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Google Pack - Essential software for all
The Google Pack includes some very useful and free software for everyone especially web developers. To know how the Google Pack software collection can help you , read free software from Google in the Google Pack.
By the way, you don't need to install everything. Google being the smart company it is, allows you to choose the programs you want from the Google Pack.
I am going to classify the software and utilities in the Google Pack - essential software for all in categories as I deem fit. Some software is indispensable for web developers, some utilities are for one-and-all while some are more for fun and enjoyment. So here goes...
Google Pack - Firefox from Mozilla
 All web developers (and I mean ALL) should have Mozilla Firefox installed on their systems to check how their web sites appear in this web browser. Based on the statistics of my web sites, almost 20% of surfers use this browser. Maybe these numbers are skewed (stats usually are) because my web sites are geared more towards web developers and web designers; they being the ones to adopt or try out different technologies and software faster than others. But even so, if one looks at the Global web browser usage statistics, the Firefox browser has a fair share - almost 12%. And can you afford have a web site which does not work well for 12% of your visitors (especially true if you are using browser specific tags and a WYSIWYG editor). Also, writing W3C compliant HTML or CSS does not guarantee that a web site will appear the same in Internet Explorer and Firefox web browsers.
Final verdict - It's almost a sin if you are a web developer and do not have Firefox installed on your system to check your web sites.
Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer in the Google Pack
 The Firefox browser that comes in the Google Pack already has the Google Toolbar. However, if you are an Internet Explorer user and don't have this toolbar installed, you are missing out on some big time savings and SEO details. By the way, if you are not a web developer, this nifty toolbar is still essential for you.
The Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer has the Enhanced Search Box that lets you not only search the Google web site's database but also Google Images, Google News, Google Maps, Google Groups and more. The new search box also provides helpful suggestions based on your latest queries or the most popular queries of people around the world. If you are a web developer you will quickly understand the importance of this. The PageRank display on the Google Toolbar is another thing that is important for web developers. It can help you ascertain whether a web site is good or bad. The Bookmarks feature allows you to store your favorite web sites at one place that can be accessed from any computer (you need a Google account for this... which is free any case). Some other features of the Google Toolbar are Pop-up Blocker, AutoFill, SpellCheck, Send To (with which you can "use your Google Toolbar to share web pages via email, text message (SMS), or blog") and much more.
Final verdict - Gotta have it especially if you are a web developer and use Internet Explorer regularly.
Google Pack - Google Desktop
 Another winner from Google. I first installed it on my system to replace the no-so-good search utility provided by Microsoft Windows. But this has proved to be much more. I have found the Google Gadgets and Sidebar that come with this tool to be very useful. I specially love the Scratch Pad ("type and save notes for yourself") and To Do list ("easily add new tasks, check off completed ones, and drag and drop items") - has helped little old forgetful me tremendously!
Final verdict - Get this tool for yourself without thinking twice. It's going to change how you work.
Skype and Google Talk in the Google Pack to help you communicate easily with your friends and relatives
 Do you have friends/relatives living abroad? If so, this is a must for you. As for me, I generally use Skype and Google Talk to stay in touch with my clients. I have even used Skype successfully to hunt for new customers. And I can not only chat and talk but also see them using video. Skype-to-Skype calls are free; so you can talk endlessly to someone if they are also on Skype. However, Skype also allows me to make calls directly to the telephone for a nominal charge... and here lie big savings.
 Yes Siree! No more emailing for me. If I have a doubt I usually call my clients abroad and clarify the issue.
Final verdict - If you have a business that caters to clients and prospects abroad or simply want to stay in touch with friends/relatives abroad, Skype and Google talk will bring in mega savings in telephone bills.
Ad-Aware SE Personal free anti-spyware tool included in the Google Pack
 The Ad-Aware free software detects and removes adware and spyware from your system. It also helps protect your system if you install software that has adware and spyware components embedded. Read Adware and Spyware - how they hamper your work and web experience to know more about Adware or Spyware.
Ad-Aware also gets rid of annoying pop-ups, hijacked homepages and "sluggish computer performance". Ad-Aware has over 200 million computer users worldwide with nearly one million downloads every week.
Final verdict - excellent piece of software for all.
Norton Anti-virus software
 Norton anti-virus software comes from Symantec Security Response, the world's leading Internet Security and response team. You get 6 month subscription to protection updates with the anti-virus tool. It scans and automatically removes viruses, worms, and Trojan horses protecting your systems from these pesky gremlins of the net.
