Software: Cash-strapped students (and everyone else) have access to free software - by Marc Saltzman

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.

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

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.

Note EU-Digest: also check out Open Source for Windows which features a wide variety of free open source software.

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