Yesterday, we started looking at free alternatives for paid software. Today, we continue our list.
Microsoft Publisher - Microsoft's Publisher provides greater control over your document than a simple word-processing program. However, if you are going to go with LibreOffice (or another free office suite) instead of Microsoft Office, you may need to find a replacement for Publisher. Scribus is a great alternative for creating professional-looking pages.
Adobe Illustrator - Part of Adobe's suite of programs, Illustrator is a vector graphics program that creates items like logos and signs that need to be scalable to a variety of sizes. (Vector graphic images won't pixelate when enlarged like other image formats.) Inkscape is a free alternative to Illustrator for creating vector graphics.
Photoshop - Another Adobe program that I'm sure you have heard about is Photoshop. This software allows you to do image editing. Professionals will probably want to stick with Photoshop (despite its $19.99/month price tag), but amateur photo editors will likely find that GIMP meets all their needs. While it may not contain all of the features of Photoshop, it does contain most of the major ones, and there are many more available through third-party plugins.
Adobe Acrobat - Most of us use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files, but the full Adobe Acrobat software allows you to create PDFs. However, you can use doPDF to create PDF files from any program. This software installs like a printer. Simply create a file in any program, go to print, and then select the PDF Creator printer. The software will then walk you through the process to create your PDF file.
Quicken - Intuit's personal finance management software is great, but it is also expensive, especially if you want advanced features like rental properties or business income/expense tracking. For most users, KMyMoney will do the job. It is user-friendly and it still syncs with your online banking like Quicken. The only reason I use Quicken instead of KMyMoney to track my business expenses is that Quicken allows me to scan my receipts and attach them to a transaction.
If you want income and expense tracking that can go with you anywhere, consider using Mint.com. Mint is an online program that will sync across all of your devices to keep track of your spending and help you set financial goals. Mint also has Android, iOS, and Windows Phone apps to track spending on the go. Mint was independent when it started out, but it became so popular that Intuit (the makers of Quicken and QuickBooks) bought it in 2009.
QuickBooks - Unless you are a business owner, you probably don't need QuickBooks or a replacement for it. However, if you have your own business and find that Quicken isn't powerful enough for you, check out Front Accounting ERP. It does not currently handle payroll, but there are payroll add-ons available.
Obviously, no one could write a complete list of paid software and available free counterparts. If you are looking for an alternative to a particular program, consider searching for "Open Source alternative for [Program]" and see what results you get. If there is an open-source program available, chances are good that it will show up on the first pages.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Monday, October 26, 2015
Free Alternatives to Expensive Software, Part 1
Software can be expensive. Very expensive. The cost of Windows alone runs over $100, Microsoft Office will set you back another $100, and various other software can quickly add up. By the time you're done, the cost of the software you are loading onto a computer can easily exceed the cost of the physical components.
However, for many of these expensive software programs, there are free alternatives available. Before you pay hundreds of dollars for expensive software, it might be worth your time to see if a free program might meet your needs. While these programs will differ in their capabilities and performance, many of them will work similar to their expensive counterparts.
By now, you are probably wondering, "Are these programs really free?" The answer is yes! Many of these programs are considered open-source, which means that the program's code is freely available. If you know how to write code, you could even download the code and edit it to add features. (While I have some familiarity with coding, I prefer to simply contact the software developer and request that they add a new feature in the next version.)
The companies that produce open-source software make their money from selling support and custom development packages to companies that use their software. Many will also ask for a donation when you download the software. A few of the programs on this list are not open-source, but in each case, the company has developed its own way to cover its costs outside of charging for the software.
Now, here is my list of free replacement software:
Windows - Yes, you aren't stuck with Windows on a non-Apple computer. There are many open-source operating systems available for your computer, most of which are based on the Linux kernel. My preferred version is Ubuntu. For geeks, a new version is released every six months, and for typical users, an edition is released every-other April that offers long-term (5 years) support for security flaws.
I recommend sticking with Windows unless you are an advanced computer user. Installing an operating system has become much easier, but it still takes some know-how. Then, you will have to learn an entirely new interface. Finally, most computers come with a Windows license included in the purchase, so there is really no reason to switch to a different operating system unless you are building your own system.
