This will likely be old news to nerds, but the following email went around my company after the holidays, when lots of people were setting up new Windows-based PCs for their kids, or Grandma.

Most of the applications below are open-source, and will get you a cheap, secure, and pretty functional PC for very little $$$.

I'm not affiliated with any fee-based software mentioned, so don't flame me. I thought this list was a good start so I wanted to share it. Also, I have no idea if any of these sites will carry the same free software forever.


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1 - Boot up, connect to Internet

2 - Download and install free firewall program from www.zonelabs.com

3 - Perform a Windows update

4 - Download free AVG anti-virus software from www.grisoft.com

5 - Download Firefox browser and Thunderbird mail client both at www.mozilla.org

6 - Download any free extensions you want for Firefox at www.mozilla.org, such as Ad-blockers, skins, FTP client, etc.

7 - Download free Media Player Classic at www.free-codecs.com and use it instead of Windows Media Player or Quicktime if you wish.

8 - Get Flash at www.macromedia.com

9 - Get Java Runtime Environment (JRE) from www.java.sun.com

10 - Download XPLite, at www.litepc.com and uninstall useless elements of Windows, including Internet Explorer. Hurray!

11 - Download and install free open-source office software suite from www.OpenOffice.org. Replaces MS Office, and saves as and reads native MSFT files.

12 - Configure mail client, new software settings, etc. as needed and then TURN OFF administrative permissions for the user or users in question.

Definately a good list to get a PC up for cheap. Couple of things I would recomend on top of that.

-Spybot Search and Destroy. This is a program that will track down and kill Ad-ware (spyware). This software is a must for anyone running a Windowns based PC. www.safer-networking.org

-If the user is running Windows XP, the free firewall is not needed as Service Pack 2 has a built in one that is rather good and easy for users to work with.

-Quicktime Alternative and RealPlayer Alternative are two pieces of software that interface with Windows Media Player classic and will allow you to play .mov (quicktime) and .rm, .ram (realplayer) without having to DL Apple or RealNetworks' clunky software. QTA here: http://www.free-codecs.com/download/QuickTime_Alternative.htm
RPA here: http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Real_Alternative.htm

-I do not reccomend using XPlite, items like IE and Messenger can be removed from sight and its just as good a way to not use the products. Those pieces of software are intergrated heavily into Windows and in my own (and others) expierences, have caused Windows to function incorrectly when removed.
Remember, you bought Windows, its Microsoft's I.P. and they can put whatever they want in it; Windows is not a public service. You don't like it, use Slackware (I also have a box with that OS on it, easily my favorite Linux distro).

-VLC. This is a real juggernaut of a video player. It generally plays through video files that Windows Media Player and WMP classic will not play through. It also deals with encoding errors much better. http://www.videolan.org/

Another quick edit. Msoft just released and anti spyware program for Windows XP and server 2003. The results we have seen at work and around the house have been excellent, seems to catch a few things that other programs will not.
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Digital_Demon,

Good Stuff. The only thing I would do differently is to run Spybot Xterminator. I used Spybot S&D for a while but I upgraded to this one. It isn't quite free but its far more powerful and comprehensive than search and destroy.

Or, instead, buy a new Mac mini for $499 and get a world class virus and bug free unix OS and plug it into your existing display.