If I had to write an advertisement for the Internet as a whole, I could do it with just two words.

Free Stuff.

It still astonishes me that most of the personal software I use, day in and day out, is free. Web browser. Email. Usenet news. Telnet and FTP. Chat. Instant messaging. Video conferencing. HTML, text and graphics editors. Antivirus programs. Even games. All you really need to collect more software than you’ll ever need is a decently equipped computer, an operating system and an Internet account.

SNET Internet gets you started with a browser, email and Usenet news software. We don’t specifically recommend anything else, in part, because there’s too much good stuff out there and it changes too fast. However, In conjunction with Snap, we offer a complete software download site where you can find just about any application you can imagine.

Here’s a quick guide to what the web editor finds handy, what it is and where to get it. All of the programs I mention are "freeware" or "shareware." Shareware is software that relies on the kindness of strangers to turn a profit. Downloaded from the Internet (versus sold in a store), it often has a free trial period (30 days or so) at which time the program stops working. Or it keeps on running, but your guilt (in theory) kicks in, prompting you to send the shareware developer a payment if you want to continue using it. Shareware, sans fancy packaging or middleman, is usually ridiculously cheap -- US$10 or $20 -- which is amazing considering it is often superior to store-bought goods (since you're downloading the latest, least-buggy release.) An even better deal is freeware, which is, well, free.

First Things First

I’ve mentioned this before, but will say it again here -- if you like Free Stuff, the first program you need to get is the one that will allow you to open and install the programs you download. Most programs that are available for download are stored in compressed format, and you’ll have to decompress or expand them after you download them. There are a lot of choices. For Windows, I prefer WinZip -- it works fine and, besides, I’ve been using one version or another of it since MS-DOS days. Mac users who don’t have some version of "Stuffit" should head over to Aladdin Systems and get a copy.

Whatever you use, get comfortable with it. This is a program you’re going to be using a lot.

The Best Sites

There are a number of sites on the Internet that have huge libraries of software available for download; we’ve already mentioned the SNET/Snap Software Center, powered by download.com. When I’m looking specifically for Internet software, however, I often head over to TUCOWS. TUCOWS stands for "The Ultimate Collection of Winsock Software," a name that is a little dated. The site itself isn’t, however. The TUCOWS folks keep up to date with reviews, and have a good Mac section and a new Linux section, as well.

What I Use ...

There was a time, not many years ago, when -- well, if it was new, and free, I downloaded it. My Significant Other would swear that I still do this, but I’ve gotten better. The "Must-Have" list for Windows is surprisingly small:

• Chat -- I’m still using mIRC. There are lots of programs out there, but I’ve been using pretty much the same program since 1994. There’s something to be said for familiarity.
• FTP -- Again, I stick with an old friend for file transfer. WS_FTP from Ipswitch has been around forever, and WS_FTP LE 4.6 remains free for personal use.
• Telnet -- Not many folks have much of a need for a telnet program anymore, and there’s a simple Telnet client built into Windows 95/98. Just go to your Start menu, click on "Run" and type in "telnet." See? However, those who need a more robust command-line interface, whether it’s for accessing MUDs and MOOs or for accessing remote Unix servers, probably want to go grab something like CRT from Van Dyke Technologies.
• Instant Messaging -- I rely heavily on ICQ. AOL/Netscape Instant Messenger, the other most widely used program, has two disadvantages, from where I sit -- One, I don’t have any friends on AOL, and two, the other person has to be online for a message to go through. (Though it isn't necessary that the other person has to be on AOL.) With ICQ, you can send a message even if the other person is offline.
• UseNet News -- Though both Netscape mail and Microsoft Outlook Express handle Usenet just fine, I prefer Forte’s Free Agent for Usenet newsgroups.
• Video Conferencing -- As with everything else, there’s a lot out there, and I’m guilty of trying most of it. However, Microsoft’s NetMeeting has served me well. Most importantly, I was able to get my mom and dad to use it -- which was the whole point of bothering with video conferencing in the first place.
• HTML Editing -- I’m a Dreamweaver fan, when I’m not using a simple text editor. Be aware, though -- Dreamweaver is offered on a 30-day trial basis only. Then they want you to buy. There are dozens of other editors for personal home pages out there. You may want to try a few.
• Antivirus -- I confess, I don’t keep an antivirus program in continuous operation at home because I don’t like the way they make my main computer run. However, I have the luxury of having more than one computer with an Internet connection at home, and if I needed antivirus software I would just head over to to the SNET/Snap Download Center and take my pick.

What else do you really need? Drop me an email with your favorite "must-have" download, and I’ll write about them in a future column.