Re the freedownloadcentre, and others of the ilk, please be careful because often a free download does not always mean free.  The software could be a trial, or if you try to uninstall it leaves a little bit of software in your system that notifies others.  There is a very small new program called RogueRemover (free version) which will kill these pesky registry inhabitants.  You should be able to download it from cnet.com or zdnet.com. Or better still just stick the program name in your search engine and go.

What I have noticed over the many years of access to the net is that the amount of real free stuff is not as abundant as it once was.  Opensource software has nothing attached, and is free to use, some ask foe a donation, but I figure they are richer than me so what the hell.

www.sourceforge.net/  is a place where a lot of this stuff is available.

Hope this helps

Try shoppping on line for 'freebies'
www.freebielist.com

Plenty of free samples for the 'good lady' as well

It's the uninstalling part that's the problem, virtually all software will leave stuff in the registry, some sits there harmlessly and some doesn't, especially freeware distributed through some sites.  The may want you to agree to 'Gator' or some searching tool, some will even change your homepage.

The old addidge that there is no such thing as a free lunch is very true of the internet, and companies out there want information about what sites you visit etc and some companies pay a lot for this.  Also dispite publishing their privicy rules a lot of companies will sell email addresses to third party companies and then the spam arrives.

I personally use Zone Labs as my firewall, not the microsoft one in XP.  Virus protection is provided by 'Avast free edition', this one is great because if anything iffie is downloaded to your email client you get an audible alarm and the interface is easy to use.

I would also recommend a registry cleaner, I have mentioned one previously and there are a lot about as these will keep the PC running smoothly and stop it looking for internal threads and stuff that just isn't there anymore.