- Aug 30, 2012
- 6,598
Not everybody means the same thing when they tag some piece of software as “freeware”. You will often see something labeled freeware when it really isn’t. In this article, I will describe various kinds of software that are often called freeware and try to clear up some of the confusion.
True freeware
What I call real “freeware” comes in these two varieties:
There are some common categories that are called freeware but have strings of one sort or the other. They may not cost you a direct cash payment but they come with indirect ways to generate income for the developer. In a sense then, they are not really free and might be called “pseudo-freeware”. You can decide for yourself if they are really “free”.
As developers keep searching for ways to make programs generate income, certain types of practices have arisen which many PC users may find objectionable. This takes us to a grey realm in between true freeware and malware.This is a controversial area and a full discussion is beyond the scope of this article. However, there are two categories that need mentioning.
True freeware
What I call real “freeware” comes in these two varieties:
- Freeware with proprietary code - These programs can be downloaded and used as you please, for as long as you please, wherever you please. No source code is available and the programs cannot be modified
- Open source freeware - These programs can be downloaded and used as you please, for as long as you please, wherever you please. The source code is available and, with certain restrictions, you can modify the code and distribute it.
There are some common categories that are called freeware but have strings of one sort or the other. They may not cost you a direct cash payment but they come with indirect ways to generate income for the developer. In a sense then, they are not really free and might be called “pseudo-freeware”. You can decide for yourself if they are really “free”.
- Shareware - This is an old category whose original meaning has basically disappeared. Back in the days of DOS, this is how individual developers sold or "shared" their programs. These were programs that you could try out for free. If you liked the program and continued to use it, you were then supposed to pay for it. Otherwise, you were supposed to uninstall it. It was an honor system that many people abused so it died out. Nowadays, the term “shareware” is often applied to trialware (see below) or sometimes to freemium software (discussed next). Shareware was never freeware but some people confuse the term “shareware” with the stricter category “freeware”.
- Freemium software - Many applications have both a useful free version for personal systems and a paid commercial version. They may be substantially equivalent in function or there may be added features in the commercial version. Because it comes with a license regulating its use, the free version is not freeware in the strict sense.
Another type of "freemium" software is common on mobile platforms. A useful app can be installed for free but additional features are available by making a payment from within the app.
- Donationware - This is software where the developer asks for a voluntary donation. If all you see is a request on the developer’s site and that’s the end of it, this is pretty close to true freeware. However, sometimes the request for donations is presented within the software. If the request is persistent, you have the next category.
- Nagware - This is software that pops up a request for payment every time you use it. Sometimes the nagging only starts after a trial period has elapsed. You can close the request and use the software without payment but it will keep nagging you. Some sort of payment is required to turn the nagging off.
- Registerware - We begin to get into a greyer area. In order to download the program, you have to provide an email address. The address may or may not be used to spam you. Or you may end up with a newsletter you might not want.
- Trialware or Demoware - Software that you can use for free for a short period of time. When the time is up, the software is automatically disabled or crippled. You will often see download links for this type of software labeled “free download”. Payment is required to continue to use the program after the trial period. It is easy to be misled into thinking that this is freeware.
- Crippleware - Software with a free version that has some or even most of its features disabled (often very useful ones). To get all the features you have to pay. This is another category that can be misleading about how “free” it is.
As developers keep searching for ways to make programs generate income, certain types of practices have arisen which many PC users may find objectionable. This takes us to a grey realm in between true freeware and malware.This is a controversial area and a full discussion is beyond the scope of this article. However, there are two categories that need mentioning.
- Adware - Software that is free but displays ads when you use the program. Programs vary in how aggressive the advertising is. In many apps, the ads are not very distracting and are fairly easy to ignore. Personally, I use several programs that carry ads but I hardly notice them. However, there are also programs where the ads are more intrusive. Individual tolerance for these ads will vary.
There is also an undesirable type of adware that installs advertising on your PC that runs even when you aren’t using the particular program. I consider these programs to be a form of malware.
- Foistware or bundleware - It is becoming common for software developers to try to monetize their work by bundling a program with toolbars or other programs that also get installed by default unless you are very careful. These days, users of free applications have to be especially vigilant about how they download and install programs.
Unfortunately, some big download sites, such as CNET (Download.com) and Softonic are also using proprietary installers that add things you probably don’t want when you install a program. This is why Gizmo's Freeware only recommends Softpedia, MajorGeeks, and FileHippo as safe third party download sources. Care also needs to be taken when obtaining programs directly from the developers own site. Sometimes these download links will redirect to a third party source that is using a wrapped installer.
