The word "freeware" tends to get a bad rap in
helpdesk technology conversations because of the association with sketchy downloadable files that put damaging spyware and even viruses on your computer. Like anything else, you need to research the company behind the freeware.
With high-profile brand names like Microsoft or Apple you can be confident that the freeware being offered is likely safe for your company to use.
Question is, how do you proceed with companies that you havent heard about previously? Can you do business with an unknown company without fearing that a virus will be installed which will cause severe or even minimal damage to your computer, network or infrastructure?
Yes
How to increase safety within which freeware you do or do not use is the purpose of this article. It includes all the following points and more.
- Looking for trust symbols
- Research before implementation
- Review testimonials
- Better Business Bureau (BBB) information
Trust symbols on the Website involved with your freeware is a great thing to find. These are badges, links, or buttons from third party associations that guarantee the visitor that the software is 100% legit. One such company is TRUSTe, an Internet privacy services provider that promotes online safety and trust and ensures the software won't violate web site privacy. Verisign is another option and provides SSL certification.
Further increase your safety and results by research companies before using their products. Search engine queries are great ways of finding out more detailed information about companies no matter if they are brand new or well established within the industry. See how long they've been in business an online company that has been around for a few years is less likely to produce software that will compromise their customers' privacy.
Read website testimonials from past customers and see if they report a good experience.
Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and see if any past customers registered complaints against them. Another seal to watch for is that of the BBB when visiting the companys website companies must pay the BBB to review their site and determine if they do business properly before granting them membership.
*** Reliable help desk freeware is available from where? ***
Free help desk freeware is available from Spiceworks.com. Using their product you will be able to track tickets by user and asset, schedule and prioritize due dates and a great deal more. As if that is not enough, free support is also available from Spiceworks.com in the form of phone, eMail and a network community of over 1,200,000 IT pros.
