Computer Software

System Information

• TweakVI Ultimate - free version is limited but $40/year is fun to play with.
• CPU-Z - great system info that can run on a thumb drive.
• PC Wizard 2007 - utility designed to analyze and benchmark your computer system.
• CoreTemp - a compact, no fuss, small footprint program to monitor CPU temperature.
• Intel Chipset Identification Utility
• AutoRuns - This utility, which has the most comprehensive knowledge of auto-starting locations of any startup monitor, shows you what programs are configured to run during system boot-up or login, and shows you the entries in the order Windows processes them.
• NetStat Live - free internet speedometer.
• Process Explorer for Windows - information about which handles and DLL processes have opened or loaded. 

Protection

• ZoneAlarm - free version firewall for XP and Vista.
• Sophos Anti-Rootkit - free Root Kit detection and removal.  Does not support Vista.
• Ad-Aware - free secure Spyware scan and blocking.
• bitDefender - free online virus scanning.
• Kaspersky - free online virus scanning.
• Trend Micro HouseCall - free online virus scanning.

Multimedia

• Digital Blasphemy - free 3D wallpaper.
• Miro Video Platform - view 1,800 program channels and save videos from other video sites (e.g. YouTube).
• MovAvi - free online video converter to most any popular format, including flash.
• Audacity - Podcast like a pro with this sound-editing application.
• Siglets.com - a short notation, humorous or serious, placed at the bottom of an e-mail; usually in a signature file.

Tools

• Send big files (100 MB) that Email can not send.
• 7-ZIP - free, open source ZIP program
• ZipGenius 6 - free, full-featured ZIP program.
• Puppy Linux - boots off of a CD or flash drive. Many applications. No hard drive needed.
• Hex2Dec - convert hexadecimal number to decimal.
• Whois - see who owns a web site.

Fun

• Joost - Watch what you want, when you want. The way TV should be.
• Blinkx - 12 million hours of video. No silly "home videos".