Free Programs

[DA Master]

Are free programs a waste of time?

[beeboy]

It is my experience that many of the free programs are superior. I have replaced shareware and paid - for programs with freebies. Iceows (zip tool), replaced winrar and winzip. Cam2pc (digital camera software) replaced Fuji's software. Total Uninstall (monitoring uninstaller) replaced Window's and Ontrack's uninstallers. There are many more.

[DA Master]

I agree with you. Most free programs are useful. Some arn't and are just a waste of space. My favourite is GIF Construction Set.

[ESALADUANE]

Free programs allow more people to try more products. If every program out there had to be bought "off the shelf" most people wouldn't have the time or money to search for and use the many useful tools available. Of course, if every user had the same things on their computers it would make it easier to diagnose and fix problems. The fact that computers are so hightly customizable is one of the bigger problems in trying to identify and fix problems. But, from the users perspective, the utility, education and customizability of having so many products, literally "a download away", is a big part of "the computing experience" even though we could all get by on a lot less.

[curtybob]

Originally posted by ESALADUANE
we could all get by on a lot less.

amen to that!!! My name is curtybob, and I am a download junkie! You wanna make rediculous buttons with animated 3D graphics---all with the click of your mouse, boy do I know of a program for you!!!!!!!

all kidding aside, you should have seen the registry on my old compaq. 100's of leftover entries. plus the 100's that were still valid! and to boot (pun), I am on dialup......... so no body can ever get hold of me! I gotta quit going to the free file sites!

[ESALADUANE]

I've said it and heard it hundreds of times, "I've got to stop downloading that stuff!!"

[beeboy]

Thats what I love about XP. You can get away with a lot of installing and uninstalling. I gotta try everything too.