Office Suite: OpenOffice.org
http://www.openoffice.org/
OpenOffice.org is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite and an open-source project. Compatible with all other major office suites (including Microsoft Office), the product is free to download, use, and distribute.

Picture Management & 1GB Web Sharing: Google Picasa
http://picasa.google.com/
Picasa is a free software download from Google that helps you share and manage your photos. It locates and organizes your photos, let’s you edit and add effects and share your photos with others through email, prints, and on the web – free 1GB web space included.

Firewall: ZoneAlarm
http://www.zonelabs.com/
Basic PC protection for the home user. You should have a firewall installed on your home computer if your computer is connected directly to your cable or DSL modem. If you are using a broadband router, it will usually have a sufficient firewall built-in – but you must periodically check for new firmware from the manufacturer’s site and update it via a wired connection (NOT over wireless).

Antivirus: AVG Free
http://free.grisoft.com/
Where just a single technology might fall short of detecting or identifying a virus, AVG Free combines several technologies to ensure that your computer is protected. According to Grisoft, it’s totally Vista-ready.

Spyware tool: SpyCatcher Express
http://www.tenebril.com/
Does very well at both spyware cleaning and preventing further infestation. The free version has almost all the features of the paid version. It lacks anti-phishing and a few high-end tools. You must also check for updates manually, but it does the job.

Online Virus Scan: Trend Micro
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
Ease your mind and scan your PC for viruses and spyware.

Symantec Security Check
http://security.symantec.com/
Symantec Security Check tests your exposure to a wide range of online threats. It’s free and efficient, and it helps you determine your Internet security needs.

Web Browser: Mozilla FireFox
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
A nice alternative to Internet Explorer

Email Client: Mozilla Thunderbird
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/
Thunderbird delivers. Enjoy safe, fast, and easy email, with intelligent spam filters, quick message search, and customizable views. Brought to you by Mozilla, Thunderbird makes email better.

Image Editor: The GIMP
http://www.gimp.org/windows/
GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed program for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. Available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.

Image Viewer/Converter: InfanView
http://www.irfanview.com/
IrfanView is a very fast, small, compact and innovative FREEWARE (for non-commercial use) graphic viewer for Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista. You can also use it to create automated slideshows and screen savers from your picture collections.

PDF viewer: Foxit Reader
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php
Adobe Acrobat is slow and bloated for simple PDF viewing. Foxit Reader runs swift as a standalone app, or within your browser.