These pages give information on Windows-based software which I use and recommend. Where possible I try to use free software (in both senses of the word) and open source software, but I am pragmatic about this kind of thing, and in some instances am happy to use commercial software which you have to pay for. For a few pieces of software, I have willingly paid to upgrade from the freeware version, and I briefly explain why for each of these,

To put it another way - if I was to do a fresh install of windows, this is the stuff I'd want to put on my computer soon after.