Welcome to the fascinating
world of PC freeware, which in broad
terms means free software designed to run on computers using a Microsoft
Windows operating system.
As you might imagine, writing computer software
is complex, painstaking work and those capable of the highest standards
can command excellent salaries or charge high project fees as freelance
operators.
So you might perhaps be surprised to learn of
the amazing choice of free software (freeware) to be found all over the
internet, if you know where to look. Well fortunately, now you do! This
site is as good a place to start as any.
So why free software? Surely it’s
substandard or amateur or otherwise less capable than paid-for software
packages? Well i have to tell you that the vast majority of the software
i have for personal use is freeware! And you won’t hear me
complaining about it. I’d be lost without it!
Well if it’s so good, why is it free? To
be honest there are are so many reasons why great software is given away
every day of the week that i’m tempted to cut a long story short
here and say “look it just is, ok?” But since
you’ve taken the trouble to read this far, here are just a few of
the reasons why people give away great software.
First, maybe they’re a start-up business and need
to get known to the public. Giving away something of genuine quality is
a surefire way of creating goodwill and attracting visitors who will
recognise the quality of your product and will return, often as paying
customers. Selling software is highly-lucrative: create once; sell
100’s or 1000’s of times.
Second, they might give away a superceded
edition of their product in the hope of tempting you to buy the new
version with the very latest knobs and whistles. But you don’t
have to. Why bother if the free version does all you need?
Third, they might offer a free basic version
for personal use and a paid-for edition for professional users.
Forth, and not-at-all uncommonly, people write
software because they enjoy it. It’s their hobby. They often give
it away just for the warm, fuzzy feeling you get from doing something
nice and maybe the thought of a bit of recognition among users for the
quality of their work. Money isn’t everything!
And finally my old favorite, “They just
do, ok?” Enjoy!
Although
we’re all about freeware, around this site you’ll also come
across a number of excellent paid-for applications, generally listed as
’sponsored products’. As the name suggests, we get paid a
small commission when you buy any of these and this is what enables us
to operate and maintain the site for the benefit of visitors and
software writers alike.
Please enjoy your visit and tell your friends
about us.
