i know similar threads have been started with similar subject, but lets list the software categorize u install on ur machines (security\players\browsers\authoring\tools), and the program u use for that purpose...

here is my list:

First security related stuff:
Antivirus: Macafee Virus Scan Enterprise 8.0i
Firewall: Norton personal firewall 2005
Spyware: Ad-aware SE
Ad blocking: (integerated as part of norton personal firewall)

OS: Windows XP SP2

Viewers\players:
Image: ACDSee 7.0
Music: Winamp 5.1
Videos: Windows Media Player 10
Codecs: K-Lite Full
PDF: Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0 (also for ebooks i use adobe ebook reader which seems to be rare to find at this time)
Web: Firefox 1.0.7 (latest - not beta)
Office Documents: Office 2003 sp2
Remote desktop: VNC Viewer (i use it to take control of older windows systems)

Authoring:
Programming: Visual Studio 6 (will use .NET 2005 as soon as it goes final)
Burning CDs: Nero 6.6
Image Manipulation: Adobe Photoshop 7.0
Sound Convertion: Goldwave 4.26
Video Ripping: Divx Create Bundle, Xvid, Super DVDRipper

Emulation:
CD: Daemon tools (+ VirtualDrive 9 for my old built CDs)
Machine: Microsoft Virtual PC SP1

IM: MSN Messenger 7.0 (with plus! plugin, i also mess-patch it)

Downloading:
Download manager: Getright 5.2d (with Flashgot addon for firefox)
P2P: Limewire
Torrents: UTorrent (i switched today, i used to use the official client)

Web-based Tools:  (not exactly programs , but..... they serve a purpose)
Weblog: www.blogger.com
Email: www.yahoo.com (i use web-based email, not OE and such)
Forum: shoutbox.menthix.net, www.gamedev.net
News: www.neowin.net
Searching: www.google.com (web), www.torrentspy.com, www.thepiratebay.org (torrents)

Misc. Tools:
Dictionary: Babylon pro
Chess interface: Winboard (nope, im not a chess player.... its just tht i am developing a simple chess engine)

----------------------------

most of these programs i install them after every format to my windows,, they'r lik a standard to me.... obviously i install other applications when i need them....

so wht kinds of programs u use\need?! and wht is ur most prefered application for that purpose?!

security related stuff:
ALL macaffee [i know, its crap, its the 'family' computer....]

OS: Windows XP proffessional SP2

Viewers\players:
Music: WMP 10/real one player
Videos: Windows Media Player 10
Codecs: K-Lite Full
PDF: Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0
Web: Firefox 1.0.7 - just updated it

Authoring:
Burning CDs: Nero EXPRESS
Image Manipulation: Adobe Photoshop 7.0
Sound Convertion: i dont tend to manipulate sound.... hehe
Video Ripping: DVD decrypter, DVD shrink

Emulation:
CD: virtual DEAMON

IM: MSN Messenger 7.0 (with latest plus! plugin)

Downloading:
Download manager: the default thing for FF
P2P: Limewire PRO (and no i dont have to pay, just downlaod pro from the normal limewire, hehe)

here is my list:

First security related stuff:
Antivirus: Avg Anti-Virus 7.0.344 Pro
Firewall: Zone Alarm Pro
Spyware: Ad-aware SE, Spybot Search & Destroy,
Ad blocking: Zone Alarm Pro, Ad-Watch

OS: Windows XP SP2

Viewers\players:
Image: ACDSee 7.0
Music: WMP10
Videos: WMP10
Codecs: All-In-One Codec Pack
PDF: Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0 (also for ebooks i use adobe ebook reader which seems to be rare to find at this time)
Web: Firefox 1.0.7 (latest - not beta), IE7.0
Office Documents: Office 2003 sp2
Remote desktop: RemoteAdmin 2.0

