Originally Posted by Rachden

I've just had to reload vista onto my computer and I don't want to kill it again. I would like to know what software is the best to use, since I have minimal knowledge of computers.
What is the best internet software
music playing
video playing
virus
and anything else anyone would feel helpful to success of Vista on my system.


System (as much as I know off the top of my head):
Acer Aspire 3690
Intel Core Duo
Windows Vista Home Basic 32 bit

This is an entirely subjective query, and is open to many different opinions. But here is my two-cents worth:

For music and video, Windows Media Player 11 is my player of choice. Nothing else I've seen can handle a library of over 65,000 songs and 2000 videos.


I used to be a fan of Norton's Anti-Virus products, but they screwed up royally when they adapted the products to work on Vista. Before my system blew up (see my signature below), I was using Kaspersky Internet Security, and that worked well for me. Better than Norton ever did on XP!


And depending on what you do on your computer, the following programs are also worth looking at (you did ask for further recomendations):

• Microsoft Office 2007 is unbeatable for office work
• Corel Paint Shop Pro X2 for photo editing tasks (unless you're a rocket scientist and prefer Adobe Photoshop)
• Corel DRAW X4 for graphics design work
• Codegear Delphi Studio 2007 for programming
• WinZip 11 for archiving
• Auslogics Disk Defrag for disk defragging
• FlashGet for download acceleration and torrent downloads
• MainConcept MPEG Encoder for video capturing
• Adobe Premiere Elements 4.0 for video editing
• And don't forget the requisite Games - Diablo II Lord of Destruction and Tomb Raider Legend!

I could go on, but I think that's enough for now, unless anyone else has something to add to this list...

Originally Posted by Rachden

Thank you... you are very helpful. :-D

Glad to help. And welcome to the forums.

Originally Posted by Rachden

you didn't mention an internet browser... anything you particulary like?

Sorry 'bout that...


Internet Explorer 7 is my choice on Vista. (Internet Explorer 8 should be out in the next couple of months - it's in BETA at the moment.)

You could use Firefox, but I've found that because Firefox is designed originally for Windows XP, it doesn't integrate well with the new security features of Vista.

Here's a set of good applications I use :

PAINT.NET - picture editing at it's very best for simple to mid-complexity photo editing tasks.

Microsoft Office 2007 Student (I've got a trial, planning to buy soon)

Office alternative : Ashampoo Office 2008 or Open Office

Essential PIM - free Personal Information manager (also available as portable USB edition)

ALZIP - free and fun to use archiver/unarchiver see here

The entire suite of Windows Live applications : Messenger, Writer (blogging tool - VERY GOOD), Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Picture Gallery

I'm also using Yahoo Messenger - it's very popular here (Romania)

Web browser : Internet Explorer 64 bit version

Media Player : Windows Medias Player, iTunes and Winamp, also using VLC player for videos

Antivirus : BIT DEFENDER INTERNET SECURITY 2008

Originally Posted by Rachden

thanks to all of you...
What I have right now is
WMP 11
Office 2007
Norton 360
Firefox
...
but my comp is being really slow now... any advice...

Seriously? Get rid of Norton 360.

I used to be a fan of Symantec's Norton Products, until they goofed and replaced Systemworks with 360. Now I use Kaspersky Internet Security for 'net protection, and a series of freeware products (such as Auslogics Disk Defrag) for other routine tasks.

Norton 360 is a dog that needs to be put down.