Free My Favourite Four Letter "F"- Word

[les]

I use three sites for safe access to programs.

filehippo:
http://www.filehippo.com/
A good site for the latest free versions of the more common programs.

ninite:
http://ninite.com/
For the most commonly useful, this one allows you to select several programs at once,
It then gives you a downloader that in turn downloads and installs the latest versions silently, ie no further input from your self, also it does not install any "tool bars" or advertising.
I always go here first for new customers and new/re- builds.

the first two are benign, the third is for exiting unknowns.

Gizmos Freeware Reviews
http://www.techsupportalert.com/
This site is dedicated to free programs of every genre almost always tested and well reviewed.
this is where I go looking for "new to me" programs, it has a huge selection of choices, I have found it does help me no end.

Obviously I do not advocate using every program on these sites but hopefully it will save you buying commercial programs leaving spare cash for "TOYS"

[les]

Hope this helps


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[doti]

I would suggest to use those good web sites for informations, but going straight to the author's website for downloading, if it exists. I'm myself quite fed up of finding my softwares available in old releases, or even tempered / bundled with crap (I'm looking at you, softonic).
Back in the times, when on a subject some portals got some weight, they turned evil to us software producers ("what a good review you got there, it would be bad if it disapear, you know us portals have some costs...").

[les]

I would suggest to use those good web sites for informations, but going straight to the author's website for downloading, if it exists. I'm myself quite fed up of finding my softwares available in old releases, or even tempered / bundled with crap (I'm looking at you, softonic).
Back in the times, when on a subject some portals got some weight, they turned evil to us software producers ("what a good review you got there, it would be bad if it disapear, you know us portals have some costs...").

I agree with your worries/concerns.
I choose these sites because they are the latest versions and none of them add anything to the original or induce you to click in the wrong place.
I will repeat that ninite gives the latest versions with nags and tool bars left out.

Even some authors rely on advertising so their sites should be used with eyes wide open.
And also use similar sites to your mention as they can not host the files themselves.

Gizmos site will not recommend anything if advertising is included in the install.
the links in this case take you to the authors web site .