Secure your system: Windows Defender
If you’re searching for the best truly free antivirus tool, look no further than Microsoft’s Windows Defender.
Manage your passwords: LastPass
If you’re in the market for a password storage vault, LastPass is for you. LastPass keeps track of your user IDs, passwords, and other settings; stores them in the cloud; and offers them to you with one click.
Best free email: Gmail
Store your photos: Google Photos
Install or update almost any app, any time: Ninite
When you start looking at desktop applications, your very first stop should be Ninite. Simply click on the applications you want and Ninite will download the latest version, absolutely free of crapware, install them, and leave you in the driver’s seat.
Keep your programs up to date: Secunia PSI
A key component in keeping your system up-to-date, Secunia Personal Software Inspector scans every program on your PC and tells you in no uncertain terms if you have any wayward programs that haven’t been patched.
A security second opinion: Malwarebytes
No doubt you already have an antivirus program. I use and recommend Microsoft Security Essentials (or Windows Defender in Win8.1, which is basically the same thing), but there are many good alternatives.
Best disk imaging/system backup: Comodo Backup
Windows 7 has a decent -- but not perfect -- backup and restore function. Windows 8.1 basically throws it all away. Yes, you can find vestiges of Win7 backup buried in the dregs of Windows 8.1, but it’s a pain. Microsoft wants you to use its new backup method, stick everything on OneDrive, and use Refresh/Restore should the proverbial crap hit the fan. Comodo Backup runs rings around all of them.
Best media player: VLC Media Player
Another poster child for open source software, VLC Media Player plays almost anything -- including YouTube Flash FLV files -- with no additional software, no downloads, no headaches. I use it exclusively for videos.
Best picture resizer: Image Resizer
With options for Small, Medium, Large, Mobile, and Custom, you can make the resized file as small as you like and maintain a lot of image fidelity in the process.
Best free text editor: EditPad Lite
Even with all of the fantastic new brightly colored file formats running around today, everybody, sooner or later, needs a text editor. Let’s hear it for EditPad Lite.
Best image editor: Paint.net
With dozens of good -- even great -- free image editors around, it’s hard to pick one above the others. Pixlr Desktop is a surprisingly full-featured, free photo editor from Autodesk. Irfanview has tremendous viewing, organizing, and resizing capabilities.
Tip-top zipper upper: 7-Zip
Every desktop user needs 7-Zip. While Windows 8.1 has the ability to look into ISO files -- you still need 7-Zip to see them in Win7 -- Win8.1’s Windows Explorer doesn’t support RAR compressed files, which are becoming more and more common as Mac use rises. 7-Zip also creates password-protected Zip files and self.
-Infoworld-