What are your criteria when evaluating free vs pay software? Which is your "default" choice?
update: Is the answer different for application and development software?
+2
A:
Pay when you are convinced of the value you'll obtain from the software.. AND you can't get it for free legally AND you can afford it. Complex decision really... It depends.
Gishu
2008-08-20 08:03:22
+13
A:
Based on Joel's Steps to Better Software you should buy the best tools money can buy. If you can afford a better tool you should go for it. If the best tool (in your opinion) is free, all the better.
I'm assuming you're talking about development software since this is Stack Overflow.
The answer shouldn't be any different for normal applications. When you get down to it a computer is a tool to make your life easier or more efficient. Any application you run is essentially a tool and you should try to get the best tool you can afford. People obviously can't always buy the best, most expensive application each time so the highest priority are the apps you use most often or help you make money. :) Since we're all developers the most important apps are the ones we use for development.
Cristian
2008-08-20 08:06:10
+4
A:
Get the software that is the best tool for the job at hand; it's irrelevant whether it's free or expensive, open source or proprietary.
Jon Limjap
2008-08-20 08:07:48
+1
A:
Generally at home, I'll use free (VS express editions) or FOSS (codeblocks) where possible as I don't do commercial dev there. at the office though, I push for the enterprise editions (or whatever the premium product is) as speed/productivity matters. I'm currently trying to convince a new dev team that incredibuild will be a cost effective solution, where currently a full build takes 40 mins on a standalone dual core workstation
geocoin
2008-08-20 08:26:47
+1
A:
I think its down to a simple cost/benefit..
If its free and does what you need it to do, great! If it costs money, but does everything you need it to do, great!
DON'T get something jsut because it is free and saves money. Often time can be more expensive than a bit of software.
DON'T get a bit of expensive software because it is from "X".. Just because it is expensive, it doesn't mean it will do what you need it to..
Check out various products, see what works and go with it! Cost or no cost! (I see costly software as an investment )
Rob Cooper
2008-08-20 09:20:33
A:
free...if you are student and use any Microsoft Professional Development tools: www. dreamspark.com
RuTu
2010-09-02 17:24:01
A:
Personally, I am weaning myself off of pay-for when possible. I used to use Paint Shop, Nero, Winzip, EditPlus, etc and probably overstepped the bounds of the licensing terms. Now, though, I use The GIMP, InfraRecorder, 7Zip, Notepad++, etc and don't really miss the pay-for.
Still stuck on Windows, though...
If I were doing something complicated and felt the need to pay for support (which is always unsatisfactory, anyway), then it might change my decision.
Chris
2010-09-02 17:27:51
A:
I am surprised to see that people find normal to buy an expensive software without considering free alternatives. Of course you wouldn't buy a $1500 laptop if you could have an equivalent for free, at least you would try the free one before. It should be the same for software : unless you have a good reason to buy one specific program, try free alternatives before.
The good reasons to buy a specific program are :
- You are already familiar with the software
- You need to work with other peoples that use the same software.
- You need someone to yell at when it doesn't work
I think the question of being able to afford it or not is irrelevant. If you can't there is no question, if you can, you still need to decide if you need it or not.
Ben
2010-09-02 17:58:27