What are the basics of computer software, and how can you use it?

Useful Software

 When it comes to the world of computing, we have the basic types of software that are inbuilt into an operating system and given out for free. Mostly, they are the ones that you will need most in doing the basic stuff like writing documents, creating projection slides among other functions. These will include:

• A browser
• A documents management pack
• An antivirus
• A media player
• Video and audio editors
• Photo viewers

These and others are the ones that are included in the free utility software pack. They help you navigate the system with ease but as time goes by, you will need updates and software that are better.

Other Software

Apart from this common free software, there is other software which you will need to have so that you can enjoy the computer experience. This software will include the following.

1. Music Software

These are designed specifically for the music experience. They will help you categorize everything into albums, folders and when you play the music, you can use the various features like the equalizer that will give you the best music sound. These will include lyrics, identification of songs whose names you can’t remember and categorization.

2. Photo editors

 When you have taken photos and stored them in your computer, you will often find that some of them don’t look so good or you want to use them for some function which requires certain colors. That is where the photo editors come in handy.

3. Video Editors

Whenever you feel the need to alter or improve on the quality and properties of a video, you can always rely on a good video editor to help you out with that. This will make work easier for you especially when it comes to homemade videos which are taken on poor quality cameras.

Whenever you have a video editor, you can have many useful things to work with including sound editing and video quality among others. Apart from the editing of the video itself, you can also use this software to create your own movies at home.

4. Antivirus

Whenever you get a computer, it will have an inbuilt program whose job will be to target all the malicious software that invades a computer.  Most of these do not have the proper capability to deal with the hardcore viruses. That’s why you will need to have a proper antivirus that will take care of your computer.

5. E-Shopping Software

Whenever you go online, you will find that there are a lot of things you will need that are sold online. Of course you can go online with a browser and gain access to these sites that provide the things that you need.

However, you will find that logging in might be a problem with the browsers, that’s why you will need to have the software that will let you access the site that you need directly without having to go through the process of logging in constantly.

6. Games

Most of us use our computers for academics and work mostly but what happens when you are too tired to watch movies and need a reprieve from work? That’s where the games come in. they are mostly installed in the computer and can be played either offline or online depending on your taste.

There are all kinds of games that can be enjoyed alone or with a second player. They help when you are tired and need to cool down after a long day. Most of the games that are inbuilt are too simple and too visually uninteresting for the one seeking a game experience.

Finally: There are so many useful software that they cannot all be covered in this section.

How to Clean Up Junk in Your Computer

This is a very important process that needs to be taken seriously. Whenever your computer is too clogged up, it will slow down, hang and sometimes do things on its own that will make you lose data or it may crash. The following are the steps you can take to ensure that the computer remains in top notch shape for all your needs.

1. System Diagnostics

This is the first step in the cleanup of your device. A system diagnostics will require you to have an antivirus first. The antivirus will let you search the entire computer for problems and junk files. Most computer experts will stress on the use of proper antivirus software like Kaspersky and Norton for such uses.

2. Hard Drive Clean Up

The hard drives which are usually labeled local disks will need to be in the blue. Whenever they are red, it means that you have put too much data in them; this is not good for the computer because it needs the space to run the software that you will have installed.

When you do this, your computer will have ample space to run the programs whenever you open them, they will reduce buffering and load faster.

3. Use Cleaner Software

This is kind of software that is developed for the purpose of cleaning the junk files that are in your computer. Most of them are however attached to anti-viruses. You will need a cleaner that is on its own, properly developed and recommended by experts. For example, CCleaner works on Mac and on Microsoft operating Systems. It will clean up all the temporary internet trash files, malicious software and codes and the other nondescript part of a computer where a hacker or attacker might hide their files.

Top 5 Free Software

In this section, we will cover the best free software that anyone would need for the basics of a computer. There is recommended below, a browser, an office pack, an antivirus, a media player and the best reader software.

1. The Best Browser- Google Chrome

The browser is designed by Google and has been lauded as one of the best browsers as of now. It has extensive capabilities which include add-ons that are useful for the internet experience.

This has led to growth in the popularity of this browser and according to StatCounter, a statistics company; it has a 63% worldwide user base. It has been known to be flexible, has a great user interface and does not crash. And because you can connect it with your phone and other devices, it can allow you to move around with your precious bookmarks and other saved accounts.

2. The Best Office Software- WPS

This is one of the best office viewing packs that have been made of recent times. You would think that Microsoft would take the top spot but no. the WPS pack is one of the best because it can be downloaded from the internet for free. It is connected to a cloud where you can store your entire document and in this way be able to view and access them anytime you want. Another good thing about it is that it is easily compatible with Microsoft formats and blends easily on all levels including excel and PowerPoint presentations. It is able to beat Microsoft because of the programs that it offers which are more than Microsoft office.

3. Antivirus-AVG Antivirus

This is one of the most diverse and most comprehensive anti-virus software made in recent times. It contains a host of other security and internet protection sections. The name itself stands for Anti Virus Guard.

