Free software

Freeware (a.k.a., free software) is software that is available at no cost to the user, now or ever. Developers often cover their development costs by running ads on their sites or accepting donations from users via PayPal or other means.

Freeware is generally only available in its final form and cannot be modified by the user, which is what differentiates it from "free software" or open-source software, where users are allowed and often encouraged to make modifications and improvements and redistribute it.

Andrew Fluegelman is credited with first popularizing the term freeware when looking for ways to distribute his communications software PC-Talk without using traditional costly means of distribution. Freeware is commonly available on the Internet for download, and such digital distribution cuts cost of sales down to almost nothing beyond the bandwidth used to transmit it.

Freeware programs can be almost anything, from screensavers to system utilities to media players to security applications.

by Mark Buckingham Are you a writer, passionate about this or any other topic? Join Blogcritics!

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “Free software”

• A response to "free software major league or minor?": Unjustifie...

  
  Linux/Unix News - motd.ambians.com — Authority: 460
  Free Software Magazine: "I just read Terry Hancock’s artilce on Is free software major league or minor?. Great article...However, I disagree strongly on several points that your article raises. I’ll take it point by point in an effort to not misrepresent your views and keep focussed on the statements that you ...
  7 hours ago

• A response to "free software major league or minor?": Unjustifie...

  
  Computer & Internet - computer-internet.marc8.com — Authority: 460
  Free Software Magazine: "I just read Terry Hancock’s artilce on Is free software major league or minor?. Great article...However, I disagree strongly on several points that your article raises. I’ll take it point by point in an effort to not misrepresent your views and keep focussed on the statements that you ...
  7 hours ago

• Convert video formats on your Mac for free

  
  Shufflegazine - Apple Lifestyle Magazine — Authority: 630
  Earlier today I received a dinosaur JVC camera with a truck load of video clips. We are traveling to Lebanon to have our annual seminar on the beautiful mountains of Farya and somebody had to make a fun video intro for our office. Since I still did not learn to say “no” easily, it ended up on my desk. After ...
  8 hours ago

• iRingTones Allows You To Create iPhone Ringtones

  
  Technofriends — Authority: 140
  If you are looking out for a free software to create iPhone Ringtone, you can try out iRingTones . iRingtones provides a graphical approach to using the freely available Nero AAC Encoder. It uses the Nero AAC Encoder to convert a standard WAV file into an iPhone compliant M4R ringtone, adds the ringtone to the ...
  10 hours ago

• Downloading Skype: where’s the full install program?

  
  Hands-on Technical Tips — Authority: 113
  I notice that Skype now allows you to download their “install” package that actually isn’t the full install program.  So, here’s a link to download the full package so that you can use it to install on multiple computers: Skype 4.0:   http://download.skype.com/partner/trackable259/SkypeSetupFull.exe   ...
  14 hours ago

• Free Panda Cloud Antivirus Download

  
  The Freebie Blogger — Authority: 614
  Click here to download Panda Cloud Antivirus for free.  International. Related Posts: Avery Wizard Holiday Edition Free Download McAfee Virus Scan w/Site Advisor Free 12 Month Trial
  16 hours ago

• Why FOSS Matters to Me (But Maybe Not to You)

  
  Computer & Internet - computer-internet.marc8.com — Authority: 460
  Datamation: "The Free Software Foundation is having a video contest on the subject "Why is free software important to you?" Its a timely topic, with Windows 7 just out and with the free software communitys bickering so bitter as of late that common goals sometimes seem in danger of being forgotten"
  21 hours ago

• "Intellectual Property" a Violation of Real Property

  
  Libervis.com - Technology Enthusiasts Building Liberty — Authority: 98
  Unless you really want to believe in something you know is a lie you probably wont be inclined to believe people who express inconsistent ideas. Free Software or Open Source Software have has been typically attacked by people who do appear to believe quite strongly in property ownership. If you create something, they ...
  21 hours ago

• The Shopping Genie FREE Software Saves up 70% and Make Money Giving it Away

  
  Internet Marketing and Shopping Resources — Authority: 137
  H ave you got this Yet? The myshoppinggenie featured no CNN does what it says: I recently downloaded the myshoppinggenie toolbar,(it’s free) and I was browsing the lowest prices on items in minutes. I watched the CNN news insert Bargin Hunting and Sue Goldstien says this is one place “ to go to save the ...
  22 hours ago

