There is a secret that is kept among computer nerds all over the world. If this secret gets out, Microsoft and Adobe might have a fit! There are free programs that can perform the same functions as major commercial software programs. These programs are referred to as “open source software.”

Open source software (as defined by the Open Source Initiative) must meet 10 strictly defined criteria to be considered as such, the main one being it must be free! Why is this of benefit to the average consumer? You can get business, graphic design, web development, video production, etc. software for free that performs the same operations of major commercial software products.

Here are some of the open source software programs that I use on a regular basis…

1. Open Office–So you just bought a new computer and it has that annoying 60 day trial of Microsoft Office. There is no need to worry, this office suite of programs can open, read, edit, and save documents in the Microsoft Office suite formats. I have not used Microsoft Office since I learned about Open Office. The other reality is Microsoft Office Suites start at around $400US unless you get the student version that just comes with Word, Excel, and Power Point for around $150US. Free always sounds better to me!

2. Scribus–Microsoft Publisher is a good program that I’ve used in the past. I am also fond of Adobe InDesign. These programs are really good for desktop publishing such as creating brochures, magazines, etc. Scribus is a mixture of the two programs that is free. It leans more towards InDesign in terms of functionality. I’ve used Scribus for the past two years and I like it better than the above mentioned programs. Adobe InDesign costs around $700US to purchase. Microsoft Publisher costs around $170US to purchase.

3. GIMP–There is no doubt when it comes to graphic design Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard. Photoshop is a great program, but if you cannot afford Photoshop I recommend GIMP. I use GIMP instead of Photoshop as my primary graphic design software just because I find GIMP is easier to use in my opinion. You can do everything in GIMP that you can do in Photoshop. Photoshop costs approximately $700US to purchase.

For more information on other Open Source Software Programs visit the Open Source as Alternative Website . On this site you can put any commercial software in the search bar and it will show you all of the open source software programs that can perform the same functions.