The Tech-pert: Six Free Programs You Need Right Now

There's no such thing as a free lunch, but free software? Oh, yeah. With just a few clicks you can score some truly excellent stuff, including killer Windows tweakers, robust security tools, an automated backup service, and even a replacement for Microsoft Office.

Check 'em out:

1. Web of Trust  - Scary but true: Your computer can fall victim to a virus or spyware infection just by visiting a Web site! Okay, but which sites are safe and which ones are potentially dangerous? That's the question answered by Web of Trust, which adds a kind of red-light/green-light filter to your Web browser. Specifically, when you run a search in, say, Bing of Google, each resulting link will include a red or green marker. That's how you'll know at-a-glance if a link is safe to click. This must-have add-on is available for Firefox, Google Chrome, and Internet Explorer.
2. Wizmouse - Hey, Windows! How come after all these years, my mouse wheel still doesn't work wherever I point my cursor? Instead, a window must have "focus" (meaning I've clicked in it to make it the selected window) for the mouse wheel to function. That's insane! Fortunately, there's WizMouse, which enables the scroll wheel to work in whatever window is under your cursor, plain and simple. It's free, it works, and it makes your Windows world a lot more pleasant.
3. Fences - Tired of dozens or even hundreds of icons cluttering up your Windows desktop? Ever wish you could hire a maid to organize them all? That's Fences in a nutshell: It corrals icons into semi-transparent windows you can resize and rearrange to your liking. Cooler still, when you double-click an empty area of your desktop, everything disappears (except that lovely wallpaper you chose, which you can now enjoy to its fullest). Don't worry: Another double-click brings it all back.
4. Microsoft Security Essentials - This may come as a shock, but Windows 7 doesn't require a lot of extra security software. Right out of the box, it defends against hackers, phishing, pop-ups, spyware, and other common threats--everything except for viruses and other malicious software. Fortunately, Microsoft recently released Security Essentials, a surprisingly robust utility that protects your system from all manner of malware. It works quietly in the background, notifying you only if there's a problem, and barely impacts system performance. It may be the only extra security software you need.
5. MozyHome Free - Here's why most people don't make regular backups: They're a pain in the neck. (The backups, not the people.) MozyHome saves your most important stuff--files, photos, music, etc.--to secure online servers, and does it all automatically, at regular intervals, without any involvement from you (save for a one-time setup). A free account nets you 2 gigabytes of storage space, which may be enough. If not, you can get unlimited space for a very reasonable $4.95 per month (or $54.45 annually). No more excuses--start making backups!
6. Lotus Symphony - Let's face it: Microsoft charges an arm and a leg for Office, but what can you do? You really and truly need to do word processing, spreadsheets, and/or presentations. Fortunately, there's a perfectly good free alternative: Lotus Symphony. It offers all three of the aforementioned functions, and it can open and save files in the various Microsoft Office formats--so no need to worry about compatibility. I even think the interface is easier to use than Office. Symphony sounds too good to be true, but it's the real deal. I'm a huge fan.

Got any free must-have software apps to recommend? Add your suggestions to the comments below!

Self-proclaimed cheapskate Rick Broida has been a technology writer for over 20 years. He has authored over a dozen books, including, most recently, "How to Do Everything: Palm Pre." Currently he writes the Cheapskate blog for CNET, the Hassle-Free PC blog for PC World, and technology stories for Popular Science, Wired, and other magazines.