Frequently Asked Questions
- How can I get technical
support for a software product?
- Will the program work
on my PC?
- How do I download
software?
- How do I unzip files?
- How do I install
software?
- How do I uninstall
(remove) software from my computer?
- What does "corrupt file"
mean?
- What is "Shareware/Trial
Software"?
- What is "Demo
Software"?
- What is "Commercial
Software"?
- Why should I pay for and
register a shareware/demo/commercial
program?
- How do I purchase the full
version of the software?
- What is "Freeware/Free
Software"?
- What is
"Adware/Spyware"?
- What is
"Malware/Badware"?
Note: If you have any questions that
haven't been answered here, use our contact form to submit your query
and we'll do our best to get back to you as soon as
possible.
Q: How can I get technical support
for a software product listed on Freeware Lair
site?
A: Freeware Lair is a SOFTWARE
DISTRIBUTION NETWORK, we are UNABLE TO OFFER
TECHNICAL SUPPORT for listed products. If you
are looking for customer service for listed
products, please contact the authors directly. The
contact info is usually included within the help
documentation and "About" dialog box that can be
accessed via "Help" menu of the program window.
Otherwise you can enter the author's site by
clicking on the link with author's name on
appropriate detailed description page on Freeware
Lair site and try to find contact information
there.
Q: Will the program work on my
PC?
A: To be sure that the software you are
going to download will work with your system you
will need to check the Operating System
Compatibility and the Minimal System Requirements
located below the description of the product.
Q: How do I download software?
A: Downloading a program to your computer
is very easy. First of all, find the software you
wish to download and click on "Download" link or
button to be redirected to the download page. After
5 seconds, a Dialog Box will appear stating what
you are about to download. Click "Save" button,
specify the folder where you would like the
downloaded file to be stored and click "Save". You
should now see a small box displaying the progress
of your download. Once your download is complete,
go to folder where the downloaded file was saved
and double click on it to start the installation.
That's it.
Q: How do I unzip files?
A: Unzipping (i.e. extracting files from
archive) is an easy task once you know how. If you
use Windows Me/XP/Vista, you can open Zip files
without any need of third party tools and display
their contents as folders directly from Windows
Explorer, otherwise you need an additional software
to
unzip files (WinZip, WinRAR, 7Zip, IzArc, Zipeg
etc.). Double-click on zip archive to view the
contents in a program window, then click on the
"Extract" Button and specify the path to where you
would like to extract these files. Close program
window and find the location of the extracted
files, you are now ready to run the setup file.
Q: How do I install software?
A: Installing software is very easy as
most programs explain the steps to follow as you go
through the setup process. Locate your downloaded
file (if it is a .zip file, please refer to the
question above to unzip it first) and double-click
the setup file, this can be called "Setup.exe",
"Install.exe" or the program name. Once the install
process has begun be sure to read all documentation
and answer any questions it may ask. Once the
installation is underway, sit back and let the
installation process to go forward. The
installation program will then inform you if the
process was successful. Lastly, it might instruct
you to restart your computer. This is only
necessary if you are asked to do so.
Q: How do I uninstall (remove)
software from my computer?
A: Most programs can be uninstalled using
the Windows "Add/Remove Programs" utility that can
be found in "Start menu\Control Panel" or "Start
menu\Settings\Control Panel". Here you will see a
list of programs that are currently installed on
your computer. Scroll down the list until you see
the title of the program you wish to remove. Select
it and choose to remove the program. If you cannot
find the program in the list you will need to
remove it via "Programs" list in your Start menu.
Move through the list until you see the title of
the program you wish to remove. Select it and look
for "Uninstall" within the program shortcuts
folder.
Q: What does "corrupt file" mean?
A: A "corrupt file" means that the file
you downloaded is broken and unlikely to work.
There are a number of reasons this could happen,
the most common being an interruption to your
Internet connection while the download was in
progress. In such cases we suggest you to retry
your download or better to use a
download manager (GetRight, Orbit, Download
Accelerator Plus, Free Download Manager, GigaGet
etc.).
Q: What is "Shareware/Trial
Software"?
A: The software available for free
downloads at Freeware Lair is licensed in a number
of different ways. "Shareware" licensed programs
(sometimes referred to as "Free To Try", "Free
Trial" or "Try Before You Buy") offer you a fully
functional trial for a limited period of time
(typically 30 days). Since you've tried a shareware
program, you know whether it will meet your needs
before you pay for it. If you like a shareware
program and want to continue using it after the end
of a trial period, you have to purchase the full
unrestricted version. If on the other hand you do
not wish to keep the software, you can just
uninstall it.
Q: What is "Demo Software"?
A: "Demo" programs are usually meant to
give you a small taste of a large program. They
usually contain only selected parts of the program
while giving you ample functionality, allowing you
to decide if its fully functional version (usually
provided as a separate download that can be
accessed after purchasing the software) will suit
your needs.
Q: What is "Commercial Software"?
A: Commercial software is software being
developed by a business which aims to make money
from the use of the software. In most of cases it
is a demonstrational copy released by the
manufacturer to entice customers to buy their
product. A commercial demo will usually only work
for a short period of time and/or have certain
functions disabled.
Q: Why should I pay for and register
a shareware/demo/commercial program?
A: "Shareware" is a commercial software,
fully protected by copyright laws. Like other
business owners, shareware authors expect to earn
money for making their programs available for
others. Paying for and registering a program
entitles you to its unrestricted version, along
with high-priority technical support from the
author and other benefits. The more consumers who
pay an author to use a program, the more likely the
author will continue to improve it according to
users' suggestions and to develop new programs.
Q: How do I purchase the full version
of the software?
A: You can do it in two ways. To purchase
via Freeware Lair site, just find the software in
its related category or by searching for its name
and click on "Buy Now" link/button if available to
proceed to a registration service or payment system
that will process your payment and notify the
author about the order event. When author receives
the payment notification, he provides you with the
registration details in next 48 hours (usually from
6 to 12 hours).
To purchase through the program itself, open "Help"
menu in program window and look for "Register" or
"Buy now" item.
Q: What is "Freeware/Free
Software"?
A: "Freeware" programs are completely
free to use and keep. They are either distributed
for the love of humanity, for fame, or as stripped
down versions of programs that do cost money.
Always check the license agreement if you consider
using the freeware application for anything than
your personal use.
Q: What is "Adware/Spyware"?
A: "Adware" (advertising supported
software) is a product that does not require any
payments but in exchange displays ads on your PC.
Instead of you having to pay for the software, the
company creates revenue by bundling ads in the
software product.
"Spyware" is software that hides itself somewhere
on your computer monitoring the behaviour of your
activity on the web and passing this information on
to advertisers. Spyware is often installed onto
your PC when you download and install other
software published as "Freeware" or as "Adware". We
strongly recommend that you read the end-user
license agreement very carefully before you install
any program. Often buried in the licence agreement
will be a disclaimer saying that information about
you and your browsing habits will be sent to third
party advertising company.
Q: What is "Malware/Badware"?
A: "Malware" (for "malicious software",
syn. "Badware") is software designed to infiltrate
or damage a computer system without the owner's
informed consent. It includes computer viruses,
worms, trojan horses, spyware, intrusive adware,
and other unwanted software. Malware should not be
confused with defective software, that is, software
which has a legitimate purpose but contains harmful
bugs.
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