If you spend a lot of time working (or playing) on computers, then there is no doubt that you have come across some of the most insanely high prices for premium software and software licenses.
Adobe Creative Cloud alone can cost over $500 per year, even though you might only want Adobe Photoshop. Of course, $500 looks like a lot less when you consider some 3D modelling programs like AutoCAD cost $2055 per year (the good news is you get a whopping 5% discount if you sign up for two years!)
Worldwide there are thousands of people who believe these costs are too much for the average consumer to fork up, and some of them are very smart programmers with too much free time.
The concept of free open source software (FOSS) has existed since the 1980s, and using these concepts software designers have released a plethora of alternatives for paid software, and as well as many entirely new creations.
The best part about open source is that you are free to do whatever you want to the actual code (though you do not have to if you want to use it!). Nowadays there is usually several open source alternatives to any major software for sale, simply because someone wanted to add a feature to an existing FOSS project!
Below, we have compiled a list of some useful free and open source software for students.
Linux: An Alternative Operating System
That is right, there are even free and fully customizable operating systems. It would be difficult to list all the versions of Linux here since it has been around nearly as long as open source software has.
However, if you have never used a Linux machine before we recommend checking out Ubuntu or Linux Mint. Both operating systems are some of the most user-friendly OS replacements for Windows or macOS. You can find the Linxus operating system on the Linux website [1].
As a side note: it is far easier to download and customize open source code projects when working from a Linux OS. Often times all you need to do is type a command in a terminal window!
LibreOffice: Microsoft Office Suite Alternative
LibreOffice is a massive open source project involving the collaborative 
efforts of hundreds (if not thousands) of developers around the world [2].
The project is designed to be a complete replacement for the Microsoft Office Suite lineup; Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, and Access.
LibreOffice offers an equivalent and probably an even more feature-rich counterpart for each MS application. They even have an online office suite to provide browser-based document editing just like MS Word online!
Krita, Inkscape, and GIMP: Software for Digital Designers
For those who are interested in graphic design or a person who likes to draw and do animation more than others, then you definitely know the large price tag that Adobe products can carry. Luckily, there are many developers working on outstanding projects that make those high prices irrelevant.
Developers created Krita as a free open-source graphics editor for digital painters and animators, providing a host of features and a comprehensive user manual [3]. Krita has a popular user forum where creators like yourself, can learn from others while collaborating with other digital artists! [4]
Inkscape is an open source vector-graphics editor that functions similarly to Adobe Illustrator [5]. It has a rich set of tutorials and features, where some of which are not even available through Illustrator.
You can download the free software from the Inkscape website, but ensure to translate the web page first, in order to choose the specific download option created for your operating system [5].
GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) has been dubbed “the closest [application] to Photoshop you can get for free”, which is a claim that the program can definitely backup.
Not only can it do nearly all the image editing features that users can do
on Photoshop, but GIMP also has thousands upon thousands of users creating tutorials online, that outlines how to accomplish nearly anything you would want to apply to a picture [6].
FreeCAD: AutoCAD and SolidWorks Alternative
FreeCAD is a parametric 3D CAD modelling software geared toward those in mechanical engineering and product design [7]. People can readily use the software for designing architecture, and has tools similar to those in SolidWorks.
The only caveat is that FreeCAD has no drafting functionality, but luckily, another project called LibreCAD exists for all your 2D CAD needs! (Isn't open source great?) Blender: The complete 3D creation suite
If you want to work in any industry that involves 3D animation, modelling, simulation, rendering, etc. then look no further because Blender is the 3D creation suite for you. Users can create an entire movie by using this software, and with Blender being one of the fastest updated cycles among open source projects, even sometimes daily, it is unlikely that it will fall behind other 3D creation software any time soon [8].
Conclusion
This list is only a sample of some of the amazing technology that people are creating for you to use free of charge. If we forgot to list an alternative to a program that you need, do not fret; Check out www.alternativeto.com to find community-voted free and paid alternatives to almost any software!
References
[1] Linux. (n.d.) Linux – Home page. Retrieved November 02, 2018, from https://www.linux.org/
[2] Libre Office. (n.d.) Libre Office. Retrieved November 02, 2018, from https://www.libreoffice.org/
[3] Krita. (n.d.) Krita. Retrieved November 02, 2018, from https://krita.org/en/
[4] KDE Community Forum. (n.d.) Krita. Retrieved November 02, 2018, from https://forum.kde.org/viewforum.php?f=136
[5] Inkscape. (n.d.) Inkscape – Release 0.92.3. Retrieved November 22, 2018, from https://inkscape.org/release/0.92.3/
[6] GNU Image Manipulation Program. (n.d.) GIMP. Retrieved November 22, 2018, from https://www.gimp.org/
[7] FreeCAD web. (n.d.) FreeCAD. Retrieved November 02, 2018, from https://www.freecadweb.org/
[8] Blender. (n.d.) Blender – Download page. Retrieved November 02, 2018, from https://www.blender.org/
