The best free software on the web

Kitting out your PC with software can be an expensive business, especially if you've built your own system and are starting from scratch.

Often the total cost of the software you will need to get a PC up and running will outweigh the actual cost of building the system itself.

Maybe you already have a wealth of software on your PC but want to try your hand at something new, such as image or audio editing, or maybe you just feel that there are better applications out there and want to explore the alternatives.

With so much freeware available on the internet, getting hold of new software for your PC needn't cost you anything and much of the free software out there is just as good as any paid-for package on offer from a commercial company.

To save you hours downloading and trying out different applications to separate the good from the bad, we've rounded up the best essential free software for your PC. Here is our pick of the bunch.

AUDIO EDITING

Audacity
About the only desirable application that Windows isn't equipped with is an audio editor. Windows Sound Recorder hasn't really been updated since the Windows 95 days and is almost useless by today's standards.

Audacity, on the other hand, is a fully functioning audio editor with stacks of features that let you carry out basic audio editing, import and export WAV and MP3 files, and apply audio effects. It's probably one of the best freeware products around.
Download Audacity here

WORD PROCESSING

TextShield Fusion
Word processing does not begin and end with Microsoft Word. There are plenty of alternative word processing packages out there and TextShield Fusion is one of the best free options available.

One of the most attractive features of this application is that it includes a spell checker, which you don't always get as standard in basic word processing software. You can also have a stab at some basic desktop publishing with functions that allow you to flow text around objects on a page, insert images and create effects similar to the word art facility in Microsoft Word.
Download TextShield Fusion here

ANTI-VIRUS

AVG AntiVirus
This is proof that freeware often performs just as well as paid-for software. While it is just as effective as the leading anti-virus packages from commercial organisations such as Norton and McAfee, it is, however, much more difficult to set up than any of its commercial counterparts.

If you're using the free version of AVG AntiVirus, there's no technical support available, which will be a major drawback for all but the most confident PC user.

An anti-virus package is only as good as its database of recognised viruses and AVG AntiVirus regularly and automatically updates its virus database to ensure you're protected against the latest threats, as and when they appear.
Download AVG AntiVirus here

FIREWALL

Zone Labs ZoneAlarm
If you connect to the internet without having a firewall in place to protect your PC, you're asking for trouble. A firewall will stop anyone accessing your computer while you're online and is an essential piece of software for even the most infrequent web surfer.

Admittedly, ZoneAlarm is a little more difficult to set up than some of the other packages on the market, but the documentation provided is fairly effective if you take the time to read it thoroughly.

The package is pretty complicated to use but this is true of most firewall software and ZoneAlarm is no trickier than the competing packages. Even if you do find installing the software a pain, your perseverance will be well rewarded and will afford you peace of mind knowing that your PC is secure.

An added bonus is that Zone Labs provides technical support for users via email, which is uncommon with free software.
Download ZoneAlarm here

WEB BROWSERS

Mozilla
The Mozilla organisation produces several free browsers, the most well established of which is Mozilla. Mozilla has a number of special features that don't appear in the ubiquitous Internet Explorer such as tab browsing, which allows you to have several web pages open at the same time and switch between them with ease.

There's also a built-in HTML editor and a pop-up stopper to prevent those annoying online adverts. Mozilla is reputed to be much more secure than Internet Explorer and if your PC is a little low on memory and disk space, you'll find Mozilla to be much less taxing on your system.
Download Mozilla here

FILE COMPRESSION

7-Zip
Many file compression utilities are available as shareware but unless you pay for the application once the trial period has ended, most will constantly nag you to cough up or stop using it.

7-Zip, on the other hand, is completely free, although its author does politely request that its users make a small donation to support its continued development.

It's a small download (just under 1Mb) and supports a variety of compressed file formats. It's not quite so intuitive to use as WinZip, for example, but its simple interface doesn't take much figuring out and you won't get nagged at for using it.
Download 7-Zip here

PC ANALYSIS

SiSoft Sandra
If you've had your PC for some time and have upgraded your original system with new components over the years, the chances are you'll find it hard to remember exactly what is under the bonnet of your computer. You may also have lost the installation CD-Roms on which the drivers for your hardware are stored.

Luckily, help is at hand in the form of SiSoft Sandra, a diagnostic program that will analyse your PC and report back on exactly what hardware and software you have installed. This can save you a lot of time when trying to hunt down drivers for old hardware such as modems and soundcards.

Sandra will also make recommendations on how to improve the performance of your computer. While it can be a bit too technical at times, and a little overwhelming for the novice, it's nevertheless an invaluable tool.
Download SiSoft Sandra here

COMMUNICATIONS

AOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger, or AIM as it is better known, is free despite having been created by a commercial organisation. It allows you to exchange text messages in real time with other AIM users, using a small window on your Desktop.

Type a message, click on Send and the message will immediately appear on the recipient's screen, and they can send messages back.

We can't convey just how much fun AIM is to use and it's a much more personal way of communicating via the web than email.
Download AOL Instant Messenger here

MSN Messenger
MSN Messenger is a pretty similar application to AOL Instant Messenger in that it allows you to send text-based messages to friends in real time.

As well as sending messages you can also talk to each other using a microphone or even take advantage of the application's video-chat facility using a webcam. However, for these functions you will need a broadband internet connection. Before you can use MSN Messenger you'll need to set up a Microsoft Passport.
Download MSN Messenger here

OPERATING SYSTEMS

Linux
Installing a whole new operating system on your PC may sound like a truly terrifying prospect but, if you're willing to rise to the challenge, there are a few freeware operating systems available as an alternative to Windows.

By far the most popular of these is Linux. Linux is usually referred to as 'open source' software rather than freeware. This means that the code used to create the program is freely available so you could, in theory at least, tinker with the program and tailor it to suit your needs.

Unfortunately, if you're not keen on rolling up your sleeves and dirtying your hands with programming, Linux loses some of its appeal. It's not that easy to use and is likely to cause you headaches from time to time.

Improvements in later versions of the software have ironed out many of these glitches and if you're using the SuSE version of Linux, you'll find that the software will automatically detect all your hardware, which will save you a lot of hassle and driver installation.

There's also a version of Linux, humorously dubbed Lindows, that apes Windows and will even run Windows software.
Download Lindows here

Set yourself free
The software we've mentioned here is only a small selection of the freeware applications and utilities on offer and by no means constitutes an exhaustive list. If you've found any more good, free software, please let us know and we'll aim to include your suggestions in Download Reviews.

Finally, don't forget that paid-for software has teams of experts dedicated to working on it so it tends to crash less often, works more reliably with different versions of Microsoft Windows and is generally more stable to use on your computer.

Freeware tends to be a little unstable, but you can't expect too much from an application you haven't had to pay for. Bear in mind how much cash you would have forked out for the commercial versions.