 32bit and 64bit packs. Remember 32bit Codecs work only with 32bit application same with 64bit.
You need a spyware program to help avast out.
Vlc player
Winrar
Ccleaner
Defragler

Don't change your antivirus. Avast was the only free antivirus to receive a Advance plus rating in the av test that wee done by www.av-comparitives.org. mse received only a Advance rating. The Avira and Nod both received advance plus ratings but those are not free solutions. Microsoft security essentials are poor in blocking script malware and it has a very slow scanning engine plus its HEUR are awful. Leave your av on avast its one of the best out there

 

[Slugbait]

uTorrent? Seriously? For a ten-year-old? Why don't we just purchase a bond for his mother's future lawyer fees? Just give him a book of matches and a gas can, shall we?

For Christ's sake, people...his kid is TEN.

I suggest things that will engage and possibly educate. SourceForge is a good repository. I'd start with...

Tux Paint
Celestia
pouetChess
Stella
Tux Typing
Task Coach
MuseScore
NASA WorldWind
Earth3D
Hydrogen

...and mix-n-match with what his interests are.

Stick with a single anti-virus prog (what you got is fine), a single browser (what you got is fine), a single media player (what you got is fine), skip SysInternals stuff, and don't install the snake oil progs...and you'll be fine.

 

[Emulex]

don't install utorrent. i got yelled at by a mod for suggesting a program that could be used for warez (or free software)- i would suggest you remove that.

And the bond would be for you slugbait. The adult is responsible for the child legally at that age. He who pays the bill

 

[MrChad]

uTorrent? Seriously? For a ten-year-old? Why don't we just purchase a bond for his mother's future lawyer fees? Just give him a book of matches and a gas can, shall we?

For Christ's sake, people...his kid is TEN.

I suggest things that will engage and possibly educate. SourceForge is a good repository. I'd start with...

Tux Paint
Celestia
pouetChess
Stella
Tux Typing
Task Coach
MuseScore
NASA WorldWind
Earth3D
Hydrogen

...and mix-n-match with what his interests are.

Stick with a single anti-virus prog (what you got is fine), a single browser (what you got is fine), a single media player (what you got is fine), skip SysInternals stuff, and don't install the snake oil progs...and you'll be fine.

LOL, thank you. Another voice of reason.

 

[lxskllr]

don't install utorrent. i got yelled at by a mod for suggesting a program that could be used for warez (or free software)- i would suggest you remove that.

And the bond would be for you slugbait. The adult is responsible for the child legally at that age. He who pays the bill

Torrents are always the appropriate choice when available. It distributes the burden of bandwidth resources to the consumer instead of the creator who was kind enough to give his software in the first place. Aside from that, it's almost always faster.

Edit:
grammar

 

[Slugbait]

And the bond would be for you slugbait. The adult is responsible for the child legally at that age. He who pays the bill

Now that you understand the age of the child, did you pay any attention to any other part of the thread? If you had, you'd also understand that I'm not the OP's ex. Cuz if I were his ex, I wouldn't post here, I'd just drive to Arizona and wring his fraking neck for asking a bunch of gearhedz at Anandtech for advice on what to install on a ten-year-old's machine.

 

[llee]

Productivity
Microsoft/Open Office

Internet
Firefox/Chrome

Security
Microsoft Security Essentials

Media
Flash
Java
Quicktime
Win7Codecs (Shark007) - media codecs for windows media player, otherwise download VLC player

Utilities
Adobe/Foxit Reader
7-Zip/Winrar
CCleaner

 

[VirtualLarry]

torrents == bad mojo. (Unless you are one of the few that only downloads (and uploads!) Linux distros.)

Friend of mine has gotten TWO warnings for torrents already from his ISP.

(Thank God that they don't have the "three strikes" law in the US yet, like in France.)

 

[Blain]

Avira (free with no pop-ups)
Revo Uninstaller
Ccleaner
Malwarebytes
My WOT
7-Zip
SpywareBlaster
Auslogics Disck Defragger (non-SSD drives)
Open Office

 

[jsedlak]

PowerShell
Chrome
Notepad++
MSE