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Don't pay for Windows software! There's always a free alternative and - for the most part - it will do everything the big names do. Our picks for the best free alternatives to Word, Photoshop, plus antivirus, backup and VPN

By Jim Martin | 40 mins ago

These days most software is either free or cheap to buy. But some Windows programs still cost 100s. Either that or you have to pay a subscription fee (such as Microsoft Office 365 or Adobe CC). But there are free equivalents to just about every paid-for program, from Word and Excel to Photoshop,antivirus and games.

Hereis the best free Windows software you can download right now.

You might not need a whole office suite, just a word processor. In case you didn't know, Windows has one built-in: it's called Word Pad. It lacks many of Word's features but may have enough for your needs.

If you must have Word, then here are a few ways to use Word for free.

Now that Microsoft has made a concerted effort to switch everyone to a subscription model for Office 365, it's even more tempting to opt for a free alternative. Our pick is LibreOffice, which is now far from being a mere off-shoot of OpenOffice. For most people LibreOffice offers everything you need, being just about as compatible with Microsoft Office as it's possible to get.

If you want a suite which copies Microsoft's ribbon interface, look at Kingsoft Office Suite Free.

Also, there are plenty of free PDF editors which allow you to convert a non-editable file into a format, such as .doc or .xls so you can change it.

Photoshop is still the benchmark for photo editors, but there are two cheaper alternatives: Lightroom 6 (109.99 from John Lewis) and Photoshop Elements 15 (80.99 from Ebuyer). However, there are plenty of free photo editors, including some web apps.

Some people find that Paint.net offers everything they need for offline use, while others will be more than happy withPicMonkey.

You'll find more recommendations in our dedicated roundup of the best free photo editors.

Also, don't forget that in the Creators Update to Windows 10, the built-in Paint app has had a massive upgrade!

Plus, if you have a phone or tablet, there are some excellent photo editing apps. Most apply edits to the whole photo, but some, such as Photoshop Mix, even support layers. Others, like Snapseed, let you apply changes just to certain areas. And they're both free.

Opinions will always be divided on the best free antivirus software and, as with paid-for AV software, test results will change on an almost daily basis because makers update their databases and algorithms.

There are quite a few to choose between, but don't forget Microsoft's Defender whichis included with Windows 8 and 10.

For our current top picks, see our separate Best Free Antivirus software roundup.

Email is one of those personal things where, as with antivirus, any recommendation is always going to be controversial. Some people swear by Mozilla Thunderbird while others think thatIncredimail is the best thing since, well, email was invented.

Most people don't use either of those, instead preferring the web app of their chosen service such as Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo, along with the default email client (or the service's own app) on theirphone.

We've compared the best free email services in detail separately.

Backing up irreplaceable files is a chore we could all do without, but while cloud storage services let you sync files without lifting a finger, none are capacious enough (even if you're paying) to back up your entire PC or laptop.

The good news is that there's free backup software on offer, you just need to provide the storage. One of our favourites is Easeus ToDo Backup Free 9.You'll find more alternatives in our guide to the best backup software.

But if you have under 50GB of files, it's well worth checking out Mega. This cloud storage service will give you 50GB for free. Find out more in our roundup of theBest cloud storage services.

Windows Movie Maker is now defunct, and most people couldn't get on with its limited tools. Fortunately there's a number of free alternatives, includingLightWorkswhich you can read all about in our roundup of thebest free video editors.

Again, as with photo editors, don't overlook the video editing apps available on your phone and tablet. For iOS users, iMovie is a convenient way to edit video you've taken on an iPhone (or iPad) and if you're running iOS 10 or later, you can quickly edit within the Photos app using the Memories section.

Android users don't have the same built-in software, but GoPro Quik is free (and it's also available for Windows).

VPN services aren't just for browsing the web anonymously. They also let you access or unblock content that's otherwise limited to users located in particular countries. All free VPNs have their drawbacks, one of which could be unwanted advertising. Another is restricted data or download speeds.

But for some people, a free VPN is all they need and CyberGhost's free service is one worth checking out. Free VPNs have their limitations, and many agree that you need to pay for a service for it to be

Here are the bestfree VPN services we've tested out, and also the best paid-for VPN services.

