The Online Grab Bag

They say that the best things in life are free. The Internet is no exception. During the Internet expansion of the mid 90s’ you could not help but find free offers of one kind or another. Many businesses used this as a way to establish brand loyalty, recognition, or to introduce their product or service to web users. The majority of those freebies exited stage left with the now defunct companies that offered them. The good news is that with a little bit of searching, useful freebies can still be found.
The service that a lot of users look for is free Internet service. Believe it or not, it still exists. Companies like dotNow, Juno, and NetZero continue to offer free Internet access. Unfortunately there is a catch; there is always a catch. The catch is that you are limited to about ten hours per month, it is almost always a dialup connection, and you may find yourself inundated with banner or other types of ads. This may be ideal for someone who rarely uses the Internet or only uses it to check emails.
For those looking for free web hosting you have several good options. The top two are yahoo.com and freeserver.com. Yahoo allows you to construct free webpages that only have mild advertisements. Freeserver has mild advertisements, but it also provides you with more options for procuring the website name that you may desire. Both services are user friendly, and a novice should be able to design and upload a website.
The next must have freebie deals with system security. Zonelabs.com offer a free version of its’ firewall software. Firewalls protect your computers’ information in a similar manner that a moat protects a castle. Adaware.com has a program that stops those annoying pop up messages and spyware. In many cases, the free versions of software act as primers to encourage you to purchase the expanded versions.
When it comes to software there are two kinds of free software, trial and freeware. The trial version of software is the test drive that is supposed to entice you buy the car. They usually have usage expirations or diminished capabilities from the full version. Freeware are fully capable programs that you can use, but the user agreement normally limits how you can use the software. Snapfiles.com, tucows.com, and the download section of cnet.com are very good places to look for freeware programs to serve virtually all of your needs.
For those who are looking for miscellaneous free items, freestuff.com is good place to start looking. They have links that vary from coupons to free product samples. The key to enjoying this virtual online cornucopia is to remember that reading is fundamental. Read the small print of the user agreements to ensure that you understand how everything works. If you do not like advertisements, dialup connections, or providing your email address, this point can not be stressed enough. As always, email me your questions.