4 free computer programs that you should already be using

Examples of the one-click editing features of Paint.net

In the wake of a recession we’re all looking save a buck whenever we get the chance. Whether it’s eating ramen noodles instead of filet or drinking wine-out-of-a-box instead of your normal Pinot – saving money on simple things can give really give you a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. That’s why it’s great to know that if there’s something that you want, there’s almost always a way to find it for free on the internet…it’s just a matter of putting in some quality surfing time.

To save you the hassle, I’ve searched around and picked out four of the best, free software programs that are available for download on the internet.

Paint.net (www.getpaint.net) is an image and photo editing software for computers that run on Microsoft Windows. Originally developed as a replacement for Microsoft Paint, Paint.net has developed into an extremely powerful and easy-to-use editing tool that is often compared to Adobe Photoshop ($699). This program has several “one-click” design features that will have you looking like an internet Picasso in no time. Check out this video to see how you can use Paint.net to create your own custom YouTube page.

OpenOffice (www.openoffice.org) is an open-source office program for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It’s compatible with most office software suites such as Microsoft Office, and also works on all common computers. It’s actually easier to use than Microsoft Office since any document can be created from the same program, instead of using one for spreadsheets, one for word processing, one for graphics, etc. In addition, OpenOffice will also convert any of these documents into a pdf.

Google Reader (www.google.com/reader) is like a fully customizable newspaper, which delivers stories to you as soon as they are posted. You pick the news sites and blogs that you want to subscribe to, and the stories are delivered to you as soon as the site is updated. There are many different useful applications for this. For example, instead of constantly searching Craigslist, you can set Google Reader to deliver specific posts to you immediately once they are published…making it easy for you to be the first one to make contact. You can use this in your job search or “for sale” items.

RoboForm (www.roboform.com) saves your username and password info so that you need only click one button on your browser to immediately log-in to the site that you are on (up to 10 passwords for the free version). In addition, enter all of your profile information once and the program can be used to fill out forms online with one click (including name, address, telephone, fax, email etc..even credit card info if you want). All passwords are encrypted for your security. RoboForm has won several awards including CNET’s “Software of the Year” and one of PC World’s “25 Products We Can’t Live Without”.

Do you think you can use Paint.net to make a better picture of Mr.T? Upload your best attempt to iGrad’s Facebook Page.

Kris Alban
iGrad – Resources for life after college