If you’re anything like me, you love free trials but can’t stand that thirty day “end of trial” notification. When you consider the low cost of most digital software, it’s certainly worth the expenditure to purchase full versions of some of your favorite or most used software. But with the kind of cost accrued in just a few purchases, you quickly find that you can’t get full versions of everything you’re looking for. Freeware is the answer to this little dilemma. If you can think of a costly software, chances are there’s a free version which offers the same functionality with only minor compromises in use. Here, I’ll give you a short oversight on the most essential free programs you ought to have on your computer. Check them out below!
GIMP (The Photoshop Replacement)
Gimp skyrocketed in popularity following its initial and Gimp 2 release. With a full set of features, Gimp is probably one of the closest imitations out there to the real product (Photoshop). While not quite there, Gimp is far from Frankenstein’s creation, blending a slick interface together with a huge range of image editing tools. This is a must have.
Office Starter or Open Office (The Microsoft Office Suite Replacement)
The full Microsoft Office suite is a major investment, and while I believe the full functionality of the Suite warrants it, there are free alternatives which have saved many a struggling college student from the cost. Open office is a free document suite which provides functionality comparable to Microsoft, but which is slightly watered down. Look out for compatibility issues. Office starter, on the other hand, provides similar functionality to the full Office 2010 suite but allows a sidebar ad to run in your window.
AVG Antivirus (The Paid Antivirus Subscription Replacement)
It’s dangerous out there: take this! AVG antivirus is a nice free and impressively functional antivirus/antimalware program for the average web traveler. Though it lacks some of the more extensive features of a full antivirus suite, it does provide the basic protection necessary for browsing the web safely.
Fedora (The Windows/Apple OS Replacement)
Building a new computer and forgot to account for the cost of an operating system? While I tend to prefer Windows over any other operating system, if you’re looking for a completely free operating system then you can’t beat Linux Fedora. Sponsored by Red Hat, the Fedora Project provides a free and open source Linux operating system for the tinkering computer junkie. Huge resources of open source applications abound, but beware: you’ll be running into a large amount of compatibility issues. There you have it, some of the best freeware from around the web! Whether you’re looking for computer how-to guides or more software advice, stop back for fresh content soon! Thanks for visiting.
