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Everyone loves free stuff. And for the Mac, there's plenty of it on the Web. You'll find free templates for popular software. Free games, free personal-information managers, free spreadsheets, and free demos of commercial software. There are even free word processors nearly as powerful Microsoft Word.
Where does one find all these goodies? Unfortunately, it's not an easy quest. The Web is a labyrinth, filled with dead ends. So here's a beginner's guide to finding some free software on the Net that's fun and, yes, useful.
First, though, I feel compelled as your tour guide to issue the standard warning about downloadable software. Hobbyists write much of it. They don't have the time or resources to thoroughly check their work for viruses and bugs. Not surprisingly, this type of software can be very buggy. And that, of course, can lead to computer crashes. So please, do yourself a favor, back up important files before downloading free software off the Net.
SOME CALL IT SHAREWARE.
That said, there's also downloadable software that is rock-solid. These programs tend to be older versions of commercial products or discontinued software. The downside with this type of downloadable software is that you can't expect any technical help. Nor will there ever be any upgrades.
And last but not least, there's a final category of downloadable software I call the near free (others call it shareware). Like near beer, this software is usually a watered-down knock-off of a commercial product. A surprising number of these programs, however, work quite well. Some of them, such as information manager Idea Keeper, are ingenious (see BW Online, 5/3/00, "A Powerful Shareware Rival to Mighty Microsoft Word"). Most developers of shareware let you try their programs for free. But if you like the program and use it regularly, please pay the small fee, which usually ranges between $15 and $30.
O.K., now, on to the hunt. Let's start with word processors, a type of program that nearly everyone has used. Word processors are an excellent example of free stuff on the Web. Take, for example, WordPerfect. It used to be the leading word processor. Now, its publisher, Corel, has decided to surrender in the Mac market. The company is offering the last version of WordPerfect for free on its Web site. You'll find it at
www.corel.com/products/macintosh/wpmac35/enhancement.htm. WordPerfect is a first-rate word processor, offering 90% of the features you'll find in MS Word. For example, the program offers automatic sentence capitalization and correction of common spelling mistakes. It also has strong layout and design features. All and all, not bad for a program that's now yours for nothing.
FLEA MARKET.
Another free word processor available online is an old version of Nisus Writer. While not as well known as WordPerfect, Nisus Writer is an excellent program. It includes features still not copied by Word. You'll find a downloadable version of Nisus Writer at www.nisus.com/news/pr/980925.asp.
One thing Nisus Writer doesn't have is an outliner. Now you can have a great one for free. It's called More, and although it was discontinued several years ago, many observers still consider the program the best of its kind. Famed programmer Dave Winer wrote More. He has regained the rights to the program and posted it online. You'll find More 3.1 at discuss.outliners.com/msgReader%2422.
Part of the fun with downloadable software is just seeing what's out there. It's like going to a flea market or Filene's Basement. You never know what you'll find. The best place to start your search is a compendium site that gathers in one place a list of downloadable software available across the Web. My personal favorite is Macdownload.com, which is part of the MacWorld Online site. Macdownload.com lists everything from word processors to games. Software on Macdownload.com is well organized. It's divided into categories. There's a thumbnail description of each program. Most importantly, listed software has also been initially tested for viruses. You'll find Macdownload.com at www.zdnet.com/mac/download.html.
Macdownload.com, while good, is just a start. There are many other compendium sites devoted to downloadable software. Others to check out are Version Tracker and MacgameFiles.com. These sites should get you started. The rest is up to you. Happy trails.
Haddad, Atlanta-based correspondent for Business Week, is a long-time Apple Computer buff. Follow his column every week, only on BW Online EDITED BY BETH BELTON
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