List of best Free Software for Students Use

[Jeffrey]

Fall 2008 is fast approaching, it is in the minds of all college students, college and university students. While the world prepares to buying the traditional school supplies rig our, but some people investing in a computer or laptop. With the democratization of these tools, you are increasingly likely to make that choice in order to be able to freely carry out your research in school, homework and write your memoirs typed or simply communicate and keep you informed. However, to be quite ready for this new year, we must not forget to prepare conscientiously your software package. Given the profusion of offers paid and free, it is often forgotten, taken lightly or simply poorly composed lack of knowledge.

That is why in order to simplify your life, Techarena writing thought to students of all ages, preparing for you the list of supplies software necessary to put in your bag digital retraction 2008. Walking through the six themes addressed in order of importance, office applications research and translations through the tools for courses, software security and data recovery, the utilities facilitate your job search or Programs still organizing agenda and managing a budget, you should surely find your happiness. We have deliberately taken the party to advise you only software easy to use, light, practical and above all free. For those who hesitate between a freeware and buy a pay solution, we are addressing the issue for the themes of security, encyclopedias and suites.

So do not wait and let your choice through our top free software from the beginning of 2008 for college, college and university students!

Office
Start with the inevitable and traditional thematic office. For a student, he is more than necessary to own, to start the school year, an office suite complete, reliable and easy to use in order to facilitate the drafting of your work and other written briefs. It will require not forget the essential tools to view various documents texts to specific formats and yet widespread, such as "PDF" and "docx".

OpenOffice.org

Nowadays, as far as personal work done at home, it is indispensable to have a good office suite and reliable. Many people invest in the Microsoft Office suite out of habit, mimicry or simply for its quality. But for all those who do not or can not buy this giant of the office, fortunately there are alternatives free of charge and free, perfectly meet the needs of college students, college and course students. For Windows and Linux users, we chose the excellent and experienced no less OpenOffice.org, combining the qualities namely free, and especially free ones. Forte development efforts provided by a responsive community, improving its usability and compatibility, OD has become in a few years as the most credible alternative to Microsoft Office. More than complete, this suite includes in addition to the word processor called Writer, a spreadsheet "Calc" equivalent to Excel, a mathematical formula editor "Math", "Impress" software equivalent of a PowerPoint presentation, "Draw "A vector drawing tool," Base "a database manager alternative to Access. OpenOffice.org remains a great value for students and schoolchildren seeking a free office suite and effectively offering a grip fast and simple. To install any emergency!

Download OpenOffice.org for Windows
Download OpenOffice.org for Linux


NeoOffice

On Mac users, we could very well offer OpenOffice.org, which once started is as effective as on other platforms. However, unlike NeoOffice, the current version is not natively developed, start requires the launch of the X Window System X11. Result, opening the program in Mac requires double time. You will not lose to the change, since NeoOffice is based mainly on the code of OpenOffice.org benefits and therefore its developments and new features. Although by using a Java virtual machine to integrate seamlessly with the Aqua interface, its use remains more than pleasant on the latest machines more powerful range of Apple. To find out!

Download NeoOffice for Mac

Foxit PDF Reader

Open a PDF file is one of the most mundane to achieve in the life of a student. Most of the time, platelets and other programs available for download at sites of universities and other organizations are proposed to this format. You are surely likely to think the classic Adobe Reader (Acrobat) regularly installed by default on many machines. We still want you to submit an alternative, free and ten times as much light, namely Foxit PDF Reader. Its main asset is to be lightweight and especially to allow a launch faster than its competitor. Indeed, memory consumption side, Foxit is far less greedy with only 6 MB used against Mo. He has 34, plus some additional options provided necessary interesting such as a research tool in the text of the "File" display full-screen, selecting text with a copy of extracts to the clipboard (disabled in documents protected) or adding annotations. To hold lectures for effective and expeditious!

Download Foxit PDF Reader for Windows

Docx2Rtf (NW Docx Converter)

When you receive an attachment via email or whether they work in teams under a common duty, it is still unfortunate that he could not open a text document format. Docx. Good news, a group of developers Americans appointed NativeWinds has thought of all those who wondered how to get to a document format. Docx without having the Office suite of Redmond. You will understand, the free Docx2Rtf (NW Docx Converter) that we offer here, you provide the opportunity to read, print or convert to a one-click fichier.docx in RTF. Its use is most children, especially small program that is portable and therefore requires no installation to run. Simply click on Open to open one or more files to the standard formats of Office 2007 (. Docx,. Dotx), OpenOffice (. Sxw,. Odt), or MS Works (. Wps). You'll be at your disposal several possibilities, namely print in color or greyscale, convert them into PDF files instantly, or save the format. RTF. Pending the 3.0 version of OpenOffice, which bear the default. Docx, this free application and portable is a small nugget of emergency to put in your bag digital!

