Free software

[Clitheroekid]

This article may be of interest to anyone running a small business - http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/artic ... tware.618/

I don't know enough about software to know whether the software mentioned is good, bad or indifferent, but the author seems to think it's OK.

Incidentally, there are quite a few interesting articles on the site, and rather like LF there are quite a few helpful posters as well. I would think signing up for it would be quite beneficial for most small businesses.

[UncleEbenezer]

I believe only two of the packages mentioned are actually Free, though others are free.

Most of the best software is Free, including the vast majority of what drives the Internet. To take just one example, the Lemon Fool runs on an entire stack of Free Software. I don't know the full detail beyond what it tells me, but I think it's unlikely to include any non-Free components. Even the biggest and most successful commercial software vendors - like Microsoft and Oracle - are now also extensively involved in Free Software.

More generally, "core" software always tends to be Free. Non-free software has its niches in more specialist applications, and in wrappers that package Free software for users who need the crutch of shrink-wrap. The main exception is Microsoft Windows and Office, though those also use a lot of Free Software under the hood.

[stewamax]

The list of 'free' items in OP's link includes older versions of very expensive items such as Photoshop from Adobe's Creative Suite CS2 from Adobe. The caveat is that it is only for those who originally licensed the package. You can indeed freely download it, but the rider applies. You are on your honour!