finding a good piece of software to download streaming videos, especially for free, is not an easy task. If using a public computer, such as those at an office or school, installing software is not an option anyway.

KeepVid.com allows you to download videos from YouTube and other video sites for free, without downloading and installing any kind of software.  The interface is straight forward and easy to use, so even the least tech-savvy among us can enjoy videos featuring cats on skateboards for many future years.

First, find the YouTube video you want to watch. Either on the right side of the page or directly under the video is a box that says URL beside it. Select the contents of the box and copy it with ctrl+C.

In your browser’s address bar, type keepvid.com. When the site appears, paste your YouTube URL into the box that says URL and click Download.

You may then be asked to copy the letters from one of those super-annoying visual generators that are supposed to prove you are human. Yeah, like a computer would share your secret love of Lady Gaga videos! Anyway, if asked, oblige by copying the code, and click next.

KeepVid always gives at least two download options for your videos, depending on the original quality of the video. For the Lady Gaga example above, we are given four options from which to choose: three of those options save the file as a FLV file, while the last saves as an MP4.

If concerned about file size, the FLV options are nice. But, if you plan on using the video in a PowerPoint presentation, MP4 is the only format on this list that will play within PowerPoint easily. Click the link next to your choice.

Choose a destination for your video file as you would with any other download, and depending on your internet connection, you can be watching Lady Gaga and skateboarding felines on your machine within 1-10 minutes.