Open source software is free software. It’s often presented in a public forum through the Internet and users can download the program for free almost instantly. Users can also share the programs with others and make modifications to it at no cost. Donations can be made to support the program or website. However a donation is not required in order to download the programs and use them. The free software movement began in 1983. In 1998, the name was changed to “open source software,” which seemed to have a more positive connotation in the business world.
For freelance writers, there are countless computer programs that make working easier. One such program is a multi-platform processing system. The most popular one comes from Microsoft and offers spreadsheet, word processing, presentation and database programs to make staying organized and achieving business goals easy. While these programs are convenient, they can be costly. While many writers use such expenses as a tax deduction, there are easy-to-use open source alternatives that give the same lightning-fast results.
With increasing technological advancements, open source products are being developed that are competitive and can work as well as their more expensive counterparts. Not only is open source software free but users are allowed to contribute to their improvement by providing feedback to developers. One example of a high quality open source product is Open Office, which is very similar to pay-for-use programs such as Microsoft Word (and its counterparts: Excel, Powerpoint and Access). Open Office programs convert .doc or .xls files that have originally been created in Microsoft Office programs and allows users to update, change and save corrections.
Because they are so easy to use, open source software saves writers time and increases productivity. Not only does this allow them to have more time for other things, but also to produce more and earn more! Open source software offers freelance writers productivity tools that are easy to download and use.