How To: Get Free Windows Software Daily

When you look up the word free in the dictionary, you'll find a lot of definitions, but in the days of digital dependency and a falling economy, free only means one thing—expensive stuff for nothing. And if you own a Windows computer, one of the best sites to get free software from is Giveaway of the Day.

Giveaway of the Day has been around since 2006, with a few bumps in the road, but it's still going strong thanks to PC users looking for great deals—free deals. Every day they have a new piece of licensed software available for Windows operating systems, varying from helpful system tools to file format convertors to cool photo editors. One of the best programs featured so far this year was Simply Good Pictures, an interesting, fully automatic image optimizer for lazy photographers that normally costs $29.

But what's the catch? Are these trial programs? No, they aren't. They are completely free versions of otherwise pricey licensed versions. But there is a catch—you have to download, install and authorize the application before time expires—and you only have 24 hours to do so. Once the clock reaches zero, you can no longer get it for free, though you can still download the trial version or paid version from the publisher's website.

Wait—there's one more catch. You have NO right to reinstall the software. If you bought a new computer, want to transfer it to your laptop or had a system crash and need to reinstall it, you can't. It's one of the three main downfalls of Giveaway of the Day. The other two are the quality of programs available (you're not likely to find Photoshop or Maya anytime soon) and that it's Windows-only programs.

Free is free—so who cares, right? Eventually, you'll find something you can't live without, and if you love games, they have a daily game giveaway over at Game Giveaway of the Day, though it's not everyday like the name implies.

If you're a Mac user, there's still chances for free software and games in the Mac App Store, and for you smartphone junkies, the Amazon Appstore for Android is giving away one free app each day for your Android-powered device. And remember, there's tons of freeware and open source software available on the web for just about anything—it only takes a little Google digging.