When you have AVG internet security, you will also be having the following in it: the antivirus, antispyware, antispam, identity protection, antirootkit, a link scanner, and web shield. Most of the viruses that infect and affect computers nowadays, come from the internet and whenever you login into something, you are bound to see pop ups and other distractions from the internet that will be containing malicious software. When you have AVG which is free, you can be able to withstand all these because it does everything that needs to be done from warning you, quarantining bad files and deleting them.

4. A Media Player- VLC

VLC is a free open source media player that is installed free of charge. Once you have installed it into your computer, there will be no need to add codec files or other additional material for it to work. Another good thing is that it has been known to play even the files that other media players refuse.

Once you have it, you will not experience any advertisements, user tracking or spyware that is characteristic of everything nowadays. And all this is completely free. Also, whenever you get bored of the same interface, you can go to http://www.videolan.org and get new ones to make it look better.

5. PDF reader- Foxit Reader

Apart from adobe reader, you can also use other readers which have been applauded as better than adobe in their compatibility, interface and ability to edit and create new documents. Foxit reader which is essentially a baby of the Mozilla Firefox Company will enable you to save the files you have on their cloud and be able to view them remotely. You will also have security for everything that you do and how it is shared and its accessibility.

How to Protect Your Computer from Viruses

There are ways in which you can ensure that your computer is virus free. Below are some of the simple ways in which you can bolster your security against malicious software.

Download and Install an Antivirus

This is the first step when it comes to protection from attacks by malicious software. When you decide to get an antivirus, it would be wise to make sure that the one you have gotten is a capable of actually doing its job properly. We would recommend the free AVG antivirus which has an extensive grasp on the issues of security.

Frequent Scans

After installing the antivirus, you can have it run regular deep scans which will be able to identify any and all viruses if the antivirus is indeed good. When you have done all this, you can be able to delete the bad files and in this way protect your computer. Thus, having the antivirus alone doesn’t mean that your computer is safe. You will have to use it to ascertain that.

Install a Firewall

This one has the function of being like a guard which creates a barrier between the computer and any external files that are trying to get access to your computer. This firewall has to be permanently on if you are a frequent user of the internet because that’s where most of the viruses come from.

Use Anti-Spyware

There are applications that will be used to track your movements and locations including the sites that you may be visiting. This is not good and can be used against you. When you use the anti-spyware software, you can at least be safe from this type of viruses.

Use Complex Passwords and Codes

Whenever you are required to have a password for something, make sure that it is a hard nut to crack otherwise, anyone with basic hacking skills can get through without much trouble. Of recent, all six character passwords with all lower case letters can be broken in less than six minutes. So, whenever you have a password, make sure that it has a capital letter, a symbol and numbers contained in it.

Best Free Computer Software for the Professional User

These include:

1. Email Software

When you are a professional working at a place, you will need the use of email to communicate with colleagues and the bosses among other people. For this, you can use Gmail which has grown in popularity over the years.

2. Drop Box

Whenever you have documents and pictures or just files that need to be stored offline, you may need to use the dropbox where you just drag the folder and drop it into the software when it is open and connected to the internet.

3. Virtual Network Computing

This will allow you to interconnect the computer in the workplace and in this way be able to share file among the ones in the network easily. The printing and sharing process becomes flawless.

4. Speech Recognition

This software will allow you to speak while the computer takes notes. Think of it as dictation. It is time saving and very easy to do if you are on a schedule.

5. Security Systems

You will need to have a good system for surveillance and monitoring of operations. You can have it all connected to the infrastructure and the cameras and all access points that are deemed worthy of this protection.

How to Edit Photos For Free With Computer Software

This is a quite simple process that will not stump you if you try it. Once you have the photos that you need to edit, you can always find a good photo editing software online. Just download the software and once it is installed, you can open it up and from there on, it’s a smooth ride. All the features that are contained it act as the guide for you to follow when you are editing. There are buttons for saturation, changing color, cropping and smoothening among others. The interface is easy to grasp and will not be a bother to you. All the changes that you will make will be highlighting themselves as you watch.

Is Making Money from Your Computer Possible

The following are the ways in which you can earn money from your computer. The methods that are discussed here are simple and easy to follow if you have the interest.

1. Writing

You can do this as a freelance writer or under a firm like iWriter and UpWork. Here, you will be given the articles from the client and you will need to complete them on time. After that is done, you will be required to submit them and get your pay through the channels that are set for that purpose.

2. Selling Photos and Merchandise

When you go online, you will find a lot of people selling a lot of things. For this one, you can sell photographs and wallpaper if you want to and also other things like digital products which include e-books for a commission.

3. Web design

This is a path that has been explored by few but you can also do it by use of software that is used for creating websites. They pay well for this kind of thing. Other ways include:

1. Designing logos
2. Selling domain names that are original
3. Taking online surveys
4. Sharing files online

Bottom Line

Software has changed the computer world landscape and has created jobs for many people all over the world. In this article, you have seen the best of them and the most useful information that you can need when it comes to such things. So, take a step and educate yourself with this kind of information.