Download Docx2Rtf (NW Docx Converter) for Windows


Should we prefer Microsoft Office to a free office suite?

In terms of office suite, Microsoft Office is a reference. However, the reference has a price, and students often have a limited budget, which could tip the balance towards the free office suites such as OpenOffice.org or NeoOffice. The arguments in favour of Microsoft are not non-existent anyway. So as OpenOffice. Org seems to run after the interface and features of Office 2003, Microsoft has made numerous improvements in Office 2007 (PC) and Office 2008 (Mac), including a completely redesigned interface. This last argument is a double-edged sword, because the interface of Microsoft, also ergonomic though it may be confusing for users familiar with previous versions, which plays in favour of OpenOffice. Org which is may be more familiar in this area. The problem of file formats also arises: at a time when we write these lines, OpenOffice.org is still incompatible with OpenXML formats introduced by Microsoft Office 2007. This will be the case with version 3.0 of the suite free. Finally, we must take account of awards: in addition to its Family and Student editions marketed at a price of 99.99 € for the 2007 version (Windows) and 111.20 € for the 2008 version (Mac), Microsoft carries out special operations in the direction of students. For the beginning 2007, it was possible to get the full version of Office 2007 for Windows at a very low price. At present, it is doubtful that Microsoft renews the operation.

[Jeffrey]

The tools for courses

Making homework is one thing, take proper notes and learning courses is another. In this context, we selected a few programs that you can rearrange your working methods. In addition to essential multifunction calculator , we offer a reliable solution to always have full courses, without contradiction or omissions. The icing on the cake, you will also discover how to optimize and save your searches on the net!

Express Scribe

Express Scribe will be the perfect companion for any student wishing to have taken notes complete and reliable. Indeed, the software allows you to effectively translate your lessons recorded using a digital Dictaphone. The software comes in the form of an audio player and supports major file formats such as:. Wav,. Mp3,. Aif,. Wma,. Vox and. Real audio. The value of Express Scribe is that it will allow listening to your recordings at reduced speed, while giving you the opportunity to listen to certain passages loops selected beforehand. A 'must have' perfect start to the year with notes taken always perfectly. To try and use them!

Download Express Scribe for Windows
Download Express Scribe for Mac OS X, Linux etc


My calculator

The calculator is one of the essential academic year. Whatever the school, college and high school as a student, we all need sooner or later have a reliable calculator on hand. The software replete with applications to meet this need, but none is really like that we have selected for you today. Indeed, my calculator is not a calculator like the others, as it adapts to your needs in all circumstances regardless of your level. The basic interface and clearly presented in the form of a simple calculator, can evolve and becoming more complex by selecting one of several modules: basic, scientific, stripe, converter, geometrical, timing and graphics. Through its various components adapted, "My Calculator" will accompany and meet the college, students and all students, the more scientific literature. We note in this connection that Mac users are still well off the subject since comparable calculator is built into Mac OS X. To put it in your bag of digital re-use and especially to keep carefully!

Download My Calculator for Windows

Zotero

Back to school on the Internet is the time to glean information about your new programs, a new establishment, conduct research on a new city on financial aid or to find a student job. Unfortunately, those hours spent running after the right information are often at a loss, lack of means to effectively safeguard these precious information. To remedy this situation, we offer Zotero, an extension for the Mozilla Firefox browser offers the ability to save pages and pages of selections in the form of notes. Each selection can be archived and easily found through a search engine dynamics. Like Scrapbook, Zotero works locally, but offers an interface much more advanced and oriented literature. Its use is of easier because you simply drag and drop your selected text in the side panel to create a note. Most of you eager to capture a whole page and more lazy people will be content with a simple link. Full and powerful, Zotero offers a large number of options for archiving as the classification of pages and other fragments saved by keywords. Additional features such as highlighting phrases important and can add annotations in the form of post-it, are all attributes that distinguish it from other add-ons in his class. To try to use and conserve valuable to store effectively the results of your research!

