Gmail
Create a Google mail account. This is one of the easiest email accounts to use and has a very good spam filter for those unwanted messages. Create an account
AVG anti-virus software
Free anti-virus software. Keep your computer clean without paying a fortune. Download AVG for free *make sure you only have on anti-virus software on your computer at any one time. otherwise they will try eliminate each other and slow your computer!*
iTunes
iTunes is a great way to access your music in one place Download iTunes
Open Office
Open Office is a free alternative to Microsoft Office. While this is great to have on your computer, remember to save your files in a format that the person you are sending it to can open. Download Open Office
Google Chrome / Mozilla Firefox / Opera
These are all alternate browser to Internet Explorer. Internet explorer has become more and more unpopular in recent years as other browsers have more to offer. Which browser you choose is up to your own personal preferance. Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome are two of the most popular, Opera is also quite good but has had glitches with updates in the past.