• Avery Wizard Holiday Edition Free Download

  
  The Freebie Blogger — Authority: 614
  Avery is offering a free download of Avery Wizard Holiday Edition  for Microsoft Office. Download includes holiday templates for gift tags, holiday greetings, and more. International. Related Posts: Free Software Bundle For Macs McAfee Virus Scan w/Site Advisor Free 12 Month Trial
  1 day ago

• AVS Media Player

  
  SoftZilla — Authority: 134
  AVS Media Player 3.1.1.172 Release Date: 2009-10-1 AVS Media Player 3.1.1.172 File Size: 19.1 MB / Windows 2K / XP / 2003 / Vista AVS Media Player Website Download Free AVS Media Player 3.1.1.172 AVS Media Player is an easy-to-use application with a simple user-friendly interface allowing you ...
  1 day ago

• Online Bass Lessons: Study With The Best Teachers In The World

  
  Free Sites Plus — Authority: 134
  by Darryl Andrews Maybe you’re a fan of Flea of the Chili Peppers, or Sting, or Paul McCartney. Bass can be almost as prestigious as drums, the bass is more important to a bands sound than the drums are. Drums set the tempo, but bass truly sets the groove of the song. It’s both rhythmic and melodic. Take a ...
  1 day ago

• Proprietary software is a black hole of knowledge universe: Why all knowledge should be free

  
  P2P Foundation — Authority: 582
  Excerpt from a longer text (introducing free software to an Indian audience) by Nagarjuna . Why all knowledge should be free? Let us take a blank CD and take its mass on a balance. Now, having recorded its mass, let us copy about 700MB of software or any digital documents into it. Record its mass after it is ...
  1 day ago

• Kindle For PC App In Beta

  
  Latest Gadget & Tech News — Authority: 164
  With the Barnes & Noble Nook getting a good reception, Amazon certainly isn’t going to sit back and let things be. After the Iphone Kindle app, there is the Kindle for PC app, albeit it’s still in Beta. While the app won’t support other formats aside from Kindle ebooks, it&rsq… hitachi plasma tv ...
  1 day ago

• Verizon working on Droid and Droid Eris firmware updates

  
  Latest Gadget & Tech News — Authority: 164
  Verizon Wireless seems to be hard at work with a couple of firmware updates for both the Droid and Droid Eris smartphones, acording to leaked documents that point towards five pages for Motorola’s device alongside seven pages for the HTC model. Good news is, at least one of the two firmware updates… music ...
  1 day ago

• Motorola Droid shifts 100,000 units

  
  Latest Gadget & Tech News — Authority: 164
  Motorola’s Droid has managed to shift more than 100,000 units by its first weekend, which is more or less half the available stock in teh market at the moment. With more and more smartphones being powered by the Android OS, Motorola hopes that renewed interest in the Google-powered segment will see… motorola ...
  1 day ago

• Freshrolling prevents expiry dates from happening

  
  Latest Gadget & Tech News — Authority: 164
  Having a well-stocked fridge is always a good thing, as it allows you to entertain guests any day of the day without worrying what to serve them. Unfortunately for some of us, what remains out of sight is plus out of mind, which means items that were previously well stocked could end up being well … plasma hdtv ...
  1 day ago

• A response to "free software major league or minor?": Unjustified dismissal?

  
  Free Software Magazine - — Authority: 456
  I just read Terry Hancock’s artilce on Is free software major league or minor? . Great article, and I’m very glad to see articulate discussion about these core subjects. Not enough is said about these matters. However, I disagree strongly on several points that your article raises. I’ll take it point by point ...
  1 day ago

• Are You In Sync?

  
  Crazy World of G — Authority: 110
  I personally don’t sync many files. I guess I’m just one of those kinds of people that don’t have the need. In fact, the only file I sync is my music folder. What can I say. I’m a music nut. I have hundreds of albums on my computer and the thought of a hard disk meltdown causes me nightmares. Like I ...
  1 day ago

• Download Zonelink SystemUp Utilities 2009 – All 7 Products With Free License

  
  Technically Personal! — Authority: 560
  This is HUGE! And I am not sure till when this offer will be valid, so grab it while you can. Zonelink SystemUp Utilities 2009 has 7 different products under its belt and each one costs € 9.99, so the overall cost would be € 70 almost. The products include Windows Styler , Registry Cleaner , Diskspace Manager ...
  1 day ago

Comments about Free software