Since this review would target mostly the professionals, means one who do what home users do and a whole lot more, so here go some assumptions made in this review:
Use the net for extensive search operations.
You do a lot of downloading.
You do a lot of mailing/ chatting etc.
You do visit areas with number of passwords.
You listen/watch to lot of online streaming stuff.
6.(Late addition) You do use anit virus software and also protection means to protect yourself from hacking etc.
- Finally, your life is dependent in real time on net.
So the accessories are not difficult to choose.
1)MSN: If you work on Windows, nothing like it. But this means you have to take extra extra care in almost everything else, from passwords to virus protection and live with some service failures also. But if you dont allow others to use your PC and are fairly conversant with PC, go for it, Messenger(Yahoo sux, shows people online when they are offline and keeps banging the You got mail message if you dont check it). Outlook Express though could be avoided unless you use latest to latest software(if you use it dont use address book or store messages with attachment). You could fix your email service provider to give you IMAP so that you dont download the messages.
2) PDF Reader/ Writer: A must for professionals to read reports, write reports and make professional documents. Almost de-facto standard though one would encounter PS format as well.
3) Download Accelerator: Accelerates the download and also ensures that you resume the download from where it stopped. You could use even getright for it.
4) Macromedia Flash: If you dont want to loose the animation on most sites, do have it installed. Again another de-facto standard. Installs itself in latest IE, if you have not installed it and you open a page containing Flash. You have the option of not installing.
5) Media Player: Real is best, windows media player would also be needed if you do heavy online streaming content surfing.
Advise: Go for Companion toolbox, Bonzibuddy etc. only if you like dead flashy stuff which really does serve no purpose and only thing you do online is fun stuff.