X-Chat
IRC Client. This is such a popular IRC client for linux that it has been ported to windoze as well. Silverex's port is probably the most used in windows. A must have if you use IRC in linux (and since your best help resources are in IRC you had best get a client of some sort.).
k3b
CD/DVD writing/copying. A good all around tool for burning your media.
Firefox
What? you live under a rock? Its THE webbrowser.
gkrellm
System monitor that can also have odds and ends like volume controls and such added to it. Not the one I use any longer, but I did for a long time.
Conky
Highly configurable system monitor with a really light footprint. This one needs some tinkering with its config file to make it truly yours.
oh and did I mention that those are all FREE?
Heres a screenshot of my desktop. What your seeing is Fluxbox environment, with transparent aterm (upper left) and conky (upper right).
