Checkout the Top 15 Hot Downloads

My favorite download site, by a substantial margin, is CNET’s Download.com. I trust the programs I download from this site to be free from adware, spyware, and the multitude of other malware that floats freely on the Internet.

Since CNET adheres to a strict policy of offering untainted downloads, regular readers of Tech Thoughts are aware, that when I review an application, if the program is available for download at Download.com, I direct interested readers there.

If you’ve ever wondered what applications make it to the top of CNET’s vast repository of software, then take a look at the top 15 downloads for the week ending March 6, 2010, listed in terms of popularity.

Here’s a look at what’s hot:

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition – Protect your computer from viruses and malicious programs.

Avast Free Antivirus – Protect your PC against the latest viruses and spyware.

Advanced SystemCare Free – Protect, repair, optimize, and clean your computer in one click.

Ad-Aware Free Anti-Malware – Protect your personal home computer from malware attacks.

Avira AntiVir Personal – Free Antivirus – Detect and eliminate viruses, get free protection for home users.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware – Detect and quickly remove malicious threats to your computer.

YouTube Downloader – Download YouTube videos and convert them to various formats.

WinRAR (32-bit) – Take full control over RAR and ZIP archives, along with unpacking a dozen other archive formats.

LimeWire – Share files online.

FreeZ Online TV – Receive over 500 free online channels of daily and live broadcasts from around the world.

Orbit Downloader – Download videos and music in one click.

TeamViewer – Share your desktop with another person via the Web.

Camfrog Video Chat – Join live-video chat rooms from around the world.

Foxit Reader – View, print, and convert your PDF files.

Glary Utilities – Fix, speed up, maintain, and protect your PC.

As I’ve said here in the past, an application’s popularity is not always indicative of its strength, but I’ve tested the majority of these programs, at one time or another, and found them to be every bit as good as advertised. They belong on this list.

If you found this article useful, why not subscribe to this Blog via RSS, or email? It’s easy; just click on this link and you’ll never miss another Tech Thoughts article.

Peer to Peer File Sharing – Evaluate the Risks – Consider the Trade-Offs

Every day, millions of computer users share files online. Whether it is music, games, or software for example, file-sharing can provide computer users with access to a wealth of information.

All that’s required to participate in Peer to Peer file sharing is the installation of the necessary file sharing software such as LimeWire, FrostWire, or Ares, that connects your computer to an informal network of other computers running file sharing software. Millions of users could be connected to each other through this type of software at one time. File sharing applications are often free, and easily accessible as a download on the Internet.

Sounds promising, right? Maybe, but make sure that you consider the trade-offs and the very real risks involved. The number of times I have been called upon to rescue a friend’s computer because of system damage caused by peer to peer downloading, has convinced me to give this form of file sharing an automatic “thumbs down”.

Risk factors

Privacy: When you are connected to file-sharing programs, you may unintentionally allow others to copy confidential files you did not intend to share. So be sure to setup the file-sharing software very carefully. If you don’t check the proper settings when you install the software, you could allow access not just to the files you intend to share, but also to other information on your hard drive, such as your tax returns, email messages, medical records, photos, and other personal and financial documents.

It’s extremely important to be aware of the files that you place in, or download to, your shared folder. Don’t put information in your shared folder that you don’t want to share with others. Your shared folder is the folder that is shared automatically with others on peer to peer file sharing networks.

Copyright Issues: You may knowingly, or otherwise, download material that is protected by copyright laws and find yourself caught up in legal issues. Copyright infringement can result in significant monetary damages, fines, and even criminal penalties. Some statistics suggest as many as 70% of young people between the ages of 9 – 14, regularly download copyrighted digital music. I f you are a parent, you bear the ultimate responsibility for this illegal activity.

Adult Content: Again, if you are a parent you may not be aware that their children have downloaded file-sharing software on the family computer, and that they may have exchanged games, videos, music, pornography, or other material that may be unsuitable for them. It’s not unusual for other peoples’ files to be mislabeled and you or your children can unintentionally download these files.

Elsewhere in this Blog you can read an article on child safety on the Internet, and download a free parental control program that comes highly recommended.

Go to: Keep Your Kids Safe with Free Parental Control Bar.

Spyware

There’s a good chance that the file-sharing program you’re using has installed other software known as spyware to your computer’s operating system. Spyware monitors a user’s browsing habits and then sends that data to third parties. Frequently the user gets ads based on the information that the spyware has collected and forwarded to these third parties. I can assure you that spyware can be difficult to detect and remove. Before you use any file-sharing program, you should buy, or download free software, that can help prevent the downloading or installation of spyware, or help to detect it on your hard drive if it has been installed.

Elsewhere in this Blog you can read an article on free anti-malware programs, including anti-virus software, and you can download those that may suit your needs.

Go to: The Top 10 Best Free Security Applications.

Viruses

Use and update your anti-virus software regularly. Files you download could be mislabeled, hiding a virus or other unwanted content. Use anti-virus software to protect your computer from viruses you might pick up from other users through the file-sharing program. Generally, your virus filter should prevent your computer from receiving possibly destructive files. While downloading, you should avoid files with extensions such as .exe, .scr, .lnk, .bat, .vbs, .dll, .bin, and .cmd.

