As you probably know there is software that is available at no charge. There are a few good sites to go to for recommendations notably http://www.pcworld.com/ and http://www.cnet.com/. Another not so well known one but very good one is http://www.techsupportalert.com/
Techsupportalert.com reviews and lists free software by category. Their primary function is dedicated to helping you determine the best freeware product for your needs. If you are looking for a free antivirus program there is a category where they rate the best antivirus software. There are many other categories as well. The home page is set up in a user friendly format and is easy to navigate. They have an "Editor's Choice List" for their best picks in every category. Further they have a category of "Best Free Online Applications and Services." These represent the best online available by category in the cloud. For those not familiar with the cloud, think of having a personal storage site away from your home. The cloud is storage on the internet. An example of this would be free online backup services. This does not take up any space on your hard drive as the backup is in the cloud. There is also a forum where you can post questions or answer other's who have questions.
So the next time you are looking for a freeware program or free online service or application, give Techsupportalert.com a try. I don't think you will be disappointed.