With the news of the launch of this week, it appears that now you can do just about anything you would need to using free applications – and maybe without having very much in your skills toolbox.
As the name implies, App Inventor allows you to create an app for the Android platform without being a developer. You just need a cat, apparently.
While Google is definitely showing us what it looks like to be free, easy and cloud-based (you can use to edit and store your photos and for your document needs – including live, shared, multi-user editing), you might not realize you can get full software suites for free. Here is what I use:
The only thing missing from OpenOffice is the Track Changes function from Microsoft Word – and I'm sure someone will develop that soon, since it is an open system and all. OpenOffice is compatible with MS Office formats (.doc, .xls, .ppt, etc.), exports documents to PDF really easily, and in general I've been really impressed with it. I've now been using it exclusively for over two years. It will save you about .
The GNU Image Manipulation Program, or GIMP, is a photo manipulation program that isn't amazing, although it's getting better. If you're a hardcore designer, you still need Photoshop or something more powerful, but if you're just manipulating photos for the Web or for your own personal use, GIMP will save you .
This is a basic FTP client that appears to have become something of a standard. It will save you .
Essentially a built-out version of Microsoft's Notepad, Notepad++ extends from the plain text format by allowing you to save html, css, and other Web-friendly file formats, and it does some helpful formatting, like highlighting the opening and closing tags for you, so you can be sure where you're working. You lose the WYSIWYG editor, which is probably a good thing – you have to learn the HTML. You save either the $280 mentioned on MS Office or .
So now you know my tricks. That's about $1,450 worth of software I just saved you. Now go out and be productive!