What exactly is computer software? For those of you who have limited knowledge of computers, software is basically a collection of programs, documentation and procedures that perform any tasks on a computer system. You may think of these softwares as the mind of the computer that has the job of running all of the applications on a computer. More importance is attached to computer software when it comes to wanting to connect to the Internet.
With so much software that is available for computers today, how does one know what software is safe and reliable? That is a very big question today as a lot of software can have spyware and adware attached to it which will make your computer go buggy! Should you spend all of your hard-earned money buying every piece of software that your hear desires, or should you try to download some free software that you will find online and save yourself some bucks? There are basically two kinds of free software which you will now learn about.
One kind of copyrighted software is called freeware which is made available for your use, free of charge, for an unlimited period of time. In order for software to be classified as freeware it must be made available at no cost to the user and for an unlimited amount of time. Do not be confused with the terms freeware and free software. They are not the same thing. The authors of freeware want to make sure that they retain control for its development in the future.
A program is constituted as free software only if users can study, use, redistribute copies, improve upon the software and then release it to the public. One of the necessary conditions for free software is the accessibility of a source code.
Another type of copyrighted computer software is called shareware. It is made available to users free of charge, but then after the trial period is over, the user must pay a fee for additional functionality. This is a marketing method that is used to get people to buy computer software that they have already been thinking about purchasing. This approach is the try it before you buy it approach.
Today, Shareware and freeware software is usually obtained free of charge simply by downloading it from the Internet. The very first shareware programs that were distributed way back when were done so over bulletin board systems, on CD's and diskettes. As the Internet usage grew, users began downloading these shareware and freeware software programs without having to pay long-distance charges or disk fees.
The Internet also makes it very easy to locate niche software. Freeware, free software and shareware are all quality software that is offered either for free or at very reasonable prices. If you are tired of buying software at retail prices, then you will want to definitely discover the world of freeware.
Only purchase software when you are sure it is what you want. You will be able to find the most popular and best kinds of software available today when looking through the tons of freeware and software titles on the Internet. Let your fingers do the walking on the Internet to find the software that best suites your wants and needs!
Malware viruses and worms: One of the most dangerous type of malware is a malware virus or worm. These two types of malware spread quickly and sometimes undetected until it is too late and a great deal of damage has already been caused to your computer. A malware virus will drop its code into your computer's files to make the virus spread. It often takes you - the user - to advance the spread of the virus. On the other hand, a malware worm will go into your computer's files and replace them. Instead of needing you to help spread the worm, the worm will spread itself no matter what you do.
Trojan horse viruses: Malware also takes the form of a virus known as a Trojan horse. A Trojan horse virus can do some severe damage to your PC. For example, you could simply download a desktop wallpaper program to decorate your computer desktop background. No big deal, right? Wrong! This program in particular has a Trojan horse virus embedded in it. You think you are getting desktop wallpaper, but in reality you are getting a program that goes into your system and leaves a backdoor open to hackers who can do just about anything to your computer and its information that they want. Hackers can get all of your previously-protected passwords. They can look at all of your bank account, credit card, and personal information you have on your computer. Trojan horse viruses can erase your files without your consent. More complex Trojan horse viruses can even appear to control your computer, by making your CD-ROM drive open and close at random times - when you did not attempt to make it open and close yourself. It will appear as is there is a ghost in your machine! However, it is no ghost - it's a dangerous virus that can even make you an unfortunate victim of identity theft.
Protecting your computer from malware: If you want to protect your computer from malware, it is very important that you buy high-quality virus protection software as well as a firewall. These two things will guard your computer from any type of malware attacks.
Please also note that you must, must, must update your virus protection software when it expires. If you do not do so, then it will not work to the best of its ability - and therefore your computer will not be protected from dangerous malware. Usually when you buy anti-virus software, the package is sold with an additional year of free software updates. After this time, it is completely up to you to purchase additional protection. For example, you can pay for another year or more of protection for a reasonable fee. Don't let anything stop you from taking care of yourself and your computer!
Both Daniel Millions & Matthew Hick are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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