You're bound to know other great free software, so if you feel you have a better suggestion, or want to suggest software in other categories, let us know in the comments below.

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The best free software for Windows - PC Advisor

Top Story OPL art workshop moves outdoors in July

Oneida Public Library has engaged the intrepid artist and teacher Carol Cotten to follow the trail of the French Impressionists in a free weekly Art Workshop en plein air for adults on Wednesday mornings, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, July 5, 12, 19 and 26.

Cotten will be meeting students in scenic spots in the Greater Oneida area and guiding them in observing, sketching and painting in pastels and watercolors. In case of rain, the class will meet in the library.

Cotten, who retired from teaching art in the Camden Central School District in 2004, has been conducting art workshops for children and adults at the OPL since 2005. She has exhibited her own art, especially her watercolors, at many small regional galleries and libraries, including the OPL.

Interested adults must register at the Oneida Library, 220 Broad St., for the class. Registered students will receive a list of Workshop en plein air locations, directions and a list of recommended art supplies and accessories for outdoor painting.

For more information, call the OPL at (315) 363-3050.

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Forex backtesting software free - Madison County Courier

Version 3.49-2 (05/20/2017) Engine fixes (keep-alive, redirects, new hashtables, unit tests)

Installing HTTrack: Go to the download section now! For help and questions: Visit the forum, Read the documentation, Read the FAQs, Browse the sources

HTTrack is a free (GPL, libre/free software) and easy-to-use offline browser utility.

It allows you to download a World Wide Web site from the Internet to a local directory, building recursively all directories, getting HTML, images, and other files from the server to your computer. HTTrack arranges the original site's relative link-structure. Simply open a page of the "mirrored" website in your browser, and you can browse the site from link to link, as if you were viewing it online. HTTrack can also update an existing mirrored site, and resume interrupted downloads. HTTrack is fully configurable, and has an integrated help system.

WinHTTrack is the Windows (from Windows 2000 to Windows 10 and above) release of HTTrack, and WebHTTrack the Linux/Unix/BSD release. See the download page.

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HTTrack Website Copier - Free Software Offline Browser ...

COMODO Backup v4.

COMODO Backup has tons of great features for a free backup program. It can backup registry files, files and folders, email accounts, particular registry entries, IM conversations, browser data, partitions, or entire disks like the system drive.

Data can be backed up to a local or external drive, CD/DVD, network folder, FTP server, or sent to someone as an email.

Various backup file types are supported like creating a CBU, ZIP, or ISO file as well as running a two-way or one-way sync, using a regular copy function, or creating a self-extracting CBU file.

Depending on the backup file type you use with COMODO Backup, you can specify if it should be spliced into smaller pieces, compressed, and/or password protected.

The scheduling options are very specific, enabling a backup to run manually, at login, once, daily, weekly, monthly, when idle, or every so many minutes. Missed jobs can even be configured to run in silent mode so as to suppress all notifications and program windows.

Restoring files with COMODO Backup is really easy because you can mount the image file as a disk and browse through the backed up files as you would in Windows Explorer, copying out anything you wish. Alternatively, you can just restore the whole backup image to the original location.

COMODO Backup also supports email notifications, file exclusions by extension type, using Volume Shadow Copy for copying locked files, disk/partition mirroring, changing CPU and network priority, and running a custom program before and/or after a backup job.

COMODO Backup Review & Free Download

Note:During setup, COMODO Backup tries to install another program that you must deselect if you wish for it not to be added to your computer.

COMODO Backup works with Windows 10 down to Windows XP. More

See more here:
34 Free Backup Software Tools (Updated June 2017)

Credit: Wrike

After conducting extensive research and analysis in 2017,we recommend Wrike as the best free project management solution for 2017. We chose Wrike from a pool of the dozens of project management solutions we considered. To understand how we selected our best picks, you can find our methodology and a comprehensive list of project management solutions on our best picks page.

Wrike offers the only free project management solution on the market that allows users to create unlimited projects. Most other free versions are so limited that we felt hindered using them, but Wrike allowed us to fully explore project management without paying a dime. For small teams, startups and companies that only need the barebones of project management software, Wrike is an excellent free solution.

