The world has gone digital today. Everything around you is digital. Living in a digital world has its own benefits. It has made the world smaller and people closer to each other. Almost everything you need is available on the internet. But the software which you use might always not be available free of cost. For this reason, many free software versions and proprietary software have been designed keeping the interests of common people in mind.

Using software products free of cost has always been a matter of debate. But, you must know that not all open source or proprietary software products are malicious. Some might be designed to spy on your personal details but most of them are made for promotional purposes so that you use it and appreciate the product.

What are the Benefits of Using Free Software?

It is not always possible to buy each and every software product as they are costly. But, then again there are so many applications you need every day. Purchasing all of them could be quite costly and is out of the option. This is where the free software products come in the picture. Now, the products can be of two types. Not all of them are completely free of cost. They offer you products at a much lower cost than the expensive counterparts. This does not mean that the software products are not genuine. Sometimes, the expensive software can be designed in some other cost-effective program to reduce its production cost. That is how the software becomes available to you at a cheaper cost.

Not all open source software would ask for your personal details or force a software update on you. If you purchase software, usually you have to upgrade it and they force you to pay for the upgrades as well. But this is not the case with proprietary and open source software. Either, you can upgrade the software or you can continue using the older version. When you want to switch to software, you can easily do so without any hassle. You can also be assured of the security as these kinds of software do not carry viruses or attack your personal details.

What are the Common Precautions to be Maintained While Downloading Software?

It is always advisable that you use a good anti-virus program and firewall system on your computer. Even using free versions, you must not forget to upgrade your system’s antivirus periodically. Though harmless, it is not always possible to find out which software carried a threat for your system. Some of the software might be so designed that they can easily retrieve your personal data or destroy your system without your knowledge. To avoid such happenings, you need to be alert and careful while downloading software products.

It is true that the internet has brought a revolution to the world. But, it has also unleashed some effects which are being misused by many people. To avoid falling prey to the hazards of digitization, you must always keep your guard on.