Computer software too can improve people's lives so it is natural for us think of it in the same way and want to help out a neighbour who says "your software is just what I need - could I have a copy?". The answer is yes
However most people are conditioned into believing that when it comes to anything to do with computers and computer software they should have a credit card at the ready. This is because the massive marketing budgets of software and media giants have all the angles covered with worldwide advertising and distribution strategies. The average person has no chance so they tend to buy brand name kit and hope for the best. The horror stories are legendary and most people think it is normal for their computers go awry and then spend more money maintaining and/or upgrading them. Free Software is different because it just works and with it's modest hardware requirements it can extend the life of older hardware and reduce landfill
Free Software is distributed over the internet at no cost and it can used straight away or customised further to your requirements rather than be re-invented from scratch. There is no paying out insane sums of money on draconian licenses for using closed proprietary software which can't be altered in any shape or form. The difference is huge and in a time of worldwide recession Free Software is becoming an even more obvious proposition which will serve the information technology (IT) needs of budget conscious individuals and organisations
With technology things change very fast but proprietary software can snooker you later if you want changes but with free software you can act fast and make your changes immediately. More IT professionals are now using Free Software components in their work because they can legally obtain, customise and sell the software on for a nominal fee under value added services such as setting up blogs, e-commerce solutions or office solutions for in-house use. Free Software is all around us - Google would never have been possible without it and most of the internet runs on Free Software. Most of the websites we visit are powered by Free Software as are most of the flashy mobile devices now on the market
Free Software offers a real alternative and for many people it would not make much sense to shell out for proprietary software because for every type of software which you are required to pay for there is a free alternative which is just as good and in some cases superior. This is why free software commands serious consideration for end user applications in businesses, education and training, government departments and the home
My personal experience as a user of Free Software makes me believe that it offers a higher level of quality and reliability than expensive proprietary offerings. I find Free Software more pleasant to use and I feel a true sense of ownership and control over my computer. When I compare this to my past experiences of using Windows based computers I am reminded of why I would never go back to the Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD) of that world. I smile when I still smile when I think about that I like myself a little bit more for knowing that I discovered something which literally changed my life for the better. You might ask: is it really that good? Well I think so
The GNU Project are the champions of Free Software and Linus Torvalds created the final system components which turned the whole shebang into what is now often commonly called "Linux" or to be technically precise "GNU/Linux"
Free Software exists thanks to to the work of the GNU Project whose definition of Free Software encompasses 4 freedoms:
- The freedom to run a program in any place, for any purpose and forever
- Access to the source code. Freedom to study how it works and to adapt it to our needs
- Freedom to redistribute copies so that we can help our friends and neighbours
- Freedom to improve the program and to release improvements to the general public
GNU/Linux is now approaching 5 percent market share according to authoritative web development portal W3Schools and large computer manufacturers such as Dell and Lenovo have in the past offered PCs and Netbooks powered by GNU/Linux based operating systems and mixes such as Ubuntu and Linux Mint
If you like what you have heard so far then you will benefit from learning more about what Free Software can do. The links below offer a good starting point from which to start learning what Free Software is all about and in the other articles in this category I show you some of the software that is available. If you keep an open mind you might discover something that will just click for you and change your life for the better
Free Software Links
What is GNU and Free Software? - The Free Software Foundation (FSF)The Philosophy of Free Software
Motives for Writing Free Software
Why Selling Free Software is OK
A Small Business Introduction to Linux
Linux Total Cost of Ownership : Less Than Half The Cost of Windows
A Comparison of Linux Distributions - Wikipedia
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