by Jonathan Sescon

Instead of screaming “arrrrrrh!” from your home computer, complaining that the Ateneo internet blocks torrents, learning that the file you downloaded contains keyloggers that posted all your keystrokes on the internet, or doing anything punishable by the Anti-Cybercrime Act, why not use free alternatives to pricey software? Unless you really need the power given by these pricey software, then these free alternatives should suffice.

If you want to avail of the following software without using your precious internet bandwidth, then visit gearbox.compsat.org, and suit yourself with what we are offering.

Again, if you really need to have the best power that none of these alternatives can deliver, then by all means, buy that software. Nevertheless, whatever software you use, make sure to exhaust its fullest potential.

Gimp (Alternative to Adobe Photoshop)

The most popular Photoshop alternative is GIMP, available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. It has a lot of Photoshop’s features, plus it runs lightly, and supports Photoshop files. This is the closest thing to a free photo-manipulating software can get to Photoshop.

If you’re on Windows, and you are a noob in photo editing, then why not check Paint.NET? It also supports Photoshop files and it’s free. What’s more is that it is an easy-to-use program that’s a perfect step-up from MS Paint, hence the name Paint.NET. If you want to edit memes fast, then this is probably the tool you are looking for.

Inkscape (Alternative to Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw)

If GIMP is the free Photoshop, then Inkscape is the free Illustrator. Inkscape also runs on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. This software is perfect for creating vector graphics. This is useful when creating CompSAt promo materials (for the sake of uniformity, all CompSAt promos must be in some form of vector art) and Geek Shirts.

LibreOffice (Alternative to Microsoft Office)

MS Office is still the standard; however, that doesn’t mean that there are no good alternatives out there. One of the most popular alternatives is LibreOffice, available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. It supports MS Office files, and for the most part meets the needs of the average user.

Microsoft Security Essentials (Alternative to Any Paid Antivirus Software)

If you are annoyed by notifications from your antivirus software telling you that your trial has expired and that you need to pay, then uninstall it quickly and replace it with Microsoft Security Essentials. Actually just as a tip, as soon as you buy a laptop with an antivirus trial, you should replace that trial with Essentials. You are not getting most of the features of a full antivirus suite, but by practicing good browsing habits (a.k.a. not believing you are the one millionth customer, only going to known above 18 sites, which are frankly more secure than some popular sites), Essentials can suffice. Essentials ranks highly in detection, even more so than a lot of paid antivirus software.

If you are on Mac OS, then try Avira or Avast. However, Macs are not as susceptible to viruses as Windows, mostly due to hackers preferring to target the more dominant operating system. If you’re on Linux, then try Clamshell antivirus. I don’t know why hackers will try to get Linux, so for the most part, you should be safe without an antivirus in Linux.

Multiple Alternatives to Paid Video Editors

For light uses, Windows Live Movie Maker should suffice. All you need is a Microsoft Account, which is free, and you’re good to go. For any film less than 30 minutes, Movie Maker should suffice. If you want a professional suite, you might want to check the free version of Lightworks. Lightworks is the choice of many editors in Hollywood, mostly because of its sheer power. However, it scares the hell out of novices. If you want to use Lightworks, then prepare to be flabbergasted by its learning curve. However, there are numerous tutorials online on how to operate it, so you shouldn’t feel intimidated.

*all images taken from Wikipedia.