Authoring:
Programming: none... that i know of
Burning CDs: Nero 7.0 Premium
3D Rendering: Bryce 5.0
Image Manipulation: Adobe Photoshop CS2, Gimp, Jasc PSP 10
Sound Convertion: Adobe Audition, iMagic Audio Editor
Video Ripping: DVD Decrypter, Max Dvd to Mpeg, Dvd Shrink

Emulation:
CD/DVD: Alcohol 120%
Super NintendoneS
Gameboy Advance:Visual Boy Advance
Nintendo DSgot a few but none work with commercial roms yet.. lol)

IM: MSN Messenger 7.0 (with plus! plugin, mess-patched)

Downloading:
Download manager: Firefox....
P2P: None
Torrents: None

Web-based Tools:
Weblog: wordpress..
Email: hotmail & gmail
Forum: shoutbox.menthix.net, www.gamedev.net
News: mess, sky news
Searching: google, altavista, yahoo.

Misc. Tools:
Notepad: Speaking Notepad
Cleaner: Windows Washer, Tuneup Utilities 2004
Protection: Peer Guardian 2
Webcreation Tools....Macromedia suite:

----------------------------

security: zone alarsm security suite pro (or w/e the top version it)

OS: windows xp

Media

media center: Nero Home
music: windows media player 10
video: WMP10
           VLC media player
           Real Player
           DIVX Player
           nero showtime

codecs: gonna get klite full

PDF: adobe acrobat 7/photoshopCS2/imagereadyCS2

browser: Firefox 1.07
extensions: too dam much

Authoring
Burning: Nero 7 Ultra Edition
Image Manipulation: PhotoshopCS2/Image ready CS2, MS Paint
                                 Fireworks
Sound Manipulation: Nero Wave editor
Video Manipulation: Camtasia studios, MS Movie Maker
Screen recording: Camtasia Recorder

IM:
MSN Messenger 7.5.0306: Mess Patch, Messenger Plus! 3.60.144
Yahoo Messenger: dont use it
Google Talk BETA: dont use it, it sux ass

Downloading:
Download Manager: firefox default
P2P: Limewire Pro latest/BETA
Bitorrent: BitLord 1.1

Web based:
Email: www.gmail.com
Communities: HI5, Use to use nexus (before it became nexopia)
News: too many to list but main one is www.digg.com
Forums: Here, stuffplug ng forums, pretty much any messenger
              Forums       

Games:
thps 3
Game Boy Advanced emulator with tons of games, mainly yoshis island

Comp info tool: everest home



         

Operating System
- Windows XP Home SP2

First security related stuff:
- McAfee Internet Security 7 - Firewall and AV, but not Spamkiller or Privacy Service
- Ad-Adware
- Parents usually install an Internet Filtering software, which also blocks many forms of spyware and tracking cookies.
- Then use Windows inbuilt tool for connecting to Wireless networks to connect to the network.

General Tools, games, and useful stuff
- Microsoft Office XP Pro
- XviD and DivX codec
- Firefox
- Nero 6
- Obviously MSN Messenger and Plus
- P2P and Torrents: BitLord and eMule (not for dodgy stuff. just useful for finding rare and legal files quickly)
- StyleXP
- C&C: Generals + Zero Hour

Other stuff
- Some drivers and stuff, but most the stuff XP automatically can connect to.
- All the Windows Updates that are available

I'd likely install more stuff, like driver

OS: Windows XP Home Edition
IM Client: MSN Messenger 7.0 w/ Messenger Plus! ()
Browser: Mozilla Firefox
ASCII Editor: Notepad++
FTP Uploader: FileZilla
P2P Client: Shareaza
Bit Torrent Client: Azureus
Media Player: WinAmp, Windows Media Player 10, Real Player & QuickTime
Image Software: Adobe Photoshop 7.0
Microsoft Office
StyleXP
McAfee Security Suite
Ad-Aware
mIRC
Registry Mechanic
RecordNow

Thats about it really ...

