Freeware and open source software are a nice alternative for those people who needs apps to help their job but low on budget. These kind of applications have grown a lot from years and some even have the same features as the paid ones. The question is fairly simple. Why spend hundreds for buying software when you can get those powerful freeware or open source software for free?

So guys, here goes our personal-handpicked for top 16 best freeware in the year of 2008 (in alphabetical order):

1. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition (http://free.avg.com/)
   AVG is the best free anti-virus ever. Works with Windows 2000/XP/Vista, this anti-virus features an automatic virus database update, virus shield, e-mail scanning, and a nice user interface. I personally use it on all of my PCs and laptops, as well as my office’s computers. You can download AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition from here or here.
2. Ad-Aware 2008 (http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php)
   Combined AVG with Ad-Aware and your computer can work peacefully all the time. Ad-Aware protects your PC from spyware, adware, and all other malicious programs. Its main feature is the incorporation of CSI (Code Sequence Identification) technology which gives better protection for NTFS file system. You can download Ad-Aware Free from here or here.
3. Mozilla Firefox (http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/)
   If you’re still using Internet Explorer, then download Firefox now and see the BIG differences. It’s surely the best web browser outthere and it has too many great features to mention here. I use it myself since I know this web browser couple years ago and never look back to others. You can download Mozilla Firefox from here or here.
4. Opera (http://www.opera.com/)
   If there’s one web browser than could tie-in with Firefox, it should be Opera. Not only for PC (works with Windows 95 and above), there’s also Opera Mini for your mobile device. You can download Opera from here or here.
5. Mozilla Thunderbird (http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird/)
   Another great product Mozilla. Thunderbird is the best email client you can expect. It supports plugin and theme, just like its sibling, Firefox. Some of Thunderbird features include junk-mail filtering, RSS feeds compatibility, HTML email format support, and multiple account. It also supports Microsoft Exchange Server. You can download Mozilla Thunderbird from here or here.
6. Yahoo! Messenger (http://messenger.yahoo.com/)
   Everybody use YM. Nuff said. You can download Yahoo! Messenger from here or here.
7. Download Accelerator Plus (http://www.speedbit.com/)
   Need a download accelerator or download manager? Trust it to Download Accelerator Plus (DAP), just like other 160 million people in the world! It is EASY to use, it can download your file FAST, and it comes with 10 different languages. You can download DAP from here or here.
8. eMule (http://www.emule-project.net/)
   Bases on eDonkey 2000 network, this eMule file sharing client software offers a bunch of feats that aren’t availale on similar apps. Such as support for ED2K , Source Exchange, and Kad. Every downloaded file would also be checked for validity to make sure that they are ready to rumble. You can download eMule from here or here.
9. Advanced WindowsCare Personal (http://www.iobit.com/advancedwindowscareper.html)
   Advanced WindowsCare Personal is your personal PC doctor. It fixes all of your PC problem and it keeps your PC healthy. You can download Advanced WindowsCare Personal from here or here.
10. IrfanView (http://www.irfanview.com/)
    This heavy competitor of ACDSee, IrfanView, offers support for over 400 graphics format and the ability to convert picture to 50 supported formats. It can also display picture in full screen and thumbnails mode, as well as display your image collection as a a slideshow. You can download IrfanView from here or here.
11. PhotoScape (http://www.photoscape.org/)
    If you need a tool to edit or modify your picture, PhotoScape will do the job perfectly. This free photo editor features batch photo editing, photo combining, photo splitting, animated GIF creation, etc. You can download PhotoScape from here or here.
12. OpenOffice.org (http://www.openoffice.org/)
    Why pay hundred bucks for Microsoft Office if you can get the exact office suite for free? OpenOffice.org is your only solution for your office work and it lets you work with your document, spreadsheet, and presentation files. You can download OpenOffice from here.
13. Foxit Reader (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php)
    Working with PDF files doesn’t mean you have to use Adobe Reader. Foxit Reader will do the same job, but BETTER. It uses less system resource and can open your PDF files FAST. You can download Foxit Reader from here or here.
14. 7-Zip (http://www.7-zip.org/)
    The only archiver software you’d need. 7-Zip handles almost all compression formats and can both extract or compress your files. You can download 7-Zip from here or here.
15. DeepBurner Free (http://www.deepburner.com/)
    DeepBurner can write your data in both CD and DVD media. It can even create a photo album and data backup easily for you. You can download DeepBurner Free from here or here.
16. WinAmp (http://www.winamp.com/)
    Eventhough I personally uses traditional Media Player (I rarely listen to music using my PC), I highly recommend WinAmp if you need a powerful, rich-featured media player software. Winamp plays both your audio and video files, and you can even enhanced its feature to unlimited possibility, thanks to its 3rd-party plugin support. You can download WinAmp from here or here.

Any suggestion for other freeware or open source software? Let me know, guys!