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jbcohen · 02-17-2011, 03:27 PM

I hear you loud and clear where it comes to shelling out for software that you can't use. I have done that a few times. There are three concepts that I need to introduce to you in the information technology (a fancy way of saying computer technology) comunity: shareware, freeware and open source.

Shareware's name may be a bit misleading as nothing is actually shared. The concept behind shareware is try before you buy. All software that is sold on the shareware market you may try for a specified length of time then decide if you like it or not. If you like it then you are required to pay for the software and if you do not like it you delete the software and owe nothing. You buy only if you like what you see, unlike shrinkwrap (which is a fancy way of saying the software that most people think of as software which is buy before you try.) The most famous of the shareware packages is called Pkzip from Pkware. Find all the shareware you want at shareware.com

Freeware is just that free you like it you owe nothing you don't like it don't worry you owe nothing. Find all the freeware you want at freewarehome.com and freewarefiles.com. Some of the most famous freeware include: IE and Google Crome.

Now for open source. This takes a little explination as its an extension of the freeware concept. Open Source is also free with one addition the source code for the software comes with the software, something that does not come with freeware, you may (if you are so inclined) modify the code behind the software and market the end result as your own - with one crevate the result of that modification is also open code. You may not take a open code software slap your name on it and sell the result. However you may take a open code software slap your name on it and make the result available as open code. Some of the most famous open code software includes Mozilla's Firefox and thunderbird.

The best open code software that I have ever found was Open Office, which is a free version of Microsoft Office which a lot of people think is much better then Microsoft Office.

Find all the open code software you want at sourceforge.net and Open Office is at openoffice.org.

02-17-2011, 03:27 PM	#2
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	I hear you loud and clear where it comes to shelling out for software that you can't use. I have done that a few times. There are three concepts that I need to introduce to you in the information technology (a fancy way of saying computer technology) comunity: shareware, freeware and open source. Shareware's name may be a bit misleading as nothing is actually shared. The concept behind shareware is try before you buy. All software that is sold on the shareware market you may try for a specified length of time then decide if you like it or not. If you like it then you are required to pay for the software and if you do not like it you delete the software and owe nothing. You buy only if you like what you see, unlike shrinkwrap (which is a fancy way of saying the software that most people think of as software which is buy before you try.) The most famous of the shareware packages is called Pkzip from Pkware. Find all the shareware you want at shareware.com Freeware is just that free you like it you owe nothing you don't like it don't worry you owe nothing. Find all the freeware you want at freewarehome.com and freewarefiles.com. Some of the most famous freeware include: IE and Google Crome. Now for open source. This takes a little explination as its an extension of the freeware concept. Open Source is also free with one addition the source code for the software comes with the software, something that does not come with freeware, you may (if you are so inclined) modify the code behind the software and market the end result as your own - with one crevate the result of that modification is also open code. You may not take a open code software slap your name on it and sell the result. However you may take a open code software slap your name on it and make the result available as open code. Some of the most famous open code software includes Mozilla's Firefox and thunderbird. The best open code software that I have ever found was Open Office, which is a free version of Microsoft Office which a lot of people think is much better then Microsoft Office. Find all the open code software you want at sourceforge.net and Open Office is at openoffice.org.