After reading an article by Matt Lee (2011) titled 'What is free software and why is it so important for society?', it answered a lot of questions I had about what free/open software is.
As a brief definition it's basically the opposite to proprietory (commercial) software and allows software users to be able to share knowledge and content, study it or add/modify it.
I think this is a fantastic idea and have since then, been using different types of free software including GIMP a similar type program to Photoshop but the difference being that it comes as a free download as opposed to Photoshop which is a very expensive commercialised software program.
I also found that Kingsley-Hughes (2007) has a list (below) of free alternative software programs which can be downloaded from the net.
I will endeveour to use some of these without a doubt over the last half of the semester.
References:
Kingsley-Hughes, A 2007, Free Alternatives to Commercial Software, viewed 17 September 2011, http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/free-alternatives-to-commercial-software/968
Lee, M 2011, What is free software and why is it so important for society?, viewed 17 September 2011, <https://learning.secure.griffith.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_101249_1&frame=top>
| Free | Commercial |
| 7-Zip | WinZip |
| CDBurnerXP | Nero |
| OpenOffice.org | Microsoft Office |
| Thunderbird | Outlook |
| Paint.NET/GIMP | Photoshop |
| AVG Free | Symantec/McAfee etc |
| UBCD4Win | Norton SystemWorks |
| Any Linux distro… | Windows/Mac |
| Software | Description |
| FoxIt | PDF reader |
| Real Alternative | RealPlayer/Real One alternative |
| avast! 4 Home AV | Anti virus |
| ZipGenius | Compression tool |
| ImgBurn | ISO burning tool |
| Serif software | DTP software |
| Google Pack | Misc |
| CCleaner | System optimizer/privacy |
| Inkscape | Vector drawing tool |
| AdAware | Antispyware |
| Spybot S&D | Antispyware |
| Audacity | Sound editor |
| FreeMind | Mind mapping |
| Gantt Project | Project manager |
| Open Workbench | Project manager |
| Scribus | DTP |
| Blender | 3D creation |
| SoftMaker Office | Office suite |
| Timidity++ | MIDI sequencer |
| PDFCreator | PDF creator |
| Hugin | Panorama creator |
| OpenDisc | ISO crammed with high quality apps |
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