Free Software

The Best of the Free Software
a lecture class assembled by Brigitte Haag
speakers are Brigitte Haag, Joann Frucchione, Clint Pollit, Ethan Pollit

Introduction
What means free software? What means open source? why do some companies give software away and invite programmers to make improvements?

There are different kinds of free activities: software to download or do things on a Website (or a combination there off).

Create a Restore Point before you start downloading all kinds of programs.
Click on Start / All Programs / Accessories / System Tools / System Restore / and make your self a restore point.

Why should you install a restore point?? If something goes wrong while downloading and installing any new software, you can go back and restore your PC to the state as it was right before you started downloading stuff.

Programs and Websites:

Linux
free alternativ to Windows, open source operating system. www.linux.com
Presented by Clint Pollit

Browser Firefox
A Web browser that is faster, more secure and more customizable that Windows Explorer http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/, comes with an excellent email program Thunderbird

PowerToys from Microsoft
One of them is a must have, it is the Image Resizer,
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

Audacity
A full featured sound manipulator: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Simple Start
a free version of Quickbooks featuring all the essentials to keep books, invoice, write checks, write your reports and much much more. http://quickbooks.intuit.com/product/accounting-software/free-accounting-software.jhtml see guided tour http://quickbooks.intuit.com/product/accounting-software/free-accounting-software.jhtml?view=childDiscover

Picasa by Google
Organizes your photos, let you browse them efficiently, improves them, use email and print features or burn CD and automated slide show production.
http://www.ewiza.com/misc/google-picassa.html

Photoscape
If you take photos you might enjoy this program. http://www.photoscape.org
Great for browsing, printing, improving, slideshows (animated gif), batch fixing

Irfanview
A media viewer: http://www.irfanview.com/
1 Million downloads every month. Fast loading picture viewer, plays movies and sounds, makes slide shows, batch conversions, resizing, improving. It even plays youtube movies.

OpenOffice.org (Or symphony.lotus.com), before break
a free Office program that is very similar to MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel and more)
presented by Joann Frucchione

Google Earth
Navigate the Globe and go site seeing. This is fascinating. http://earth.google.com/

Google Maps
check out the new streetview

Log Me In:
access your home computer from a remote location. https://secure.logmein.com/

E-Sword
Bible research program http://www.e-sword.net/

File Converter
go to http://www.youconvertit.com/, send them your file and it comes back in the format desired.

Photo Album Maker
This free program makes the most interesting photo albums for you, has many skin to choose from. www.Jalbum.net

How full are your Drives
Download this little program and just like in Vista it will show you how full your drives are. http://drvicon.sourceforge.net/

Printkey
Choose a sextion on your screen you want to save or email, download program at http://www.webtree.ca/newlife/printkey_info.htm

Screen capture
take a picture or video tape whats' happening on your screen, send it of for everybody to see. http://www.jingproject.com/

Google Calendar
Want to keep a calendar that will send email reminders to you? keep it on
www.calendar.google.com

Microsoft Office Live for many things
Microsoft Office Live Small Business, Do you need a Website? Go to Microsoft, get free hosting, and all the tools you need for a business Website for free. You can also ad a domain name for 1 year free, if you choose to. Here an example http://webstar.tech.officelive.com/contactus.aspx

Weebly
All free Website creating tools and free hosting at www.weebly.com. View an example http://carvingwood.weebly.com/index.html

Oovoo.com, Tokbox.com,
Video Chatting choices. With Oovoo you can video chat with several persons at the same time. With tokbox you dont download software, all is done online.
Presented by Ethan Pollit