Okay, so maybe we're not all rich enough to pick up new PCs for all of our loved ones, this holiday season. The good news, however, is that if anyone you know is lucky enough to be on the receiving end of a brand new machine, it's still possible to pick them up a great gift, without breaking the bank. After all, without some quality software, the latest quad-core, discreet graphics powerhouse is little more than a shiny new pedestal for your collection of Troll dolls.

Sure, most systems come bundled with software. Just about any PC you pick up will feature apps that can perform the most basic word processing or art task, but the computing needs of most people extend beyond what these barebones programs can offer. We've put together a well-rounded list of programs that should be enough to get anyone started (in addition to a few of the latest PC Gaming titles, of course.

Everything included in the roundup will cost you less than a hundred bucks (and even less than the prices here, if you know the right place to look), save for Napster, which at either $9.95 or $14.95 a month, will run you a bit more for a year-long subscription, and Office, which, depending on the suite you opt into, will range from kind of expensive to really expensive. But let's face it: if the receiver of your gift plans on doing any word processing, they're probably going to want to do it with Microsoft's app. If you're lucky enough to find yourself on the receiving end of a new piece of computing hardware this holiday, but without any new apps and the post-holiday funds to pick up one of these two more expensive apps, we've also included free alternatives, which while they might not always be a replacement for the piece of retail software, will certainly be enough to get you started. Below are teasers for some recommended gift apps. Click the links to read the full texts.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 5 -- $99.99
Adobe has packed even more features into its already great entry-level photo editing software. With new sharing features, map-integration, and major improvements to the software's editing component, Photoshop Elements is a great place to start for users who want to try their hand at photo editing, but don't have $600 to spend on a pro app.

Microsoft Office -- Home and Student Version -- $149
You can't really run or hide from Microsoft Office. For word processing, spreadsheets, personal information management, and presentation software, Microsoft's suite is the default. Fortunately, the 2007 version of the software has greatly improved just about ever aspect of the program's usability, meaning that even a first time computer owner will be using it like a pro, in no time. Free Alternative: Google Docs and Spreadsheets: Its creators claim that it's no replacement for Office. While that may be true, Google's no-software-required sharing-friendly online spreadsheet and word processing app is one free killer combo.

Napster $9.95/14.95 ($119.40/179.40 a year)
A year-long subscription to our Editor's Choice music service is the gift that keeps on giving—well, for twelve months at least. For less than the price of a CD, Napster gives them unlimited access to over two million tracks. For an extra five bucks a month, they can take that music along with them, on that MP3 player they got for Christmas. Free Alternative: Pandora: Musically adventurous but low on cash? Pandora lets users create their own streaming radio stations, based on music similar to their favorite songs.

Norton Internet Security 2007 -- $69.99
We mentioned it in both parts one and two of our Security Suite Smackdown, but we can't stress this enough: the moment that you unwrap your new PC, you're going to want to load up some new security software, and feature for feature, security doesn't get much sweeter than Norton's 2007 offering.

Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 Suite --$99.95
Anyone interested exploring the world of video editing should take a good, long lot at this highly affordable, feature-packed piece of software. Users can edit both video and audio, author dvds, and even create ringtones.