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Off Topic => Everything Else => Topic started by: max_cady on February 23, 2014, 04:53:47 pm

Title: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: max_cady on February 23, 2014, 04:53:47 pm
Hey, guys this is the topic where you tell us all about that freeware stuff that you on your PC / MAC that's you feel is better.

Here are some of my personal favs:

7zip - I don't know what Winrar is anymore. It's light, simple and has excellent compression. When formatting and installing Windows on a PC this is always my first app.

SumatraPDF - Good basic reader PDF file reader if you are sick and tired of Adobe's constant updates.

Kingo Android Root - Best one-click Android rooting app around, 'nuff said.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Randroid on February 23, 2014, 10:09:58 pm
GIMP - (photo editing tool in place of photoshop) Fuck Adobe.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Mengels7 on February 24, 2014, 01:10:31 pm
Imgburn - Why pay for any CD burning software when the best one is free?
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: max_cady on February 24, 2014, 03:55:27 pm
CDBurnerXP is also pretty sweet.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: George on February 24, 2014, 11:38:09 pm
Some that I use the most:

Comicrack - because the comic fanboy in me doesn't get every single issue weekly and have to read it anyway (I get 65 comics a month, so spare me the priacy nonsense).


Foobar2000 - Super customization music player that plays everything? Yes!


Audacity - I used this to edit over 50 episodes of the Swingin' Report Show.


VLC Player - Throw any video file at this, it keeps playing.


I never really used GIMP, only Photoshop.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Barry the Nomad on February 25, 2014, 09:16:11 am
I'm going to have to side with Photoshop. Then again, I'm a graphic designer and I do a lot more than just editing photos. I also use InDesign and Illustrator.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Happy Cat on February 25, 2014, 02:52:03 pm
some of my favorites are GIMP, InkScape, and Sublime Text, Although Sublime text isn't technically free, but it's open source, and is great software.

I know lots of people love Blender (3D Software)

GIMP is good if you're doing photo edits, and Inkscape is good if you're creating vector art. I've tried making a web layout on inkscape before and it just doesn't work for me. I suppose I should give it a try with gimp somtime. If you are doing print work though, neither Inkscape or GIMP are good for you. They both have issues with print work. Sadly, Adobe dominates the design world, and this is one of those reasons.

I also love 7zip and fully agree with MaxCady about how great it is.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: max_cady on February 26, 2014, 02:11:48 am
Unfortunately that is also true for me as well. Before migrating to Photoshop, I've had used Paint.net for my photo and image edditing, but for work I'm doing... free image editting software doesn't even come close to the migthy Photoshop.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: RegalSin on March 04, 2014, 07:01:40 pm
Internet  - Internet is basically a giant freeware package of information. Which is now being attacked thru abuse of the law, by everybody who thinks youtube, twitter,and facebook changed the world. It allowed all of these non-savy clusty phucks, to communicate with each other, and penetrate our peaceful universe. Ever heard of the "house of Un-americans, welcome to the internet.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: MadeManG74 on March 04, 2014, 07:20:20 pm

Comicrack - because the comic fanboy in me doesn't get every single issue weekly and have to read it anyway (I get 65 comics a month, so spare me the priacy nonsense).
I also use Comic rack, but holy shit, 65 a month? I might be reading 10 series and I thought that was a lot.

Also are you enjoying Deadly Class? I was really disappointing with the first issue despite the art being really nice.

Also every anti-virus that's free is better than Norton. Hell most viruses are better than Norton.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: George on March 04, 2014, 07:48:16 pm
I also use Comic rack, but holy shit, 65 a month? I might be reading 10 series and I thought that was a lot.

Also are you enjoying Deadly Class? I was really disappointing with the first issue despite the art being really nice.

Also every anti-virus that's free is better than Norton. Hell most viruses are better than Norton.
I also use Comic rack, but holy shit, 65 a month? I might be reading 10 series and I thought that was a lot.

Also are you enjoying Deadly Class? I was really disappointing with the first issue despite the art being really nice.

Also every anti-virus that's free is better than Norton. Hell most viruses are better than Norton.
LIke you said, I really like the art, but the first issue seemed slow. The potential is there, but it sorta 'didn't move' much, barely teasing whats to come. I guess I have to give it a few issues before I decide if I should dump it.

