[RECOMMENDED] Seven Free Software Programs

I have used free Avast for years ...yes it does frequently keep trying to get you onto the paid version and also keeps telling me I have security issues ...one being I'm open to spies using my web camera (they'll have a job as there is black tape over it(as I never use it)other than that it does a great job as I've had no nasties since using (on Bob's re commendation)unlike another paid one I originally used. I also use BRAVE BROWSER (originally was using Opera but it started to freeze and became unresponsive)I also have Tor browser on another laptop (which installed due to the Opera problem)

I note that Advanced System Care Free is on the recommended list. It is issued by Iobit which is a name I vaguely remember to avoid - reasons forgotten. Has it cleaned up its act now?

Its not free, but what about ESET for a virus protection program.. It seems to be popular with some propeller heads out my way,..

@ BOBBLES -- re: IOBIT - yep, aggressive marketing, pop-ups that used to defy blockers. I also recall it was VERY difficult to removed as well. I, too, stay way, and it is the CONSTANT pop-ups, and 'free' deals that drove me away -- and I am just not willing to fight for control of my computer against a program designed to not allow me that kind of control - I took Bobs advice, got the PCMATIC for 5 computers for life -- and I have yet to be bothered by ANYthing annoying. They don't do telephone support - which is good, since it makes a person sit down and ask WHAT IS REALLY WRONG - and then write a note to their tech-support - ALWAYS back within a few hours at most -- and they have yet to give me any grief at all. -- but IOBIT -- never again on my machines -- but it was GOOD and it was FREE - so there is that. Even when you buy it, they blast you with popups, so that didn't solve my problem either - thought if I paid them they would go away - but they didn't.

in my personal experience, advanced windows care is crapware/bloatware that will offer to install all kinds of junk you don't need, and often BREAKS windows installations. just had it kill the install of win 10 i'm on now, took a lot of work to recover the pc. never use that program.
no thanks bro.
rock on

@russ you do realize brave is just a front end for chrome, yes?

I use Firefox for most of my browsing, but have been using Brave for Facebook access since several months ago, Facebook on Firefox started spontaneously scrolling for no apparent reason. It works just fine on Brave. I have Chrome installed also but almost never use it.

Brave and Firefox *do* use the same underlying Chromium open-source web browser, as do Edge, Opera and several other browsers. They each modify the underlying code to differentiate themselves from one another. Brave, for instance, places a premium on privacy and is set up that way by default. For example, Brave disables: Google accounts integration, all features that send data to Google, Google's URL Tracker, and many more Chrome features.

Firefox is also cross-platform. It will run on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and IOS, and there are also unofficial ports available for FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Solaris Unix and other Unix and Unix-like systems. It does NOT use the Chromium browser code as so many others do; it uses the Gecko rendering engine (except for the IOS version that uses the WebKit layout engine as do other IOS browsers due to platform requirements).

Since Windows 10, you really don't need any third party programs for anti-virus, and file cleaning. The built in software works great, and IMO it's all that's needed.

Thanks Bob - although I'd include the Adobe Acrobat reader - but make sure you uncheck the unwanted 'add-ons!' - and VLC - the best multimedia player there is. I always add these two to any Windows computer I'm configuring. I also agree with a couple of people - no need for another antivirus program if you are using Win 10 or 11

Bob - you are being your generous self - and that is without reading it for now (I always bookmark virtually almost all of your missives) but I saw Libre Office jump off the page and must ENDORSE that recommendation especially compared with you know who and the fact that it's free - it's wonderful. By the way - please let me recommend Bitdefender which was the only company who could repair my phone recently AND for free. It saved my bacon 16 years ago when I was back in the UK - do not know why I did not bring it with me.

@Doc et all.........IOBIT was it of Chinese origin or the threat of them being inquisitive that made me or others leave it alone?

@Steven Latus: Firefox is not based on Chromium.

I found the Chrome browser spying on my passwords and keeping copies for themselves when I log onto a site that requires a password. I hate that. Passwords should be my own privacy.

markman. Try this:

Toolbar - Passwords -- toggle to off "offer to save passwords"

My alternative programs to Bob's list would be KeePassXC and Microsoft Edge. With Edge I use uBlock Origin and Cookie Autodelete.

I would also add Comodo Firewall as an added layer of protection.

Notepad++ has a lot of plugins which make it as powerful as any similar, but paid program.

A alternative (and better, imo) to Acrobat Reader is Foxit Reader.

Notes:
Avast is now owned by Norton, your mileage may vary. Norton also owns AVG and AVIRA. :-(
IObit is Chinese; that may or may not change your opinion. (Kaspersky is also an excellent AV, but being Russian, no thank you.)
-bb

I use Opera and except for numerous page resets and the occasional "not responding messages", I have been using it for quite awhile.

And re; bit defender, not only was it a bother, but trying to uninstall it, good luck. I don't remember how I finally got it off, but it took various methods and eventually was able to rid my laptop of that pox.