The other side of the coin is that they also know how a bad thing is the proprietary software, the vira, the monopolies and the swindles, personalized in the figure of Bill Gates, the microsoft corporation and its blackmails ([1] [2] [3]).

This text is nothing more than a proposal for action so I will not waste time trying to convince you; I assume that you already know the stuff and you want to change, but you do not know how.

Clarification:

To use free software you don't necessarily have to install linux. You can use free software programs in operating systems like windows or macs.

down to business:

    1. the browser. change your explorer for mozilla, you can download it here. It is easy to install and, more than an equivalent, it is better than explorer as it bears all the standars and, besides, it includes a composer (to make web pages) and a program to read email, so if you use outlook because your mail is smtp/pop/imap (if do not know what this is just move on to the following point, there's no point) can use the program that comes with mozilla, which is very similar.

    2. speaking of mail: your mail. Leave once and for all that disgusting hotmail.com account and get one on any another servant, even if it is commercial, but not hotmail!! For example softhome.net, hotpop.com, speedymail.org or linuxmail.org.

    3. yes of course, you've got that hotmail account to use that messenger... well, there are other message protocols (which by the way, were not invented by microsoft) which are more reliable than msn and are of course free, like jabber, and a program that you could use to talk with that protocol could be, for example, gaim, which is multi protocol, i.e, you can use jabber just like msn or yahoo or irc or icq. You can then change over to jabber and continue to keep contact with those lazy friends who can't be bothered to take 10 little seps to leave the empire (another consideration would be, can you still call those people your friend as they are making you use msn? but I will not enter in so deep matters...)

    4. Then there is the piss-take - for every linux-er – to keep receiving .doc files, which need to be opened with word if one wants to see them properly (why not to use the doc format? [1] [2]). Another program exists that does the same thing (and a couple of things more, but you won't care will ya) and is called  openoffice. . This allows you to save your files in various formats, doc among them, and some other that are free, like sxw or rtf (which can also be used with word). Besides, it allows you to export to pdf format (which word does not).

    5. Another matter is the audio formats... the well-known one mp3 is patented, and although you can use it for free [of charge], at any moment its owners can charge for its use. The one that we use in free software is ogg-vorbis (.ogg), which is free [also as in freedom] and various reproductors use it. To be able to listen to these files this format and others, as well as video too, you can use VLC and throw away that windows media player.

    6. To generate files in ogg format you can rip a cd with X-Tractor or edit audio with audacity.

    7. If you work with graphics, you can test gimp... to see if it can do what photoshop does, or if you do 3D, stop pirating around and test blender.

    8. Finally, to create web pages, better than dreamweaver, install amaya, which only works with standards and the webs that do will be seen by every one and not only explorer users.

Well, the plan is that you test these tools. There are many more, and you always need to begin with something. Searching with google (for example) you will find information about them, almost always in English. Besides, there are projects like gnuwin, or this that compile free software for windows.

The main thing, apart from taking these little steps, is that you infect your friends, and, in a second instance, better earlier than later, to take the final leap to GNU/Linux (for example, install yourself a knoppix, it is very easy) ... in this other side, there are people waiting for you. Like the song: "if you were here, the path would be easier, because together we would walk fighting the "son-of-bitches-ness" (although, it must be said, neither mothers nor prostitutes are to blame, are they).

this was translated from: indymedia estrecho