Freeware vs. Paid Software

Freeware software is something that many people tend to debate about a lot of the time. On one hand, it is free, so that is going to be an attractive option for a lot of people and often times it can be just as good if not better than there potentially pricy counterparts. On the other hand, there are a lot of people who really complain about how freeware is riddled with bugs and it will actually do more damage than good.

Just because you have to pay for something, does not mean it’s going to necessarily be good.

There are times where people can pay hundreds or even a couple of thousand for software that is completely bug ridden and keeps crashing all of the time. Programmers can in fact get lazy and careless whether they get paid or not. Of course that is a mistake as it will drive down the credibility of the software and most certainly the company that is putting it out.

The fact is there are a lot of software that you can pay an arm and leg for, but find out that it is far more headaches than it is really worth. People can get ripped off when there are far more options out there that are either cheaper or even freeware. Just because the cost is high, does not mean that the quality is going to necessarily be high. That is one rule of thumb that you should follow when you deal with any technology, but software even more so. Price rarely does match up with quality.

You do get what you pay for sometimes though.

The phrase that you get what you pay for is true a lot of the times. There are times where freeware software earns the reputation that it receives in some circles. The reputation of being rather buggy and constant crash worthy is not something that it has earned without good reason reason. If you get something for free, you might not have the best quality.

It is not to say that freeware could not be good. In fact many freeware products have transitioned into paid products. And sometimes got worse when people actually had to pay for them, but that’s beside the point. Regardless just remember that if you don’t have to pay, there is a chance that the software is not going to fit your needs.

In the end, do your homework on any software. Get a number of different reviews from reputable sources and have a few options in mind, whether it is for business or private use. And remember, just because it’s freeware, does not necessarily mean it is bad. However