First security related stuff:
Antivirus: AVG pro
Firewall: Windows XP, I have Zone Alarm Pro bt never run it.
Spyware: Ad-aware SE
Ad blocking: Whatevers built in to theother prgroams im running

OS: Windows XP SP2

Viewers\players:
Image: ACDSee 8.0
Music: Winamp 5.1
Videos: Windows Media Player 10
Codecs: K-Lite Full
PDF: Adobe Acrobat Reader/writer 7.0
Web: Opera/IE (I trashed firefox, Opera owns it inside and out)
Office Documents: Office 2003

Authoring:
Burning CDs: Nero 6.6
Image Manipulation: Adobe Photoshop cs2
Sound: Fruity loops (newest), Soundforge 8.0, some dj stuff etc.

IM:
MSN Messenger 7.5(with plus! plugin, i also mess-patch it)
Yahoo: Newest (damn american friends)
Icq: Newest (damn american friends)
Aol: Newest (damn american friends)
QQ: Chinas IM, it onws on all the programs listed above, it had all the features we are seeing emerging now 2 or 3 years ago.

Downloading:
P2P: Limewire
Torrent: Bitcomet

PC Managment:
Tune up utliities 2006
Clean up!
Cacheman
Registry Mechanic
and lots of others

Fun
Google Earth
Voice changer

and a shit load of other stuff im too lazy to write

here's my list:

First security related stuff:
Antivirus: AVG Free Edition
Spyware: Ad-aware 6/Spybot - Search & Destroy

OS: MS Windows XP Pro

Viewers/players:
Image: ACDSee 6.0
Music: Windows Media Player 10/iTunes
Videos: Windows Media Player 10
Codecs: XviD
PDF: Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0
Web: Firefox/IE
Office Documents: MS Office Pro Edition 2003

Authoring:
Burning CDs: Easy CD Creator 5 Platinum/Nero Burning Rom 6
Image Manipulation: Adobe Photoshop 6.0/ PhotoImpression 5
Video Ripping: DVD Decrypter

Emulation:
Nintendo 64: Project64
Nintendo: Jnes
Sega Genesis: Gens

IM:
AIM
Yahoo! Messenger with Voice
MSN Messenger 7.0 w/ Plus!

Downloading:
P2P: LimeWire PRO

Web-based Tools:
Email: www.hotmail.com, www.gmail.com
Communities: OnChat/TrueChat, Hi5
Forum: shoutbox.menthix.net
News: www.neowin.net
Searching: www.google.com

Misc. Tools:
Dictionary: WNW Dictionary & Thesaurus
Encyclopedia: MS Encarta

Just thought i'd paste my Start Menu in here, u know to save some time lol (so sry if the list is long).

