SOFTWARE

As the head of an IT company, I get frequent requests to get "hooked up" with software. Of course we cannot condone illegally copying software, but rather than just saying no, I try to suggest an alternative. Providing free open source software is a great opportunity for us to show that there are alternatives to help meet your needs without spending a fortune.

If someone wants Microsoft Office, I give them a CD with Open Office and suggest they give it a try. If they need an anti-virus, I give them a copy of either the free Comodo or free AVG. If they need a Firewall, I give them the free ZoneAlarm or Comodo. These recommendations are apps that real people use everyday, at work and at home, for all kinds of tasks. They're tried and tested, and some of the best tools you can get. Most of these programs are open-source, which means their source code is available for use and modification as others see fit. Unlike commercial software, open source authors are eager to see their products distributed widely, and are usually more interested in making a quality product than in hooking customers into an assembly line process that constantly extracts money from the users.

Usually the first thing people will ask is “what about support”. I have found that the online support for some open source software is better than the support for a lot of commercial software.

SourceForge (www.sourceforge.net), is one of the best sites for finding open-source software. There are other sites such as SnapFiles.com, Nonags.com, or FreewareArena.org that also have high quality freeware and open source products that can do just about anything we need.

­And by the way, once you get started with free software, it's hard to stop.

But before you start downloading, make sure to protect yourself. It is possible to get a Virus or Trojan Horse.

There are, of course, times when you need to shell out money for a commercial product. But it seems to me you should at least try some of the free products before shelling out big bucks for something that may not be any better for your purposes.

This list is my personal pick of the "best of the best."