I'm feeling like I'm going to dumb Amazing X-Men at the moment. But at the moment thats the only title I feel like dropping.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Randroid on March 05, 2014, 01:08:50 am
Hell go all the way, Ubuntu. A free, user-friendly, Linux distribution to run as your main Os. Drop Windows altogether.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Happy Cat on March 05, 2014, 11:11:09 am
Hell go all the way, Ubuntu. A free, user-friendly, Linux distribution to run as your main Os. Drop Windows altogether.

I'd switch to mainly using Linux if I didn't have to rely on adobe products. Hopefully one day I'll have enough money to buy a Mac. I think that is the closest I'll ever get to using adobe products on linux LOL. OS X is based off Unix and has a terminal, so close enough to linux for me.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: George on March 05, 2014, 12:55:34 pm
This? : https://www.apple.com/mac-pro/
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Happy Cat on March 05, 2014, 02:43:47 pm
This? : https://www.apple.com/mac-pro/

Nah.. that thing is way too over priced for the hardware that comes inside of it.

I think even a Mac mini would be powerful enough to serve my needs, but those are over priced too!

If i ever got an OS X based PC it would be an Apple Macbook Pro. While still overpriced, they at least justify themselves. Most PC laptops are pure junk.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Emmett The Crab on March 06, 2014, 01:06:53 am
Actually if you bought the hardware components separately for the mac pro, it would cost more than buying the computer.  But it's total overkill unless you're editing 4K video.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Happy Cat on March 06, 2014, 11:55:18 am
Actually if you bought the hardware components separately for the mac pro, it would cost more than buying the computer.  But it's total overkill unless you're editing 4K video.

You're right about it costing more trying to build it on your own. That actually surprised me. I went on newegg and started looking up components. Doesn't cost a ton more but it does core more. I guess Apple's pro products don't take advantage of people. I find that highly surprising. Though, like you said, the average person doesn't need that much power, that's an insane amount of power. $1000 server CPU and two professional GPU's each at $700.

Anyways. I've decided I'm going to try installing linux in a Virtual Machine and use that for web development related things. that way I still got easy access to the adobe programs I need to use, but can make my stuff on the OS that all servers use (Linux!) and take advantage of terminal tools that work best on Linux.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Emmett The Crab on March 07, 2014, 01:08:31 am
I think the idea that Apple takes advantage of people at all is a stereotype people use to feel better about not buying apple stuff... Like the console wars. 

Mac OSX 10.9 Mavericks is free, and we put it on 4 computers.  The last time I bought Windows 8 it cost $250.00 for one license.  People should just buy whatever they are happy and comfortable with. 
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Nameless 24 on March 07, 2014, 06:18:02 am
I'm going to have to side with Photoshop. Then again, I'm a graphic designer and I do a lot more than just editing photos. I also use InDesign and Illustrator.

*High Fives*

Hmmmm....I can't think any I use really. I guess Photobucket? I used to use Imageshack but that's behind a paywall and it restricted how large a file can be, not on Photobucket (at least so far), and you can edit IN it unlike Imageshack.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: George on March 09, 2014, 01:56:59 pm
Best image hosting site by far: www.imgur.com
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Happy Cat on March 09, 2014, 10:18:15 pm
I think the idea that Apple takes advantage of people at all is a stereotype people use to feel better about not buying apple stuff... Like the console wars. 

Mac OSX 10.9 Mavericks is free, and we put it on 4 computers.  The last time I bought Windows 8 it cost $250.00 for one license.  People should just buy whatever they are happy and comfortable with. 

It's not a stereotype, most of their products have a massive profit margin. Which, if you have the money to buy all that, then more power to you. I see though that they realize they can't get away with ripping off professionals, because professionals are too knowledgeable about their field.

the money it costs to get an imac or mac mini, if you use that same money amount of money to build a PC, you will get a much more powerful machine.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Happy Cat on March 10, 2014, 10:04:32 am
I like most OS. I don't favor any one in particular. Just thought I'd mention that. If I had the money to buy a Mac then I would probably have one in front of me right now. I like the OS, just not the cost of entry.

My main OS right now is Windows 8, I've used Linux in the past. I would like to switch to Linux if it supported all the programs I needed to use and had better driver support.
Title: Re: When Freeware is better than the Paid Stuff...
Post by: Randroid on March 13, 2014, 12:37:00 pm
Same.

If gaming was linux driven then I'd go linux and would never look back. Here's hoping Steam drives it that way by decades end.

My work forces me to use OSx. OSx is the must frustrating of the three to use by far. The be fair though, I haven't upgraded to Maverick yet.