Freeware and Open Source

Software: Why Bother?

James E. Corbly

ARLD Day 2015

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Chaska, Minnesota

Topics to be Explored

• What are the different types of software?

• How are open source software and freeware

licensed?

• Where can I get freeware and open source

software?

• What are some freeware and open source

equivalents to commercial software?

Why be Concerned with Freeware and

Open Source Software?

• Freeware and open source software is cost-

effective.

• Freeware and open source software increase the

value of computer hardware.

• Freeware and open source software help

librarians become better librarians.

Freeware and Open Source Software

are Problem-Solving Tools!

workschedules.com/Store/Product/

Picture_Time_Clock.aspx

Types of Software

• Commercial.

• Shareware.

• Adware.

• Freeware.

• Open Source (public-domain).

Types of Software

• Freeware.

– Copyrighted software given away by the author.

– Author retains copyright, so users cannot alter the

software.

– Author allows individuals to use the software but not

sell it.

– Some usage limitations may apply - for nonprofit

usage.

Types of Software

• Open source software (public-domain software).

– Source code can be modified - not copyrighted.

– Can be used without restriction.

– Usually created as a collaborative effort.

– Improved code is shared within the community of

users.

– Exactly the opposite of commercial software.

Characteristics of Freeware and Open

Source Software

• International productions.

• Sometimes no technical support or documentation

but active user groups (communities).

• Many commercial firms offer free versions of

their software – Paragon, AVG, others.

• Frequent unannounced updates.

Other Notes

• Most people use freeware and open source

software everyday - browsers, Web network

software, templates, etc.

• Many freeware and open source software

packages are standards in their field - CCleaner,

Audacity, Apache HTTP Server.

• Largest supplier of freeware - Microsoft.

Open Source Licenses

• General Public License (GPL).

• Berkeley Software Distribution Licenses

(BSDL).

General Public License

• Most widely used open source license – 68% of

open source software.

• First version written by Richard Stallman (Univ.

of Pittsburgh) in 1989.

• Modified to keep pace with changing times.

• Third version - 2007.

General Public License

• GPL is concerned with three activities:

– Freely copying software.

– Freely distributing software.

– Freely modifying the code of the software.

• Copyleft – method of making a program free and

requires all modified versions to be free.

Berkeley Software Distribution License

• Family of licenses, each of which can be

modified to meet a specific need.

• Originated at the University of California –

1980.

• Restrictions:

– Software distributed “as is.”

– No warranties on the software or its suitability for

any purpose.

Other Open Source Licenses

• Mozilla Public License.

• NASA Open Source Agreement.

• Apache Software License.

• Common Public License.

• Not less than 72 open source licenses.

Freeware Licensing

• Not as uniform as open source licensing.

• No equivalent to General Public License.

• Rights and responsibilities of the copyright

holder and the software user vary from program

to program.

Freeware Licensing

• Common clauses.

– Copyright is retained by the author of the software.

– Software user may install and use the software for

any legal purpose.

– The software may be installed and used only on a

specified number of computers.

Freeware Licensing

• Common clauses.

– Software may be freely copied and distributed as

long as the original copyright notice remains intact.

– No fees may be charged for copies of the freeware

other than distribution costs.

– Software provided “as is” - the copyright holder is

not liable for any damages resulting from product

usage.

Freeware Licensing

• Common clauses.

– Limits of use.

• Personal or noncommercial use only.

• Limits on software use with other programs.

• Restrictions on use over a network.

• Licenses vary in length – a few paragraphs to

several pages.

Good Practice

• Copy the text of a license to a blank document in

your word processor.

• Keep the document with the text of the license in

the master file of the software.

Where can people find freeware and

open source software?

download.cnet.com/

majorgeeks.com

filehorse.com

filehippo.com

freewarefiles.com

listoffreeware.com

sourceforge.net

microsoft.com/en-us/download/default.aspx

alternativeto.net

Free Alternatives to Commercial

Software

• Office suites:

– LibreOffice - https://www.libreoffice.org/

– Apache OpenOffice - https://www.openoffice.org/

– Lotus Symphony - http://www-03.ibm.com/

software/products/en/lotusymp

– Ssuite - http://www.ssuitesoft.com/

– Kingsoft Office - http://www.kingsoftstore.com/

kingsoft-office-freeware.html

Free Alternatives to Commercial

Software

• Library management systems:

– Koha - http://www.koha.org/

– Evergreen - http://evergreen-ils.org/

– SLIM21 - http://slimpp.com/slim21site/ about_

slim21.htm

– OpenBiblio - http://obiblio.sourceforge.net/

– WEBLIS - http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-

URL_ID=16840&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC

&URL_SECTION=201.html

Free Alternatives to Commercial

Software

• Library of Congress freeware:

– Arabic Translitrator - http://sourceforge.net/projects/

translitrator/files/

– FRBR Display Tool - http://www.loc.gov/

marc/marc-functional-analysis/tool.html

– Marc RTP - http://rossjohnson.homemail.com.au/

MARCRTP/

– Other free software programs - http://www.loc.gov/

marc/marctools.html

Free Alternatives to Commercial

Software

• Anti-Malware:

– Ad-Aware Free AntiVirus + - http://www.lavasoft.

com/ products/ad_aware_free.php

– Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free - https://www.

malwarebytes.org/downloads/

– Norman Malware Cleaner - http://norman-malware-

cleaner.findmysoft.com/#

– SpyDLLRemover - http://securityxploded.com/

spydllremover.php

Free Alternatives to Commercial

Software

• Anti-Virus:

– Avast - https://www.avast.com/en-us/download-

thank-you.php?product=FAV-AVAST&locale=

en-us

– AVG - http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage

– Avira - http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus

– Microsoft Security Essentials - http://windows.

microsoft.com/en-US/windows/security-

essentials-download

Free Alternatives to Commercial

Software

• Calendars/Information Managers:

– Efficient Calendar Free - http://www.

efficientcalendar.com/freeedition.htm

– EssentialPIM Free - http://essentialpim.com/pc-

version

– Evolution - https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Evolution/

– TreePad Lite - http://www.treepad.com/

download/tplitewin.html

– Rainlendar Lite - http://rainlendar.net/cms/

index.php?option=com_rny_download

Free Alternatives to Commercial

Software

• File Shredders:

– CyberShredder - http://cylog.org/utilities/

cybershredder.jsp

– File Shredder - http://fileshredder.org/

– Files Terminator Free - http://elefantsoftware-en.

weebly.com/files-terminator.html

– Free File Shredder - http://www.kakasoft.com/file-

shredder/

Free Alternatives to Commercial

Software

• Firewalls:

– Comodo Firewall - https://www.comodo.com/

– Privatefirewall - http://www.privacyware.com/

personal_firewall.html

– TinyWall - http://tinywall.pados.hu/

– ZoneAlarm Free Firewall - http://www.zonealarm.

com/security/en-us/zonealarm-pc-security-free-

firewall.htm

Free Alternatives to Commercial

Software

• Firewalls:

– Look for a firewall which keeps you safe from

inbound and outbound attacks.

– Install a firewall that updates security lists of viruses,

spyware, and other dangers (manually or

automatically).

– Obtain a firewall which makes you invisible on the

Internet.

Free Alternatives to Commercial

Software

• PDF Software:

– PDFedit - http://pdfedit.cz/en/index.html

– PDFill PDF Tools - https://www.pdfill.com/

pdf_tools_free.html

– PDF to Flip Book - http://www.flipbuilder.com/free-

pdf-to-flip-book/

– PDF reDirect - http://exp-systems.com/

– UniPDF - http://unipdf.com/

Free Alternatives to Commercial

Software

• System utilities:

– Auslogics Disk Defrag - http://www.auslogics.com/

en/software/disk-defrag/

– CCleaner - http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

– Gadwin PrintScreen- http://www.gadwin.com/

printscreen/

– Glary Utilities - http://www.glarysoft.com/glary-

utilities/

– Pandora Recovery - http://pandorarecovery.com/

http://www.majorgeeks.com/

news/story/majorgeeks_top_

freeware_picks.html

And Remember . . .

Before Installing ANY Software from

ANY Source -

• Check the software with a good anti-virus

program, and

• Check the software with a good anti-malware

program.

http://ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/ital/article/view/5105

Contact Information:James E. Corbly1010 8th. St. NWAustin, MN 55912-2035Phone: 507.434.0499Skype: james.e.corblyE-mail: James.Corbly@gmail.com