Other free programs that aren't common enough to make it into my list but are also excellent:
Pidgin (IM client / MSN Messenger)
The GIMP (raster image editor / MS Paint)
Inkscape (vector image editor / Adobe Illustrator),
Blender (3D modeller / 3DS Max),
Scribus (desktop publishing / Microsoft Publisher)
OpenOffice.org Base (database editor / Microsoft Access)
Ubuntu. Linux for human beings.
If you are interested in trying Ubuntu or Linux in general, PM me and I will answer your questions and help you install it if you wish.