Default Closing Behavior

It is critical that you close your connection after you have finished using the software. In some instances, closing the file-sharing program window does not actually close your connection to the network. That allows file-sharing to continue and will increase your security risk. Be sure to turn off this feature in the programs “preferences” setting. What’s more, some file-sharing programs automatically run every time you turn on your computer. As a preventive measure, you should adjust the file-sharing program’s controls to prevent the file-sharing program from automatically starting.

If you decide peer to peer file sharing is for you, the following free applications are spyware free.

LimeWire

Ares

Share this post :

Get FrostWire Free – P2P File Sharing – No Content Filtering!

FrostWire (newest version: 4.13.5) is free, open source P2P software, for the Gnutella and BitTorrent protocols. To insure broad appeal, FrostWire is a multi platform program running on Windows Vista, XP, 2000, NT, Mac OS X 10.4 or later, Linux, and some flavors of Unix.

This application has been developed by the open source community to avoid the threat of potential legal action faced by LimeWire, from which it has been forked, and to maintain the freedom that P2P users have come to expect (right or wrong), in the sharing of copyrighted material. Some reviewers have compared FrostWire to the old Napster, the controversial file-sharing pioneer.

The project was started in September 2005 by members of the open-source community, after LimeWire’s distributor considered placing blocking code into LimeWire, which it was developing in response to RIAA pressure. It has been reported that if this code was activated it would block users from sharing licensed files.

FrostWire includes all of the free LimeWire version’s functionality as well as a number of the features of LimeWire Pro including multi-threading downloads, and Turbo-Charged connections. An added benefit in using FrostWire; you won’t have to put up with LimeWire’s nag screen or ads.

According to CNET, FrostWire has moved up to the number 7 position with 253,102 downloads last week alone, on their “most popular downloads chart”. Based on these figures, it would be difficult to dispute the continuing popularity of file sharing applications

Fast facts:

· Open-source

· Firewall-to-firewall transfers

· Built-in community chat

· Connects to more sources

· Creative commons license support

· Broadband network connection

· Junk result filters

· Turbo-Charged download speeds

· iTunes integration

· Gnutella support

· BitTorrent support

· Proxy Support

If P2P file sharing is one of your interests, then you’ll find that this program should meet all of your needs.

Download at: Download.com

P2P File-Sharing – Evaluate the Risks – Consider the Trade-Offs

Every day, millions of computer users share files on-line. Whether it is music, games, or software, file-sharing can give computer users access to a wealth of information.You simply download special software such as LimeWire, or Ares, that connects your computer to an informal network of other computers running the same software. Millions of users could be connected to each other through this software at any one time. The software is often free and easily accessible.

Sounds promising, right? Maybe, but make sure that you consider the trade-offs. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the U.S. consumer protection agency, cautions that file-sharing can have a number of risks.

Risk factors:

Privacy: When you are connected to file-sharing programs, you may unknowingly allow others to copy private files you did not intend to share. So be sure to setup the file-sharing software very carefully. If you don’t check the proper settings when you install the software, you could open access not just to the files you intend to share, but also to other information on your hard drive, such as your tax returns, email messages, medical records, photos, or other personal documents.

Pay particular attention to the files that you place in, or download to, your shared folder. Don’t put information in your shared folder that you don’t want to share with strangers.

Copyright Issues: You may download material that is protected by copyright laws and find yourself mired in legal issues. Copyright infringement can result in significant monetary damages, fines and even criminal penalties.

Adult Content: Talk with your family about file-sharing. Parents may not be aware that their children have downloaded file-sharing software on the family computer (a fairly common occurrence), and that they may have exchanged games, videos, music, pornography, or other material that may be inappropriate for them.

Because other peoples’ files sometimes are mislabeled, kids unintentionally may download these files. Users whose shared folders contain illegal pornographic material, particularly child pornography, could be subject to criminal prosecution.

Elsewhere in this Blog you can read an article on child safety on the Internet, and download a free parental control program that comes highly recommended.

Go to: Keep Your Kids Safe with Free Parental Control Bar.

Spy-ware: Be aware of spy-ware. Some file-sharing programs install other software known as spy-ware. Spy-ware monitors a user’s browsing habits and then sends that data to third parties. Frequently the user gets ads based on the information that the spy-ware has collected and disseminated. Spy-ware can be difficult to detect and remove. Before you use any file-sharing program, you should buy, or download free software, that can prevent the downloading of spy-ware or help detect it on your hard drive.

Elsewhere in this Blog you can read an article on free anti-malware programs, including anti-virus software, and you can download those that may suit your needs.

Go to: The Top 10 Best Free Security Applications.

Viruses

Use and update your anti-virus software regularly. Files you download could be mislabeled, hiding a virus or other unwanted content. Use anti-virus software to protect your computer from viruses you might pick up from other users through the file-sharing program. Generally, your virus filter should prevent your computer from receiving possibly destructive files. You should avoid files with extensions like .exe, .scr, .lnk, .bat, .vbs, .dll, .bin, and .cmd.

Default Closing Behavior

It is critical that you close your connection after you have finished using the software. In some instances, closing the file-sharing program window does not actually close your connection to the network. That allows file-sharing to continue and will increase your security risk. Be sure to turn off this feature in the programs “preferences” setting. What’s more, many file-sharing programs automatically start when you turn on your computer. As a preventive measure, you should adjust the file-sharing program’s controls to prevent the file-sharing program from automatically starting.

Be cautious, and practice safe downloading and file sharing.