Bookie Recommends...

I spend several hours of my day tethered to the Internet. Out of necessity and enjoyment, I've come across several applications and services that have made the shackles a little more comfortable. Feel free to post your experiences with these as well as some of your fav's not listed here.

Trillian
If you use instant messengers to keep in touch with family, friends, and cellmates, this program is a must. There is a limited free version as well as a full-featured Pro version well-worth the $25 fee. I like the interoperability, message history, and the various plug-ins available (RSS reader, weather display). Here's what their web site has to say:

Trillian™ is a fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC. It provides capabilities not possible with original network clients, while supporting standard features such as audio chat, file transfers, group chats, chat rooms, buddy icons, multiple simultaneous connections to the same network, server-side contact importing, typing notification, direct connection (AIM), proxy support, encrypted messaging (AIM/ICQ), SMS support, and privacy settings.

Without stealing your home page and with no other included software, pop-ups, or spyware, Trillian provides unique functionality such as contact message history, a powerful skinning language, tabbed messaging, global status changes (set all networks away at once), Instant Lookup (automatic Wikipedia integration), contact alerts, an advanced automation system to trigger events based on anything happening in the client, docking, hundreds of emoticons, emotisounds, shell extensions for file transfers, and systray notifications.

Firefox
I mean, really, who's using IE anymore? The 2000's are all about alternative everythings and the web browser is no exception. If you're giddy about tricking out your browser with some tabs, extensions, and additional safety features, check out this sweet ride. I especially like the tabbed browsing and the built-in pop-up blocker.

iTunes
I've used MusicMatch, Windows Media Player, something from Real Networks, and several versions of WinAmp but was never satisfied with my music player until iTunes came along. I switch to iTunes about as fast as some of the NEPA locals switched to bottled water after they found out their wells were contaminated. Give it a try because it's cool and because it has nothing to do with Bill Gates. The features I like are the browse window, the search feature, crossfade playback, and podcasting.

Gmail
I don't know about you but if you're like me, you're 5'10", your name's Matt, and you're tired of people changing their e-mail addresses. Just the other day, I talked to a friend I had e-mailed and he told me he didn't get my e-mail because he doesn't check that account anymore. E-mail addresses should be like tattoos... permanent. I've been a long-time advocate for having an e-mail address you don't have to surrender if you switch Internet service providers. Getcherself a free 2.5+ GB e-mail account through Gmail and stop needlessly destroying your friendships. I enjoy Gmail's spam blocker, labels (vs. folders), archive/search feature, the conversation view, and the ability to handle larger attachments.

Here are a couple other free programs you might be interested in:
Audacity - a free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder.
GIMP - a freely distributed program for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring.