If there’s a goddess of software downloads, she may well be Fatima Afridi (Twitter, Facebook).
Fatima runs a very helpful site named Get Into PC, which is basically a huge catalog of downloadable software. There you’ll find a ton of official ISO’s and installation packages – all for free – across a variety of categories, such as operating systems, databases, graphic design, productivity, development tools, etc.
Why Get Into PC
Most of these are also available at their respective maker’s websites. But often software companies put their downloads behind a registration wall (i.e. you must create an account to download), or behind a questionnaire or some other personal information collection barrier. Get Into PC essentially consolidates many of these downloads and makes them available to you at the click of a link.
Another bonus of using Get Into PC is that Fatima moderates a very active community forum. Visitors often post tips or Q & A on how to install or use certain packages. Fatima herself is extremely responsive, typically answering questions within minutes or hours.
It’s Legit
By and large these are official software downloads: Get Into PC does not normally post patches, cracks or keygens to activate software. Fatima tries to run a legitimate site, so if you’re looking for the latest patches Get Into PC probably is not where you want to look. It’s a well regarded and clean site.
Always Remember To Check Hash Values
As a matter of course, remember that whenever you download software, you should always try to check the hash codes to ensure what you received isn’t tampered with. Get Into PC often posts the MD5 or SHA-1 values along with the software, but if they’re not included, you should try to Google search for the official hash values and verify them whenever you download software, especially from 3rd party sites.
There are a number of such utilities available out there, simply search for “MD5 checker”. Of course, some of these utilities are posted on GetIntoPC as well.
What Do You Think?