Tuesday, 28 September 2010

Free Essential Software - TLC For Your PC


Google free software and you'll be faced with 154,000.000 options. Are these software programs actually free? You may be surprised how many of them are.

Some are free trial versions, at the end of the trial you have to purchase the full version or stop using the program. Others are a free scan, the software will tell you how many problems or issues your computer has but you have to purchase the product to "clean" or fix the problems. A surprising number of these programs, however, are actually free to use.

The programs I like to use are those that are free for personal use. These programs cost you nothing if you use them on your personal computer at home and not for a business. In my experience, these programs are effective at their intended purpose and contain no spyware, adware, viruses, etc. Often the only difference between the personal version and the full blown purchased version is that the scans and/or updates are not automatic. You have to manually request them.

The creators of this type of program make an effort to give you a good experience using the program because they want you to recommend it for use at your place of business or purchase the full version for your own computer that you use for business.

I use several free programs on my own home computer to keep it free of clutter and running efficiently. I recommend Avast (virus protection), CC Cleaner ( removes clutter), Ad-Aware (removes adware , spyware and tracking cookies), Glary Registry Cleaner, Belarc Advisor (gives you a snap shot of your computer - memory usage, software installed, etc.) and Revo Uninstaller.

Revo takes longer to use than most programs own uninstall or uninstalling through the control panel but it also gets rid of the leftover files that these programs leave behind. All of these programs , at this writing, provide free updates as they occur.

This may seem like a lot of scanning and cleaning but I had the same computer for 5 years (which I purchased used) and never paid to have it worked on. I also never paid for software to keep it running well.

A reliable source for downloading free software is CNET.com. Just choose downloads and search by the type of software you want or by most popular downloads. CNET also tells you how many times that particular software has been downloaded and allows you to see reviews from other users. Another good source is Google Pack which is a suite of free software from Google. You can pick only the programs you want.

I do want to mention that, when downloading these programs, watch for a check box asking about add-ons, additional software included with the main download, and uncheck the box if you do not want the additional program.

My last word, finally, is don't forget the utilities you already have on your computer. Use your disk cleaner and defragment your hard drive often, especially if you are on the internet a lot.

Remember: Treat your PC with TLC. You'll save time, money and headaches in the long run.








Verna Seivert is a typical stay at home mom that uses several different methods to save on the cost of normal household purchases. If you could use some tips on saving money or adding to your income so you can stay at home, please visit me at [http://www.maxmoola.com]


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