Find free downloads for Windows XP
Published: September 7, 2006
The old saying, "There's no such thing as a free lunch," isn't entirely true. Sometimes talented people give away the fruits of their hard work for free just because they enjoy it. When those talented people are programmers who write software, millions of computer users can benefit. Thanks to the Internet, it's easy for programmers to share their work and for you to make use of it.
Several different types of software are available for free on the Internet:
| • | Freeware. These are free downloads that don't expire after a certain period of time (some downloadable software does expire). Often freeware is developed by hobbyist programmers who want to share with the Internet community. In addition, software vendors such as Microsoft often offer free downloads to improve software that users already own. |
| • | Adware. These are free downloads that display advertisements to help fund the development of the software. |
| • | Evaluation software. This is software that can be used for free during a trial period. After the trial period ends, you must purchase the software to continue to use it. |
Free software involves license agreements just like commercial software does. In fact, free software license agreements often place requirements on you or restrict you from using the software in certain ways. The author has the right to do this because he or she holds the copyright to the software. You must accept the license agreement before you use free software, so make sure you read it.
While most free downloads are safe, some contain software that monitors how you use your computer, displays advertisements without your knowledge, or changes settings such as your Microsoft Internet Explorer home page (these programs are generally referred to as spyware or malware, respectively). Before you install any software, you should install Windows Defender or another antispyware program to help protect your computer from this type of software.
Where can I get free software?
Microsoft offers free downloads that make Windows and other Microsoft programs even better. Some of the most fun free downloads are PowerToys, Microsoft Photo Story 3, Windows Media Player 10, and trial versions of Microsoft games. For a complete listing of free downloads at Microsoft, validate your copy of Windows, and then visit the Microsoft Download Center.
You can find dozens of other Web sites offering free downloads by searching the Web. If you're looking for a trial version of a specific program, visit the software vendor's Web site. Many vendors offer free trials of popular programs.
Finding support for free software
There's no support hotline to call if you have a problem with free software; however, you may still be able to find help. First, read any Help files included with the program. Then, visit the program's Web site, if there is one, and look for documentation or FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).
If you're still having problems, check the Web for a forum where you can ask other users for help—more than likely, someone else has had the same problem as you and can tell you how to fix it. As a last resort, you may be able to contact the software developer directly for assistance. While they cannot write back to everyone, software developers appreciate feedback (especially if you thank them for their effort), and they may be able to fix your problem in a future release of the program.
Removing software
If you enjoy the process of finding and exploring free software, you will definitely encounter software that you don't find useful or entertaining. You should remove this software to free up space on your hard disk and keep your computer from becoming cluttered.
