Free Creative Software

Earlier this month I read about the launch of "Google App Marketplace" and the possibilities it offers in the way of free (or cheap) services. Now the marketplace is specifically for developers, who pay a $100 a year fee, but we can still access the products contained within. Here is a list I found of the "Top 10 apps": http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2010/03/top-10-google-apps-marketplace-apps/ Pay special attention to "SlideRocket" and "Aviary", there is also "Picnik" which didn't make this list but is still great. I started using "Aviary" this week and it has been phenomenal. The services it offers are comparable to the "Adobe Creative Suite" but completely without cost. The "Aviary" software doesn't include some of the bells and whistles included with the Adobe products, but there is enough to get done most of what we are going to do. It really is a great way to work with an advanced editing program without tying yourself down to the cost of the Adobe software.

I really feel that Google is going to have a profound effect on how we educate in the future, and the "Marketplace" is just a small part of this. The bigger picture for me is the openness that it creates, and the possibilities that come with this openness. No longer will kids in rural communities be closed off from the "outside" world. The will be able to access "virtually" the great museums of the world and use software such as "Aviary" and "Picnik" to create their own images, without the school system spending any of their dwindling budget. I hope that Google sticks to it's mantra of "Don't be Evil" and continues to use its power for good, to help broaden all of our horizons. With products such as "Aviary" Google puts the creative power back in our hands, so that we are free to concentrate on the Visual Literacy skills we have been learning. If anyone is interested there is a great book on how Google is changing the way the world works: "What Would Google Do" by Jeff Jarvis. I am looking forward to reading what you all think about this software and if you have any questions let me know, I have been exploring these for about a week now and I will continue to in the future. If anyone knows of any other free software please post in the comments.