This post is being written as part of Darren Rowse’s “Top 5″ Group Writing Project.

There are many ways I could go about creating this Top 5 list, but few would pertain to everyone. Some of my readers don’t have Wordpress, others don’t have blogs or websites, and some even still use Internet Explorer. *gasp*

There is, however, one topic that is going to be useful to anyone with a computer, and that topic is free software. No matter whether your allegiance is to Microsoft or Apple, no matter what language you speak, or what kind of music you prefer. Everyone that has a computer can find a use for free software, and there is an abundance of great software available at no cost to the user, many of which is open source.

It was extremely difficult, but I was able to narrow my list down to the top 5 free software currently available:

  1. Firefox – What Firefox offers is a more secure web browser that can be customized to fit every unique individuals needs using the themes and extensions created by its users. With the power of the open source community behind it, Firefox will likely remain ahead of its competitors going forward, which will allow them to boast a safer and better browsing experience.
  2. Avast – In an era where having a good anti-virus is extremely important to a computers survival, Avast outshines its competitors, offering a free anti-virus software for non-commercial use. Not only is this my anti-virus software of choice among the freeware available, I also use it over Norton, McAfee, or any other software that requires purchase. (Note: Requires re-reregistration each year)
  3. OpenOffice – As the open source community continues to grow, so does this free office suite. With continued support from the open source community, I believe this will eventually rival Microsoft Office. In the meantime, this is a great alternative for people that can’t afford the Microsoft Office suite.
  4. Foxit Reader – Many people complain about the speed of their computer. This can often be attributed to software slowing your computer down. The two biggest culprits are Norton Anti-virus (alternative above!) and Adobe Reader. Foxit Reader is a very capable replacement that does not use many system resources while offering you all the functionality of Abobe’s PDF Reader.
  5. Thunderbird – Another software by Mozilla makes the list. This desktop e-mail client offers most of the functionality of Microsoft Outlook, including support for POP3 and IMAP. Like Firefox, it can also be customized to your needs via Thunderbird’s numerous extensions.

A quick honorable mention goes to the GIMP, which is a excellent open source digital image editor. This software serves as a great alternative to Adobe’s Photoshop, which would require the average user to take out a second mortgage on their home to purchase.

So, there you have it. If you don’t use these 5 above, there has never been a better time to start. Their influence over the internet will continue to expand over the coming years, so I recommend getting on board now.

What are your top 5?