Final verdict - If you don't have a virus scanner yet - get Norton now!
Picasa Photo organizer of the Google Pack
 Picasa helps you instantly locate and organize all photographs and pictures on your computer. As a web designer, I have found it a mega time saver. Now I keep all the stock photos and clipart on my system organized in nice albums. In fact, Picasa even located some of the photos I forgot I had! Talk about efficiency! The program also lets you move and re-name pictures and photos, make an album to collate similar images, rate them and even password-protect selected collections.
Final verdict - Do you have a digital camera or are you a web designer - Picasa is a must!
Google Pack Screensaver
 Lets you create a screensaver of your photos and pictures. Now you don't need specialized skills to create screensavers. Just supply the images to the Google Pack screensaver and you will be able to "enjoy your favorite photos when your computer is idle". You can view the photos in full screen mode or as a collage. This is a fun piece of software and ideal for family computers.
Google Pack's GalleryPlayer HD Images
 Get the 10 free high definition images and use them in screensavers or on the desktop. These brilliant images have been optimized for high resolution screens and will surely make heads turn at your office.
Google Earth - 3D Earth browser
 If you ever wanted to fly over your street or have a feel of the world through the eyes of a bird, Google Earth is for you. With this software you can zoom in from space almost to street level and tour the world if you want. The Google Earth web site mentions: It's the planet inside your PC; an atlas, encyclopedia and flight simulator, all rolled into one. You can also take virtual tours of certain places (like the Grand Canyon, for example). Additionally, Google Earth helps you locate maps, hotels, restaurants, provides driving directions and much more.
What's more in the Google Pack
In addition to the above, Google Pack also includes RealPlayer, Google Video Player and Adobe Reader 7.
  
Free software from Google
What is Google Pack?
Google pack is a free collection of software from one of the world's biggest IT companies. The collection includes useful software for everyone including web developers. In fact, a few of the software is essential for web developers.
The Google Pack offers software for image management, virus scanning, Adware detection and removal, internet browsing, searching, voice, video and IM communication and much more.
Google Pack includes essential for web developers
According to me the four essential software for web developers included in the Google pack are the Firefox web browser, Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer, Google Desktop and Skype. And why do I think these are so important... read on.
The usage of the Firefox browser has been steadily increasing - stats from this web site show that almost 20% visitors surf the web with Firefox. No web developer or web designer worth his/her salt can be without this browser. It is imperative that when you design a web site you not only check it in Internet Explorer but also Firefox web browser.
The Google Toolbar, which comes with Firefox, but has to be installed for Internet Explorer is an indispensable tool. In addition to a pop-up blocker, AutoFill (saves you time, as you no longer need to fill up online forms each time), SpellCheck (helps you correct typos and spelling errors), the Google Toolbar has some really nifty things for web developers. The one I like the most is the Enhanced Search Box in which you can type your query directly and search the Google database. The new feature of this search box is that it offers "useful suggestions based on popular Google searches". Now these suggested queries may help you fine tune your keywords (this is not to challenge the fabulous Google Adwords Keywords Tool). The other two favorite elements of the Google Toolbar that I really like are PageRank Display (all web developers know this or should know about the Google PageRank) and Bookmarks with which you can "create and label bookmarks that you can access from any computer".
The Google Desktop is one great piece of software. The main reason I first installed it was to have a better search tool on my computer - to replace the Search feature provided with Windows. But man... this is way-way more than a simple search tool. It has these little elements called the Google Gadgets like the Scratch Pad and To Do list that I now cannot live without.
Skype is a communications software tool and if you don't have it (or worse, don't know about it), you are missing out on a lot of time+money savings as well as fun. I use Skype (and Google Talk, which is another software that comes with the Google Pack) regularly to keep in touch with my customers (who are in 7 different countries). No more emailing and waiting for a reply and then emailing again. With Skype I can make calls to my customer's telephone line for pittance. By the way, Skype to Skype calls are 100% free. So if you have your friends/relatives residing abroad you can ask them to install this software on their systems and then you would be able to talk endlessly... and it's free | 
Gmail still reads your incoming email and throws up contextual advertising but it also comes with almost 3GB of storage (it was 2.8 gigs when I last checked). Unfortunately it remains in beta which means the folks at Google (God bless them!) still haven't recognized it as a full service from their company. Pity, since most people I know cannot live without the gmail accounts.
