I was going through Windows today deleting some applications I didn’t really use or need, and making sure the applications I do use regularly are updated to the latest versions. Going through this somewhat long list I realized I have a lot of software installed, and quite a few of them are free. I wanted to share my top 5 software picks and hopefully some of these will find a place in your computer.

1. CCleaner - This is a great application to “clean” your PC of unwanted files, registry entries, startup items, and much more.
2. ObjectDock - I don’t care much for the Windows start menu, so I place all my frequently used application shortcuts in a dock on top of my desktop.
3. HydraIRC - This is a great IRC client for those who still use IRC. Simple interface, and works great with Vista.
4. IZArc - One of the best archive utilities I have ever used. It supports a wide variety of archive formats and is Vista compatible.
5. FastStone Photo Resizer - I often receive CD’s with hundreds of photos that I need to resize, this application will do batch resizes among other things.

What’s your list of the top free software you use on a regular basis?

[tags]software, free, windows, vista, xp[/tags]