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Actually Free Software

Getting free software is a great way to save money. The prices of the commercial counterparts to the software listed on this page can add up to $1600+. Yet, everything listed on this page is FREE! (Besides the ads, not controlled by me). Free software is available through open source projects. Open source means that the software is free, as in "free speech." Programmers can manipulate the code to make it better. Most open source software is also free, as in "free beer." This means that it is given away as a free download so that the popularity of the software can spread and so that programmers will be encouraged to contribute.

Much of the software listed on this page has not been tested by ActuallyFree.info. However, they were chosen from reliable sources and selected because they are frequently seen on lists of the best free software available.

Free Software - The Basics

If you were to rebuild a computer or build a new one from scratch, you would not have to pay for software. You can get all that you need free! One of the reasons these resources were chosen was to help people, either non-profit organizations or individuals, get completely free computers. Computer hardware is easier to find in pieces on places like Craigslist. And since the software is free, a person can get a computer completely free. Non-profit organizations might have computers donated to them, but need free software alternatives since they are not licensed to distribute software under copyright.

Free Operating System

Ubuntu is a Linux-based operating system. Linux is the original free operating system, but Ubuntu adds some features and already includes some of the software listed below. The more common commercial operating systems are Microsoft Windows and Mac OS. Microsoft Windows costs about $200. Mac OS costs about $30. Ubuntu is FREE! When building a new computer there is kind of a "catch-22" or "chicken and the egg" type of dilemma since you need the software to program your computer but you need the computer to get the software. If you're in this situation, use a friend's computer or the library to access Ubuntu's website (you obviously have internet access if you're reading this). They have a couple of different means of distribution. Ubuntu's Homepage.

Free Office Software

Open Office is an open source office suite which includes word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. It runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. Microsoft Office and WordPerfect Office are among the top commercial office suites. Microsoft Office costs about $280. WordPerfect Office costs about $250. Open Office is FREE! Commercial office suites may include more features and programs, such as an email client. However, there are free alternatives to those programs too.

PDF Reader

A PDF reader is usually a necessity for multiple reasons. PDF stands for portable document format. It was made so that people who use one program to create a document can send the document in a readable format to people who don't use the same program. For example, a person creating a document using a program such as Microsoft Word operating in Windows, can convert the document into PDF and send it to someone using Mac OS. Students, people who read ebooks, workers applying for jobs, people who fill out taxes, and a number of other individuals in different situations will at least need to be able to read PDFs. Adobe, the company that created PDFs, has always offered the reader for free, which only allows the user to view the document. Its available on Windows, Mac OS, Linux and Solaris. However, if you want to create PDFs, or edit PDFs, you will need other free programs.

Free PDF Tools

Adobe Acrobat, the commercial program that allows you to create and edit PDFs is about $300. You can find alternatives to most or all of Acrobat's features that are completely FREE!. To convert any document to PDF, try ThinkFree.com, which works in any web browser (no download needed, only internet access is required). To edit a PDF document, use PDFescape.com, which works in any web browser. To convert PDF documents into Word documents, use ConvertPDFtoWord.net, which works in any web browser. I'm also a fan of PrimoPDF, which allows you to convert any document into PDF, but it only runs on Windows. Adobe Acrobat costs about $300. These tools are FREE!

Free Web Browser

Mozilla Firefox is a free web browser that was revolutionary when it was released. It had tabbed browsing, it was safer than Internet Explorer, and it was FREE! It still has all those features. It works on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.

Free Anti-Virus Software

Avira is only one of the free anti-virus programs available. It has had good reviews on software magazines and users claim that it is just as effective as any paid program. The more common paid programs are McAfee Antivirus and Norton Antivirus. These anti-virus programs can cost anywhere between $40-$70 depending on the version and the number of users for which the license is purchased. Avira is FREE!

Free Email Client

Mozilla Thunderbird is a free email client. It allows you to access any POP3 email account on your desktop. The more common commercial email client is Microsoft Outlook, which is included with Microsoft Office. Mozilla Thunderbird has great features, it works on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux, and its FREE!

Free Media Player

Real Media Player is a free media player that runs on Windows, Mac OS, or Linux. Most operating systems come with a free media player to play videos and sounds. An example is Windows Media Player which comes with any version of Windows. Real Media Player and other media players are free alternatives.

Free Text Editor

Great Small Text Editor is a text editor that runs on Linux. It is mentioned first here to continue offering Linux-compatible programs for the person who is building his or her own computer and needs completely free software. A couple of the more common text editors which run on Windows are Notepad2 and Notepad++. Text editors are used for simple text documents and for computer programming.

Free Calculator



Java Scientific Calculator is a free calculator program. A lot of times computers come with a calculator. Get an upgrade or get this as your computer's first calculator FREE!

Free Music and Sound Editor



Audacity is a music and sound editor. Its great for recording audio, converting audio files into different formats, mixing sounds and other features. A commercial music and sound editor can cost anywhere between $30-$50. Audacity is FREE!

Free Photo Editor



GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program. GNU is a term for the free license that is given with the program. The more common commercial photo editor is Adobe Photoshop, which costs about $700. GIMP is FREE!

Note: Most "Actually Freebies" are meant to be available directly from ActuallyFree.info. However, in this case it seemed better to refer readers directly to the source. The download is still two clicks away, the same as any download offered directly from this site.