If you're a parent, be careful with this program. As with all file-sharing software, the files you find may have adult content. Also, when you install the software, it will ask whether you want to make BearFlix your Web home page. Unless you agree to that, be sure to click the Decline button.

| Price: Free

GOM Media Player

This excellent, free media player is particularly well suited for playing videos, because it supports a wide range of formats. It plays all the usual suspects, plus many other formats that media players often can't handle, such as DivX, .flv, XviD, and others. In addition, it sports some nifty features for video viewing, including the ability to change the brightness, contrast, and saturation. It has an audio equalizer for improving sound, too.

One particularly nice touch is that during installation the program asks you to indicate how you'll use it: for general-purpose viewing, for high-quality displays (if you own a powerful graphics card and a high-resolution monitor), or with TV output (if you plan to connect your PC to a television and use it there). Most people will choose the normal mode.