+---Abyss Web Server
¦       Abyss Web Server X1
¦
+---Adobe
¦   ¦   Acrobat Distiller 6.0
¦   ¦   Adobe Acrobat 6.0 Professional
¦   ¦   Adobe Bridge
¦   ¦   Adobe Help Center
¦   ¦   Adobe ImageReady CS2
¦   ¦   Adobe Photoshop CS2
¦   ¦   Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5
¦   ¦   ExtendScript Toolkit
¦
+---Aluria Software
¦   +---LiteScanner
¦           AluriaLiteScanner
¦
+---arniWORX
¦   +---awxDTools
¦           Re-Register Extension
¦
+---ATI Catalyst Control Center
¦   ¦   ATI Catalyst Control Center
¦   ¦
¦   +---Advanced
¦           Restart Runtime
¦
+---AVG Free Edition
¦       AVG Free Control Center
¦       AVG Free Edition for Windows
¦
+---BitLord
¦       BitLord
¦
+---BitTorrent
¦       Downloader
¦       Make Torrent
¦
+---CustoMess
¦       CustoMess
¦
+---CyberLink PowerDVD
¦       PowerDVD
¦
+---Diablo II
¦   ¦   Diablo II - Lord of Destruction
¦   ¦
¦   +---Hack Pack
¦       ¦   Diablo II Loader
¦
+---DigitalPersona Password Manager
¦       Fingerprint Registration Wizard
¦
+---DivX
¦   +---DivX Codec
¦   ¦   ¦   Decoder Configuration Utility
¦   ¦
¦   +---DivX Player
¦           DivX Player
¦
+---DVD To AVI Converter
¦       DVD To AVI Converter
¦
+---DynDNS Updater
¦       DynDNS Updater
¦
+---EA GAMES
¦   +---Battlefield 2
¦   ¦       Play Battlefield 2
¦   ¦
¦   +---Need for Speed Underground
¦   ¦       Need for Speed Underground
¦   ¦
¦   +---Need for Speed Underground 2
¦           Need for Speed Underground 2
¦
+---eDonkey2000
¦       eDonkey2000
¦
+---EVEREST Home Edition
¦       EVEREST Home Edition
¦
+---Ewido
¦       Security Suite
¦
+---exPressit S.E. 2.2
¦       exPressit S.E. 2.2
¦
+---FlashGet
¦       FlashGet
¦
+---GameSpy Arcade
¦       GameSpy Arcade
¦
+---Google Desktop
¦       Google Desktop
¦
+---Guild Wars
¦       Guild Wars
¦
+---Hide Folders XP
¦       Hide Folders XP
¦
+---IEDP 2
¦       IEDP 2
¦
+---JCreator Pro
¦       JCreator Pro
¦
+---Kazaa Lite Revolution
¦   ¦   Kazaa Lite Revolution
¦
+---Konfabulator
¦       Konfabulator
¦
+---Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal
¦       Ad-Aware SE Personal
¦
+---Lexmark X73
¦       Lexmark X73 Solution Center
¦
+---Lexmark Z25-Z35
¦       Lexmark Z25-Z35 Solution Center
¦
+---Logitech
¦   +---Mouse and Keyboard
¦
+---LogonUI Boot Randomizer
¦       LogonUI Boot Randomizer
¦
+---Microsoft Encarta
¦       Encarta Interactive World Atlas 2001
¦       Encarta Researcher
¦
+---Microsoft Office
¦   ¦   Microsoft Office Access 2003
¦   ¦   Microsoft Office Excel 2003
¦   ¦   Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003
¦   ¦   Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
¦   ¦   Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003
¦   ¦   Microsoft Office Publisher 2003
