When I decided to clean-up my computer, I was forced to create list of free software I have installed on it. I realized that's actually list of the best free software I found during long, long time of testing... So... Maybe it could help you too.

As I am web designer, that software is - of course - selected with focus on web design. Operating system is Windows Vista (but almost all of that software is working on Linux or was developed for it).

Universal tools

• OpenOffice - come on, everybody knows that great, must have office suite
• Avast! antivirus - everybody needs some antivirus...
• Cobian Backup - simple to use, but powerful backup software
• TODO Backup - When Cobian Backup is taking care of your data, TODO Backup is taking care of all your drive...
• Gimp - PhotoShop for poor? Never mind! That is photo editing software for smart ones!
• GhostScript - let the Gimp handle PDF, PS and EPS files
• FreeMind - Mind maps. Quite helpful if your future project is at the present time just few non-organized ideas
• Ifran View - show me single person who is satisfied with built-in image browser in Windows and I'll tell him: yes, you don't need it :-)
• LeaderTask - this Time Management software isn't free, but is cheap, and I decided put in here, because I am using it daily and is worth of every single penny!
• DOSbox - for people who will never stop play DOS Civilization on modern computers :-)
• ZipGenius - the best free ZIP/UNZIP comprimation software
• PeaZIP - only true Open Source comprimation software

Video & DVD

• TheKMPlayer - it can play almost everything
• Mplayer Classic - where is Windows Media Player unstable, there is MPC rock solid
• VirtualCloneDrive - if you have a ISO image of DVD, you need to mount it before you can use it as normal disc. That is that software for.
• FairUse Wizard - Only one DVD to DivX converting software which will care of epizodes on series DVD!
• DVD Fab - useful DVD decrypter
• SubtitleTool - simple, small, but my favourite software for subtitle editing

Graphic & DTP (Desktop publishing)

• InkScape - Great vector editor
• Scribus - OpenSource DTP software and is REALLY cool!
• ImageMagick - you will maybe think you don't need it... 'till you will face folder with thousand of images and will have need to do something with them!
• Pencil - yes, you can create sketch of new website in Scribus, but you will 10 times quicker with Pencil

Web development related

• Mozilla - No comment
• Chrome - No comment
• ColorZilla - have you ever had need to know color of something on website? Yes? So you need it!
• FireBug - Must have tool for better control of site you developing
• WebDeveloper - what is FireBug doing in bottom of page is WebDeveloper doing in header. Theirs combination however is irresistible
• SearchStatus - quick look on backlinks, PR and much more!
• NetBeans - Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for web designers. I have tested tons of them, but NetBeans is the best one. Howgh!
• FileZilla or WinSCP - I honestly cannot decide which of this two FTP clients is better...
• WinMerge or Compare IT! - idem, I love both of that file merging software
• Antix SMTP server - click the link for more information
• XAMPP - Apache, MySQL, PHP and much more for Windows
• SEO PowerSuite - another software which isn't free, but you probably cannot live without if you are web designer. That one is for Search Engine Optimization data harvesting.