Office - Before you spend over $100 on a version of Office, give LibreOffice a try. Before I started my business and wanted to use some of the more advanced programming features of Access, I was a LibreOffice user exclusively. Writer, Calc, and Impress have almost all of the features of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and they even contain some that are not included in Microsoft's software. Plus, they can open and save documents in Office format, so you can easily share documents with Office users. If I have one criticism, it would be the lack of features in the database program (Base), but most users are not going to be creating complex databases, anyway.
Outlook - One item included with some versions of Microsoft Office that is missing in LibreOffice is a desktop email client. While most people simply connect to their email from a browser window, some people prefer to have desktop software for offline access to email. If you are among the group preferring desktop email access, check out Thunderbird. It contains most of the features of Outlook.
Internet Explorer - Internet Explorer is already a "free" program (included with your purchase of Windows), but you may find that another internet browser may work better for you. Firefox is a great open-source browser that many say works faster and better than Internet Explorer. Google's Chrome browser is my preferred choice, but many people try to avoid using Google products.
Windows Media Player - This one is also "free" with Windows, but once again, there are other options available. One of my favorite media players is VLC. This is a lightweight player that, in my opinion, functions much better than Media Player. It does not require codec installation for different media formats, and it also has the ability to play broken files that other media players will not play.
I'm running out of space for today, but we're not done yet! Tomorrow, I will finish the list for you!
However, for many of these expensive software programs, there are free alternatives available. Before you pay hundreds of dollars for expensive software, it might be worth your time to see if a free program might meet your needs. While these programs will differ in their capabilities and performance, many of them will work similar to their expensive counterparts.
By now, you are probably wondering, "Are these programs really free?" The answer is yes! Many of these programs are considered open-source, which means that the program's code is freely available. If you know how to write code, you could even download the code and edit it to add features. (While I have some familiarity with coding, I prefer to simply contact the software developer and request that they add a new feature in the next version.)
The companies that produce open-source software make their money from selling support and custom development packages to companies that use their software. Many will also ask for a donation when you download the software. A few of the programs on this list are not open-source, but in each case, the company has developed its own way to cover its costs outside of charging for the software.
Now, here is my list of free replacement software:
Windows - Yes, you aren't stuck with Windows on a non-Apple computer. There are many open-source operating systems available for your computer, most of which are based on the Linux kernel. My preferred version is Ubuntu. For geeks, a new version is released every six months, and for typical users, an edition is released every-other April that offers long-term (5 years) support for security flaws.
I recommend sticking with Windows unless you are an advanced computer user. Installing an operating system has become much easier, but it still takes some know-how. Then, you will have to learn an entirely new interface. Finally, most computers come with a Windows license included in the purchase, so there is really no reason to switch to a different operating system unless you are building your own system.
Office - Before you spend over $100 on a version of Office, give LibreOffice a try. Before I started my business and wanted to use some of the more advanced programming features of Access, I was a LibreOffice user exclusively. Writer, Calc, and Impress have almost all of the features of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and they even contain some that are not included in Microsoft's software. Plus, they can open and save documents in Office format, so you can easily share documents with Office users. If I have one criticism, it would be the lack of features in the database program (Base), but most users are not going to be creating complex databases, anyway.
Outlook - One item included with some versions of Microsoft Office that is missing in LibreOffice is a desktop email client. While most people simply connect to their email from a browser window, some people prefer to have desktop software for offline access to email. If you are among the group preferring desktop email access, check out Thunderbird. It contains most of the features of Outlook.
Internet Explorer - Internet Explorer is already a "free" program (included with your purchase of Windows), but you may find that another internet browser may work better for you. Firefox is a great open-source browser that many say works faster and better than Internet Explorer. Google's Chrome browser is my preferred choice, but many people try to avoid using Google products.
Windows Media Player - This one is also "free" with Windows, but once again, there are other options available. One of my favorite media players is VLC. This is a lightweight player that, in my opinion, functions much better than Media Player. It does not require codec installation for different media formats, and it also has the ability to play broken files that other media players will not play.
I'm running out of space for today, but we're not done yet! Tomorrow, I will finish the list for you!
