Free Equivalents of Commercial Software
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» Memoires of our First Cruise » AJAX Database Project » Windows PC Tune-Up Guide » Free vs Commercial SoftwareWhen most people are shopping for a new computer they often take into account what types of software they want to come bundled with their new PC. Sometimes the total cost of the desired software suites can amount to more than the cost of the PC itself.
The average consumer is unaware that there exists a large library of freeware and Open Source Software that can accomplish the exact same tasks as their commercial counterparts. Such software does not have the marketing and exposure that the commercial software does, thus it is not nearly as popular or well known.
Below is a list of commercial software, its street price, and the free or open source equivalent software. This goes to show that it is entirely possible for consumers to focus their financial resources on the hardware side of their PC purchase, and get all the desired software functionality at virtually no cost.
| Type of Software | Commercial Product | Cost | Free / Open Source Equivalent | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows XP Professional | $150.00 | Linux (SuSe, Fedora, etc) | $0.00 |
| Office Suite | Microsoft Office | $300.00 | OpenOffice.Org | $0.00 |
| Anti-Virus Software | Norton AntiVirus | $45.00 | AVG Free Edition | $0.00 |
| Firewall Protection | McAfee Personal Firewall | $45.00 | ZoneAlarm - Basic | $0.00 |
| Email Software | Microsoft Outlook | $89.00 | Mozilla Thunderbird | $0.00 |
| Photo Editing | Adobe PhotoShop Elements | $135.00 | Paint.net | $0.00 |
| Audio Editing | Adobe Audition | $130.00 | Audacity | $0.00 |
| Movie Editing | Adobe Premiere Elements | $99.00 | Jahshaka | $0.00 |
| CD / DVD Burning Suite | Nero Burning | $60.00 | CD Burner XP Pro | $0.00 |
| Remote Desktop | PC Anywhere | $99.00 | VNC | $0.00 |
Not in the above comparison, but worth mentioning are:
- Wikipedia Open Source Software List - the most comprehensive list of open source software I've seen
- Tom's Hardware: Pepping up Windows - a Tom's Hardware article suggesting free softare alternatives
- PDF Creator - a free utility to easily convert any printable document to PDF format
- Mozilla Firefox - a great web browser which can be loaded with features
- Trillian / GAIM / Miranda - connects you to AIM, ICQ, Y!, and MSN Messenger all in one client
- www.aPlusFreeware.com/ - a very useful library of freeware programs
- HouseCall Online Scan - a free online scanner that can search your PC for both viruses and spyware