Slashdot Mirror
Free Windows Software Without Spyware/Adware
Jem Berkes writes "This week I launched CleanSoftware.org, a resource site with a unique goal: listing free, daily-use software that is free from spyware, adware, and other malicious/intrusive components. With Windows users increasingly believing that free software invariably means adware or spyware, I set out to promote good, clean, free software. Perhaps geeks helping family and friends set up their new computers this holiday can make use of this resource; sticking to clean software is much easier than struggling with never-ending cleanups. To expand my listing, I am also looking for input from the Slashdot readership: what other free, clean desktop software do you regularly use that Windows users should know about?"
Nice idea. I suggest you put a special icon next to open source software. I'm not saying you should be an open source evangelical, but I do think that *some* people who browse your site might prefer open source (and especially GNU) to propietary software, if they are given a clear choice. [For the record, I often choose propietery "clean" software myself. And sometimes I even (gasp!) pay for it. I'm very, very happy with Trillian 3 Pro, and am unsatisfied with the open source offerings.]
listing free, daily-use software that is free from spyware, adware, and other malicious/intrusive components.
You can only be sure of that by having the source of the program. I see that you have many pieces of non-free software there in the same list as free. What makes you so sure that a non-free program which you use doesn't have a secret mode in which it obeys its coder, not you.
Just be wary of where the links come from. Some freeware aggregators will wrap the regular installers in one that will include spyware.
Easiest way to avoid this is to code in a way for people to flag entries as questionable, to be verified manually by you or a trusted compatriot.
Think about it some.
-transiit
Everything you just said was wrong.
1. There are many different versions of programs on Pricelessware. At least six text editors, for example. Basically if it comes up to an acceptable level of usability and isn't spyware/shareware/nagware/adware, it will get in. Not just one text editor they think is best.
2. The whole list is up for review each year, but the list is updated throughout the year. In most cases programs aren't voted off, only new programs are voted in.
3. Linux is in fact included on Pricelessware.
(longtime user of Pricelessware since back when it was just a newsgroup)
How do you know what someone tells you really is free of this crap? I would imagine unscrupulous code writers would be happy to tell you they are clean.