Software is the new currency of our age. Owning a wide variety of applications and programs helps you use your computer more efficiently, allowing you to be more creative and productive. Much software costs an arm and a leg. Forget shrink-wrapped bloatware from the store and learn to access 'software banks' on the Net. Download and install a dedicated software application instead.

Work Smarter A few years ago, if you wanted to brush up your knowledge in bookkeeping or accounting, you went to a technical bookshop or the central library. Remember the time back in the 80's when you decided to get organised and bought a leather-bound filofax (TM) at the stationary shop? And when you wanted to check the latest value of foreign currencies you either looked at one of those complicated columns in the financial section of your local daily or phoned your bank? How things have changed! Software is the new currency of our age. These days you can find plenty of help with all of the above on the Web. If you're really sophisticated, you'll go to a software bank and download and install a dedicated software application that will help you with your task.

Online software banks such as Download.com and Tucows.com hold many thousands of software titles that are instantly accessible to you. While offering downloadable versions of big name software normally found in shrink-wrapped boxes on the shelves of retailers, these sites function primarily as portals for software products created by small to medium sized developers. Many of the products are free, which is something we'll get to later. Some of the main benefits of using software banks are:

• Huge diversity/variety
  
• Significant cost savings
  
• Access to the latest software versions and upgrades
  
• Download and use products right away
  
• Try before you buy
  
• Direct contact and support from the developer
  
• Reviews and user ratings
  
• Innovative software appears here before it makes it to the stores
  
• Some software is only available online. This is where you get it.

Software Super Malls What's on offer at these sites is difficult to describe. The range of what's on offer is significant. Not only will you find a large range of software when shopping for a digital organiser/calendar, personal accounting software or fancy currency converter; there is also a multitude of image editing programs, audio players, desktop enhancements, games, language translation tools and electronic cookbooks to name but a few categories. Software banks are really large directories that are organised hierarchically, allowing the user to 'drill down' into many categories. Just browse around. Alternately if you know the software title or category you're looking for, doing a search will get you there - fast. Like to stay on the bleeding edge of software ownership? Selecting the editor's choice or going by user recommendations is a quick way of keeping up to date and trying out new innovative products.

About Demos, Shareware and Freeware When selecting downloadable software the terminology used to define terms of purchase/ownership can be confusing at times. There are three main categories on offer. The definitions below outline what is generally understood by these terms. It is advisable that you read the small print when installing a program. Special conditions may be specified by the developer and it your responsibility to find out exactly what the terms of ownership are. For example some Freeware is only free for private/personal use.

Demo A program that may be tried out and used for a specified period after which it ceases to function. Demos are normally fully-featured, meaning that few or none of its bells and whistles are disabled. Expired demos can frequently be re-activated upon online payment and registration of the product

Shareware Shareware is a version of the software where advanced, unique features have been disabled. To enable all features payment and registration is needed. The extent of functionality varies from vendor to vendor. It is important to read the terms and conditions which are often stated next to the product's description or at the very least clearly displayed during installation.

Freeware Freeware means usually just that. The software has been developed for free public use. These programs are often niche products with little marketing potential although idealist programmers, who generously distribute their work for public benefit, release some outstanding freeware. Some freeware releases are limited to non-commercial use. There is a public perception that much freeware is buggy or lacks a polished interface. This is only rarely true.

Downloading and Installing Software

You've located some software that sounds perfect for you so what's next?

Click on the download link. Initially you'll be presented with a dialog box that asks you where you would like to store the installation file on your computer after the download is complete. In most cases your Windows Desktop is the most obvious place to select here. The time it takes for a download to complete depends on the size of the file and the speed of your Internet connection. A standard ADSL (broadband) connection takes 30 seconds to download one megabyte of data, however downloading the same amount of data with an old fashioned modem can take much longer. Perhaps it's time for a coffee break?

While most online software banks check their wares for viruses before offering them for public download it is always a good idea to run your virus software against any files that you download before you execute it. Once this is done it is time to install your new software.

Most downloadable software comes in two file formats.

1. Windows executable file (It will have the EXE extensions e.g. install.exe)

This type is the easiest to use. Just double click on the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions. In some cases your computer will require a restart before the software can be used.

2. Compressed archive file. (It will have the ZIP extensions e.g. install.zip)

If your software comes in this format you will need decompression software. The most obvious choice here is a program called Winzip which is itself shareware and is freely used by most people. The program can deal with most compressed formats and can be downloaded from both the featured sites listed at the end of this article or directly from www.winzip.com. Once Winzip is installed on your computer it is very easy to use.

• Double click on the archive file
  
• The Winzip program starts
  
• Click on the large Install button in the top menu
  
• The installation process commences
  
• Complete the on screen instructions
  
• In some cases a system restart is required before your new software will work correctly

Featured Software Banks

The biggest and best - http://www.download.com

An old time favourite for many software aficionados - http://www.tucows.com

(Please note that Tucows has mirror sites in many countries. Mirror sites are replicas of the main software directory that have been set up to reduce server load and offer local maximum speed for users around the globe. While this is not always the case, choosing a mirror site near your geographical location often improves download speeds and completion times).