10 Awesome Free Things on the Internet
There’s a lot of free stuff out there, but how much of it’s actually useful? Below are ten free applications and services you don’t have to pay for and won’t know how you lived without.
- OpenOffice.org - The Free and Open Productivity Suite
Microsoft Office is many things - cheap isn’t one of them. The OpenOffice suite includes all the productivity tools you need and gives ‘em to you free. Features like spreadsheets, word processing and databases without Microsoft’s bloat make OpenOffice absolutely essential. [Mac/Windows/Linux] - Google Apps
Google’s starting to get creepy with their efficiency, but I’m not complaining. Especially not when they provide excellent web-based productivity tools like Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Talk and, of course, Gmail at no cost. Though not quite as feature-rich as OpenOffice, Google Docs makes my documents and spreadsheets available and editable from anywhere. I don’t know how I’d survive without Calendar, which can be integrated with Mozilla Thunderbird and other email apps. You can pay to upgrade your services, but odds are good you won’t need to. - Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder
Covers most of your recording needs quickly and smoothly. I use it to create podcasts, convert audio formats and a zillion other things. And I kick myself for buying Acid Pro way back when. Audacity handles all of my recording needs just dandy, and I didn’t have to pay a dime for it. [Mac/Windows/Linux] - GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program
I admit that I stick with Photoshop for my graphic design projects, but when on a computer that has no graphic software installed (hello, clients), GIMP saves the day. If you’re looking for something to touch up your photos before you post them to Flickr, you’re more than covered here. [Mac/Windows/Linux] - WordPress - Blog Tool and Weblog Platform
If you’re looking for a blogging utility hosted entirely by you, WordPress is, hands-down, your #1 best option. All it needs is PHP and MySQL, and your blog will be sexy right out of box. Customization is a breeze with easy-to-edit templates and a wealth of available plug-ins developed by other WordPress users to add just about any function you could possibly need. Posting is effortless with its WYSIWYG editor. Adding some style to it might be tough if you don’t know CSS and HTML, but all is not lost. WordPress users have developed a whole library of themes for your free use. - Mint.com - refreshing money management
Mint is a godsend. It aggregates all of your financial accounts into one view, tracks your spending, and helps you set up and keep a budget. It keeps you in line, too! If your bank balance is falling below a threshold you’ve set, it warns you. If you’ve overspent one area of your budget, it tells you about it. You can receive notices by email, phone, or just through the site. And it’s a gorgeous site, if I do say so. - Inkscape. Draw Freely.
This Open Source vector graphics editor is just what you need when your copy of Adobe Illustrator has the hiccups. I first used Inkscape when Illustrator simply wouldn’t open for me, and an urgent deadline was fast approaching. For a few days there, Inkscape was my best friend. Don’t delete your installation of Illustrator just yet, but with all the basic features of popular illustration programs, Inkscape’s nothing to sniff at in a pinch. [Mac and Windows] - Trillian
Use multiple instant messaging services? Hate all the ads and bloatware? You need Trillian. Trillian Basic makes your AIM, Yahoo, ICQ, MSN and other messenger IDs accessible through one program, and it includes all the features you need such as privacy settings per ID, away messages, video/audio chat, file transfer and a whole lot more. [Windows only - Mac version in the works] - AVG Free Anti-Virus
I don’t know anyone who actually likes Norton or any of those other big-name anti-virus programs, and certainly nobody likes paying to update their subscription. AVG Free is, well, free and keeps your PC covered. And it’s not half as irritating as Norton. [Windows]
- SourceForge.net
For all your other Open Source software needs, I suggest you turn to SourceForge. Ever said “I wonder if there’s a free alternative to…”? Chances are there is, and you’ll find it there.
Tags: audacity, avg, blogging, financial management, free services, free software, google, google apps, inkscape, instant messaging, mint.com, open source, openoffice.org, photo editing, productivity, software, software alternatives, sourceforge, trillian, wordpress