Friday, October 23, 2015
Using the Windows Key
If you use a Windows computer, you have probably figured out that the key with the Windows logo (usually located between the Ctrl and Alt keys on at least one side of your keyboard) will open the Start menu. However, the Windows logo key can be combined with many other keys to create a variety of shortcuts to perform useful features on your computer. Here are a few of the ones I use the most:
Windows + E - Opens a Windows Explorer window, which allows you to view all the files on your computer.
Windows + F - Opens a search box, allowing you to search for files, programs, and Windows tools.
Windows + L - Locks your computer, requiring a login screen (and password, if applicable) to get back to your desktop.
Windows + T - Cycles selection of the programs located on the taskbar. This is helpful if you want to open a program off the taskbar and your mouse is not working.
Windows + [Number] - Using the Windows key plus the number 1 will open the first program on the taskbar, or it will switch to that program if already opened. Using the 2 key will open the second program, etc. This works for all 9 numbers, plus the 0 (10th item).
Windows + [Arrow] - The Windows key can be combined with the arrow keys to resize Windows. Using the up arrow will maximize the window. Using the down arrow will unmaximize the window (restore it to its previous size). Using the down arrow on a window that is already unmaximized will minimize it. Using the right and left arrows will maximize the windows on one-half of the screen (left for the left side and right for the right side).
Windows + E - Opens a Windows Explorer window, which allows you to view all the files on your computer.
Windows + F - Opens a search box, allowing you to search for files, programs, and Windows tools.
Windows + L - Locks your computer, requiring a login screen (and password, if applicable) to get back to your desktop.
Windows + T - Cycles selection of the programs located on the taskbar. This is helpful if you want to open a program off the taskbar and your mouse is not working.
Windows + [Number] - Using the Windows key plus the number 1 will open the first program on the taskbar, or it will switch to that program if already opened. Using the 2 key will open the second program, etc. This works for all 9 numbers, plus the 0 (10th item).
Windows + [Arrow] - The Windows key can be combined with the arrow keys to resize Windows. Using the up arrow will maximize the window. Using the down arrow will unmaximize the window (restore it to its previous size). Using the down arrow on a window that is already unmaximized will minimize it. Using the right and left arrows will maximize the windows on one-half of the screen (left for the left side and right for the right side).
Thursday, October 22, 2015
See World Maps From History
Of the 193 sovereign states recognized by the United Nations, most of them have been founded recently. For example, did you know that five of the seven Central American countries were independent prior to the founding of Italy and Norway?
If you want to discover interesting facts like that, you can look through a map of the world throughout history at geacron.com. Scroll through the map by year, decade, or century, and see how the map looked as early as 3000 BC.
Visit geacron.com
If you want to discover interesting facts like that, you can look through a map of the world throughout history at geacron.com. Scroll through the map by year, decade, or century, and see how the map looked as early as 3000 BC.
Visit geacron.com
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Four Ways to Customize Windows 10
Microsoft clearly wants everyone to upgrade to Windows 10. If you have already made the jump, here are four ways you can tweak Microsoft's latest OS:
1) Pin It - The start menu is the compromise between the start screen tiles of Windows 8 and the start menu of Windows 7. However, you can make a tile for almost anything. Do you have a folder you go to regularly? Create a shortcut tile. Do you keep changing a particular setting? Turn that setting's page into a tile. To create a tile, just right click whatever you want on the tile and look for a "Pin to Start" option.
2) Make It Yours - Windows 10 includes a variety of options to customize its look. You can start with the Personalization section of the Settings app (available on the Start Menu). You might also want to look at the Properties section of the Taskbar. (Right click on the taskbar and select properties.)
3) Sign Out Quicker - One of my complaints with the Windows 10 start menu is that the Sign Out option is so far away from the button. (If you don't know where it is, you click the user account name at the top to access it.) However, you can accomplish the same thing with two different keyboard options. If you only want to lock the screen, you can use Windows+L to quickly lock the screen. If you want to completely sign out, you can go to the desktop and then use Alt+F4 to bring up a list of options, including sign out, shut down, and restart.
4) Save Some Space - When upgrading to Windows 10, Windows saves the details of your previous Windows installation in case you want to revert back to it. However, this installation can cost you a substantial amount of storage space (sometimes as much as 20 GB). The Disk Cleanup application can remove these files for you. Go to the search box and type Disk Cleanup, and then check the options for "Previous Windows Installations" and "Temporary Windows Installation Files".
