| Microsoft is probably the richest software | | | | documents. |
| corporation in the world. They make money on | | | | |
| selling software plus they also make money | | | | I just upgraded my computer and gave my old |
| when you need help with one of their software | | | | one to my younger brother. Now this old |
| products by charging you for support. I | | | | computer has windows on it but knowing my |
| remember when Microsoft released DOS 6.0 and | | | | brother if he ever gets a virus he will not |
| millions of computers around the world | | | | be able to handle it. Knowing this I am |
| crashed because the software had a lot of | | | | thinking about converting my brother over to |
| bugs. You would think then that a company | | | | Linux because all he uses now is Dreamweaver |
| would have to fix this problem free of charge | | | | and MS office and I think he would be |
| but not Microsoft, they charged you for the | | | | perfectly happy with open source software. |
| upgrade to DOS 6.2 which fixed the problem in | | | | Plus if there are 10 viruses that can hit |
| the product DOS 6.0. | | | | Windows then there would only be less than |
| | | | one virus for the Linux operating system. |
| Over the past decade I have spent a fortune | | | | |
| on all sorts of different software products | | | | In the old days Linux like Unix was all done |
| but those days are over. I have found a great | | | | at command prompt but nowadays they have a |
| solution where the software is free, you just | | | | graphical interface which looks like a |
| either make a donation or pay for support. | | | | Windows clone. Over the years I have bought a |
| Now with this type of software, besides being | | | | lot of software that I later discovered |
| relatively inexpensive, you a free to use it | | | | somebody had obtained as open source and then |
| as is or if you are a programmer you can | | | | modified it. If you want to make money as a |
| modify it. Most of this software will either | | | | designer of software then rather then |
| run as a stand alone product or software like | | | | starting from ground zero you can get an open |
| a Content Manager you install it to the host | | | | source application and just add a few |
| where you have web hosting and you can just | | | | modifications. This will greatly reduce the |
| run it in a browser like IE. | | | | time it takes for designing a new software |
| | | | app... |
| I used to use Dreamweaver to design all my | | | | |
| websites but we're talking at least several | | | | Now another kind of software that is |
| hundred dollars just for the Dreamweaver and | | | | practically free is what is called freeware. |
| if you want the complete suite which is | | | | The difference between open source and |
| Macromedia studio then you're looking at | | | | freeware is that the Freeware application has |
| spending over a thousand dollars. Now with | | | | already been compiled and you are not able to |
| this package the only support that is | | | | modify it or even replicate the coding. I, |
| included is the stuff that is in the manuals | | | | myself, when looking for software have mainly |
| that comes with the package. If you want | | | | just been looking for applications that I can |
| support in plain english then you are going | | | | use. Usually I will see an advertisement for |
| to have to pay for additional support. | | | | a product with a lot of features that I would |
| | | | find useful. I then look for either a |
| Nowadays I am using an Open Source product | | | | Freeware or open source package that has the |
| called VNU which has a Windows version but it | | | | same features. This is one way that I save |
| also has a version for the Macintosh and for | | | | money. |
| Linux which I'm thinking about converting | | | | |
| over to. Rather than paying for a package | | | | If you want more information on what you can |
| like Microsoft office I am using OpenOffice | | | | do with open source software they all follow |
| which is a free open source solution. | | | | a general license which if you do a search on |
| OpenOffice has a lot more features than the | | | | a site like Google you will be able to find |
| standard Microsoft Office, it incorporates | | | | many references regarding this open license. |
| Adobe acrobat by letting you create PDF | | | | |