we recommend the following

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OpenOffice:

A fully functional Office suite with just about every feature you could possibly need. Opens Microsoft Office documents and you can save as PDF. This suite is sweet. Did I mention free?

Firefox:

Firefox is a free web browser we would advise using. Because of its close adherence to open web standards you are less susceptible to vulnerabilities that target competitors. Tabbed browsing and speed are also benefits of using this fine web browser.

Gmail:

Webmail. Gmail is a revolutionary email client. With over 2.8 GB of storage, you never need to delete any mail, simply archive it and it's available to search at any time. Best free (or pay) client out there.

Thunderbird:

Thunderbird is a clean and fast email client. It has great IMAP support and the anti-spam tools are astounding. Highly suggested.

The Gimp:

The Gimp is an exceptional photo editing tool much like Photoshop. In some ways it's even better. If you can't afford the high price of Photoshop, go with The Gimp.