Best free software & best free security software?

[InfinityAz]

What do you think is the best free software in the following two categories?

1. Best free software (any category)

2. Best free security software

[mercurie]

Cat. 1: OpenOffice comes to mind. ;)

[CircleGirl]

-{ Quote: "What do you think is the best free software in the following two categories?

1. Best free software (any category)

2. Best free security software" }-

The free version of SandboxIE does double duty here as it fulfills both categories in spades!!!

It is the best thing since sliced bread and soft from-the-fridge butter.

[jonyjoe81]

1 firefox 2.0

2. returnil

I use both on a daily basis, I can find replacements for other programs but these 2 programs have proven themselves to be rock solid.

[FadeAway]

While it would not necessarily be my first choice if I could use
only one security app, it would be avast! 4.8 AV for the best all round,
free security app. First, because it affords fairly comprehensive
protection to both novices & experts. Second, because the Internet
is not the only means by which malware arrives at a computer.

I have no particular choice for the "any" category.

[WSFuser]

For category 1 I would definitely say nLite and vLite. They have changed how I look at Windows and have made reinstalling a breeze.

[wat0114]

This might not count because it's an O/S, but linux - pick a distro - gets my nod for the first category. Ubuntu includes all kinds of free software in its default installation - Open office, Firefox, optical burning apps, audio/video, a partition utility and more - not to mention others available via the package manager.

[Franklin]

Security - Sandboxie, Returnil, SafeSpace, SuperAntispyware, Avast, Geswall, Winpatrol, Dr Web - Cureit, Hijackthis, Perusing Wilders security forum and other security related forums <- one of the best options.

General - CCleaner, Process Explorer, Autoruns, Runscanner, MWSnap, Foxit Reader, SIW, MS Virtual PC 2007, nLite+vLite, Iso Recorder, Firefox with Noscript and Adblockplus, Agent Ransack.

[Sjoeii]

1. OPen Office
2. Avira

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,

Excluding operating systems, specific apps:

1. Firefox
2. iptables

Mrk

[Antarctica]

EQSecure is not bad either.

[MaB69]

Hi,

1 - Firefox
2 - Online Armor

Regards,

MaB

[Meriadoc]

The software I use mostly for rudimentary troubleshooting is all free.

ProcessMonitor, Process Explorer, Autoruns, Krview, LoadOrder, Streams, Tcpview and WinDbg from Sysinternals/Microsoft. DeviceTree from OSRonline. OllyDbg from Oleh Yuschuk. IceSword and RkUnhooker. FileAlyser from PM Kolla. AVZ Toolkit from Oleg Zaitsev. Advances tools.

Some of the nice free software out there is of course OpenOffice, virtualization software from VMWare, Microsoft and VirtualBox from Innotec now acquired by Sun Microsystems.

[Beavenburt]

I must say I'm loving the ubuntu flavour of Linux at the moment, if that counts as software? I can do everything with ubuntu as I can with XP and then some. Really can't fault it thus far.

Security wise for XP, Sandboxie is a fantastic app that I love but you can't really beat the latest Avast release. It just offers so much for free.

[rolarocka]

1. Opera, Virtualbox, JKDefrag, Processexplorer, CCleaner, Replicator

2. Antivir Classic Free, ThreatFire, Comodo Firewall Pro 3, SuperAntiSpyWare Free, Winpatrol Free, PrevxCSI Free

There is so much...

[wat0114]

-{ Quote: "
2. iptables

Mrk" }-

Ahh, but that's part of Linux ;D

Regarding security favourites: System Safety Monitor free, Sandboxie, and, sure, I'll include iptables w/Firestarter gui ;)

[AKAJohnDoe]

Firefox and CCleaner, certainly.

And there is quite a list HERE (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2260070,00.asp).

[ccsito]

1) Best free software for me is web based email. Otherwise, I would have to use a phone or send a letter.

2) Best free security software for me is Hijackthis because it first revealed to me just how *crappy* the MS Operating System is. :P

[farmerlee]

1. Altiris SVS, CCleaner, Virtualbox

2. Sandboxie, Returnil, Keyscrambler

[Long View]

Firefox and Returnil

[Hairy Coo]

When I started computing,good searchers were shareware and then along came GOOGLE.

This would have to be the most impact making freeware :thumb: