Free software refers to computer programs that are free without cost, as opposed to paid, proprietary (commercial) software. The Free Software Foundation defines free software as “free and open source software, which can be used, modified and shared with no restrictions.” Examples of free software include the Linux kernel and BSD operating systems and the GNU Compiler Collection and C library; the MySQL relational database server; the Sendmail mail transport agent; the Blender 3D computer graphics software and the Replicant smartphone OS.
It is important to note that downloading paid software without having first purchased it is illegal. This is known as piratery and deprives developers of revenue. It can also cause the software to fail in the near future or not be supported. Similarly, downloading pirated apps from unofficial sources can cause malware or virus infections.
TechSpot Downloads updates every day with dozens new programs in categories like productivity, communication, security and gaming. It also has a guide that helps users to avoid potentially harmful downloads and to you could try this out find alternatives.
FileHippo is a well-known site that hosts a variety of active applications, broken down into categories like Windows and Mac software, as well as Android applications. The pages for each app also has brief but detailed descriptions written by actual users, so you can get an idea of what the app is capable of and the benefits it offers before you decide to install it.
The downside is that FileHippo may at times ask you to install a different program prior to the one you’re looking for However, it’s clearly labeled and is easy to bypass, and doesn’t recommend suspicious software. And it also offers extensive back catalogs of old versions of a variety of programs, which is nice to have if you have older apps that need upgrading or you’re concerned about stability issues in the latest version.