Copyrighted Software and a life of Freelancer

by 9AuM

Past - Working as a web application programmer for one of the biggest Internet agencies in Thailand - Used to be raided for Macromedia software infringement at the office - Used to believe that I’m better than foreigners by using pirated software

Who am I ?

Present - Working full time for http://www.songburi.com website devoted to indy songs - Writing a blog at http://www.scriptdd.com about Web Programming - Running more than 90% legal software on the computer

Why am I speaking ?

- I don’t want to see Thailand on top list of software piracy - I don’t want Thai people to neglect about this issue - I don’t’ want anyone else to infringe my works

Guess how many pirated software in my computer ?

How I use software as a freelancer

- Try to use Freeware as much as possible- Try to use bundled Software at its best- Try to use Trial Software at its best- Buy legal software

When I started to use freeware ...

- Accept and adapt to idea behind each freeware- Try to study and use the most out of it- Tell a friend if it works

Freeware / Did you know? We have Antivir as a freeware antivirus (Personal Use) that we can update virus database for a lifetime, why bother use Norton or Nod32 ?

http://www.free-av.com

Freeware / Did you know?

We have FileZilla as a freeware FTP Client for a lifetime, why bother use CuteFTP ?

http://filezilla-project.org

Freeware / Did you know? We have Faststone Image Viewer as a freeware for viewing and modifying images, why bother use Acdsee ?

http://www.faststone.org

Freeware / Did you know? If you’re not a hardcore office worker, then try OpenOffice and you have enough presentation tool. This presentation also created with OpenOffice.org Impress.

http://www.openoffice.org

Freeware / Did you know? If Photoshop is too expensive, we have Paint.NET to use for free.

http://www.getpaint.net

Did you know ?

- You can get free Nero Burning with your new DVD drive- You can get a free data recovery software bundled with CF Card - You can get an image editor software with your new DSLR camera- Same notebook specs but more expensive because they bundled Windows OEM in the package- Have you tried all functions in Windows?

Bundled software, good stuff that is forgotten

Rescuepro Software is a free software bundled with Sandisk CF Card to recover the data when you need it.

http://www.sandiskthailand.com

Bundled software, good stuff that is forgotten

ThinkPad followers, you can update new software for free more that you will ever need !

http://www.lenovo.com

Bundled software, good stuff that is forgotten

Bundled software, good stuff that is forgottenThose expensive Canon DSLRs have bundled Digital Photo Professional to edit images

http://www.canon.co.th

Bundled software, good stuff that is forgottenI have a copy of free Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0 because I bought Sanyo camcorder

http://www.adobe.com

Bundled software, good stuff that is forgottenI’m using Windows Calendar that was bundled with Windows Vista Business OEM with peace of mind because it can sync with my Nokia 5300 where I planned to buy a copy of Microsoft Outlook.

http://www.microsoft.com

Try to use trial software at its best

- Some software are limited to 3 months, just uninstall it.- Some software are good for a lifetime- We can remove some Registry record and use some of it for free

Trial Software – they have this too

If you don’t want to buy Editplus Text Editor, it still allows you to use after 30 days so no need to crack it.

http://www.editplus.com

Trial Software – they have this tooI love BulletProof FTP but I’ve never bought one and never cracked it because I can remove some registry records and it’s good to go.

http://www.bpftp.com

Legal software that I purchased

Even though I can find most of software I need but I still need to buy some.

1. Compare details of software in the same category2. Try to forecast its life cycle in the long run3. Compare the investment

Purchased1. I chose Windows Vista Business OEM, priced Bt. 5,270 as an OS2. SPORE Creature Creator game, priced Bt. 99

In the future plan1. Editplus, priced $352. Ulead VideoStudio 11.5 Plus, priced $703. Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 . . . let me think about it ;)

How to earn money to buy legal software

My perspective to work

1. For the new works that requires no new skill, it will be calculated from actual manhour2. If it requires new techniques, it will be discussed with client case-by-case3. Have a figures in mind. If it’s too low budget, someone has to take it4. Commit to the deadline5. Allocate 20 – 40% from the job for Software buying

Once buying a legal Software

1. You can have a peace of mind about copyright2. You can claim your software costs with client3. Software developers will be willing to develop local languages Software4. Help build a better respective community

Thank you

9AuM