¦   ¦   Microsoft Office Word 2003
¦
+---Mozilla Firefox
¦       Mozilla Firefox
¦
+---MP3 Player Utilities 1.28
¦       MP3 Player Disk Tool 1.0
¦       Sound Convert 2.0
¦
+---MySQL
¦   +---MySQL Server 4.1
¦   ¦       MySQL Command Line Client
¦   ¦
¦   +---MySQL Control Center
¦           MySQL Control Center
¦
+---Nero
¦   +---Nero 6 Ultra Edition
¦   ¦       Nero BackItUp
¦   ¦       Nero Burning ROM
¦   ¦       Nero Cover Designer
¦   ¦       Nero Express
¦   ¦       Nero ImageDrive
¦   ¦       Nero SoundTrax
¦   ¦       Nero Wave Editor
¦   ¦
¦   +---Nero Toolkit
¦   ¦       Nero CD-DVD Speed
¦   ¦       Nero DriveSpeed
¦   ¦       Nero InfoTool
¦   ¦
¦   +---NeroMIX
¦   ¦       NeroMIX
¦   ¦
¦   +---NeroVision Express 3
¦   ¦       Nero MediaHome
¦   ¦       Nero PhotoSnap Viewer
¦   ¦       Nero PhotoSnap
¦   ¦       Nero Recode
¦   ¦       Nero ShowTime
¦   ¦       NeroVision Express
¦
+---NoAdware
¦       NoAdware
¦
+---Norton Ghost 2003
¦       Norton Ghost
¦
+---NVIDIA Corporation
¦   +---NvMixer
¦           NvMixer
¦
+---ONSPEED
¦       ONSPEED
¦
+---PHP Designer 2005
¦       PHP Designer 2005
¦
+---Sierra
¦   +---Empire Earth II
¦       ¦   Launch Empire Earth II
¦
+---SmartFTP
¦       SmartFTP
¦
+---SnagIt 7
¦       SnagIt 7
¦       SnagIt Studio 7
¦
+---Sony
¦   +---Sound Forge 8.0
¦   ¦       Sound Forge 8.0
¦
+---Sony Handheld
¦   +---Documents To Go
¦   ¦       Documents To Go
¦   ¦
¦   +---Image Converter
¦   ¦       Image Converter
¦   ¦
¦   +---MS Export
¦           MS Export
¦
+---SP2 Connection Patcher
¦       SP2 Connection Patcher
¦
+---SpeedFan
¦       SpeedFan
¦
+---SpywareGuard
¦       SpywareGuard
¦
+---Steganos
¦   +---Internet Trace Destructor 7
¦   ¦       Steganos Internet Trace Destructor 7
¦   ¦
¦   +---Safe 8
¦           Steganos Safe 8
¦
+---Sygate Personal Firewall
¦       Sygate Personal Firewall
¦
+---TaskSwitchXP
¦       TaskSwitchXP
¦
+---TGTSoft
¦       StyleXP
¦
+---Ubisoft
¦   +---Prince of Persia Warrior Within
¦           Prince of Persia Warrior Within
¦   +---Spliter Cell
¦           Spliter Cell
¦   +---Spliter Cell Chaos Theory
¦           Spliter Cell Chaos Theory
¦
+---UltraEdit
¦       UltraEdit-32 Text Editor
¦
+---Unreal Tournament 2004
¦       Play UT2004
¦
+---WhatPulse
¦       WhatPulse
¦
+---VMware
¦       VMware Workstation
¦
+---Winamp
¦       Winamp
¦
+---WinAVI VideoConverter
¦       WinAVI Video Converter
¦
+---WinMX
¦       WinMX
¦
+---WinRAR
¦       WinRAR
¦
+---Yahoo! Messenger
¦       Yahoo! Messenger
¦       
+---XPize
¦       XPize Settings
¦   
¦   Chrono Shutdown
¦   Internet Explorer
¦   MdbToMySQL XP
¦   Outlook Express
¦   Trillian
¦   UltraEdit-32
¦   Windows Media Player
¦   MSN Explorer
¦   MSN Messenger 7.5

