Computer-savvy students will tackle common computer woes until Thursday at Free Your PC.
The event is sponsored by Florida Free Culture, the UF Computing Help Desk and the UF Security Team from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Reitz Union Colonnade. Volunteer students are providing simple services to students, including removing viruses and spyware, cleaning start-up programs and installing free software and games.
All students will receive Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird and McAfee VirusScan unless otherwise specified. Students can also choose from 28 optional programs.
Mark Sisley, president of Florida Free Culture and a computer science engineering junior, said the group hosts Free Your PC to promote the idea of free software.
Sisley said free software does not only mean the programs lack fees but that anyone can contribute to the program and make changes.
According to the Free Software Foundation Web site, the concept of open-source software means anyone with a computer may copy, study, modify and redistribute the programs.
"It's better because there is an entire community that builds and contributes to making software that is oftentimes superior to that which a company produces," Sisley said.