Download Zotero for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X

[Jeffrey]

Search and translations

The research of all kinds are a significant part of the work of a student or a student. Provided not take what we can find for cash, the Web can be a valuable ally, providing immediate access to more information: biographies, and various kinds of data, translations or even maps and photographic materials are within reach fingertips. This obviously does not replace the wealth of information that is available in a university library, but it can supplement it, especially for specific subjects. It is about this rather interesting tools to conduct and operate its research on the web, as well as useful software for translation assistance.

Tools for search Wikipedia

Unfortunately only for users of Mac OS X, Pathway to explore the encyclopedia on a graph: the interface very ingenious poster, in addition to the article sought, a map of related links, and is thus visually the path that allows you to go from one to another research, or back. It is also possible to display in a side panel all titles and subtitles of the page visited to access directly. Other options let you add notes to different pages, or easy access to images and download them. In short, without a doubt the Rolls tools for Wikipedia, unfortunately reserved for a minority of users.

Download Pathway for Mac OS X

On Windows, you consoler with a multitude of widgets devoted to the encyclopedia. Among them, one can cite Wikipedia Widget - Wiktionnary (Yahoo), an accessory running with Yahoo! Widget Engine, and therefore also compatible with Mac OS X. The principle is simple: do a search in the widget and it will appear in your default browser. One wonders what is its interest to the extent that some browsers allow access to Wikipedia directly from the search box. The answer is in the question: for browsers that do not offer this possibility. Not essential, but rather practice.

Download Wikipedia Widget / Wiktionary for Yahoo Widgets
Download Wikipedia Widget / Wiktionary for Yahoo Widgets

Word Web

Designed for any self-respecting anglicist, WordWeb is a dictionary smart enough, based on the database Wordnet at the University of Princeton. Its interface is very intuitive: simply enter a name to access its definition with several meanings, the phonetic pronunciation and a series of tabs, as appropriate, the words closest orthographically, synonyms , Opposites or even related words, including the search word or parts of the word. The database of the free version is limited compared to the paid version, WordWeb Pro, but remains sufficient. To try!

Download WordWeb for Windows

More portable History-Geography

As its name suggests, Suite Portable History Geography offers a compilation of useful software to pupils and students in history or geography, to be installed on a USB key. There are many classics such as Mozilla Firefox and OpenOffice.org, VLC, WinLAME, musikCube or PhotoFiltre, but also many tools and activities and educational games for students: Atlas Hist'ODo & Ge'ODo, texts of various constitutions, various exercises on departments, or even mapping tools. The interface recalls in some ways Linux environments as Windowmaker. Many skins are available to customize.

Download Suite Portable History - Geography for Windows

Google Earth

The now famous Google Earth will display a very realistic representation of our planet, turning around the globe with full freedom of movement: zoom, rotate, tilt ... Google Earth is not confined to a gadget allows it to carry out research on a specific location, but also display various data in plots "visited", including from sources such as National Geographic, Discovery, NASA or Wikipedia. In addition, the software can now visit the stars with the module Google Sky and manages the sunlight as well as photos Google Street View.

Download Google Earth for Windows and Linux
Download Google Earth for Mac OS X

Should we prefer to pay an encyclopedia Wikipedia?

The web search immediately raises the problem of Wikipedia in relation to pay encyclopedias on CD-ROM as Encarta or Universals. Is it better to invest in an encyclopedia "offline" a publisher to sources deemed to be reliable or rely on an encyclopedia available free on the web, but not necessarily reliable? There is no simple answer to this question: if it is true that Wikipedia has been struck by numerous cases of erroneous data or even defamatory, you can still come forward to say that many articles are well written and documented. By contrast, encyclopedias on DVD can represent an investment Therefore, a data to be included for students. In all cases, one can not recommend to rely on one source of information: if you use Wikipedia for your search, you can always overlap with other sources available in libraries.

[Jeffrey]

Security and retrieving data

While computer security is not the domain of choice among students. Unfortunately often neglected, it is essential to the health of your working tool and especially crucial for the protection of your data. It would be the unconscious, even suicidal, work on a PC without installing a series of effective security. For more clumsy and reckless of you, we've also prepared to resurrect what your documents deleted by mistake and a system of software protection against theft of your machine. Do good use, without neglecting the basic principles of vigilance.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition

The first program that a student or college student must install on his work PC is obviously an antivirus. Otherwise, in the best case you to expose your machine slowdowns or even unavailable due to infection and, of course, at worst, the loss of your data. That is why we strongly recommend that you install an antivirus reliable and efficient. To satisfy the wider public, we selected AntiVirus AVG Free Edition, which even if not completely perfect in all respects, these features should amply sufficient to many users. Totally free, including a module antivirus and antispyware protection, offering regular updates, it now offers a new interface more ergonomic and accessible. Without dethrone the cadors pay its category, namely the excellent NOD 32 and Kaspersky, AVG is a preferred solution imperative to install on any machine work.

