Essential software for new computers

[boorjiusss]

Hey there LTT's!

 

I created this post beacuse I'm sure that lots of people doesn't know what software is essential to install when buying a new computer. I don't know either. So please let's try all of us to create a list o essential software that need to be installed on a computer out of the box.

 

List:

• Microsoft Office
• Java
• Antivirus
• Adobe Reader

Let's complete! Who wants to help?

 

Thanks!

[Canada EH]

O/S

Direct X

[t4ils]

I'd say just get whatever you need. tbh I don't really have a use case for any of the software you mentioned.

[Damascus]

I install

• Steam
• Cinebench
• Gpu drivers
• P95
• Realtemp
• Msi afterburner
• Fire fox
• Autocad

And basically nothing else.

[boorjiusss]

1 minute ago, Canada EH said:

O/S

Direct X

For the ones who don't know. Please could you explain what Direct X is?

[Wh0_Am_1]

Drivers aren't essential but useful, I also recommend Unity.

[Canada EH]

Just now, boorjiusss said:

For the ones who don't know. Please could you explain what Direct X is?

Might be a driver.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectX

[boorjiusss]

2 minutes ago, t4ils said:

I'd say just get whatever you need. tbh I don't really have a use case for any of the software you mentioned.

You're rigth. But we're trying to make a list which fits best for all people (more or less). Everyone need an antivirus.

[EnergyEclipse]

Steam & Origin, a EVGA XOC

[Wh0_Am_1]

Just now, boorjiusss said:

For the ones who don't know. Please could you explain what Direct X is?

To put it simply Direct X is an API on which game engines rely the newer the better. or just watch the video. 

 

[boorjiusss]

1 minute ago, Wh0_Am_1 said:

To put it simply Direct X is an API on which game engines rely the newer the better. or just watch the video. 

 

Thank you for the explanation.

[Wh0_Am_1]

Just now, boorjiusss said:

Thank you for the explanation.

Your welcome.

[MegaDave91]

It really depends on the use case of the PC, but I install the following:

 

Steam

Origin 

Chrome

PlayClaw 5 (overlay software)

Precision X 

Aida 64

 

Windows Defender does a sufficient job on its own so long as you visit familiar websites and avoid the shady ones.

[Techicolors]

https://ninite.com

 

you don't have to install everything on there. just check whatever you need. such as Google Chrome, Steam, VLC, 7zip etc.

 

though there are a couple on there that i suggest:

- Everything, which is pretty much the search feature on Windows 10. but it's much faster. sadly i haven't found a way to replace the default search but you can map a hotkey

- Malwarebytes. it's not an antivirus, but protects against malware

- SumatraPDF or cutePDF. lightweight PDF viewers (unless you're ok with Chrome's PDF viewer)

- paint.net, for general image manipulation 

[DrMacintosh]

meanwhile on macOS 

 

• uhhhh, steam maybe? 

[Techicolors]

1 minute ago, DrMacintosh said:

meanwhile on macOS 

 

• uhhhh, steam maybe? 

- bettertouchtools. add your own trackpad/magic mouse/touchbar gestures

- IINA. beautiful media player

- eqMac2. audio equalizer

- Shifty. customizes night shift

- Alfred. better spotlight

[WereCat]

Whatever I need...

 

Vivaldi browser

UBlock

UBlock Protector

Ghostery

7-Zip

GPU Drivers

SpeedFan

GPU-Z

CPU-Z

Aida64

Malwarebytes

MS Office suite

Skype

Discord

VLC 3.0

Foobar 2000

EVGA Precision XOC or MSI Afterburner

Steam

Plex Server and Player

HWInfo

qBitTorrent

StaxRIP

ImgBurn

MakeMKV

 

etc...