Can someone tell me where to find AVG Pro? Because i can't seem to find it

Antivirus: norton

spyware:ad-aware

os: windows xp sp2

music--

downloader: winmx

player: itunes

Viedeo--

veiwer: windows media player 10

messenger--

msn messenger

google talk

internet-

firefox


things that dont really fit anywhere else:

irc

teamspeak

and ofcourse plus !!!!

Firewall/anti-virus: Zonelabs

os: windows xp

music-

player: winmx

Video--

Viewer of dowloads-VLC

DVD's- Power DVD

messenger--

msn messenger

internet-

firefox

Cd ripping-

DVD Ripper- DVD2SVCD

cd- Clone Cd

things that dont really fit anywhere else:

irc

Photoshop CS

Daemon tools

How pointless this is - noone will read this!

First security related stuff:
Antivirus: Nothing
Firewall: Nothing
Spyware: Nothing
Ad blocking: Nothing (pop-up blocking by browser)

OS: Ubuntu GNU/Linux 5.10

Viewers\players:
Image: eye of GNOME
Music: Rhythmbox
Videos: Totem media player
Codecs: gstreamer
PDF: evince
Web: Firefox
Office Documents: OpenOffice.org 2
Remote desktop: ssh

Authoring:
Programming: gedit
Burning CDs: integrated in nautilus, or GnomeBaker
Image Manipulation: the GIMP
Sound Convertion: Audacity
Video Ripping: never done that

Emulation:
CD: ?? ripping ?? sound-juicer
Machine: qemu

IM: gaim

Downloading: Firefox or GNU Wget
Download manager: Firefox
P2P: bittorrent with gnome-btdownload front-end
Torrents: bittorrent with gnome-btdownload front-end

Web-based Tools:  (not exactly programs , but..... they serve a purpose)
Weblog: none
Email:
Forum: hardly any
Mailinglists:
News: sometimes /.
Searching: Wikipedia, a9

Misc. Tools:
Dictionary: gnome-dictionary (Babylon, cambridge, webster)
Chess interface: gnu chess with gnome-chess front-end (never use it though)

I am reading this..with much interest ..its interesting to see what software people have..

Software:
Windows XP sp2
Knoppix Linuix Live on CD 3.6
Office 2003 Pro
AutoCAD 2004
Solid Edge v16 (3d modeling)
Macromedia Studio MX
Acrobat 6.0 Pro
5d+13:05:19 of music 8.18GB
2d+13:11:16 of video (mostly anime) 27.11GB
794 SNES roms
19 N64 roms

[School Computer]

Security:

• Symantec AV Corporate (with private update server)
  
• Common Sense

• CloneCD
  
• EphPod
  
• StationRipper
  
• Google Desktop Search
  
• Picasa
  
• WinRAR
  
• WinSCP
  
• PuTTy
  
• UltraVNC
  
• Rainlendar
  
• myTunes Redux
  
• iTunes Library Updater
  
• WinPcap
  
• iTouch
  
• SetPoint
  
• iPod Updater
  
• IE Privacy Keeper

• Office XP (with Frontpage and OneNote 2003)
  
• Macromedia Dreamweaver
  
• Notepad/Wordpad
  
• Mixxx
  
• Fruity Loops Studio 5 (plus plugins)
  
• Adobe PSE
  
• Acrobat
  
• Sonic RecordNow! Plus

• MSN Messenger (with Plus! and A-Patch)
  
• Skype
  
• FirstClass (school e-mail system)

• Need for Speed Underground 2
  
• Elastomania (Full Version)
  
• Ninja
  
• Ching
  
• Harvest
  
• Plane
  
• Pilsner Urquell
  
• Counter-Strike 1.5 (LAN only, no valid CD Key)

• iTunes
  
• Windows XP SP2
  
• Firefox (with plugins)

First security related stuff:
Antivirus: some McAffee, fairly recent version, looking to get Norton
Firewall: Just the one in my Router
Spyware: Hitman Pro (which is all you need! the best program to date! www.hitmanpro.com)

OS: Windows XP Pro SP2

Viewers\players:
Image: Photoshop 7.0
Music: WMP10, VLC MediaPlayer, Winamp
Videos: WMP10, VLC Mediaplayer, BSPlayer, Media Player Classic
Codecs: All-In-One Codec Pack
PDF: DeskPDF
Web: IE 7.0
Office Documents: Office XP

Authoring:
Programming: Visual Studio 6.0
Burning CDs: Nero Express, Cheetah DVD Burner, CloneCD, Clone DVD2
Image Manipulation: Adobe Photoshop 6.0
Sound Convertion: dBPoweramp Music Converter, Exact Audio Copy v?.?
Video Ripping: Dvd Shrink

Emulation:
CD/DVD: Alcohol 120%, Virtual CloneDrive

IM: MSN Messenger 7.0 (with plus!)

Downloading:
Download manager: None
P2P: DC++ and ShareAza (which sucks)
Torrents: Yet Another Bittorrent Client v3.0.1

Web-based Tools:
Email: gmail

Misc. Tools:
Norton Ghost 9.0
Skinning: AlienGUIse
Lclock