What apps needed to connect to "PC world"

As a mac user I've really had no issue not being able to play files created by XP media player - but if I want to set up a mac to be as "friendly" as possible with the PC world what would I need:

- Certainly MS Office for the Mac (I know about Neo ...)
- what app for XP medis player music + video files
- Probably need real player loaded


What other apps needed to seamlessy use and view files that PC users typically trade and send via email or on web sites ????

As I reccomend Macs to people I want to be able to set them up so they can still view - use - read 99% of the files they might get from family - friends - co-workers .......... without jumping thru a bunch of hoops

THANKS

The most common files that I have issues with are WMV and MPG files that folks send me. For both there are answers. WMP for the mac works well, and there is also now Flip4Mac which plays some WMV files through Quicktime. For MPGs and MPEGs VLC player seems to be the best I have found.

There are some AVIs that will not play on a Mac period. This is strictly because there are some Codecs that have not Mac version as of yet, it's just a fact of life.

For the average user, those are the only issues I can think of. You listed Office and Real Media above, so you know about that.

I have succesfully installed the following apps in my iBook and have had no problem interacting with the PC world:

1. Windows Media Player (which I just recently abandoned for Flip4Mac)
2. Real Player
3. VLC Player
4. Microsoft Office 2004
5. Adium (as a replacement for Microsoft Messenger 5)
6. Colloquy (IRC client)
7. Remote Desktop Connection (to connect to my desktop PC)
8. StuffIt Expander

The only thing that I have encountered problems with is the MSN client. Adium (or more especifically the libgaim source) does not currently support "2nd nicknames" or saved emoticons (or the MSN for Mac for that matter), which I've learned to cope with, besides it's not really that big of a deal.