Cash-strapped students have access to free software

By Marc Saltzman, Special for USA TODAY
Updated 23h 37m ago

If you spend time online, the expressions, "You get what you pay for," and, "Nothing in this world is free," don't necessarily apply.

Students heading back to school can find hundreds of free programs to download or use as online-only applications. While they might not be as feature-rich as their paid counterparts, you might be surprised at what's available.
Put away your wallet and take note of these freebies for personal computers.

Productivity suites
Both Microsoft and Google offer free productivity programs — namely, Microsoft Office Web Apps and Google Docs— but they require an Internet connection.

However, Apache's OpenOffice is a downloadable, offline suite of productivity tools for word processing, creating spreadsheets and presentations, and more. OpenOffice is available in multiple languages and runs on many operating systems, and you can install it on as many computers as you like. The software suite supports a wide range of file types created by other programs (including Microsoft Office's .doc, .xls and .ppt).

Also available for Windows, Mac and Linux is LibreOffice, another feature-rich and free software suite with a word processor, presentation maker, spreadsheet creator and other programs. Windows and Linux users can also download SoftMaker Office 2008, an older but free version of a more recent commercial product.

Backup and security
Students know it's important to back up important computer files to protect them from theft, fire, flood, damaging viruses and power surges. But external hard drives, USB thumbsticks and recordable DVDs can also be damaged or stolen. That's why an online ("cloud") storage solution is a good idea. Your files are stored off site in a password-protected locker, if you will, and you can access them from virtually any Internet-enabled device, anywhere on the planet. (Tip: Hedge your bets by using both an off-line and online solution.)

There are a number of reliable cloud providers that offer a few gigabytes of free storage, including Dropbox, SkyDrive, Apple iCloud, Google Drive, SugarSync and Box, to name a few. Most of these services also have free apps for smartphones and tablets, so you can access your files while on the go.

Microsoft's SkyDrive, for example, offers up to 7 GB of free storage per account — or up to 25 GB if you signed up before this past spring. You can partition part of your storage for friends and family to access with a different password (or none at all), which is better than clogging someone's inbox by trying to e-mail large photos or other files. All you need is a Windows ID, such as a valid Hotmail address.

Another way to protect data is through a free anti-malware (malicious software) solution. There are several good options for Windows users. The most popular, according to Cnet's Download.com, is Avast Free Antivirus, plus there's also AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2012, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Microsoft Security Essentials. When it ships on Oct. 26, Windows 8 will come preloaded with anti-malware software from Microsoft.

Mac users might opt for Avast Free Anti-virus for Mac or Sophos.
Students can also check with their Internet Service Provider to see if they offer a free anti-virus solution.

More freebies to consider
A few other freeware suggestions for students on a budget:
•There are many good, free photo-editing tools, but Gimp might be the most robust, thanks to its powerful editing features, digital retouching, multiple file support and customizable interface options. The free download works with Windows, Mac, Linux and other operating systems.
•Skype is a free way to talk with friends and family who also have a Skype account, via a computer, smartphone, tablet or television. If your laptop doesn't have an integrated webcam for video calling, you can pick one up on the cheap. You can also text chat, exchange files or "Skype Out" to land lines or mobile phones for a few cents a minute.
•Google offers a ton of handy software and services at no charge. Google Earth, for instance, offers a free virtual rendering of the entire planet — including the ability to zoom in down to street level using satellite imagery or a street view.

Cash-strapped students have access to free software