How to Determine What Free Software is Safe to Use and Download

Once you have identified a need for a certain utility or software program, you may decide to find something inexpensive or free to use. There is software out there that is considered malware and can actually do harm to your computer. It's important to determine good safe products before you load them on your computer.

FIND REVIEWS ON SOFTWARE CHOICES
You need to find reviews on the product that you want to use. One good place to search for reliable products is on CNET's download.com. For instance, if you're looking for antivirus programs, you can type antiviurs into the search box. There is also a drop down box next to the search box that allows you to choose the type of software area that you want to search in (Windows, Mac, games, etc.).

This is a good site to search for software because, on the popular software, there are reviews by CNET and also by users. I like the reviews by users because, I think, you get a broader idea of the worth of the product. Especially if there are a lot of reviews by users of the product. These reviews may not always agree with the CNET review. Some of the software on this site might be freeware, or free trials. The software with the free trials will give you anywhere from a 15 day trial to a 30 day trail. After the trial period, in order to continue using the software, you will need to purchase the software. Freeware is software that you can download and use for free on your computers.

Another source I like to use is to simply do a search on the internet. Many times you will run across reviews from PC magazine and sites similar to this. Searching for reliable sources of information is crucial for the successful use of free software.

Wikipedia is another good source to check out software that you might be considering. I will sometimes find a software product and do a search on this site. Always check with several different sites for information on the products you might be thinking of downloading.

BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE
Downloading software from a reliable source is important for a couple of reasons. First of all you will be giving information. You want to make sure it is not being given to a source that might sell your information to email spammers. This is a good reason to have more than one email account (check my article on Why Have More Than One Email Account) You also don't want to download from a source where you might be downloading viruses or malware. The software might be free, but if you end up with problems on your computer it's hardly worth it. Research is key.

WHAT TO DO BEFORE INSTALLING
Once you download the files to your computer, you can use your antivirus software to scan the software to be sure that there are no viruses. There are ways to set your antivirus software to do this automatically. Be sure that you have this feature activated in your antivirus program.

If you take steps to protect your computer, do your research, and choose wisely you can have software to use safely that will save you money. There are many free programs that are as good as ones you can purchase.