Base windows config

The set of things we recommend for any Windows PC, and which we aim to keep installed and updated on PCs we manage, covers a range of free add ons. Here's a start at a current list, as of June 2011:

• Windows Update or Microsoft Update - all updates, patches and service packs
• A current commercial antivirus subscription
• Symantec Endpoint Protection is free to all UofT users at antivirus.utoronto.ca
• MS Security Essentials
• Mozilla Thunderbird email client - currently at v.3.0 from mozilla.com
• Web browsers (MSIE required; user choice of Firefox, Chrome or both)
• MS Internet Explorer browser - currently at v.8, with v.9 forthcoming
• Mozilla Firefox - currently at v.5.0, download from mozillamessaging.com/thunderbird/
• Google Chrome - currently at v.12.0 download from google.com/chrome/
• Spybot S&D anti-spyware - free from www.safer-networking.org - protects browsers
• uncheck "Use TeaTimer" during install
• update, then immunize (takes some time) after that it will auto-update periodically
• Browser plug-ins:
• Adobe Flash player from get.adobe.com/flashplayer - visit in each browser
• Web of Trust search security tool - visit www.mywot.com in each browser and click the button to add the corresponding plug-in for that browser - repeat for MSIE, FF, Chrome
• Adobe Reader X download from get.adobe.com/reader/
• Putty 0.6 - download from sgtatham - copy to All Users--Desktop
• WinSCP standalone - download from winscp.net - copy to All Users--Desktop 
• 7-Zip free archive reader/writer from www.7-zip.org - reads WinRAR format
• Mendeley citation manager application and browser plug-ins from www.mendeley.org
• optional addition: Zotero plug-in for Firefox from www.zotero.org
• Browser setup (in all chosen browsers)
• bookmarks/favorites for commonly used UofT sites (library, IEEE, ECE, group, etc.)
• Google Scholar preferences: add UofT as a library for "GetIt(TM)" links in results