Free Software

Thank you Google!

Needless to say, not everyone owns Microsoft Office and the ubiquitous Microsoft Word. Families sometimes have other priorities for their hard earned cash. So they use Microsoft Works, which usually comes free with a new PC. The problem is, Microsoft sabotages its own files. The greedy buggers make sure Word doesn't recognize the Works files.

When students arrive flustered because they've done a ton of work and can't open it at school, I do two things. First, I assure them we have a converter and all will be well. But before sending them to the Technology Help Desk, I set them up with a free Google account and demonstrate the free Google word processor. Among other benefits, it can save documents in Word format!

It irks the daylights out of me that Microsoft intentionally restricts access to their most used file format, and leaves it to a competitor to save the day for my students. IBM has just released their own free word processing program - it, too, will save in the Word format. I do everything I can to promote these free programs, including introducing them to my Computer Literacy classes.

Let's hope they catch on!

I also advertise to my classes that I normally arrive at school about a half hour early, and encourage anyone with home access problems to come to my homeroom. It's located in a computer lab, and students can use the computers if they need to. It's not much, but I hope in my own small way, I'm helping out those with technology access problems.