26. Restoration
Restoration is a freeware program that enables you to restore deleted files from the Recycle Bin or flash cards that have either been formatted or corrupted. In short, this program can really save you a lot of pain.
Price Free
Web www.snapfiles.com/get/restoration.html
25. GoToMyPC
GoToMyPC lets you access your files from anywhere with an internet connection, so you'll never be without those files. Not only can you browse files, but you can control your desktop, and even use programs not on your local PC.
Price £11.99 per month
Web www.gotomypc.com
24. Internet Explorer 8
The eagerly awaited successor to the brilliant Internet Explorer 7 brings sharing, translating and plenty of plug-ins to the fore, and is available in beta now.
Price Free
Web www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/beta/default.aspx
23. µ Torrent
µTorrent made such a great impression when it launched that BitTorrent made it the default application, and it still remains the best torrent client.
Price Free
Web www.utorrent.com
22. TrueCrypt
Free open source encryption has made TrueCrypt a popular choice with readers who want to keep their documents safe when on the move.
Price Free
Web www.truecrypt.org
21. Norton PartitionMagic 8.0
When it comes to disc partitioning, Norton PartitionMagic is one of the simplest ways to begin splitting your drives, and start switching between operating systems.
Price £49.98
Web www.symantec.com/norton/partitionmagic
20. RoboForm
Don't bother filling out endless forms and password fields when a robot can do all the hard work for you. RoboForm does this automatically and hundreds of our readers say they couldn't live without it.
Price £29.95
Web www.roboform.com
19. Dreamweaver CS3 Student
Student web designers should look no further than Adobe's Dreamweaver, which is to web design what Photoshop is to image manipulation. A full copy will cost you over £400, but the student edition brings the essentials of Dreamweaver at an affordable price.
Price £86.99
Web www.adobe.com
18. SnagIt
The ultimate screen-capture software, SnagIt not only takes standard screenshots, but enables you to capture stuff that's off-screen as well, with an excellent scroll capture function and edit, too.
Price $49.95 (£25.14)
Web www.techsmith.com
17. ATI Tray Tools
If you've got an ATI Radeon graphics card, then the ATI Tray Tools application is a must-have. It enables you to tweak your graphics and get the most out of your system, from colour and resolution settings to overclocking abilities for the real power users.
Price Free
Web www.guru3d.com
16. CCleaner
This useful application cleans and streamlines every aspect of your computer, from temporary files through to your registry, making sure your Windows Vista PC keeps that fresh and clean feeling.
Price Free
Web www.ccleaner.com
15. Stardock's Objectdock Plus
Objectdock Plus is another application nominated by scores of readers who are looking for a little piece of Apple on their PC. It's a quick-launch application that sits at the bottom of your screen, and enables you to start up your applications quickly and attractively.
Price $19.95 (£10.04)
Web www.stardock.com
14. TuneUp Utilities 2008
If you want to give your PC a performance boost, then TuneUp Utilities 2008 is the perfect software. Whether it's defragging your hard drive, boosting internet performance, registry cleaning or data recovery, Tune Up Utilities is our readers' choice when it comes to making your PC run better.
Price £29.99
Web www.tuneup-software.co.uk
13. Nero 8
Take burning CDs to a new level with Nero 8. The program enables you to burn video, music and photo discs, has multimedia streaming features and includes support for Blu-ray and HD DVD.
Price £39.98
Web www.nero.com
12. AVG AntiVirus Free Edition
One of the most popular free anti-virus programs around, AVG offers virus protection, and is a great way to keep your Windows Security Center status green.
Price Free
Web www.grisoft.com
