Is it safe to download freeware?

Is it safe to download freeware?

There are many arguments about freeware as to whether it is safe to use or not. People should consider the facts that certain writers have bigger or hidden agendas, thus they openly say and write very negative articles about freeware to take it down. I say those with "hidden agendas" because usually these writers are trying to sell you something, like a registry cleaner, hence the reason they will write about how bad freeware registry cleaners are and that you should instead buy "this one" or "that one", with a link to their own website or an affiliate linked website. It is amusing to read some of these articles because 3 out of 5 of them leads to sites which are rated very badly in web check sites such as WOT or SiteAdvisor!

What's the truth then? Well, freeware is just like any other form of software, sometimes it's clean, sometimes it's not. I've came across some truly shocking examples of shareware that have been riddled with Trojans, malware and all manner of nasties!.

Thing is, depending on where you download your software will depend on your experience of freeware.

The main problem faced by software is user error. This means instead of reading what an installation is telling the user, they simply click "next, next, next, finish!" and so could potentially be installing all manner of add-on accessories they didn't ask for such as toolbars, etc!. However, this just doesn't apply to freeware, a lot of commercial software will include add-on accessories.

Many freeware developers try to monetize their software by including third party apps, which as long as they contain no nasties and remain optional to the user, we don't have a problem with, why should we?. If someone is willing to pay £50 for MS office, why would they consider OpenOffice Free an annoyance if it asks to install Google chrome or some other add-on.

You should always be careful as to where you are downloading your freeware from and always have a fully up-to-date antivirus and malware package installed on your PC at all times.