Using Freeware: Advantages and Disadvantages

What is freeware? Freeware (from “free” and “software”) is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee. Freeware can be proprietary software available at zero price. The author usually restricts one or more rights to copy, distribute, and make derivative works of the software.

Using Freeware has many advantages and disadvantages. Before installing freeware, do some research into the particular freeware you want to install. Be sure that you protect your computer from spyware, which can be a hazard of using freeware.

Many people complain of the high costs of the many software programs available for personal computers. In an attempt to offset some of these costs, an increasing number of people are relying on freeware. Freeware is software that can be downloaded from the Internet and installed on your computer in order to provide certain functionality for the end-user. Using freeware does indeed provide some advantages, as well as some risks, for the end user. Here are some tips to help you to get the most from your freeware, along with some guides to help prevent some common system problems that could arise from your use of freeware.

Before downloading any type of freeware, you should research consumer magazines and websites for customer reviews, as well as industry insider information related to the particular software you want to download and use. You should only download software programs with lots of positive recognition from both the industry and from the consumer.

When downloading freeware from the Internet, you should always follow the installation wizard and use the typical or recommended installation option. Using the Typical or Recommended installation option generally will install all of the files that you need in order to get the most functionality from the software program.

When you download freeware from the Internet, A user guide is usually included with the program. Before you use the freeware program, it is always a good idea to read the user guide and print out a hard copy of the user guide that you can use for reference if you encounter problems with the freeware program.

One of the primary advantages in using Freeware from the Internet is that the software generally comes only with the files you need in order to use the program. This will not provide you with any extra functionality as with other expensive forms of software; however, it will help to save space on your hard drive, and will help to make the best use of your available system memory.

One of the primary disadvantages of using Freeware from the internet is the increased potential for your computer to become infected with spyware. I once downloaded a freeware photo-editing program to edit some old photos that I had scanned. After I installed the program, my computer became infected with lots of spyware, which slowed down my system performance almost to the point of having to wipe my entire hard drive clean and re install. Freeware can save you money, however, if you are going to use freeware, also be sure that you have installed a good anti spyware program on your computer.