Software Show stoppers

VirtualBox is a general-purpose full virtualizer for x86 hardware. Targeted at server, desktop and embedded use, it is now the only professional-quality virtualization solution that is also Open Source Software.
Some of the features of VirtualBox are:
• Modularity. VirtualBox has an extremely modular design with well-defined internal programming interfaces and a client/server design. This makes it easy to control it from several interfaces at once: for example, you can start a virtual machine in a typical virtual machine GUI and then control that machine from the command line, or possibly remotely. VirtualBox also comes with a full Software Development Kit: even though it is Open Source Software, you don't have to hack the source to write a new interface for VirtualBox.

• Virtual machine descriptions in XML. The configuration settings of virtual machines are stored entirely in XML and are independent of the local machines. Virtual machine definitions can therefore easily be ported to other computers.

• Guest Additions for Windows, Linux and Solaris. VirtualBox has special software that can be installed inside Windows, Linux and Solaris virtual machines to improve performance and make integration much more seamless. Among the features provided by these Guest Additions are mouse pointer integration and arbitrary screen solutions (e.g. by resizing the guest window). There are also guest additions for OS/2 with somewhat reduced functionality.

• Shared folders. Like many other virtualization solutions, for easy data exchange between hosts and guests, VirtualBox allows for declaring certain host directories as "shared folders", which can then be accessed from within virtual machines.

Virtualbox: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

VMware Player is the easiest way to run multiple operating systems at the same time on your PC. With its user-friendly interface, VMware Player makes it effortless for anyone to try out Windows 7 or the latest Linux releases, or create isolated virtual machines to safely test new software and surf the Web. VMware Player can also be used to run a virtual copy of an old PC so that you can recycle the old machines you have under your desk or stored in the closet.

Better than Windows XP Mode
Run Windows XP virtual machines with better graphics, faster performance, and tighter integration than Windows XP mode offers. With Unity, shared folders and drag and drop convenience, VMware Player is the better way to run Windows XP on Windows 7. Use VMware vCenter Converter to transform your existing Windows PC into a virtual machine and eliminate the need to re-install and re-configure your existing applications which is necessary with Windows XP Mode.

Safest Way to Try New Software
Run corporate virtual machines, experiment with new operating systems, or safely try and test new software in an isolated environment on your PC. VMware Player is the ideal way to try out a virtual appliance. Virtual appliances are pre-built, pre-configured and ready-to-run enterprise software applications packaged along with an operating system in a virtual machine. Quickly and easily experience the benefits of these applications without the installation or configuration hassles.

VMware: https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/?p=player&lp=1

Virtual Appliances
Operating systems are master programs that perform basic computer functions as well as act as underlying platforms for application programs. Operating system software is responsible for the management and coordination of activities within and the sharing of limited CPU resources
Download: http://www.vmware.com/appliances/directory/cat/508

FREE antivirus software with spyware protection: avast! Home Edition
Complete antivirus software for free. Avast! Home Edition - Free Antivirus represents the best FREE antivirus protection currently available on the market. This edition is FREE OF CHARGE for non-commercial & home use only. Both of these conditions should be met! If you are not a home user or if you use your computer for business purposes, we offer a wide range of more suitable products providing higher data security, starting with avast! Professional Edition.

Download: http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html
Free Registration: http://www.avast.com/eng/home-registration.php

All-inclusive and comprehensive protection FREE avast! antivirus Home Edition includes ANTI-SPYWARE protection, certified by the West Coast Labs Checkmark process, and ANTI-ROOTKIT detection based on the best-in class GMER technology. No additional purchase is required.

Can’t afford Microsoft office 2008? Try is free Office Product that work that same as MS Office 2008
OpenOffice.org 3 is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose.
Easy-to-use Easy to choose, easy to install, easy to learn - OpenOffice.org 3 is the easy choice for an office software suite. OpenOffice.org 3 is suitable for complete beginners, but if you have used any other office software, that's ok too. OpenOffice.org 3 will make full use of what you already know - through familiar screens and menus - and also what you have - by reading existing files with no retyping.

Free software
OpenOffice.org 3 is free software. That means you are free to download it, free to install it on as many PCs as you like, free to pass copies to as many people as you like. You may use OpenOffice.org 3 for any purpose without restriction: private, educational, public administration, commercial... Free, really free
Download: http://download.openoffice.org/

Linux Mint 8 Helena
What's new in Linux Mint 8 Helena?
Based on Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala, Linux 2.6.31, Gnome 2.28 and Xorg 7.4, Linux Mint 8 "Helena" features a lot of improvements and the latest software from the Open Source World.

