Legitimate websites with free software?

Question

I have a question regarding downloading different stuff (well, programs mostly) from the internet. How can I check if the website is OK and that I won't be getting any viruses and that kind of things along with the software? Is there a kind of universal list of "pre-checked" sites with free software? Or just some way I could check who's behind the site and are they genuine?

Answer 1

download.com

Answer 2

I would try to stick with PC Magazine, and check into ZD Net. These places have freeware, and you can do a search at these sites which most are safe. Been using these guys for years, and make sure you have a updated version of a anti-virus program running on your pc, and have the updated version for the operating system you are using from microsoft.

Answer 3

its called download.com

you can find almost any free and paid software on there

- http://www.download.com

There is Also McAfee SiteAdvisor plugin for Interent Exporer and Firefox, which is free.

- http://www.siteadvisor.com/

Answer 4

this place has EVERYTHING because you can custom order - follow instructions...

Step 1: Sign Up

Go to: http://www.rewards1.com/index.php?referr... and sign up.

Once you get there click SIGN UP on the menu bar on the left and fill out your information.

They will ask you for your email. I recommend you give them your real one because this is easier for verification. If you give them your spam one you might accidentally delete it. The site doesn't spam you its all the offers you will be doing that send the junk email.

They also ask for your address. Don't worry too much about this all they need your address for is to mail you prizes.

After you signup they will send you a confirmation link to your email address you entered. Click the link and you're done. The email should come pretty quick (usually instantly). And make sure you check your spam folders.

Step 2: Complete Offers

Once inside you can check out the prize list.

To earn points click on "Available Offers". There you will see a whole list of offers and how many points you'll get if you complete that offer. When filling out an offer you don't have to give your real home address or phone number. And make sure you use your spam email account because believe me you will be spammed. Also, be sure to check your email occasionally for those offers that require email confirmation otherwise you won't get credited for completing the offer properly.

Here are a few tips for filling out offers:

1. Read the offer carefully so you know exactly what to do to get the points.

2. Delete cookies before every offer

3. Complete offer with realistic information

4. Use a browser that accepts cookies and turn your security down

5. Let each page load completely

Also remember that even though most of the time you'll get the points 5-10 minutes after completing the offer, some may take up to a day or more (depending on the offer). So don't worry if you don't see the points just keep going they will appear if you've done everything correctly.

Step 3: Claim Your Prize

After you have enough points you can now go to "Available Prizes" and see what you can cash those points in for. This is the fun part. :]

They have a ton of prizes. You'll see stuff like consoles (Xbox, PS3, Wii), video games, iPods, etc. Physical prizes like iPods and video games will deliver so make sure your address is correct before you claim a prize that requires shipping.

Also, something many people don't realize is that if you don't see anything you like you can actually send a request for a custom prize. Just send support a ticket with a link to what you want from amazon.com or any site and they'll let you know how many points you'll need. Basically it will be a point for every dollar. and sign up.

Once you get there click SIGN UP on the menu bar on the left and fill out your information.

They will ask you for your email. I recommend you give them your real one because this is easier for verification. If you give them your spam one you might accidentally delete it. The site doesn't spam you its all the offers you will be doing that send the junk email.

They also ask for your address. Don't worry too much about this all they need your address for is to mail you prizes.

After you signup they will send you a confirmation link to your email address you entered. Click the link and you're done. The email should come pretty quick (usually instantly). And make sure you check your spam folders.

Answer 5

Here are 3 good ones,they should have mostly anything you would ever need.

www.download.com

www.majorgeeks.com

www.filehippo.com

Answer 6

Regardless of where you get the software, it's a good idea to scan it with your anti-virus and malware scanners before running it.

Also look for digital signatures. Use the checksum file, if provided. Both of these help assure the file has not been tampered with.

Answer 7

Source Forge is an opensource community, http://sourceforge.net/ though not all the software there is for windows.  Try Downolaing and installing Web of Trust a.k.a. WOT @ http://www.mywot.com/.  They have a download for IE and and extension for FireFox.  

WOT is a free Internet security addon for Firefox and IE that protects you against online threats like malware, scams, unreliable shopping sites and spam. The WOT community helps make the Internet safer by sharing their experiences of websites and the services they offer.

It will place a little Circle somewhere near the address bar, Green indicates that the site has been rated safe, and it goes Red meaning unsafe.  You may also click on the Icon and view trustworthiness, Vendor Reliability, Privacy, and Child safety.  Check it out!