Downloading Songs Online: GUIDELINES `
If you do want to download music through peer to peer software, be sure to pick a reputable program. That said, you may find that the music you seek isn't available on the network you have chosen. Be very careful of the programs you choose to ensure you don't end up with a virus.
When you download a song online, check its size. If it is less than 2 megabytes, unless it is a very short song, it is likely to be a virus. Most viruses are just text and they don't take up much hard drive space, so be wary of small files. Buy an entire album if you like a specific artist. Albums will not cost you an arm and a leg, like songs purchased individually. In addition, you get extra music in the bargain. You could find a new favorite.
Always have an updated anti-virus program on any device that you download music on. There are many people who would love to have access to the files on your system. If you do not have a good anti-virus program on your device, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to hacking attempts and viruses.
Do your research when it comes to which subscription service you use. It is expensive to pay for songs one by one. These days, there are a lot of places online that you can pay to subscribe to if you wish to save some cash. When you shop around, look at the download limits to see how much is stored.
Free Music Archive and The Internet Archive offer free music that is completely legal to download. Check them out if you are working on building your collection. They often contain music from obscure or lesser known artists, and the music spans every genre. Downloading is simple once you are at the site.
Try to only download music from providers that remember your purchases. This way, if you ever lose a file, you can revisit the website and just download it again for free. This is a great substitution for backing up your files, which of course you always intend to do, but never actually get around to.
Do not download music illegally through file-sharing websites. What seems like a good idea to get free music can come back to bite you. Many internet service providers are now working with publishing companies to find and prosecute online pirates, and you do not want to be one of the unlucky ones.
A good tip to use when thinking about downloading music is to make sure you aren't tying up your internet connection with other things. You probably want your music to download as fast as possible. This means you'll want to halt anything that might be taking up any of your bandwidth.
Use caution if you decide to download music from free sources. It is common for hackers and those interested in spreading computer viruses to use free music download offers as a way to accomplish their goals. They can attach viruses and malware to the downloads, and you may not realize it before it's too late.
If you install peer to peer networking software, don't install any of the add-ons or extra software which it offers you. These coast2coast programs are often adware which can eat up resources on your computer or internet connection, plus they add no benefit to the software itself, so just uncheck those boxes.