There has to be a thread already in this forum. But. Inspired by this web page: The Top 46 Best-ever Freeware Utilities Name you Must-Have Freeware utility. Mine that are must-haves: Firefox Winamp SpyBot-S&D Editpad Lite Irfanview FastStone Image Viewer
Mine: Opera browser 7-Zip Pidgin (formerly GAIM) instant messenger Free Download Manager uTorrent Open Office Paint .Net Lots of portable software:
The Microsoft PowerToys utilities are great. I can't use a system that doesn't have a few (like Command Line Here or TweakUI) installed.
I have somebody that is going to design a logo for me. Any good free programs out there for that type of stuff?
At least get an illegal copy of a vector-based program. Logos are not to be created in a bitmap based program. Not even photoshop. You and the person that does that thing (logo) and anybody who will have to deal with it (printers, etc...) will have a real nightmare with something created in cheap program because it won't create vectors but rather bitmaps which are impossible to increase in size and will look nasty basically on any media. And of course we could get more technical and talk about the pains of the separations, plates and all that pre-press crap but I won't. Check http://www.maa.org/editorial/mathgames/mathgames_08_01_05.html and see if there is something availabe for you in the "free vector programs" section cheers
i have a freeware that converts videos automatically for my ipod. 'moviepod' and there's another one out there, though I haven't go it yet, where you can download youtube video's and other streaming stuff for your ipod. it's free, but with a suggested donation. and as far as freeware, do the widgets on my desktop count? I love the weather and recipie widget.
what do you mean with imac?? Imac is a computer model. I suppose you mean Apple (as in the apple operative system) Honestly there's quite few good thing on the apple site. both freeware and shareware http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/. Just take your time there. check also http://coolosxapps.net/. This site was previously ran by a fellow designer, but since he sold the site it's gone downhill, but still worth a look.
Notepad++ Spybot S&D VNC WS_FTP LE ...and there is a decent vector based illusrtation app that's GNU on SourceForge... it's called Inkscape ...and for the record I've personally designed and produced dozens of logos in photoshop for many different companies of all sizes.
True freeware, software released under the GPL VLC Azureus WordPress AlphaBaby PuTTy Cyberduck Software that doesn't cost me anything but the companies that release it make a lot of money Firefox Google Earth VMware Server
Everybody should have Snood. It's the single biggest reason why I'm more often than not awake at 2am.
Well basically that's a bit like going against the basics of printing and common sense for any trained individual in print design, though it's acceptable to do it in photoshop if the budget, requirements, expectations (ie never wanting the logo to be enlarged for banners, big ads, etc...) and if a specific look is wanted. You can do a logo in photoshop, but it will basically be crap compared to something created with vectors. My exroommate did some too despite not having any education and having an illegal copy of photoshop, and it doesn't mean he did right. He just did that coz of the limited tools he had and his ignorance. And regarding the big companies....wow..I'm surprised a big company let you or your workplace get you get away with that. Cheers for that. Create a nice logo in photoshop with 4 uncoated pantone inks, use it in a stationary set, now recreate the same logo so that you match the pantone colours to their RGB and CMYK equivalents (without eyeballing it on screen or doing a quick and very inaccurate conversion in the program) so that they can be used in digital and full colour prints as well as for the web and *making sure the colours remain consistent with the brand* (and not just close matches like from 1 navy blue to another navy blue) and use it in different media, from small black and white news paper ads to some big ass billboards without having any pixelation, distortion of pixels, phone calls from annoyed people working the presses, etc... That'd be a nice and useless headache in photoshop. ) but in Illy it'd be a lot easier, faster, and you could stretch it form here to the moon and still have a beautifully sharp logo. btw I just finished at work a job for Hitachi of Canada and nope...I didn't use photoshop for it. coz of the previous things I explained. But hey, we print designers have our own ways to work and create something out of nothing. cheers
I don't do any print design with the exception of logos I make logos and such in photoshop for familiarity/efficiency purposes, and if a client chooses one of the logos I created there I will re-create it in Illustrator, which I SUCK at using. The only time I use Illustrator as an actual tool for design is if Photoshop can't handle the typeface tricks that Illustrator does. Back on topic, I should add that I use OpenOffice.org as my office apps.
'Scuse me while I whip this out...and now a shameless plug for my blog [with some wholly worthwhile links to great freeware]. Great open source downloads Freeware media editors 10 excellent freeware downloads PDF Creator
Most have already been mentioned, but: Audacity (very useful audio recording tool) OpenOffice (if you don't have the cash for Microsoft Office) AVG Anti-Virus (renewing Norton and McAfee get old...) Ubuntu (best Linux OS, imo. I usually stick with Windows, but install Ubuntu on a separate partition on your computer and boot into it when you get bored.)
freeware such as firefox is too insecure to use so i just stick with microsoft products. ie7 beats ff in every aspect whether you like it or not