Tech For Free!

The 50 FREE  Tech Resources listed below are truly free and are cross platform (many are web-based). There is no cost to download, nor do they have an expiration date/trial period. This list includes everything you would need to operate your organization or your business, aside from your computer and internet access. It even includes free web design, hosting, and domain name.

This not a comprehensive list of free cross platform tools. This list is made up of tools that I have used and tested (among many others not listed here). When it comes to “making the cut” I selected tools based upon 1. its ease of use 2. its ability to accomplish the task at hand 3. up-time. A tool that can perform miracles is great, but if no one knows how to use it, or if its constantly broke, its useless. Please also keep in mind that this is my list as of today’s publish date.

 

Productivity Suites
These suites include word processing, presentation, and spreadsheets, and more.

Open Office (download)
Google Docs
Zoho

 

Synchronous Collaboration (Real-Time)

Dim Dim (free for 20 people)
Elluminate (free for 3 people)

 

Document Collaboration

Google Docs
Writeboard
Wiki Spaces
Adobe Buzzword

 

Survey/Polls

Survey Monkey (max 10 questions & max 100 respondents per survey)
Survey Gizmo (max 250 respondents per month)
Doodle

 

Database

Zoho Creator (max 2 users, 3 databases, 1000 records)

 

Phone

Google Voice (you have to request an invite)
Skype (download)

 

Email

Gmail
Yahoo

 

Discussion Forums

Forumotion

PunBB (download & requires web server installation)

phpBB (download & requires web server installation)

 

Chat

Zoho Chat
Skype

 

Calendar

Google Calendar

 

Event Registration

Evite

 

Project Management

iTeamwork
ToodleDo

 

File Sharing

Media Fire (unlimited amount of files, each can’t exceed 100MB)
4Shared (store up to 5GB, each can’t exceed 100MB)

 

Video Converter

Handbrake
Squared 5
Media Convert (download or service)

 

Video Editor
Platform specific but both come pre-installed.

• iMovie (mac)
• Windows Video Maker (windows)

Video Player

QuickTime (cross-platform BUT to view .wma & .wmv on Mac use with free Flip4Mac)
Flip4Mac
VLC

 

Audio Editor

Audacity

 

Image Editor

pixlr
Picnik
picasa

 

eLearning

MyiCourse

Udutu
(free course authoring/export)

Moodle (requires installation on a server)

 

Basic Website Creation

Weebly (includes hosting  & free domain name)
Yola (includes hosting & several widgets)

 

Advanced Website Creation

KompoZer (HTML/CSS Editor & includes FTP)
Joomla (content management systems and templates)
Drupal (content management systems and templates)
Open Source Web Design (free web design templates)

 

Blog

WordPress (service or web server install with your own domain)