Ready to choose a project management solution? Here's a breakdown of our complete coverage:

Wrike's free version comes with limited features, but not so limited that it doesn't feel like true project management software. Its advantage over other free software is that users can create an unlimited number of projects. That said, access to more advanced features, including Gantt charts and subtasks, is completely restricted. For these, you have to subscribe to a paid service. Still, Wrike is one of the only services offering a free account with unlimited projects. That alone set it apart in our search for the best free software.

Wrike's free version is available for up to five users, making it suitable for small teams and startups. Larger teams or companies looking for a scalable solution will need to consider subscribing to a paid service. Still, for no cost, Wrike enables five users to work on an unlimited amount of projects. In the end, this is what distinguished Wrike from other free project management solutions we reviewed.

Editor's Note: Are you trying to choose a project management solution? If you're looking for information to help you choose the one that's right for you, use the questionnaire below to have Software Adviceprovide you with information from a variety of vendors for free:

Although Wrike's free features are quite limited, it still provides insight into how simple and intuitive a project manager it is. A clean, user-friendly interface makes navigation easy. Starting with the active user's inbox, topline navigation allows the user to easily cycle through the different pages, including active projects, dashboards, reports and an activity stream.

Similarly, adding new users and collaborators to projects is made as simple as point and click. There is also a series of keyboard shortcuts that allow users to quickly and easily create a new task, open a new tab, search, assign tasks and mark tasks as completed or active. Once users familiarize themselves with these hotkeys, navigating Wrike is even easier.

Wrike's design is user friendly and welcoming. With dark blues and light greens, as well as rounded edges, Wrike feels engaging without becoming overly professional. There's a "fun" feel to using the software; unlike some project managers that feel extremely technical, Wrike has made navigating its interface simple with a lot of point-and-click functionality and simple layouts that directly display necessary information without requiring users to search around for it.

In addition to a free version, Wrike offers several paid tiers at a per user, per month rate. Each level includes access to a free trial. Here's a look at each tier and the capabilities each one offers.

Our customer service experience was average. Our questions were answered to our satisfaction, but the first customer service representative we spoke to continuously suggested that we consider the paid version. They frequently cited the limited features of Wrike's free edition despite our firm insistence that we were only interested in the free option and had called to gain a better understanding of what it offered. Despite the sales pitch, all of our questions were answered and the pushiness was not repeated with subsequent calls.

Like some of our other best picks, Wrike maintains webinars, a blog and a "productivity tour" for users to refer to when they run into a problem or have a question about the software. These resources make it easier to figure out how to use Wrike or get even more out of the software without going to customer service or tech support. Best of all, Wrike has a built-in live chat function that allows you to contact the help center right in the software should you run into a problem.

There's also a question-and-answer portal that functions much like a search engine. Users can plug in key terms, such as "Gantt chart," and Wrike will return with a number of materials that match the query. In addition to this search engine functionality, Wrike maintains a community of users and forums on the company website. Most questions have already been asked and answered there, but if you find yourself with a unique problem, there's a good chance someone else has experienced it as well. There's also a place to share best practices with other users as you discover the best ways to leverage Wrike for your team.

Wrike's free edition is missing a lot of key features that many teams would find essential to a project management solution. The lack of Gantt charts and dashboards, as well as no ability to create subtasks, might be seen as serious drawbacks to companies that use project management software regularly.

However, for those teams that just need something quick, simple, and easy to use, Wrike will meet your needs again and again, without limit on the number of projects you can create.

For that reason, we recommend Wrike for teams that need a simple, basic level of service for free that can get them moving on multiple projects quickly. Teams with more advanced needs should consider one of the paid services on our best picks page.

Editor's Note: Are you trying to choose a project management solution? If you're looking for information to help you choose the one that's right for you, use the questionnaire below to have Software Adviceprovide you with information from a variety of vendors for free:

Adam received his Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Journalism & Media Studies at Rutgers University. He worked for a local newspaper and freelanced for several publications after graduating college. He can be reached by email, or follow him on Twitter.

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Wrike: Best Free Project Management Software - Business News Daily