 

 

[DrMacintosh]

8 minutes ago, Technicolors said:

- bettertouchtools. add your own trackpad/magic mouse/touchbar gestures

- IINA. beautiful media player

- eqMac2. audio equalizer

- Shifty. customizes night shift

- Alfred. better spotligh

Bettertouchtools is inferior to Hyperdock and BettersnapTool

IINA is usless because you have iTunes 

eqMac2- just use iTunes for your EQ mixer 

Shifty- Apple lets you customize it already

and Apple killed Alfred with Sierra. 

 

So if anything only HyperDock and BettersnapTool. 

[aezakmi]

gpu drivers

Flash player

coretemp

 

 

[Mira Yurizaki]

The bare minimum essential software I think is:

• Motherboard drivers
• GPU drivers
  • Only the drivers. For example, I always leave out GeForce Experience on my driver installs because it's not necessary and I think it's bloatware. If you use some feature that requires GFE, then by all means, install it.
• Audio drivers (if needed)
• Network drivers (if needed)
• Web browser of choice

And stuff I install on my computers

• 7Zip (Archive manager)
• WinDirStat (Storage drive manager)
• VLC or some MPC package like CCCP or K-Lite (video player)
• Foobar2K or Winamp (music player)
• Plaintext editor replacement (Notepad++, vim, or similar)
• Paint.NET (Image editor)
• SpeedCrunch (Calculator replacement)
• IrfanView if using Windows 8.1 or earlier

And other optional stuff

• Steam, Origin, etc.
• Discord

1 hour ago, boorjiusss said:

List:

• Microsoft Office
• Java
• Antivirus
• Adobe Reader

Nitpicking

• Office isn't really necessary unless you really use it. Google Docs/Sheets works in a pinch and even if you need something like an office suite, Open/Libre Office will do the trick. The problem with Microsoft Office is it's $150 for a single license or $70 for a year if you go the Office 365 route.
• Java is not necessary at all. Hardly anything uses it and the only thing I can think of that's popular enough is Minecraft.
• Microsoft Defender alone is fine if you're not the type to disregard basic security practices. Malwarebytes is recommended as a safety net though.
• There are plenty of other alternatives to Adobe Reader, like Foxit Reader, Sumatra PDF, and built-in ones on web browsers (in my case I use Edge to read PDFs). Plus Adobe Reader has a history of security holes.

[Guest]

50 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

meanwhile on macOS 

 

• uhhhh, steam maybe? 

I install VLC but that’s all I need. 

[DrMacintosh]

11 minutes ago, RorzNZ said:

I install VLC but that’s all I need. 

Why VLC? QuickTime works just as good and looks way better. Unless you have weird proprietary file types that nobody uses so you need VLC to open them.  

[Zodiark1593]

20 minutes ago, RorzNZ said:

I install VLC but that’s all I need. 

MPC-HC seems to have faster software HEVC decode than VLC as well as better quality, at least as of VLC 2.2.5.

 

8 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Why VLC? QuickTime works just as good and looks way better. Unless you have weird proprietary file types that nobody uses so you need VLC to open them.  

Quicktime seems to not support .mkv video at this time. Mkv is quite common outside "official" channels of obtaining content, so this feature can be important for a player that can play everything.

 

Besides drivers, essential software for myself is as follows:

 

Any of VLC, MPC, or Kodi (or other player of choice)

LibreOffice or Microsoft Office (the latter if you're made of money)

7-zip

Firefox (or other choice of browser)

PCSX2

Handbrake

MakeMKV (or better equivalent)

Blender

GIMP/Krita (or other choice of photo editing)

[DrMacintosh]

3 minutes ago, Zodiark1593 said:

Quicktime seems to not support .mkv video at this time. Mkv is quite common outside "official" channels of obtaining content, so this feature can be important for a player that can play everything.

I swear It does, iTunes supports it, the iPhone supports it, no way QuickTime doesn't 

[DrMacintosh]

3 minutes ago, Zodiark1593 said:

LibreOffice or Microsoft Office

I just use Pages, Keynote, and Numbers