We pass from "fake" software to free

    The note was written a long time ago, in October-November last year, and hung unpublished. I apologize for the somewhat “unscientific” style.

    Somehow it happened that sometimes I use Windows XP at home (2 licensed copies on two laptops) and Windows 2000 at work. By the way, at work we have all the software licensed. My boss needed Microsoft Visio today, and the evil admins refused to install, they say, it’s worth 800 bucks ... It made me think of writing this post. Since I myself am a programmer and sometimes even write programs, I try my best to oppose the “fake” software, replacing it with free counterparts. Specialists are already aware of what the use of left software may threaten, and the ordinary user does not care for all these subtleties, if only it works. The problem is compounded by the fact that 99% of Windows users are so used to using their favorite Excel, Word, Photoshop, Total Commander that it begins to seem like an incurable addiction. Not always everyone can get rid of it, but, nevertheless, there is progress. And so I decided to share my experience of refusing unlicensed hacked programs in favor of free analogues. Here we will kill 2-3 birds with one stone at once: we will save money (and many times: we won’t buy paid software, we won’t spend a lot of money for support and updates, and we won’t pay a possible fine for the “leftist”), we will reduce the likelihood of picking up viruses and other evil spirits law, we will support technological progress (for example, through the use of more successful alternative solutions, thereby improving competition, and ultimately, software quality). So let's go. we won’t buy paid software, don’t spend a lot of money for support and updates, and don’t pay a possible fine for the “leftist”), we will reduce the likelihood of picking up viruses and other evil spirits, we will not break the law, we will support technological progress (for example, by using more successful alternative solutions thereby improving competition, and ultimately, software quality). So let's go. we won’t buy paid software, don’t spend a lot of money for support and updates, and don’t pay a possible fine for the “leftist”), we will reduce the likelihood of picking up viruses and other evil spirits, we will not break the law, we will support technological progress (for example, by using more successful alternative solutions thereby improving competition, and ultimately, software quality). So let's go.

    OpenOffice.org 3.0

    I strongly do not understand why people, with tenacity worthy of a better application, are setting themselves Microsoft Office 2007? They scold him, spit, but still use it. Of course, the newer - the cooler. The new interface beckons with glamorous glossy buttons and special effects (and let the user only poke the mouse). Just do not forget that a word processor should be just a word processor - print texts! - and not a monstrous buggy dividing at a price of 9390 to 16300 rubles(we do not take into account truncated "student versions"). How much this money will cost the average organization is easy to calculate. We add here the problems with these obscure licenses, activations and support. We draw conclusions. Download openofis and live calmly and happily. If we are afraid of checks, we buy the “licensed” (in a box and with seals) openofis for symbolic money (at the price of the medium).

    As for OpenOffice itself, I want to say a few words. The long-awaited third version has reached such a quality when the word and exel can be safely demolished without root. It works under Windows, MacOS, Linux, which means that your document will be correctly opened and printed on any computer. OpenOffice programs have such a familiar interface that corporate users will not even notice the difference (I personally use a word processor at work only to read ready-made documents and write a half-page service once a month). OpenOffice is studied at universities, textbooks on OpenOffice are sold. Another important plus - the Russian company Infra-Resource is releasing its revised and more adapted package assembly, as well as providing support for users from Russia and the CIS. Cons: still have a little getting used to

    OpenOffice.org 3.0 - A Free Office Suite

    Unreal Commander

    From the first days of using a personal computer, I used Total Commander (formerly Windows Commander), I remember it since version 4.51, which was widely used in Russia 6-7 years ago thanks to publishers of pirated disks like “THOUSAND BEST SUPER PROGRAMS FOR YOUR COMPUTER!” . Total Commander was good for everyone - a simple two-panel interface, disk buttons, ease of navigation, and most importantly - high speed and low pricessizes. When I started doing web development, the wonderful built-in FTP client turned out to be very handy, thanks to which the combination Ctrl + F is now my professional illness. Since then I have been using it absolutely all the time while using the computer (this was the first program after installing Windows) and I could not have imagined life without it. It costs some small money, but ... why pay, if it is, it lies and works for free? In addition, I honestly tried to find a replacement. But the replacement was either very far in the way of navigation (keyboard shortcuts, tools, menus ...), or did not have any FTP client. I really didn’t want to switch to a separate FTP client, because I hadn’t seen a more ideal way to work with files than with Total Commander. I tried muCommander, Frigate, DOS Navigator (we don’t take dos style into account), but not one of them implemented even a tenth of the convenience and functionality of Total Commander. Under Linux, however, there are wonderful Midhight Commander and Krusader managers, which I use as often as Linux itself.

    Although, that I'm all about Total. There is also a free twin brother Unreal Commander! I have never seen such an exact copy of the software. In short, all of the above about Total Commander applies exactly to Unreal Commander, only the latter is free. Not only is it free, it also offers a free license right on the spot! Of the minuses, I want to note that the author was slightly carried away by the "little things" and special effects. Skins, sophisticated icons and the smooth appearance of dialogs are useless for a program with which the user works every day for many hours in a row. XnView Surely everyone uses (or used for sure) ACDSee. Personally, I have not used this package for several years, so my story will be more theoretical, sorry for any inaccuracies.

    Unreal Commander - a free file manager





    At first, the ACDSee was very small, fast and compact - it fit on a single floppy disk. I do not remember a faster graphics viewer. Glorious were the times. Version 2.4 seems to be. And he was good exactly up to the third version. Then a strange thing began. New versions were released every year. Versions 4, 5, 6 were similar as two drops of water, there were two or three new functions in the style of “swapping the buttons back and forth,” but they were sold for some money, only the logo changed with an eye. But from this package became more and more. Somewhere from version 6-7, an audio player, a video player, an archive viewer, an almost full-fledged photo editor, tools for creating a photo archive database, tools for uploading photos to a site, sending e-mails, a presentation editor, tools for creating films and writing gift disks ... And now this is the tenth version, with a capacity of more than 100 MB! Why dump a ton of money for viewingyour photos, while buying a load of a bunch of unnecessary trash? Around that time, I stopped using it and completely switched to XnView, a fast modern image viewer made in the best traditions of ACDSee 2nd version. For several years now, he has not gained weight, everything is also quickly and easily installed, supports more than 400 (!) Graphic formats, including RAW, and most importantly, even very fast one-megabyte TIFFs. Often updated, if necessary - can understand Photoshop plug-ins. Download, a great thing if you just need to view pictures .

    XnView - image viewer

    More expensive is not always better. Use free software if you do not want to buy unnecessary trash, engage in theft, break the law and breed viruses. Use free software and be happy :)

    PS - yes, I know there is also Paint.NET, GIMP, Picasa ... About them another time. I invite readers to continue the list of substitutions "paid - free."

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