Xatal

Many high school graduates receive the lucky gift of a brand new computer for college after graduating. Some kids already have one, others save up for the money to buy one.

Regardless of how you got your computer, nowadays it’s pretty standard that kids should have a computer if they are leaving for college. Most people are quick to realize this, and so chances are good you’ve got the computer issue covered.

But do you have the software you’ll need? A lot of students will buy a computer but completely forget that a computer needs good software to do anything. Computers usually come with trial versions of popular software (Norton Antivirus, Microsoft Office, etc.), but what do you do when these trials run out? Either you purchase the software (expensive), or you have to live without it.

Living without some better-known names might sound tough, but in fact many wonderful free alternatives exist that will not only save you money, but might actually work better for you.

Instant Messaging Program

MSN, AIM, and Yahoo are decent programs and perhaps you’re satisfied with them. However, if you constantly talk to a variety of people on different services, you’ll know what a pain it can be to constantly switch back and forth (and how much it can slow your computer down!). Luckily, there are programs made to simplify online chatting.

A sample Pidgin window

• Pidgin: My personal program of choice, Pidgin (formerly known as “Gaim”) combines MSN, AIM, Yahoo!, and many other popular chat services into one simple program. In addition to not having to worry about the ads and other bloat that comes with the more popular programs, Pidgin uses a very simple layout, putting all of your chats into a single tabbed window. This lets you focus on what matters most: the conversation. You can download Pidgin here, or read more about it on this page.
• Trillian: The other popular choice, Trillian also combines chat services into one program. Trillian does not have the simple layout Pidgin has. If you want more thrills, Trillian might be more up your alley. It comes in a Basic version (free), but you can pay for a pro version if you want, though that’s not really necessary. Download it, or read about it.

Internet Browser

For many computer users, Internet Explorer works just fine. While you may be familiar with it, Internet Explorer is actually a very insecure browser, leaving you much more vulnerable to spyware and viruses. There are alternate browsers that are not only safer, but contain features that might actually appeal to you.

• FireFox: Taking the Internet by storm lately, this popular open-source browser by Mozilla is heavily customizable. You can download add-ons capable of doing just about anything you want. If you’re looking for a powerful browser that you can customize to your exact specifications, downloading FireFox is something you should do.
• Opera: If you just want a fast, simple browser, Opera might be what you’re looking for. Opera is very fast, sleek, and powerful. You can download Opera here.
• Google Chrome: Released recently, Google Chrome is a new browser to hit the market. Google Chrome is also pretty fast and very stable. You can download it from Google’s website.

E-mail/RSS

• Thunderbird: Also by the Mozilla, this free e-mail client is a bit more powerful than Outlook Express, all while saving you the money of buying Microsoft Outlook. If you prefer an e-mail program to a web interface, Thunderbird might be for you.
• FeedReader: As mentioned on the Subscribe page, FeedReader is a great RSS feed collector. Download it here.

Antivirus, Spyware Removal, and Firewall

Unlike most programs which you don’t need double of, it’s usually a good idea to have multiple antivirus and spyware removal programs. It’s good to have multiple layers of security protecting you from any infection. Therefore, I recommend downloading at least two or three of these.

• AVG Free: A free anti-virus program, AVG is a great source of protection. Download it here.
• 

  Spybot Search & Destroy sample window

  Spybot Search & Destroy: Great for removing spyware, Spybot will scan your computer thoroughly and delete any spyware it detects. Spybot also has some system protection settings to keep you extra safe, but I found those too annoying and turned them off. If you want the additional protection, then go for it. You can download Spybot from its website.

• Ad-Aware: Another quality anti-spyware program, Ad-Aware will scan your computer and turn up any traces of adware it finds. Combined with Spybot, this will take out almost all typical spyware you’ll encounter. Download it here.
• SpywareBlaster: This is used to prevent spyware, not remove it. By having this installed and updated, you can block spyware from ever entering your system. This one is always useful to have. Check it out.
• Comodo Firewall: Always good to have a firewall. This is a great free firewall program that can help block unwanted access to your computer. Download

Operating System

• Ubuntu: If you want to save money, there are alternatives to Windows (or Mac OS X, if that’s more of your thing). Ubuntu is a distro of Linux, a free open-source operating system that’s extremely customizable. Ubuntu has a more level learning curve than other types of Linux, and it’s completely free. You can download it here. Thanks to Lindsay for pointing this out.

Office Software

• OpenOffice: An incredible free alternative to Microsoft Office, OpenOffice can not only create quality documents for you, it can open a whole bunch of other formats that other people might send you, including from Microsoft Office. This definitely beats use Notepad to type up that research paper! You can download OpenOffice from their website.
• GoogleDocs: GoogleDocs is an online alternative to software. The perk of it being online is that you can access it from anywhere — simply log in to your Google acconut and boom, there are all of your files. Google can be used for a lot of things, in fact: it can create spreadsheets, text documents, and presentations; it can manage your Calendar; it can manage your pictures… and of course GMail is a quality webmail service as well. check out GoogleDocs if any of that tickles your fancy. Thanks again to Lindsay.

Media Software

• WinAmp: Great for playing all of that music you have! WinAmp is full of a ton of powerful features. WinAmp can also manage your iPod and MP3 players. Check it out.
• 

  Sample iTunes window

  iTunes: On the other hand, if you don’t need all of the features of WinAmp and instead prefer something more simple and organized, iTunes might be for you. iTunes is notorious for hogging system resources, though, so beware if you use an older computer! Also, iTunes won’t do anything for any MP3 player that isn’t an iPod, unfortunately. iTunes can be downloaded from Apple’s website.

• IrfanView: This simple image viewer is dandy for viewing your pictures and has a few more features than Windows’s built in image viewer. For more, see IrfanView’s homepage.
• VLC Media Player: This media player is great for playing movie files of almost any format. The screen is very simple, putting the focus on the movie itself. Download it here.
• Picasa: Great for organizing all of those pictures you’re going to be taking at college! Picasa can not only organize your pictures very effectively, it can also perform basic corrections to help you show off your photography skills. Picasa is made by Google and can be downloaded here.
• GIMP: For those of us who can’t afford PhotoShop, GIMP is a great alternative that you can use for more heavy-duty photo editing. For more, read about it here.

Finance Software

• Mint: Not exactly software, but useful regardless. Mint is an online budget planning tool that can help you to organize your finances and budget your money. Money is a huge issue for college kids, and having a tool to help you manage your expenses can be invaluable. For more info, check out Mint’s website.

What are some other free useful software programs you use?