How to speed up your computer using free software
There are several software products on the Internet that promise to speed up the performance of a PC. Some of these products are commercial software that comes at a price, others are free software packages. There are good free products out there but one must guard against those that install adware, spyware, and sometimes even viruses, on their computer.
Some programs designed to speed up computers represent an attempt to bring several of the operating system’s native functions together in one interface. These programs most often offer an easy way to dump temporary files, scan the hard disc and other maintenance tasks. Many of these programs are available for free as there isn’t a great deal of work involved in producing them but they offer a handy function for users not comfortable with the more complex aspects of their operating system. Using such a program can speed up performance, provided the program itself is designed well.
There are versions of vital software, such as anti-virus and firewall products, available for free which provide excellent protection. Oftentimes, these free versions of such software are far less bloated than the commercial versions which typically contain more features than people usually use. These smaller, lighter versions of security software are an excellent way to increase your computer’s speed. Because there is no license to repurchase every year, there are no intrusive “nag screens” that pop-up to remind the user they need to purchase the software again.
Web browsers are generally light applications but can be severely bogged-down by intrusive forms of advertising on the Internet. Pop-ups are almost universally-disliked for a reason and a large part of that has to do with the way that a great many of them can suddenly bog down a computer’s performance. There are free browsers on the Internet that automatically block pop-ups as well as free enhancements for commercial browsers that provide the same security feature. There are also add-ons for some of the free browsers that allow attention and resource-wasting page elements such as Flash banners and other animations to be blocked altogether.
Most home users make use of full-blown office suites to do very little work. There are several free office products available online that are much more compact and resource-conserving than the commercial products. These are open source projects, meaning they are completely free to anyone, which have been in development long enough that the difference between them and commercial office suites is negligible, at best.
Free software and open source projects are two of the greatest things about the Internet, but one must exercise real caution when exploring such options. While many programs which are freely-available represent good intentions put into action, some do represent scams designed to install adware and other potentially-destructive nuisances on a system. Before downloading a free product, do an Internet search and see if it turns up any warnings from other users. One might also check security manufacturer software sites to be doubly-sure.