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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 | 19 Jun 2017

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, but do check out the best free games as well.

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.

The rest is here:
Best free Windows software: antivirus - Tech Advisor

Guidelines on free software for Commerce The Hindu The Higher Secondary Director has brought out guidelines for use of free software for study of Commerce. A curriculum committee meeting on February 15 had decided that higher secondary classes will completely shift to free software. In the wake of the ...

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Guidelines on free software for Commerce - The Hindu

Sign up for the free webinar July 19, 2017 at 2pm EST, Epicor CMS -- Automotive Supply Chain ERP software that can help you reduce expedited shipping costs."

Cleveland, Ohio On-time delivery is about more than just maintaining good relationships between suppliers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Failing to deliver on time can be disastrously expensive and put future orders at risk.

If a supplier shuts down an OEM vehicle production line they can be charged $100,000 per hour, and this can affect their supplier rating. This can be the result of many things such as:

Because the OEM line is in peril it means that the supplier will do just about anything to get the parts to the production facility as quickly as possible, says Andrew Robling, principal product manager for manufacturing and supply chain for Epicor Software Corp. At best this means an expedited truck. At worst Ive seen customers hire a helicopter to bring in the parts.

On July 19, 2017, Todays Motor Vehicles will conduct a webinar with Epicor titled Epicor CMS Automotive Supply Chain ERP software that can help you reduce expedited shipping costs. Robling will discuss the challenges of hitting delivery schedules and how a modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) software suite can help.

Robling says one supplier was regularly spending $500,000 per month to expedite shipments an extreme yet representative example of the lengths to which companies will go to protect their supplier ratings.

Please join us for this free webinar to learn how to optimize scheduling to avoid expedited freight charges. An enterprise resource planning (ERP) with built-in Automotive Centric features and controls could virtually eliminate the need to expedite shipments. In this webinar you will learn how Epicor CMS can help you cut down on expedited shipping charges through a number of innovative ways including embedded MES capabilities with built in error checking, Serialized Inventory Tracking, Automated Material Replenishment, and Virtual Kanban capabilities.

In addition to helping you gain an understanding of the affects and benefits of enhanced resource planning, this webcast will help you learn how to overcome obstacles to operational efficiency.

Robling joined Epicor Softwarein 1998, and brings more than 20 years success in manufacturing and automotive supply chain management positions. He worked his summers, while attending college, in a Plastic Injection Molding plant that specialized in making parts for the Automotive Supply Chain. He started in the ERP/MES world as a successful implementer of CMS ERP into the Automotive space and has spent time as an Implementer, Solution Engineer, and a Product Manager while working with Epicor. Andrew manages key product and market initiatives for Epicor products. Andrew was educated at Princeton University and currently resides in Georgetown, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and 4 kids.

Robert Schoenberger, editor of Todays Motor Vehicles will lead the webinar and ask questions about the specific applications of ERP systems. Following, there will be a question-and-answer format for attendees.

Click here to register for the free webinar.

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Free webinar: How automotive supply chain ERP software can reduce expedited shipping costs - Today's Motor Vehicles

PDF editors can be expensive, but most users can get by with a free alternative. We show you how you can edit PDFs for free with these useful tools.

By Roland Waddilove | 21 Jun 2017

PDFs should be one of the most straightforward document types in the world, but unfortunately they are not so simple when it comes to editing them. Paid-for PDF editors can do it all, but do you really want to pay for a tool to complete a quick and easy editing job? As we have learned from this round-up of free tools and services, you may not need to.

Adobe invented the PDF (Portable Document Format) to solve a problem that dogged people for years: how to view and print documents without requiring the original software that document was created in or the fonts it uses. It wasn't meant to be a replacement for a word processor -it was a layout format for precise alignment of text and images.

Many programs can save documents in PDF format, but few can edit them directly. But what if you receive a document in PDF form and need to change it? Or you might save a file as a PDF but lose the original (editable) document through a disk or human error? In all of these situations, you need a PDF editor.

However, here's the thing: free PDF editors generally do not allow you to edit text. What they offer is the ability to erase (or 'whiteout') text and replace it with new text. Matching the font, both size and colour, but it's all you'll be able to do if you can't get hold of the original file used to create the PDF.

Some free PDF editors let you annotate PDFs and add or remove pages. The original content cannot be changed, but you can insert notes and comments, use a highlighter pen, strikethrough text, delete pages, fill out forms and so on.

Here are some of your options:

AbleWord is the only free PDF editor we're aware of that can import a PDF and make it completely editable. It's best when importing PDF files that were created in Word, but will attempt to replicate all PDF files. The end result won't look identical to the original but will be close.

Foxit Reader is a lightweight alternative to Adobe Reader and many people prefer it. It's more than just a PDF reader though and it has a wide range of powerful tools. You cannot edit the contents, but text can be struck through with a line and replaced by a pop-up note.

PDF-XChange Viewer offers an almost identical set of features to Foxit Reader and it is useful for annotating in a similar manner.

As long as your editing demands aren't too heavy, PDF Candy may be the quickest solution. It can convert PDFs to other formats, rotate them, split them, protect them and add watermarks.

This new online service has but one limitation: any file you upload must be under 10MB. But that's it: there are no ads or any other restrictions.

LibreOffice, the free Office alternative, is worth considering if you want to edit the text in a PDF file. It loads PDFs and it can cope with very large documents with hundreds of pages. The only snag is that each line of text is text box, which makes it awkward to edit large amounts of text.

PDF Pro is an online tool that lets you upload three PDF files per month and edit them. The latest update includes a facility to convert PDF documents to Word (.doc) format, which not many free products can do.

FormSwift is another online PDF editor. You simply drag and drop files to upload them, and you can then edit them in your browser before downloading and printing or sharing.

You can edit text by deleting and replacing it, add images or signatures. It's relatively basic, but it's free and requires only an internet connection.

PDF to Word does exactly what the name says. You select a file on your PC, upload it to the site and it emails you the Word document a minute or two later. The advantage of this is that you can use Word or another word processor to edit the text and resave the document as a PDF.

Read the rest here:
How to edit a PDF for free - Tech Advisor (registration)

DAT Solutions announced it has completed integrating its most popular carrier features into the AscendTMS for carriers, and it will be offered at no cost to current and future DAT carrier customers. DAT TruckersEdge, Express, and Power carrier customers can log into the AscendTMS and search loads and post their trucks as they would inside their DAT load board app or desktop product.

Freight matching is increasingly about efficiency, said DAT Senior Vice President Don Thornton. The integration lets our carrier customers, especially smaller ones with fewer technical or financial resources, match their empty trucks with available DAT loads with the press of a single button. We are pleased to make AscendTMS carrier functionality available to our carrier network, the largest source of spot market capacity with 1.3 million trucks.

The AscendTMS for DAT Solutions carrier customers is available immediately, DAT says, offering a multifunction management tool at various service levels, including:

DAT load boards are also integrated with all major carrier and broker TMS solutions, including its own DAT Keypoint.

The rest is here:
AscendTMS software free to DAT carrier users - Overdrive Magazine