All of these programs are FREE (open source) to use and redistribute.
Name
Description
Link
OpenOfficeOffice suitehttp://openoffice.org
CelestiaGalaxy simulationhttp://www.shatters.net/celestia/
ClamWinFree Anti-Virus with automatic updateshttp://www.clamwin.com
FirefoxBetter, safer browser than IEhttp://www.mozilla.com/en-US/
FreeMindIdea mapping toolhttp://freemind.sourceforge.net
GIMPGNU Image Manipulation Program - Like PhotoShophttp://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html
InkscapeVector Drawing and SVG Graphics programhttp://inkscape.org/
OpenClipArtSVG graphics, use with Inkscapehttp://openclipart.org
AudacitySound editinghttp://audacity.sourceforge.net
You should also install the LAME MP3 plugin and others on the downloads page.
NVUWYSIWYG Web Editorhttp://www.nvu.com
Paint.NETPaint Programhttp://www.getpaint.net
Install MS DOT.net framework first.
PDFCreatorPrint any document as a PDF filehttp://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator
Scribus
You'll also need GNU Ghostscript to use Scribus.
DesktopPublishing program - like Pagemakerhttp://www.scribus.net

http://www.gnu.org/software/ghostscript/ghostscript.html

SpyBot Search & DestroySpyWare Blocker
Very good program
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/
StellariumNight sky viewing program - very goodhttp://www.stellarium.org/
TightVNCAllows virtual viewing and control of laptophttp://www.tightvnc.com/
TuxPaintSimple paint program for younger childrenhttp://www.tuxpaint.org
Download the extra stamps too!
TuxTypeSimple typing gamehttp://tuxtype.sourceforge.net
These programs are FREE to install and use. Downloads are available through distributor's web sites.
Google Earth3D Earth mapping with satellite imaging. Very cool...http://earth.google.com
Ad-AwareAnti-spywarehttp://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
Adobe Flash, Acrobat, ShockwaveBrowser plugins from Adobe. You'll need to download and install these AFTER you install Firefox.http://www.adobe.com/downloads/
iTunesSupplies Qucktime and software to subscribe to podcastshttp://www.apple.com/itunes/download/
MS dot net frameworkRequired for various programshttp://www.microsoft.com/net
Real PlayerPlayer for real media audio and videohttp://www.realnetworks.com/products/free_trial.html
RealProducer BasicCreate your own real media from audio and video clipshttp://www.realnetworks.com/products/free_trial.html
BurnisoSimple iso cdrom burnerDownload link
SkypeFree Internet phone softwarehttp://skype.com