We live in a golden age of computer software, where there are freely available software packages for almost any purpose. But isn’t there no such thing as a free lunch? Who makes free software, and why?
Some free software is the result of people simply writing programs that they find useful and sharing them with others. Some free software is ad-supported. Other free software packages are given away using the “freemium” model, which means the basic version is free with some advanced features available for paying customers. Still other free software packages are made available by large companies as enticement to get you to try their other software.
With these options and the easy access to software that the internet provides, there are tons of great software choices out there that you don’t have to pay a dime for.
Dispatches From The Front 