22-07-2005 07:25									#1
	Laptop software Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

I'm getting a laptop later this month and I wanted to know about must-have software I'll have to put in it.

I'm going to use it mostly for websearches, text writing and netsurfing, listening music.. common stuff

don't just tell me to stuff all the crap inside it until it needs 10 minutes to reboot please


your help is appreciated

	22-07-2005 07:30									#2
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Use whatever you use now. Firefox is a great web browser.

	22-07-2005 07:49									#3
	Remove this text

if you can, wipe it entirely and start from scratch, doing a fresh install of windows so you don't have all the OEM crap.

Then, add in the drivers.

For browsing, Firefox or Opera (i'd recommend firefox, even though personally, i prefer opera).

For Writing, there's always gVim, but if you actually want a real wordprocessor, there's always Microsoft Word (my recommendation), or the free solutions of AbiWord and OpenOffice (I prefer AbiWord).

One must-have app I've found is Microsoft OneNote. It's a program that at first you don't feel like you have much use for, but once you start using it, it's hard to let it go. Indeed, I've installed it on my desktop as well as my laptop--functioning much like a notebook, it constantly saves as you go on, has handwriting recognition and audio memo recording, to boot.

Listening to music, I'd suggest using WinAmp. WMP is okay, but unless you have an iPod or are going places where people are sharing music over Bonjour, i'd avoid iTunes like the plague it is.

	22-07-2005 07:53									#4
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

Yea, use whatever you use now.

But remember to have your antivirus and firewall software in place before connecting to the Internet

	22-07-2005 07:56									#5
	Put an end to popups!

quote: i'd avoid iTunes like the plague it is.

What's wrong with it? I use it and it works OK. Its a bit slopoke, however. And it crashes once in a while.

	22-07-2005 10:14									#6
	Full PM-box? Change here!

Yeah I'm actually starting from scratch, OS included

	22-07-2005 17:02									#7
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

Winamp
Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Streets & Trips 2005 (http://www.microsoft.com/streets/default.mspx) -- only useful really if you drive a lot. I have a bluetooth GPS transponder and PocketStreets 2005 on the iPaq as well...it's a real-time map of where I am, and tells me where to go.

	22-07-2005 17:10									#8
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

Looking at my own laptop that has a very basic software configuration, this is what I'd load:

- Office application (MS Office)
- Internet applications: browser and email client (Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird), antivirus software (Antivir), and firewall (ZoneAlarm or Windows firewall)
- Multimedia applications (foobar2000, codec pack)
- Tools: (de)compression program (7-zip or WinRAR), Adobe Acrobat Reader

	22-07-2005 19:56									#9
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

quote: Originally posted by nostromo What's wrong with it? I use it and it works OK. Its a bit slopoke, however. And it crashes once in a while.

No reason to use it if you don't have an iPod (though, Winamp now has a plugin that connects to your iPod device , so that reason's not as strong), no reason to use it unless you want to share with Bonjour.

Outside of those two things, iTunes is comparatively, like you said, slower, less stable, has a lousy interface without a stop button and lots of wasted space, is a memory hog, has a much more restricted set of plugins to choose from, doesn't have "queue this song next" feature with just a single kyeboard or mouse click...

	23-07-2005 00:46									#10
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

quote: I have a bluetooth GPS transponder

Me too with cellphone interface as well (I just love bluetooth)