Remember when Free Stuff was great marketing?

Nowadays, when you buy a computer or a peripheral, you're lucky if you get a few free trials of software. It's a far cry from the good old days when you could get hundreds of dollars' worth of free software and demos.

I remember discovering a lot of great programs and games through the freebies that came with my first computer. I would later go out and buy the full versions of many of these programs.

Remember the good old days when you bought a computer or a periphipal, you would get for free between 400 to 800 dollars in free software and demos. I discovered a lot of cool programs and games, I would later go out and buy.

I remember the first time I got my hands on a computer. I was in elementary school and we had one in the library. I would go in there during lunch and after school to play Oregon Trail. I loved that game. I also loved all of the other games that came on those little 3.5' floppy disks. I would beg my parents to buy me the games that I wanted. Sometimes they would, sometimes they wouldn't.

Nowadays, you don't get nearly as much free stuff when you buy a new computer. Sure, you might get a trial of Microsoft Office or Norton AntiVirus, but it's not the same as getting a whole bunch of games and programs to try out.

I miss those days. I miss being able to discover new programs and games that I would later go out and buy. I miss the feeling of excitement that came with opening up a new box of software and seeing what was inside.

Do you remember the good old days of buying a computer and getting a ton of free stuff? What were some of your favorite programs and games? Let us know in the comments below!

It's a shame that companies don't include more free software with their products nowadays. It's a great way to introduce people to new programs and get them hooked on using them.

Nowadays, it seems like everything is either a subscription or a pay-to-play model. While I understand that companies need to make money, it's a shame that we don't get to experience the same level of excitement that we used to when it came to discovering new software and games.

Sure, you can still find free software online, but it's not the same as having it included for free with your purchase. I miss the good old days of getting free software with my new computer purchases.