The Best Free Software
"I see lots of freeware and shareware available on the Web, but I'm never sure if it's safe to download them. Are there good alternatives to the expensive shrink-wrapped software packages for sale in stores?" |
Software Wants to Be Free...
...but users want it to be safe. Free software is everywhere, which makes it incredibly difficult these days to find the best of any particular kind. And then there's the fact that "freeware" is not always free. Some freeware is just poorly written and may cause your computer to crash. Some are a conduit for spam and other system invasion techniques. Others are illegal copies of commercial software that can land you in legal trouble.
Nevertheless, there are several excellent software packages that are truly free, high quality, and useful. For free Internet software, check out this link. For general computer tasks and other fun stuff, here are some of my favorite sources:
Practice Safe Computing
Here's some advice to keep in mind when looking for good freeware downloads:
Elaborating on that last point, there are some rogue sites in cyberspace that appear to offer free software, but the downloads contain spyware, adware, trojan horses and viruses. Here are some dependable freeware sites you can trust:
One final tip: Add to caution a dose of prevention. Make sure your system is up to date and keep it free of malware. See my articles How can I avoid computer viruses? and Spy, Counter-Spy for details on how to protect yourself from spyware, viruses and other nasties.
Oh, and don't forget to check out my favorite Free Internet Software too!
Do you have any favorite, high-quality freeware programs? Post your comments and questions here!
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Posted by Bob Rankin on 23 Dec 2005
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Article information: AskBobRankin -- The Best Free Software (Posted: 23 Dec 2005)
Source: http://askbobrankin.com/the_best_free_software.html
Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved
Free
Most recent comments on "The Best Free Software"
(See all 14 comments for this article.)Posted by:
Andreas
24 Dec 2005
I find http://www.portablefreeware.com very useful since software that is free _and_ portable is often high quality stuff. Cheerio.
Posted by:
tony
24 Dec 2005
www.donationcoder.com has a nice range of quality freeware / donationware software ... well worth a look
Posted by:
Rahul
24 Dec 2005
Great software that is free and tiny ... literally ... 99% of their software fits on a floppy be it viewers, editors browsers ... all less than 1.44 mb in size. Must see... www.tinyapps.org
Posted by:
Sally
25 Dec 2005
Another good source is Freeware Home:
http://www.freewarehome.com/
Also
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best_46_free_utilities.htm
Posted by:
Michael Rusch
28 Dec 2005
I'd also suggest the GIMP (Gnu Image Manipulation Program, http://www.gimp.org/) as an intermediate-level alternative to Photoshop. I would guess that it would leave something to be desired for advanced PS users, but it's fairly powerful in and of itself and the Windows version has gotten much more user friendly since Gimp 2 in my opinion.
Posted by:
Tom Bullock
31 Dec 2006
The best and most full-featured free email program I know about is Pegasus Mail, found at http://www.pmail.com/ I have used it for the last 4 or 5 years and followed its progression and development. It has an active and very knowledgeable user community that provides prompt and accurate responses to most requests for help (assuming adequate problem descriptions!). Right now it is free and even has a PDF user manual written in clear and simple explanations of features available. It even has integrated a Spamhalter Bayesian Spam Filter into PMail. It certainly merits a careful look-see by those considering a new email program.
Posted by:
poppy fogarty
08 May 2007
I have been using Invircible Virus Defence System for over 5 years now, and it is the best anti virus protection system ever. It is a generic system and I have never had a problem with any spyware,malware,etc. At only $A 77.00 for two years, it is the best investment I have made for my computer, and thought I would let everyone know. It is fantastic and I don't own any shares in the company.
Posted by:
ericutin
31 May 2007
i have windows98se dell pent11 pc i had photo builder for a while but it did not do what i need i need too take photos from a walgreens cd of my artwork and get the pixels too 1000by1000 too download into my art gallery on www.myartprofile.com this is a nightmare! i cannot find any software for free online that will help me change pixels or size of photos/help?
EDITOR'S NOTE: Try IrfanView?
Posted by:
Gil
08 May 2010
I want to recommend you about my new software, it is called LangOver version 5.0. You can download it for FREE from here: http://www.LangOver.com
LangOver 5.0 - is a freeware that helps when you tried to type in one language but the result was in another... Annoying, eh?! That's because the keyboard layout was in a wrong language, and you forgot to use "ALT+SHIFT"... NO MORE! With LangOver 5.0 you'll be able to convert your text quickly between languages. Just click "F10" and your text will be fixed! LangOver 5 is free and Supports ANY language!
'F10' Change language
'Shift+F10' UpperLower Case
'F6' Reverse a text
'Control+G' Search in Google
'Control+T' Translation New!
EDITOR'S NOTE: Who knew there were so many people typing in the wrong language? :-)
Posted by:
Eric Johnston
09 Mar 2011
I think another great Anti-Virus program is AVG Free. It works very well against all intruders. There is an upgraded version also available.