Image by DBarefoot via Flickr
There are literally hundreds of thousands of free programs available on the Internet, if not more. All it takes to find them is entering the search parameters into a search engine, then going through the results. The problem with free downloads is that they are not always truly cost-free. The cost isn’t money, it’s the havoc that comes with downloading an unknown free program.
A free program can be found anywhere. But how do you know that you won’t be getting something bogus that messes up your system? On the surface, you can’t. It takes having strong virus protection that scans as the program is downloaded, and sometimes that is not enough. Hackers sniff out the latest software people are looking for and create a fake program that looks legit. They take advantage of the gullible to serve their own ends. In the meantime, you are left with a system that is loaded with viruses and trojans that may not be salvageable.
You can easily avoid the problem by downloading from reputable websites. Plenty of major computer content publishers have web presences with free downloadables. The major publishers have a reputation to uphold and are not going to let questionable software onto their site. Instead, they vet the program first to ensure that it legit, then allow the public access.
Stay away from sketchy looking websites. These are the ones that will get you into trouble. If you’re not sure about a websites legitimacy, do some looking around. How old is the site? Where is it hosted? Are there real names posted, or is everything anonymous? If everything checks out, then relax and download away.
