Corfy's Corner My little corner of the web.

One of the things I want to do is tell you about some really good free software, but that doesn't mean you can't go looking for free software on your own.

Before you do, be warned that “free software” may not mean what you think it means. In fact, there are at least seven different types of “free software.” And some of the free software is definitely not worth the cost.

Unfortunately, the only way to really tell what kind of free software you have is to read those boring, legalistic user's agreements. I know, I hate reading those things, too. The next best way is to do an Internet search using your favorite search engine to find out what others say about it.

If the software causes problems, there will be plenty of people saying something about it.

The programs you really have to watch out for are free as long as they install “third-party” software on your system, often without you knowing about it. Often these third-party programs contain, adware or spyware which can bog down your computer and send personal information across the Internet. Things I am particularly wary of in this category are screensavers, email icons, and some adware and spyware blockers and cleaners.

Another one I am wary of is the “free trial.” These are often useful for only a short time, say 30 days, but then they won't work right about the time you are starting to count on them unless you send someone money. Most of the time these programs are upfront about it and say something along the lines of “You have 20 days left in your trial software,” but other times, they just pounce on you. Some trials still work fine after the trial is over, but they bug you constantly to “register” the software, which means you need to pay for it.

Not all free software is bad. Some is designed to be free for home users, although businesses will have to pay for it. The programs I discussed in my adware, spyware, and virus column are good examples of these.

Some software is free for any use, but they encourage you to buy the full version, even though most people don't necessarily need the full version. A good example of this would be Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is a very useful program that lets you read PDF files, a common file format used on the Internet. Although most people need to read PDF files, not everyone needs to create PDF files, which is what the full Adobe Acrobat does. That doesn't stop the free Acrobat Reader from advertising the full paid version of Acrobat. Of course, there are free programs available that create PDF files.

Some programs are free provided you have paid for a previous version of the software. Usually this only applies to software updates, but occasionally you will find other companion programs that are available for “free” as long as you have a certain program, or version of the program, running on your computer.

One of my favorite types of free software is called “open-source” software. This software is free for any purpose, business or home. In addition to the programs being free, the source code is also free, hence the name. The source code is what programmers actually work with to write the programs you use on your computer. Rather than relying on a software company to write the software, the software is “controlled” by computer programmers all around the world and is carefully examined by any number of people for bugs and holes. This type of software makes me wish I was a programmer.

The final type is what most people probably think of as free software. The program is free to download, install, and use for any purpose, but the source code remains firmly in the hands of the company that owns the program.

As you can see, there are a lot of good types of free programs, but it is best to know what kind you are downloading and installing. A pinch of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure.