Essential Software for Photographers

I'm about to install an SSD on my PC and want to know what are everyone's must have pieces of software?

If someone can direct me to a list or make suggestons that would be great.

I do 99% of my work on Lightroom


I currently use,
Lightroom 5, Photoshop CS5, Zoom Browser, DPP, EOS Utility for my photo work

along with Chrome, MS Office, Media Monkey, VLC, Skype, Karens Replicator (for backups), Google Sketch Up, Drop Box, Spotify, Family Tree Maker, WinRar.

I want to streamline my install and not fill my drive up with un-needed software

What are the best anti virus, anti malware and pc utilities?

So many questions.

Windows Defender has served me well - most antivirus/antimalware programs will be fine if you also use common sense in your on-line computing. I always load Crystal Rich's USB Safely Remove. For photo downloading I use Breeze Systems' Downloader Pro. For supplemental geotagging, I use Geosetter (which also loads EXIFTool). And Irfanview is a handy lightweight photo viewer/manager/editor.

What size SSD do you have? TBH, if you haven't purchased one yet, this might be a good sign for you to determine upping the size if you think you won't have enough space.

Check out Ninite.com that linked in the other thread I think you created. It can help with some quick mass basic installs

Do you need DPP if you have LR5?

As for "best" anti-virus and anti-malware, that stuff seems to change like the weather TBH. Go with a good reliable one with a good track record. Don't install that bloatware macafee. I use MalwareBytes.


Kinda off topic but what application is "Family Tree Maker"? Is it windows only!? Can you link me the application and tell me how you like it? My mom is really into genealogy and she has this program from Costco that she got back in 2000/2001 and I had to install a VM of Windows 7 on her MBP for her to run this ancient program that she still had the data saved on 3.5" floppys. She is looking for a more modern upgrade so any info on that would be great!

Bleufire wrote in post #17611721
Kinda off topic but what application is "Family Tree Maker"? Is it windows only!? Can you link me the application

https://itunes.apple.c​om …maker-3/id871254880?mt=12
http://www.ancestry.co​m/cs/apps/P-5246

Bleufire wrote in post #17611721
Kinda off topic but what application is "Family Tree Maker"? Is it windows only!? Can you link me the application and tell me how you like it? My mom is really into genealogy and she has this program from Costco that she got back in 2000/2001 and I had to install a VM of Windows 7 on her MBP for her to run this ancient program that she still had the data saved on 3.5" floppys. She is looking for a more modern upgrade so any info on that would be great!

Family Tree Maker was the first genealogy program I used, and I was able to make sense out of all of my grandmother's notebook entries by entering them into the program. It was probably the most popular program of the day but users were encouraged to go on line to their database and add to it and download from it into their personal database. This perpetuated errors which others made and passed them on. One must VERIFY and document their data independently and not accept that other users, whose information one downloads, is accurate. FTM was bought by Ancestry, who also wants people to upload to the Ancestry database. I went to, and used for years, The Master Genealogist, a much more user defined program, but the developer has recently decided not to continue to develop and support the program.

You can put the software that needs speed, like image editing and games on ssd, then put software that doesn't need so much speed on HDD. Usually no worries then, it works for me anyway. I use Kasperski antivirus software. Works very well, good luck!

For me, Libre Office is a perfectly acceptable free alternative to MSOffice. Of course YMMV.

I use both Windows Defender and Avira (free edition) for antivirus.
For back-ups I use Macrium Reflect (free edition).

http://tinyspell.numer​it.com/

Looking at a 240GB SSD, probably a Sandisk as it fits within my budget, I can't afford anything more at the moment I've got a 7d2 to order and I need a new car!