Linux Mint 8 "Helena"
Featured improvements in this release: OEM installation, possibility to ignore updates, configurable menu places, multiple selection in the Software Manager, new system tray File Uploader with support for drag and drop and mutiple files uploads.
Menu improvements
Configurable places: In the preferences, you can define your own places. For instance a "Music" button pointing to your Music directory. Any places you define appear in the "Places" section of the menu.

Define custom places...

... and access them from the menu
In the preferences, you can also enable or disable any button from the "System" and "Places" sections.

System menu items
Lock screen button: A "Lock Screen" button was added to the "System" section of the menu.

New Lock Screen button
Software manager improvements
Visual improvements: The graphical interface is now easier to use and it shows more content. The layout was changed and by putting the screenshots in the corner of the application you can now see more software and more reviews at once.

A better layout for the Software Manager
Packaged updates: You don't need to manually refresh the Software Manager anymore. When new data is available you get notified by the Update Manager of a new version of "mintinstall-data".
APT status: The Software Manager is now aware of the APT status of each application. Among other things, this means you can now see the size and version number of each application and whether they're installed on your system or not.
Software removal and multiple selection: The Software Manager now allows you to mark multiple applications for installation and/or removal. A new apply button confirms your choices and processes them all at once.
Update manager improvements
Visual improvements: A few enhancements make the update manager look better than ever.
In the view menu you can now define the visible columns in the list of updates. You can also resize the update manager to make it look exactly the way you want. It will remember its size and the columns you chose and it will look the way you defined.

In this example, the update manager was made smaller and shows only the name and size of the updates
When visible, the update manager now uses Synaptic to refresh the list of updates. As a result you'll see progress information on the screen.

Manually refreshing the update manager now shows progress information
If a problem occurs, the error message now appears in the main window and not only in the logs. This makes it easier for you to detect if there's something wrong with your repositories.
Software sources: In the edit menu, you can now access the "Software Sources" tool.
You can decide which repositories you want to use.

Enable and disable repositories easily
And you can also improve performance by selecting among the Linux Mint mirrors available.

Find the best package mirror
Ignored packages: In the preferences, you can define a list of packages for which you do not whish to receive updates. You can also use wildcard characters to define groups of package updates you want to ignore.

Define the packages you don't want updates for, no matter what level we assign to them
Other improvements:
• The detection of updates is now faster and more reliable.
• Errors are better handled and now appear in the main window.
A brand new Upload Manager
Highlights: Multiple uploads, Upload manager, systray and drag and drop support
What was previously called mintUpload is now split into two applications: The Upload Manager and the File Uploader.
From the Upload Manager you can define upload services using the following protocols: FTP, SFTP and SCP.

Define your upload services from the Upload Manager...
In the screenshot above for instance, we've defined two upload services: An FTP service to our website server, and an SFTP service to access a server from work.

...access them from the File Uploader sitting in your system tray...
When you launch the File Uploader, your upload services become available from your system tray. You can simply click on the services you want, and upload zones will appear on your screen.

...drag and drop the files you want to upload.
Drag and drop files into these upload zones and they get uploaded to their respective upload services.
Multiple files uploads are supported. Support for directories and the legacy Mint-Space protocol will be added at a later stage.
Artwork changes
Linux Mint 8 Helena comes with up to date version of the Gnome Colors icon theme and the Shiki gtk theme.
Firefox comes bundled with the Stylish add-on which makes it integrate better with the overall theme.
The default background is called "Fresh" and it was designed by Zwopper (who also designed the default background for Linux Mint 7 "Gloria").
Various upstream improvements in the gtk engines used by Linux Mint make widgets, and buttons in particular, look better than they did before.
Other improvements
Community editions now use their own repositories and are now able to pin packages from the main edition.
Dependencies were simplified and the Mint tools were made more modular. In particular they can now be installed on Ubuntu without any configuration.
The branding used in the Mint tools was removed to make it easier for other distributions to use them and to give a more professional look to the desktop.
An OEM installation can now be launched from the liveCD boot menu.
Inxi buttons were included in xchat to make IRC support easier. The #linuxmint channel was also split into #linuxmint-help and #linuxmint-chat to separate chatting and support and give people seeking for help a dedicated channel. Xchat now autoconnects to both channels.
MintCast is now registered by default as a podcast in Rhythmbox.
Gnome-Do was initially introduced to raise people's awareness about the project and is now removed from the default software selection.
Download ISO: http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php