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Alternative software for Microsoft programs.


Internet explorer has been around since the birth of the World Wide Web and Edge is Microsofts new web browser. Available on Windows 10 systems, its been designed with the furture in mind.

If you don't have Edge or aren't keen, here's 3 great alternatives in no perticular order...

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Granted Windows Live Mail does not come preinstalled with Windows, but is available as an add-on pack called Windows Essentials, without it Windows 7 has no email program. If you have Windows 8 or 10, then you have the additional option of the Mail app.

If neither of these are to your liking, then Thunderbird by Mozilla is the program for you.

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Microsoft's Paint is extremely basic but is also very, very easy to use.

Alternatively if you want a little more power and functionality, then iether of these will do the job...

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Windows media play is great for organizing your music and plays a large range of video files, with a few 3rd party add-ons it can play even more. But if you want an audio and video player to play most out of the box, then VLC is the program to use.

Another alternative for your music files, which if you know me, you know I hate to mention it. Its bloated and over time you will end up with additional software you didn't ask for, yes you're right, its Itunes. Unfortunately, if you have an apple media player, you must have it.

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Windows Media Center is a fantastic program and I think Microsoft were foolish to drop it from Windows 10. So if you have the new Windows, don't worry all is not lost there are alternatives.

Kodi previously known as XBMC, has become very popular over the past few years and is a very powerful free alternative.

Emby or Plex, are other alternatives, they both require the installation of free server software first to manage you library and then installation of a media center or player to access your library, unfortunately this software is rather costly but can be used not just on your computer but through the web via any accessible device.

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Live Photo Gallery or just Photo Gallery depending on the version, is another program within the Live Essentials pack. It's a great photo manager application with face recognition built in.

The alternatives here don't have face recognition but are suitable free alternative. The free Zoner Photo Studio is powerful but pushes its premium application.

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Again Live Movie Maker or just Movie Maker depending on the version, is part of the Live Essentials pack. It's a good starter program to begin video editing.

Microsoft is said to be releasing an updated version of this shortly, but until then here's some powerful alternatives.

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Defragmentation is advantageous and relevant to file systems on mechanical disk drives. The movement of the hard drive's read/write heads over different areas of the disk when accessing fragmented files is slower, compared to accessing the entire contents of a non-fragmented file sequentially without moving the read/write heads to seek other fragments.

Defragging mechanical hard drives is a must to help keeps system running eficently, but you must never run defragging software on a Solid State Drive or SSD for short.

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Windows Explorer, or File Explorer depending on your version of Windows is a file manager application that is included with releases of the Microsoft Windows operating system from Windows 95 onwards. It provides a graphical user interface for accessing the file systems.

Here's 2 alternatives to the built in File Manager...

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Windows Search is a file finder application that is included with in the Microsoft Windows operating system. It can be accessed from Windows File manager or from the start menu.

Everything is a small but lightning fast alternative that leaves Windows Search in its wake.

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Sound Recorder or Voice Recorder in Windows 10 is a basic audio recording program included in most versions Windows.

Audacity is a powerful digital audio recorder and editor application for most systems, including Windows.

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