Installing More Software? Make Sure You Read the Fine Print

Do you ever wonder how you could possibly have so much junkware installed on your computer? Even if it seems like you’re not doing anything wrong, chances are you’re making at least one vital mistake. Today, we want to break down this mistake and how you can avoid making it—which, it turns out, is as simple as reading.

It All Starts At Setup

First, we need to set the stage for this tip, because the context makes a big difference.

Whenever you download a new piece of software, chances are you have to run what’s called the “setup wizard.” You’ll go through a bunch of dialog boxes, and at the end of it all, you get a functional piece of software installed on your computer. The start point and the endpoint make sense, but it’s all the stuff in the middle that messes it up.

Read the Fine Print

How many of those dialog boxes do you actually read? Do you sit down and comb through the fine print, or do you just click on the Next button until your cool new piece of software is installed? If it's the latter, you might be making a grave mistake.

Setup wizards often use these pre-install dialog boxes as opportunities to get you to agree to specific licensing terms—how you will use the product—or get you to download additional pieces of software, sign up for email lists, or opt into or out of data sharing. You should especially be cautious of free software, as one tool might ask you to install others that you have no need for.

Don’t Accept Just Any Old License Agreement

Additionally, the dialog boxes you have to dig through likely contain licensing agreements, even for free software. This is fine and all, but you want to be careful about what exactly you’re signing up for. Sometimes, software tools might ask you for permission to monitor certain types of usage data, and if your business operates with sensitive information, you’ll have to be careful about how this new tool interacts with that sensitive data. It’s best to do your research well before you install any new tool so you don’t accidentally create a situation where you are in violation of compliance laws and regulations.

In other words, just pay attention and read. Or, better yet, make someone else do it (us).

Direct Technology Group can handle the installation of software tools on your company’s network so you don’t have to worry about you or your team accidentally downloading additional tools or accepting improper license agreements. To learn more about how we can help you control your network’s software, reach out to us at (954) 739-4700.