Keep up with the IT revolution – Free and Low Cost Software
Tuesday, August 12th, 2008
There may not be any free lunches available but there is some really good news – you do not have to pay hundreds of pounds for software, if you know where to look. You can get it for a fraction of the cost or even free!
Did you know about the download sites and software library sites that are now available online? These are all legitimate websites and a source of great software which is either free or costs a nominal amount?
A very useful resource for small charities and individuals who do not have big IT budgets.
How do these sites work?
It is a new way of marketing products without spending large amounts of money. Computer programmers and small software companies write good programmes and upload them to the sites for anyone to use either free or at low cost. This enables them to become established and encourage sales of their more sophisticated programmes and products.
If you are looking for a free PDF converter (I have just downloaded Primo), a word processing package or a desk top publishing package then take a look at these sites which have lots of great office software totally free.
Using a download site you can get free anti virus software, find free fixes and patches to stop your computer crashing.
Download.com
Download.com offers a huge library of free and legal software downloads, music downloads, and game downloads. We provide timely, relevant, and credible information about important software updates and game releases as they come available. The editors write unbiased reviews and ratings for thousands of free downloads, and they are committed to maintaining coverage that is objective and accurate. All the downloadable software, music, and games in our library undergo a rigorous testing process to ensure it is safe and spyware free.Very easy and user-friendly but not everything is free, so check before you download. http://www.download.com
Shareware
This is basically a search engine for free software (and shareware). Find it at http://www.shareware.com
Tucows
A bit more complicated to use because of all the technical information but do persevere because there are some good downloads and everything that is free is clearly marked ‘freeware’. Find it at http://www.tucows.com
Interestingly a lot of people do not believe that good software can be downloaded for free. So they just don’t use them! It is definitely not true that software is only good if it costs you lots of money.
You may also be interested in the free online learning offered by:
SCIE http://www.shirleyayresconsulting.com/post/2008/04/Are-you-part-of-the-internet-revolution.aspx
SONY 1012 backstage http://www.shirleyayresconsulting.com/post/2008/05/Backstage-101-a-free-online-learning-community.aspx
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