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View Full Version : Whoa, everything on here is free...



chessnerd
January 28th, 2010, 08:29 AM
Recently, every once and a while, I'll be hit with a sudden realization that all the software running at the moment on my computer is completely free. I didn't pay a single cent for this OS or this browser or this office suite or any of it. It's all free.

Not only is it free, it isn't trialware or "Ad-Sponsored" or some silly "Lite Edition." This is the full edition with all the features included. And still, I didn't have to pay for it.

Has anyone else ever have one of these moments?

I'm not saying that Linux is perfect, but I have to say, it's pretty amazing that people are willing to share this stuff without asking for anything in return.

wirate
January 28th, 2010, 08:32 AM
People in my area dont usually get this feeling because they dont pay for any kind of software (be it Windows or whatever). Piracy you know :)

chessnerd
January 28th, 2010, 08:37 AM
People in my area dont usually get this feeling because they dont pay for any kind of software (be it Windows or whatever). Piracy you know :)

Well, maybe I should append my post to say: "Whoa, everything on here is free and the developers are fine with the fact that I got it that way..."

I don't do piracy (software, music, or otherwise) for a long list of moral, ethical, legal, ideological, and personal reasons that don't really belong in this thread. Maybe if Linux really takes off OS piracy will no longer be an issue.

baddog144
January 28th, 2010, 08:39 AM
If Linux takes off, it's possible there will be a surge in the number of commercial distros. Thus people would pirate Linux, which sounds rather bizarre.


DISCLAIMER: The text above is not necessarily sensical

wirate
January 28th, 2010, 08:41 AM
I don't do piracy (software, music, or otherwise) for a long list of moral, ethical, legal, ideological, and personal reasons that don't really belong in this thread. Maybe if Linux really takes off OS piracy will no longer be an issue.
agreed

FuturePilot
January 28th, 2010, 08:47 AM
Recently, every once and a while, I'll be hit with a sudden realization that all the software running at the moment on my computer is completely free. I didn't pay a single cent for this OS or this browser or this office suite or any of it. It's all free.

Not only is it free, it isn't trialware or "Ad-Sponsored" or some silly "Lite Edition." This is the full edition with all the features included. And still, I didn't have to pay for it.

Has anyone else ever have one of these moments?

I'm not saying that Linux is perfect, but I have to say, it's pretty amazing that people are willing to share this stuff without asking for anything in return.

Yes, I have one of those moments every once in a while.

cronos
January 28th, 2010, 10:05 AM
This is why I decided to move permanently to Ubuntu. When I was using Windows, I was using freeware and open-source software. I also prefer to support the community.

Kai69
January 28th, 2010, 12:28 PM
We brought our kids a laptop for xmas Advent Roma 3000 it had Windows 7 but all the stuff that was on it was trial this and trial that such as webcam app 60 days antivirus software 30 days MS works 30 days the list goes on why bother, It only ever happens with PC products why? so i spent boxing day getting rid of all of that and put open source software on it the one that caused more complaints was open office, Missus uses ms son didnt realise his school used it but now the missus has used open office shes ok about it.
As for Piracy do you blame people for doing it if youve just brought a pc / lappy and found out everything is trial based :P

Laptop £399.00
Webcam app £30.00
MS works £100.00
Antivirus £50.00
Photo editing £100.00

I use ubuntu because i lost windows after it crashed yet again and found out a lot more about computers and open software it opened my eyes.

Ozor Mox
January 28th, 2010, 12:39 PM
If Linux takes off, it's possible there will be a surge in the number of commercial distros. Thus people would pirate Linux, which sounds rather bizarre.


DISCLAIMER: The text above is not necessarily sensical


Well, actually they would only be pirating the proprietary bits that these commercial distributors put on top of the free stuff. The Linux kernel and all the free software that traditionally sits on top of it (GNU, Xorg, GNOME...) can't be "pirated" in the common sense of the word. Of course, the GPL licence can be violated though.

Oh and yes, I frequently feel exactly like the OP does when it occurs to me that Ubuntu continues to chug along so nicely despite all the stuff I've installed, configured, mucked about with, broken and so on.

Swagman
January 28th, 2010, 12:53 PM
I use ubuntu because i lost windows after it crashed yet again and found out a lot more about computers and open software it opened my eyes.

This is happening more and more. People Don't go and buy the latest version of Windows, they get it when they buy new machines (coz it's already on it). They are holding off buying new machines coz the one they are using is probably "Only" two years old and cost an arm and a leg to buy anyway.

Now the O/s on it is b0rked and they can't find the poxy restore disk anymore (or the activation is fubared). THEN they hear of the alternative (They actually start listening) and "give it a thrash" as they have nothing to lose anyway.

They then come into work/pub and say stuff like "I installed that YouBuntoo thingy, looks ok and bugger it's fast but how do you......."

And so it starts. They actually start using their brains and discover they LIKE using their brains. Their computers become "Fun" again instead of being a dumb terminal.

Kai69
January 28th, 2010, 01:18 PM
Thats what i couldnt understand when i was looking around for an alternative to Windows I typed linux into google (how many versions) ok try top 5 linux distros Ubuntu ok try that LOL
Ok the missus calls it OBONGO but its fast free not pirated and when you find all the free stuff you can help other people using windows by installing freeware instead of them using pirated stuff. Now the more i read about ms practeses the more i detest them look at OLPC they wanted to charge for it 3rd world countrys have a right to the technology that we take for granted and if they can use linux os than all the better because its free.

Skara Brae
January 28th, 2010, 01:28 PM
Has anyone else ever have one of these moments?
I have such moments. And then I am as stunned (in a good way) as you.

Linux is amazing. An entire OS, and more, for free!

The Linux developers are amazing. For sharing the product of their talents with everyone else.

Berk
January 28th, 2010, 01:35 PM
Yeps, I get this occasionally.
Most recently was while doing an assignment for University, we needed software to do a Gantt Chart. The others in my group were all using a trial version that needed mucking around with to get rid of the big "This is a trial version" notice that covered the top half of the page. I found a free planner programme in Synaptic, my did that make my day.
Sometimes it takes a bit more work to find, or learn the free software equivalants but it's worth it, I think in my next holiday I'm going to have a look at some of the statistical software there is for linux ready for writing up my Specialist Study, as opposed to trying to grab the free trial of the $400 software my lecturer pointed out.

Ozor Mox
January 28th, 2010, 02:30 PM
Ok the missus calls it OBONGO

Lol! My dad has, at various times, called it "Ugabi" and "Ingibi", but never yet "Ubuntu"! :D

KegHead
January 28th, 2010, 03:08 PM
Hi!

Ubuntu only.

KegHead

3rdalbum
January 28th, 2010, 03:11 PM
I'd only ever really used freeware or shareware before as I didn't have the money to buy software.

When I switched to Ubuntu I sorta didn't realise at first that there was any difference in terms of the 'freeness' of the software. But about 2 months into my journey, I realised "Hey, none of this software is nagging me to pay $10 for it". And that's when I realised that this was as much my software as anyone else's.