| his article, I thought I would go ahead and list ten | | | | OpenOffice is absolutely free. Yes, you read that |
| programs you should download right now. | | | | right. OpenOffice is free. What are you waiting |
| Everyone enjoys downloading new software. It | | | | for? Go check it out. |
| can be exciting coming across new and interesting | | | | Real Lives |
| programs. I have tried hundreds of different | | | | Real Lives is a fun little game. Part geography, |
| software programs. Some of them were | | | | part the Sims, Real Lives gives you the chance to |
| amazing, some of them were horrible. Over the | | | | live the life of someone in another country. You |
| years though I have developed a list of some of | | | | don't get to see the character, but you get to |
| my favorites and often recommend these | | | | read how they progress from year to year and |
| programs to friends and family. I should note | | | | make their key life decisions. Want to go to |
| though that many websites that carry articles do | | | | college? Want to work in the government? Want |
| not allow more then a couple links in the main | | | | to ask for a raise? Want to get married? It's all |
| body of the article. Because of this, I am unable | | | | here. However, your life will vary depending on |
| to include download links for each program. | | | | the country you choose to live in. Picking political |
| However, if you do a search for them on Google, | | | | activism as one of your hobbies may sound nice |
| you can find where to download them. | | | | in a place like the United States, but it's not fun |
| Alternatively, you can visit my website where I | | | | when you read that your character was arrested |
| have uploaded this article and included links inside | | | | and executed because they were protesting in a |
| the article to download each program. The web | | | | country like North Korea. ;) Real Lives will really |
| address is listed in my author info. | | | | make you stop and think just how different life |
| Okay, so now it's time for me to list ten of these | | | | can be from country to country. If you have any |
| programs I love so that you can go ahead and | | | | interest at all in geography or in the world in |
| try them out yourself. As of writing this, all of | | | | general, check out Real Lives. |
| them have free versions, and they are in no | | | | Seterra |
| particular order. | | | | If you have any interest in geography, you may |
| Agent Ransack | | | | want to download Seterra in addition to Real |
| Agent Ransack is a great program. Agent | | | | Lives. Seterra is an educational game full of |
| Ransack basically lets you search your computer | | | | geography quizzes. Think you know all of the |
| for specific files. Some people may be wondering | | | | country capitals in the world? How about the |
| why you should download Agent Ransack when | | | | state capitals? What about the various flags in the |
| you can use the Windows File Search. Well, Agent | | | | world? Now is your chance to prove it with the |
| Ransack is much quicker. I have found that a | | | | quizzes in Seterra. Also, there is a high score |
| quick file search with Agent Ransack can just | | | | feature so you can compare your scores to your |
| take a few minutes. With Windows File Search on | | | | family and friends and finally decide who is truly |
| the other hand, it's taken up to an hour for me. | | | | the geography king. |
| Just download Agent Ransack and you will be able | | | | SpywareBlaster |
| to easily find files on your computer. | | | | It seems like Spyware is everywhere these days. |
| AVG Anti-virus | | | | Even doing something as simple as visiting a |
| This is actually a pretty popular software | | | | website can get your computer infected. So when |
| program, so it's possible that you already have it. | | | | people ask me how to avoid Spyware, I answer |
| AVG Anti-Virus is, you guessed it, an anti virus | | | | with SpywareBlaster. SpywareBlaster basically has |
| program. So why should you download AVG | | | | a long list of harmful ActiveX plug-ins that |
| when you could go out and buy Norton or | | | | SpywareBlaster will block from installing onto your |
| McAfee? Well, AVG Anti-Virus has a free version. | | | | system. You don't even need to keep |
| That's right, you don't need to pay any money to | | | | SpywareBlaster running all the time. Just download |
| protect yourself from viruses! Just download the | | | | SpywareBlaster, make sure it's updated, and click |
| free version of AVG, update often, and put your | | | | to enable the protection. Just like that, your |
| computer virus worries to rest. | | | | computer is protected from thousands of |
| ManyCam | | | | different Spyware programs. Very cool. |
| Have a webcam? Like to video chat on MSN or | | | | Trillian |
| Skype? Then you are going to love this program. | | | | So how many of you use MSN? How about |
| ManyCam works with your webcam to create | | | | Yahoo? How about AIM? Well, if you use any of |
| some really cool effects when you video chat | | | | these, you are going to love Trillian. Trillian has the |
| with your friends. For instance, you can pick from | | | | capability to connect to all of the different IM |
| different hats and ManyCam will have the hat | | | | networks. That means you can be signed in on |
| follow your head on webcam. You can do various | | | | AIM, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, IRC, etc. and only have to |
| screen effects like warp, shrink, etc. You can | | | | load one messenger! Seriously, do you realize just |
| even change the background and make it appear | | | | how much memory it takes to keep multiple |
| like you're talking from inside a fish tank. | | | | messengers running? Trillian takes less memory to |
| ManyCam is a very cool program and it's totally | | | | run then a single regular messenger uses. If you |
| free. | | | | use multiple messengers, do your computer a |
| MyHeritage Family Tree Builder | | | | favor and just download Trililan. It's fast, simple, |
| Genealogy is a very popular topic these days. | | | | and of course, there's a free version. |
| With many ancestry websites and family tree | | | | WorldWide Telescope |
| programs, you can easily go about creating your | | | | Finally, we come to WorldWide Telescope. |
| own family tree. Unfortunately, most family tree | | | | Worldwide Telescope has got to be one of the |
| software programs will cost you money. | | | | coolest educational programs and is created by |
| Fortunately, MyFamilyTree has a free version. | | | | Microsoft. Unfortunately, WorldWide Telescope |
| Even in the free version, MyFamilyTree has all the | | | | has not gotten nearly as much attention as it |
| usual features that Family Tree Software | | | | deserves, in my opinion. Have you tried Google |
| programs have, and yes, you can import your | | | | Earth before and looked at the satellite images all |
| GEDCom database. If you have been wanting to | | | | over the world? WorldWide Telescope is like |
| build a family tree but the cost was your excuse | | | | Google Earth, but for the night sky. With |
| not to, now you have no excuse. Download | | | | Worldwide Telescope, you can look at how the |
| Family Tree Builder and start creating that large | | | | night sky looks from your location and learn about |
| family tree that you can later share with your | | | | all of the different stars that you normally see |
| family at Thanksgiving. | | | | outside. Also, you can zoom in on the sky and |
| OpenOffice | | | | look closely at pictures of galaxies and other |
| Need a word processor? Need a spreadsheet | | | | objects that were taken by the Hubble Telescope. |
| program? Need a program to create | | | | If you have any interest at all in Astronomy, then |
| presentations? If you answered yes to any of | | | | you have got to try WorldWide Telescope. |
| these but don't have the money to buy Microsoft | | | | Well, hopefully you have found some programs |
| Office (who does?) then you will love OpenOffice. | | | | that you hadn't heard of before. Hopefully now |
| OpenOffice is an open-source office suite with all | | | | you are in the process of downloading some of |
| the usual office programs. Write up documents, | | | | them. Trying out new software can be exciting |
| create worksheets, draw sketches, design | | | | and all of the programs mentioned here are |
| presentations, yup, it's all here. Best of all, | | | | especially exciting. Have fun! |