Software

Great Software: Most links goto http://www.FileHippo.com, the best site to download software I've found. If you visit their site, be sure to click 'No Filter' and then check 'Freeware Only' and click Apply, otherwise it will show shareware also (and the freeware is many times better than the shareware)

Everything:
Google Pack

AntiVirus:
  AVG Free Edition

Browser:
Firefox

CD/DVD Tools:
  Daemon Tools (older version without Spyware)

Chat/IM:
  GoogleTalk

Firewall:
  Sygate Personal Firewall

Graphics:
  GIMP
  Google Picasa 2
  IrfanView

Office / Text:
  AbiWord (Free Word processing program compatible MS Word)
  FoxitReader (PDF Viewer, small and fast!)
  OpenOffice (OpenSource program, compatible to MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint)

Spyware/Malware Removal:
  Ad-Aware
  CCleaner
  HijackThis!
  ** Spybot: Search and Destroy
  Spyware Blaster
  ** Windows Defender

Utilities:
  Mezer Tools (Great screen-capture program, lets you capture partial windows and save to JPEG)
  TweakUI (Great little tweaking program with tons of settings)

Click here to see some more software, these aren't things that most people need, but I use them and some people will find them handy.

If you find any other very useful free software, send me a link and I'll check it out and possibly add it to this list.