If you’ve reinstalled an operating system in recent times, you surely realize how tedious the whole process can be. We have covered some aspects of this in the past, looking to simplify your experience with a list of top programs to grab after a fresh OS installation, as well as a comprehensive backup checklist. And while that should give you a neat jumpstart, we haven't entirely touched on how time-consuming it can be to actually download and then install every new app.

Not everyone has a speedy broadband Internet connection or a well-equipped PC, and tracking down a dozen or more pieces of software along with manually installing each one could easily burn an entire afternoon -- not counting the time it takes to get your new operating system up and running. To further compound that situation, what if you are doing it on more than one computer?


Thankfully, a nifty new service called Ninite circumvents much of this pesky process by allowing you to select, download, and automatically install over 50 popular applications in a single location. All of the programs are free, and will cover almost every category you can think of. It's not useless stuff either, we have featured many of these programs as our download of the week.

Read our Tech Tip of the Week.