A lot of the time people choose software because of what everyone else is using, which is a good enough reason. If lots of people are happily using a product then it must meet their requirements, probably be stable and have good support.
Alternative Software Choices
But sometimes you may need a software product for a short term project or can’t afford the high cost of some of the most popular packages.
For example you may need to edit a photo for a brochure you are creating, but the $500 cost of Adobe Photoshop is too much for this one time use. There are alternatives, some of which are free, but still have all of the same functionality as the higher cost products. Also some companies provide ‘cut down’ versions of their premium software packages such as Adobe Photoshop Elements.
Some dis-advantage associated with alternative software are sometimes there maybe a lack of end user help and support, the latest security or bug fixes or latest features, but these are usually out-weighed by the cost savings.
Some places to find Alternatives Sources of Software
alternativeTo
This website lists alternatives software packages for Windows, Mac, Linux, Online and Mobile OSes such as IPhone, Android, Windows and S60. Enter a software package and you will be given equivalents or alternatives which are rated by users so that you can see how popular it is. You can also filter the choices by the type of license you are looking for such as Commercial, Freeware or Open source
Open Source as Alternative
Osalt only lists open source alternatives to commercial or closed-source software. Look for the Commercial package and you will be given alternatives to it and can see which operating system platforms it is available for.
Similar Site
This website helps you find similar websites for example if you used GMail.com for your email, but wanted an alternative then enter in the URL of the website you are currently using and you will be given a list of websites that provide similar services.
Gizmo’s Freeware
Under the Freeware Categories section you will find a list of software categories, which then break down to the ‘Best of’ in each, such as ‘The Best Email Client’. There are usually very good descriptions of each alternative product and there are rating and discussions to help you choose.
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