Go legal, go free! [read my point of view]
Are you searching for tools for free?
Are you starting your business and for the moment you have no budget? These are the best free tools I found for architects and designers.
Some of them took me a lot of time on their research… so, this isn’t just a list. This is what I really found useful for me after several tests, wrong downloads and malware!
software to download
PDF EDITOR
my choice: https://icecreamapps.com/it/PDF-Editor/
I literally became CRAZY on searching the best pdf editing tool – free – available on the web. I have reached such a quantity of malware by trying several apps! But finally, yes… I found it. Thank you Icecream apps! It is nice to see, it is free, all the basic tools are available (delete/add pages for example), and it isn’t connected to any online service. Whoa.
UPDATE: on the latest update the team applied a watermark on each use. DAMN IT! Still searching for the best freeware tool…
UNZIPPING
my choice: https://www.7-zip.org/
from years, still the best available tool. Nothing to say!
2d CAD
my choice: http://nanocad.com/
autocad compatible software… I tried many of them, and some take too time to learn new methods, have multiple errors, have too low compatibility. Even if the free version is someway “ancient”, it makes a good work and it is the most compatible software that I found.
3D MODELLING
my choice: Blender
since render engines are not very cheap, and free ones for Rhino are not very good (I tried…), I made some attempts to learn opensource apps. I tried Unreal Engine but I felt lost… while a different story happened with Blender, which I started to love and it is very complete. You can be very precise also if you learn the right tips (see the section above!).
OFFICE SUITE
my choice :https://www.libreoffice.org/
The most compatible with the original.
IMAGE EDITING:
my choice: https://www.gimp.org/ –
the best known alternative to Adobe Photoshop. You have to practice a little bit and it will be extremely easy to use.
VIRTUAL PRINTER FOR PDF:
Do pdf and pdf architect
your virtual printer – a must for cads!
DESKTOP PUBLISHING:
my choice: https://www.scribus.net/
the only substitute to Adobe Indesign
VECTOR GRAPHICS:
my choice: https://inkscape.org
Nice alternative to Adobe Illustrator
WEB/FTP
my choice: http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/
Simple, easy and intuitive transfer of folders for websites
RECORDING DESKTOP
my choice: Free Cam / Freescreenrecording
Simple, easy and intuitive
IMAGE VIEWER
my choice: https://imageglass.org/
VIDEO
Da Vinci Resolve
I am in love with this one. Other words are un-necessary, you have to have it if you are searching for a professional freeware.
Disclaimer: this is a fast collection of links, that I found very useful for my work and I want to suggest. Feel free to suggest me other samples!
In that you can find: gratis, free, freeware software, let me know!