The Internet is a wonderful resource for downloading 'box-less' software. What is boxless software you ask? Simply put it's software that you download directly from the internet onto your computer... there's no CD, floppy, hardcopy manual or 'box'... hence it's name "Box-less Software" and it's not hard to see why it's so popular either. There's oodles and oodles of it readily available and you don't even have to leave the comfort of your chair to get your hands on some. Nothing could be easier and gone are the days of trying to find time during a hectic week to run down to your local PC retailer, gone are the frustrating parking problems, gone are the sales assitants hanging over your shoulder as you're trying to do a frantic browse for the ultimate program that's going to make your computer sing and gone is the decision of whether to buy it on a set of floppy disks or a CD. Gone! Gone! Gone! All you need to do to get you hands on boxless software is log on to the internet, find the program you want, hit download, make a coffe, come back and there it is sitting on your computer waiting for you to install it! Heaven! So how hard is it to install? Not hard at all...in fact it couldn't be simplier as the majority of software is installed simply by doubleclicking on the file. Heaven again!! Excited by the idea and chomping at the bit to get going? Well so you should be because nothing could be easier... and nothing can send your online privacy and/or your computers health, happiness and wellbeing to hell faster!!

The mere reason that 'nothing could be simplier' is exactly what makes it so hazardous as before you know it you've downloaded and installed everything within clicking range of your mouse without care or consideration for either the happy free nature of your computer or your online privacy, which by the way, your sure to have just thrown out into the big wide world to be bought and sold at rate that will leave your head spinning and your Inbox gagging for years to come. Don't get me wrong, SPAM is irritating and should be stopped but it's the least of your problems if you've downloaded, then installed software on your computer without doing any of the following first:

*scanned the file for any, and all dreaded lergies (viruses!)

*had a good read through the installation notes. Those README.TXT files are there for a reason... use them!

*checked your system to make sure it meets the Minimum System Requirements and that you have the correct Operating System installed

*run [Scan Disc], [Defrag], backed up your Registry and created a [Restore point] (available in Windows ME)

*closed all running applications before installation...this includes your virus scanner!

If you forget to do any (or all!) of the above then you're setting yourself up on the long hard road to recovery should you encounter a software conflict and believe me when I say problems can happen. Over 80% of the 'typical' problems people come to us with can be traced back to incorrect installing/uninstalling of boxless (or 'borrowed') sofware so don't be surprised if after you install/uninstall a program you're faced with a variety of 'strange' events or error messages. No matter how closely you following the programmers instructions there's always the possibility that you'll run into a problem of some sort... the only way to ensure your 100% protected is to not install/uninstall a thing! As most of us aren't prepared to do that the next best thing you can give yourself and your computer is knowledge. Start by researching the program your interested in downloading, ask around, talk to others, compare war stories and then make an informed decision about what software is best suited to your system THEN and only then should you look at downloading it.

The first bit of knowledge you're going to need is Software Licences... what's available and what they mean to your purse and your PC...

{no-combomax}

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