Ah, to start from scratch - wouldnt it be nice if we could do that with life sometimes. Sadly thats not an option, however we can often find ourselves in a position where we can start from scratch with our computers - whether its a brand spanking newbie or our trusty daily use computer after its been reinstalled; unlike the life scenario however, starting from scratch with your computer(s) can be quite frustrating, having to download an reinstall all the apps you use day-in day-out.

This time though also gives us the oportunity to add a bunch load of new programs, which preferably are better and free alternatives to our otherwise dated software. So, heres my top-5 of programs you should install on a blank slate machine. Bear in mind, I am a programmer by nature, so this list will be slightly skewed to that end of the user spectrum:

1. Firefox 2.x - Arguably the best browser out there, primarily for its plugins, Firefox is a great free browser that reinvented tab browsing and brought it to the masses.
2. NotePad++ - Without question, the best free notepad tool I have ever come across on any platform (linux, mac osx, windows). This wonderful program is to the bog standard notepad program what liquid oxygen is to the space shuttle; it has very many features - too many to list here, including plugins, a vast array of language support (php, html, css, and so on). Just download it for free, if your not completely satisfied, your money back!
3. GoogleEarth -Whether your looking for directions, wanting to see what your house looks like from space, or want to spy on the neighbours, GoogleEarth is one of the best free programs out there. You can literally view the entire earth in its majesty, and zoom directly onto your house, and - depending on the area - see a frightening level of detail. Both educational and fun, every computer should have a copy of this installed. period.
4. Skype - Most definitely the best VOIP service I’ve ever used, not only can you get cheap voice calls all over the world, an actual physical landline number for people to call (optional extra) but you can also charge for your services, and chat with video. Truly a great program and service.
5. Yahoo! widget engine - if your not of the ilk that uses Mac OSx or Windows Vista, or even if you do, the Yahoo widget engine brings widgets to your desktop at incredible ease. I myself use this primarily to display an event calendar, a picture frame and three world timezone clocks (New York, Dublin, Perth)