Free alternative software

[Digerati]

There shouldn't be any agreeing or disagreeing.

Instead of criticizing other's suggestions, just say what alternative solution you use, and if you want to elaborate, say why.

But do not say, "because ZYX Free is better than ABC Free", or "XYZ Free does this better than CBA Free". Those are NOT good reasons why for the purpose here.

I like Foxit reader as a free alternative to Adobe Reader. Foxit reader is secure, small, fast and allows you to create and edit PDFs too.

[MikeW]

OK, The theory behind Panos's post was that by offering a free programme list it would minimise pirating.
My point is if someone wants Photoshop because of its power and reputaing, they will not be swayed to use a less powerful freebe.
Plus of course it is so easy to obtain pirated software.

However, if we were just creating a list of useful free software, that is another story altogether.
Foxit is also my chosen PDF tool. I like it enough to pay for it if it came of the free list.
Thats all I have to say on this.

[techie]

Open source software is many times a very good alternative. The ones mentioned are popular. Just because it's free open source software doesn't mean it is inferior.

There are millions of people working and sharing the ideas, for various software.

Here is a good link of working listed projects.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_free_and_open-source_software_packages

[SpyDie]

Open source software is many times a very good alternative. The ones mentioned are popular. Just because it's free open source software doesn't mean it is inferior.

There are millions of people working and sharing the ideas, for various software.

Here is a good link of working listed projects.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_free_and_open-source_software_packages

I find it's generally the UX & UI that suffers in Open Source software, design is just one of the things that falls to the side in OS project's.

However, look at something like Blender, it can do a vast majority of what 3DS Max (around $4000) can do.

[techie]

I find it's generally the UX & UI that suffers in Open Source software, design is just one of the things that falls to the side in OS project's.

However, look at something like Blender, it can do a vast majority of what 3DS Max (around $4000) can do.

UX and UI are improving, but sometimes are lacking. These apps are usually available for many cross platform operating systems and languages.

VLC media player is a good general media player. It plays well with older video cards.

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Gimp as mentioned above is a good photo editing tool.

http://www.gimp.org/

[Digerati]

UX and UI are improving

The problem with both UX and especially the UI is they are extremely subjective.

Coding how the "Delete" button works once clicked is pretty straight forward and easy to get a consensus for it. But defining the shape, font, button color, text color, background color, and location for that button and you may get 10 different solutions, each with adamant supporters. And when the coders finally do settle on the what the button will look like, there's a good chance the end-user will hate it. Well, Sally will hate it, Fred will think it okay, and Jane will love it - and Mikey will complain there are not enough skins.

[techie]

You mean something as simple as removing a start button, changing the UI or locking a search into the taskbar with no way to turn it off. I don't know that I have ever meet a Operating System out the box, that I didn't customize to my liking. When you remove the options of simple user customization, you remove the desire of people wanting it.

It's kind of like a car, some people are fine with the way it is, other people prefer to add there own customization to it.