bit-tech.net explore the free alternatives to the most popular programs used by many illegally
Let's take a fairly typical Windows user who has merrily bypassed all countermeasures to prevent him stealing software - we'll call him Pete the Pirate. Pete runs Windows XP Professional - why bother with XP Home when you're not paying for it, even though 99.9% of private users won't need the extra features? Office 2003 is, of course, the de facto standard - who doesn't use Word and Excel these days? Again, free from the economical constraints of being legal, Pete installs Professional, just on the off chance he might need Access or Publisher (again, unlikely).What if piracy stopped tomorrow?
Adobe Photoshop is no longer only used by graphic artists - millions worldwide use it every day to manage their digital camera photo collections and sites like beta.com have brought photo editing for comical purposes to the mainstream. Those with a conscience might opt for the cheaper, cut-down Photoshop Elements which still has more than enough functionality for most people, but Pete runs the full-fat Photoshop CS2, just because he can.
