Popular open source software/apps that you can download for free

September 19 is celebrated globally as Software Freedom Day to create awareness about free and open source software FOSS and also promote their open source development to make computer programmes software available to all the guide has prepared a list of some popular open source apps that you can download for free So kiss goodbye to paid software and sign up for open source downloadsLog on to directoryfossorg for a detailed list of FOSS appsOperating system OSYes the latest Windows 10 OS is great but it also comes at a steep price And if you are running a school business or are even fixing a unit by yourself spending R14k on the OS alone can burn a huge hole in your pocket We suggest you try some of the free and open source Linux distributions There are several distributions such as Ubuntu OS 141 OpenSUSE Fedora Debian Fossee OS by IIT Bombay etc which have shown great promise Yes managing them will require a bit of unlearning and learning new things but trust us the options with Linux are limitless Besides there are Ubuntu OS phones already available in the Indian marketLog on toubuntucom opensuseorg gnuorg and laptopfosseeinVPN for private internetRemember the recent porn ban by the Indian government Well therersquos a tool known as virtual private network VPN that can help you bypass any Internet censorship We in particular are fond of OpenVPN which is available for Android phones as well Though you will be required to read the documentation to understand how it works once you have set it up you may well have achieved freedom on the Internet Log on toopenvpnnetText editor Forked from OpenOfficeorg and supported by a dedicated bunch of programmers at The Document Foundation Libre Office has come a long way as a free and open source alternative to Microsoft Office The package does everything that Microsoft Office can but most importantly itrsquos free However if you like the app we would suggest donating to support the Document Foundation They are also working on an app for Android devicesLog on towwwlibreofficeorgDesktop publishing imaging animation and designWhether you are a seasoned graphic designer photographer product designer architect or a budding animator you understand how important platforms such as CorelDraw Photoshop InDesign AutoCad and 3D Max are However we would suggest that instead of paying hefty amounts in buying individual or group licenses why not try some open source options There are several apps which are gaining popularity among industry professionals most notably apps such as Inkscape and My Paint for vector drawing Scribus for desktop publishing and Wings 3D K3D and Blender for 3D animation My Paint and Blender were used in the making of the open source 3D film Sintel For computer aided design CAD you could try FreeCAD BRLCAD LibreCAD or the madeforarchitects software Archimedes for free There are also tools like Synfig Studio for 2D flash animationOpen Source in hardware tooOpen source is not just a part of the software industry but is also making its way into hardware industry Some of the most recent examples of open sourcersquos success in hardware include the RaspberryPi2 board and Arduino boards in developing Internet of Things Log on to Raspberrypiorg Arduinocc and ArduinoorgCyber privacy safety and securityThe Guardian Project run and managed by a team of programmers several of whom are known only by their Internet Relay chat names have been working towards creating several safe secure and trackerfree apps especially for Android phones Some notable projects by the group include FDroid fdroidorg an app repository for free and open source apps where every app is checked and vetoed before being allowed to be uploaded Orbot an app that brings the anonymity of The Onion Router TOR to smart phones Orweb for private browsing on smart phones SecureChat allows offtherecord encrypted chat Ostel for private encrypted calls Pixelknot that hides messages in everyday photos ObscuraCam that can obscure encrypt or destroy pixels within an image and the most recent CameraV a camera app that allows to record secure and verifiable photo and videos using an encrypted metadata stored within photos Log on to guardianprojectinfo