Download AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition for Windows

Malwarebytes Anti Malware

Also in the same vein, possess an anti-spy regularly updated and effective is equally important. That is why we advise you to also install Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. This reference in its field, free, you will eliminate a few clicks of the malware and other threats infecting your machines. The ergonomic interface consists of nine tabs, research, protection, updated quarantine, reports, exclusions, parameters, other tools. Two methods of analysis rather veloces will be at your disposal, a quick review scanning your system with a reduced detection and a comprehensive review carefully analyzing all your storage devices. The exploration and heuristic your machine is made of the registry file systems via the process loaded into memory. A module for updating database, containing 32319 signatures so far, will ensure reliable protection and updated almost daily. The icing on the cake, he worked for our greatest happiness, a practical tool in line with Unlocker, which will unblock the process preventing the removal of a file recalcitrant. To try !

Download Malwarebytes Anti Malware for Windows

Restoration

The worst thing that can happen to a student, apart from missing his exams, is to erase a text document containing an important duty to perform. After hours of work and concentration, a moment of bewilderment can happen quickly. This can become a tragedy can fortunately be corrected if handled early enough. Indeed, if you have the proper utility and respect for a few precautions, a document deleted from the trash is recoverable. Any good digital kit should contain one of these nuggets saving. We have selected for you, the aptly named Restoration, which is one of the few utilities recover deleted data to be free, accessible and the largest mobile. This little detail is of vital importance. Installing an application after your deleted files can definitely undermine all attempts at restoration. The installation process can rewrite the location where your content is valuable duty. Thus, it takes just a few clicks to launch the application preferably from a USB key. It will do more than start the research process. Side interface, could not be more simple and childish. You will be asked to select the hard disk or external device on which were various elements to resurrect. Once the scan is complete, a search engine keyword allows you to locate your files. The utility of an astonishing efficiency is therefore to download and keep carefully, hoping that you do've ever need!

Download Restoration for Windows

Laptop Alarm

The latest security problem that can meet a student is this time rather than software, but rather equipment. At the beginning, you more and more likely to invest in a laptop and "netbook" to work the fax or the library for your research. Indeed, move regularly in public places with a machine is a risk-taking and a constraint. Once installed, your precious PC can quickly turn into a valuable ball. To get out of this type of embarrassing situation and you avoid the unnecessary access paranoid, Laptop Alarm offers a few short moments of respite, you prevent the same opportunity to all attempts at flight. The configuration as the use of this application portable and free are a true child's play. Simply, as a first step, to run the program and set your password while selecting the choice variables of detections. Thus, an alarm will sound in case someone tries to disconnect the power cord from your machine, forcing its extinction or simply disconnect or move your USB mouse. Obviously, it will not stop the most furious and malicious, but the application has merit to propose a solution. To install any emergency on your mobile work, while not forgetting to simply be vigilant.

Download Laptop Alarm for Windows

Antivirus free or paid?

The free anti-virus are often attacked for their lack of reliability in relation to their commercial competitors (or in relation to paid versions of their own ranges). The products are actually complementary: just know what to expect basing its protection on a free antivirus, ie mostly to a minimum protection. It will not be seeking advanced features such as modules for protection against phishing, rootkits or parental control. Likewise, we must know that free anti-virus are not free of problems: Avast is particularly criticized for the many false positives it causes. However, we must admit that their performance has improved over the versions: AVG is notably reached a level of detection quite honorable. However, if you can afford to invest in an antivirus paying, it is obvious that neither AVG, Avast and arrive at the ankle of a Kaspersky Antivirus 2009 or a NOD32, both in terms of performance features.

[Jeffrey]

Job Search

Find a job to finance the studies, very often part of the life of a student. The tool is obviously almost inevitable in this area, seeking employment, which can be greatly facilitated by consulting specialized sites, the drafting of CV and letter of motivation. In addition to office tools previously seen, there is also a program dedicated to creating a CV, along with some tools that should not be overlooked during your research or applications.

