Notes on Download Safety

As you probably know, downloading software from the Internet can put you at risk for computer viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. Interactive Fiction has been a relatively safe corner of the Internet so far, probably due to its low profile and small user community, but you shouldn't let that make you complacent.

IFDB doesn't warrant the safety of any software we link to. Download at your own risk.

Here are some tips on protecting yourself when downloading software:

• Always run anti-virus software, and keep it up-to-date.
• IF games that run in "virtual machine" interpreters (such as Z-Machine/Inform, TADS, Hugo, Alan, etc.) are considered less risky than games that run as native applications (".EXE" files on Windows, for example). The interpreters don't provide games with as much access to your machine's hardware as a native application would have, which limits the damage they can do.
• Download only from reputable sites. Avoid "warez" and "abandonware" sites that offer free downloads of commercial games - these are magnets for malware.
• Most game links on IFDB should point to IF Archive - www.ifarchive.org. However, there are many other reputable IF sites. If you're suspicious about a link pointing somewhere other than the Archive, you might ask about the site's reputation in rec.arts.int-fiction.