Do you pay for software or always look for a free alternative?

I pay for...

Windows
Office 365
Visual Studio "Tabs Studio" plugin
Email - domain, exchange, outlook web access

There's a few things I'd want, but the licenses are aimed at businesses, so cost way more than I'm prepared to pay. E.g. Photoshop. So I use Paint.NET instead.

Then there's websites, which arguably are just as much about the software as the content... Amazon Prime for Music, Video, and Twitch.
 
I've been using 'hacked' VPN's for a few months which have worked flawlessly but I've now decided to give my £23 for a lifetime sub to TigerVPN.
 
Only pay for Windows and Office (though still using 2010 and it's absolutely fine for my needs).

Everything else I can manage fine with free versions or a trial version if I need a particular function for a short period.
 
I pretty much have the programs I need.
i don't like paying for software generally though so if i have s short term need I'll find a free/trial version of something to do the job.

I am still rocking office 2007.
My laptop has 2013 on it but only as i got it as part of a deal with another laptop i purchased. (sealed in its box, not dodgy ;) )
 
I pay for Office (don't tell child me this as he'd hate older me for paying for MS Office), Windows, and Postbox. I'd happily pay for more software but tbh I use so little else, if I paid for instance MagicISO, i'd use it once and never again so would see it pointless paying.

I feel the reason i'm more open to paying is 3 fold.

1) i've more money now
2) i'm much lazier when it comes to software and although I don't mind tinkering, I'd much rather something just download and work, and paid for is usually easier to be up and running
3) and this is the most biggest factor as to why, is because of Android apps and getting used to paying for those. At first my view on paying for apps on android was the same as it was on windows, but over time I decided actually i wanted Nova prime, or Textra SMS, or whatever other paid for app, and now much more open to paying for good quality apps
 
Use to be free, now very much pay. Don't get something for nothing most 99% of the time, and I think things have got cheaper.
Ms office(personal use 365 on eBay for around £20 a year is a bargain), VPN, email, cloud storage etc.
 
I'm too old to do warez, so prefer open office to MS Office or ffmpeg instead of encoding soft, but I have to say there is something (looks for word) mobster about the new cloud schedules like Office 365 or Adobe stuff, the whole never owning the license, never being able to treat it as a personal or company asset, never being able to recoup a small chunk of it, buying an upgrade to it or hand it down to a desperate student like we used to with office suites, photo editors or video editing software - it's irks me, it's not right. It's almost as diabolical as the old "pay for protection" hostage license agreements for SGI, Sun or Novel stuff back in nineties and early naughties: stop paying (salesman licks finger and sticks it up in the air) tens of ££££'s a year and the whole system gets hacked, obsolete in a month or becomes useless. The new cloud stuff is even worse, stop paying £££ a year and it just stops working. I can totally see why people would crack something this greedy.
 
It depends how much I'll use it. I pay for windows these days, but only because it's finally at a price I deem reasonable. I buy the odd phone app. Maybe one or two a year. I don't play games on my phone.
I don't use Office. If I need to use a spreadsheet or write a letter, I just use google docs. I can count on one hand how many times I need to do that in a year so no point paying for it.
I don't use CAD, 3D, Photo or video editing software.
I do do a little python programming, and I usually use Pycharm community for that, or VS Code if I want to run it on the Ubuntu shell on windows. All of which are free.
 
Windows I've always bought genuine.

Office, always tried to get this free with a new PC but since building my own systems I went to open office but the last few years I've been eligible for the Microsoft HUP so latest office for £10 which would be silly not to use.

Antivirus I'm happy with the free Avast.

I have a Lightroom/Photoshop subscription which has just finished it's trial price, tied in with my reduced usage lately I'll be looking at cheaper alternatives in the new year.
 
I buy cheapo android apps for pennies on offer with credit I've accumulated with google rewards..... but windows apps? Nope.

I'm legit using free stuff although I'll be in trouble if makemkv ever leaves beta. I don't fancy forking out the 50 quid they want. :eek:
 
v0n said:
I'm too old to do warez, so prefer open office to MS Office or ffmpeg instead of encoding soft, but I have to say there is something (looks for word) mobster about the new cloud schedules like Office 365 or Adobe stuff, the whole never owning the license, never being able to treat it as a personal or company asset, never being able to recoup a small chunk of it, buying an upgrade to it or hand it down to a desperate student like we used to with office suites, photo editors or video editing software - it's irks me, it's not right. It's almost as diabolical as the old "pay for protection" hostage license agreements for SGI, Sun or Novel stuff back in nineties and early naughties: stop paying (salesman licks finger and sticks it up in the air) tens of ££££'s a year and the whole system gets hacked, obsolete in a month or becomes useless. The new cloud stuff is even worse, stop paying £££ a year and it just stops working. I can totally see why people would crack something this greedy.
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I have to agree with this. Although I opened the thread with the fact that I now tend to buy software,I will only do so if I can buy it outright. I won't pay for a monthly/annual license for the reasons you give. So I'll buy MS Office but I won't pay for a subscription to Office 365.

Open Source software solves the exact issues you raise; it can never be taken away from you.
 
Torrents and free alternatives. As it always has been.

I don't buy into Office 365 or any other monthly subscription cloud software either. I like physical copies.
 
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