CVitae

If a word processor like Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.org Writer can be quite sufficient to write a resume, you can also see the side of the excellent CVitae, a very comprehensive program dedicated entirely to this task. The interface very convenient you will learn the different parts of your resume: Civil information, studies and qualifications, skills, experiences, languages and information non-professional. The layout is also an easy manner, and the software does not stop there since it also runs support in writing your letter, the management of your job and contacts. CVitae is certainly not free, but its price is not excessive and its use can make you proud services.

Download CVitae for Windows

MagicPDF

The PDF format is widespread and convenient to send a document in electronic format, including a CV. If OpenOffice.org allows you to save its documents in this format, MagicPDF is one of many printers PDF that can use the print function of any program to generate a PDF output. The use is very practical and converting Office files is perfectly executed, but the software is less efficient when it comes to print web pages.

Download MagicPDF for Windows



Fedora Live USB Creator

Take applications on a USB key is one thing, but why not take an operating system as a whole? As its name suggests, the utility Fedora Live USB Creator allows you to create rapidly since Windows, a USB drive bootable integrating a recent distributions Fedora Sulfur. From the disk image of a live CD, it will install on any USB key, a Linux operating system persistent. So you carrying your own operating system and find anytime your office intact, your applications, documents and of course your personal settings. You only have to connect your valuable key to a host PC before the start, to access your OS. The only limitation: the computer must be able to boot on a USB key, which is still the case with all modern PC.

[Jeffrey]

Organization and budget management

To avoid the purposes of difficult months, and generally to manage the schedule, appointments or important dates (invoices, payment of rent, etc.), a small detour via the box download can be beneficial. As for budget managers, given that Microsoft has declared package with Money, the question of choosing between free and pay only arises even more, given the large number of applications free quite correct available in this category. Regarding agendas, there are also some free tools quite valid, but the solution lies perhaps the side of the web.

MaxiCompte

Among the multitude of managers budget available, it may recommend MaxiCompte, both free and easy to use. Rather complete and enjoying a pleasant interface with easily identifiable icons, you will propose a set of features satisfying the creation of one or more accounts to the arrest of operations through the display of graphs of your income and expenses . Features also include a timetable, management transfers and direct debits or printing account statements and bank statements identity.


Mozilla Sunbird / Lightning

Created by the Mozilla Foundation, Mozilla Sunbird calendar is complementary to Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird. Significantly less advanced than the latter two, Sunbird has not yet entered a final version. Nevertheless, it is already functional and offers an interface in the right line of a Outlook or an iCal, and notably to subscribe to calendars online, which may be convenient, especially for school holidays. If you are already using Thunderbird, you can also go through the extension Lightning, which includes the agenda for its Mozilla mail client, to make Thunderbird a little free Outlook, synchronization with PDAs and mobile phones less. Finally, if you use Windows, you will be able to take with you everywhere Sunbird using Mozilla Sunbird Portable, a version specially optimized to be executed directly from a USB key or external hard drive

Download Mozilla Sunbird for Windows and Linux
Download Mozilla Sunbird for Mac OS X
Download the Lightning extension for Mozilla Thunderbird (Windows, Linux and Mac OS X)


Kplan

If you are looking for a solution may be simpler and more affordable, Kplan Personal can be an interesting alternative. The interface is quite functional though a bit "old-fashioned." A timetable proposing several display modes - daily, monthly or yearly - you provide a clear and accessible from your schedule. In addition, the software offers a contact manager and electronic documents basic but correct. In short, a simple and complete

Download Kplan for Windows

Google Calendar: The best solution?

Using a local agenda is a possibility, but use an online calendar may be another. In the field, few are as comprehensive as that of Google: despite an ergonomics which requires a bit of time adjusting to a report by local application, Google Calendar offers very interesting features is the chance to subscribe to Multiple agendas as those of your loved ones, or share your own. If you also use Microsoft Outlook, you can even synchronize your Google Calendar with the latter through the Google Calendar Sync, developed by Google. Its interface is very minimalist and can choose his sense of timing (Outlook to Google Calendar, Google Calendar to Outlook and bi-directional) and the frequency of automatic synchronization. Everything works perfectly, but we regret the limitation of the software to schedule principal.

Download Google Calendar Sync for Windows

[mijaba]

I just found this is a very cool piece of information!
Thanks alot Jeffrey!

[sabrina0708]

Jeffrey - Thanks for your sharing!