The Collection of the best Online Freeware Directories

For the freeware fans, I have prepared the list of the top sites, offering the free software downloads, hosted at RateItAll (http://www.rateital.com). Note, that there is a distinctive difference between "free foftware" downloads, and free "software downloads", because, in the seconds case, the meaning "free" might be applicable to the download only, and the software itself might be shareware, trialware, crippleware, etc.

The listing, however, is focusing on the true freeware directories and reference sites, where freeware meaning should match on of the definitions from the following categories:

1) Freeware - Free software, often written by enthusiasts and distributed by users' groups, or via electronic mail, local bulletin boards, Usenet, or other electronic media;

2) Open source - software distributed in source under licenses guaranteeing anybody rights to freely use, modify, and redistribute, the code;

3) Shareware software, that is free for non-commercial use.

This definition does not apply to the illegal freeware software collections, covering the "cracked" software or "warez" sites. I also tried to avoid the directories, where there is a mixed listing of the freeware, shareware, and trialware programs, as it is technically more complicated to separate the true freeware from the other, non-free competitors.

Link for the listing:

http://www.rateitall.com/t-24284-free-products--freeware-directories.asp...

Enjoy the release. You are welcome to come and vote for your favorite directory.