1) Pin It - The start menu is the compromise between the start screen tiles of Windows 8 and the start menu of Windows 7. However, you can make a tile for almost anything. Do you have a folder you go to regularly? Create a shortcut tile. Do you keep changing a particular setting? Turn that setting's page into a tile. To create a tile, just right click whatever you want on the tile and look for a "Pin to Start" option.
2) Make It Yours - Windows 10 includes a variety of options to customize its look. You can start with the Personalization section of the Settings app (available on the Start Menu). You might also want to look at the Properties section of the Taskbar. (Right click on the taskbar and select properties.)
3) Sign Out Quicker - One of my complaints with the Windows 10 start menu is that the Sign Out option is so far away from the button. (If you don't know where it is, you click the user account name at the top to access it.) However, you can accomplish the same thing with two different keyboard options. If you only want to lock the screen, you can use Windows+L to quickly lock the screen. If you want to completely sign out, you can go to the desktop and then use Alt+F4 to bring up a list of options, including sign out, shut down, and restart.
4) Save Some Space - When upgrading to Windows 10, Windows saves the details of your previous Windows installation in case you want to revert back to it. However, this installation can cost you a substantial amount of storage space (sometimes as much as 20 GB). The Disk Cleanup application can remove these files for you. Go to the search box and type Disk Cleanup, and then check the options for "Previous Windows Installations" and "Temporary Windows Installation Files".
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Six Ways to Improve Your Amazon Experience
Online shopping is one of the greatest innovations to come from the internet. We can comparison ship without having to drive all over town, and we can read reviews of products from customers all around the world. Amazon leads the way in online shopping. If you are an Amazon shopper, here are some ways that you can improve your experience. (If you prefer another site, some of these tips may work there, too!)
1) Stop the Tracking - Yes, Amazon tracks what you look at and then tries to run ads to get you to buy it. To stop this, go to this page, select "Do Not Personalize Ads from Amazon for this Internet Browser", and click submit. (You will need to do this for each browser you use on each computer you own.) You will still see Amazon's ads, but they will be generic ads that are not specific to products you have viewed.
2) Get On the List - Amazon has plenty of great deals, but you can't take advantage of them if you don't know about them. Visit this link and sign up to receive emails in your favorite categories.
3) Availability Alerts - If the product you want is not available, you can sign up to get an email when it comes available again. Next to the product's name will be a button that says "Email me". Click the button and Amazon will let you know when the item is back in stock.
4) Track It - If you can't wait to get your package, Amazon can keep you updated on its progress to you by text message.
5) Share Prime Shipping - If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can share your free shipping with another adult and up to four kids. Go to the "Manage Prime Membership" page and look for the "Share your Prime benefits" section.
6) Make Money on Amazon - Amazon is a great place to spend money, but it can also help you make money. Many items also have a "Sell on Amazon" button that will allow you to sell your item back to Amazon. While you might not make as much as selling it on your own, it is a quick and painless way to get a little extra money to put toward your next purchase.
1) Stop the Tracking - Yes, Amazon tracks what you look at and then tries to run ads to get you to buy it. To stop this, go to this page, select "Do Not Personalize Ads from Amazon for this Internet Browser", and click submit. (You will need to do this for each browser you use on each computer you own.) You will still see Amazon's ads, but they will be generic ads that are not specific to products you have viewed.
2) Get On the List - Amazon has plenty of great deals, but you can't take advantage of them if you don't know about them. Visit this link and sign up to receive emails in your favorite categories.
3) Availability Alerts - If the product you want is not available, you can sign up to get an email when it comes available again. Next to the product's name will be a button that says "Email me". Click the button and Amazon will let you know when the item is back in stock.
4) Track It - If you can't wait to get your package, Amazon can keep you updated on its progress to you by text message.
5) Share Prime Shipping - If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can share your free shipping with another adult and up to four kids. Go to the "Manage Prime Membership" page and look for the "Share your Prime benefits" section.
6) Make Money on Amazon - Amazon is a great place to spend money, but it can also help you make money. Many items also have a "Sell on Amazon" button that will allow you to sell your item back to Amazon. While you might not make as much as selling it on your own, it is a quick and painless way to get a little extra money to put toward your next purchase.
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