No, this is not a title from a Japanese monster or an independent film. In fact this is some new software I have been using for several weeks now.

Mozilla Firefox (Internet Browser)
Mozilla Thunderbird (Email Application)
OpenOffice (Full Office Application Suite)

These are completely FREE to download applications. Just go to their respective websites

• http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/ for the Mozilla Applications

• http://www.openoffice.org/ for the OpenOffice Suite

After using them I have no complaints, they do exactly what they are supposed to do and I have yet to have a problem with any of them. Best of all, the support forums have a wealth of information. The Mozilla website has links for “add-ons” to the applications that are so diverse that I do not know were to start. Everything to make your browser look like Internet Explorer, Apple or fully pimped up trip from the 70’s (got to be seen!!!)…there are endless extras covering all areas of your internet & email needs (& desires!). Did I mention it is all FREE?

OpenOffice has applications for text documents, spreadsheets, presentation, drawing & database. I can only talk about the text and spreadsheet applications as these are what I use 99% of the time, I would rarely, if ever, use the others. Again, I can not give them enough praise. Complete, fully functioning, with all the options, applications. This is really worth downloading and trying, especially if you are about to hand over €300/€400 for an office suite or upgrade. Did I mention it is all FREE?

I am spreading the word because that is the whole point. Download for free, pass it on to as many people as you can and shout it from the roof tops, there is a third way. The whole point of the internet to those who set it up was to be able to access information without limits or boundaries (the current internet, as opposed to the US armed forces original designed to survive a nuclear war). The people behind these applications are living in the spirit of this. The communities behind these projects deserve all the praise they can get for creating such first class software. These, I imagine, are mostly people who love doing what they are doing and it shows.

It is a shame the other’s can not follow their example. At the end of the day premium rates should only apply to premium services!

I am so impressed that I am currently researching various LINUX based operating systems. At the moment Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntu.com/) is on the top of my list. I would just like to find out a little bit more before I take the plunge, the install process seems daunting to us graphical user interface crowd but I am prepared to learn so it is certainly on the cards in the near future.

Once more a HUGE thank you and well done to the creators & communities of Mozilla, OpenOffice and Ubuntu and to all those other providers. Without a doubt, you are the future.

Did I mention it is all FREE?