By now Pakistan is one of those countries where piracy has reached an alarming number. Piracy is something that hurts everyone – From software developers to retail stores and then finally you, the user. If that isn’t all, piracy is also hurting the economy and growth of IT sector in Pakistan. Have you wondered why so many software developers in Pakistan are creating software but only for overseas customers? Because of Piracy, these people get nothing in return for the effort they put in. But that is just the bottom of an iceberg that affects everyone in the long term.
How Piracy Threatens Your Personal Identity And Life
Software piracy is extremely common in Pakistan. Even big name organizations are using Windows, Photoshop, Microsoft Word and other applications that are pirated. One of the biggest threats of using piracy is putting your personal identity on the line.
Did you know that software found over the many torrent based websites are usually brimming with malware, viruses and other potential scripts that can take away your personal details and reveal it to the world?
Have you ever been a victim of a hack? If any of your social media, email or other account has been hacked previously, did you know that piracy is to blame for all these?
Pirates often include malicious tools inside their torrents that immediately spread to your system resulting in viruses and other potential threats. Everything you do on a daily basis gets recorded and sent off to ‘Lists’ over the internet where this information is freely available and anyone can use it for whatever purposes they like.
If you are concerned about the privacy of you and your family, consider opting for alternatives when it comes to softwares on PC or applications on mobile phones.
We have compiled a list of alternatives and affordable ways to grab popular legal software like Windows.
The Perfect Alternates And Affordable Ways To Find Legal Software
Windows 10
Windows is the most pirated software after Microsoft Office in Pakistan. Nearly every individual to company to big name organization is using an illegal copy of Windows. Did you know that Windows 10 only costs you $99 to upgrade? Regardless of what Windows version you are running, Windows 10 can easily be upgraded. Previously for those who were legal owners of Windows 7 and 8 could get it upgraded for free. But this deal from Microsoft has now ended but you can still get the home version for a very affordable 10k PKR.
The benefits of using a legal Windows copy are endless. First you will be able to protect your personal identity because there are no malicious tools in a legal copy of Win. Also Microsoft sends out frequent security updates to keep you safe from security threats.
Alternatives To Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is an extremely important piece of software used by nearly every company, individual and business alike. Even students in University need it endlessly to create their assignments.
Did you know that there are free alternatives to Microsoft Office that pretty much offer the same tools Office does?
Here are some alternatives to Microsoft Office.
Apache OpenOffice
This is one of the oldest open source alternative to Office. It has been on the internet for past 15 years and it is still running strong. It comes with your typical spell checker and other applications like a spreadsheet, database and a presenter.
Google Docs
Google Docs is an extremely good and powerful tool that can be used as an alternative to Office. You can start using it today by simply accessing it using your Gmail account. It has all the necessary tools like a spreadsheet, word processor and a presentation platform. The best part is that it is accessible from anywhere. You can use it at office or home and all your data will be stored in the cloud.
Alternatives To Photoshop
Adobe’s powerful suite of creative software like the Photoshop is used day to day by companies, businesses, organizations, photographers and people at home. But since Adobe software can be quite costly, there is no need to shell out so much cash if you are not using it professionally. Here are some software alternatives to Photoshop.
GIMP
GIMP is one of the most professional open source software out there that can easily replace Photoshop. It is dubbed as the number one alternative to Photoshop even for professionals. It is a bit harder to use but there are several official GIMP video tutorials that can help you learn the software easily.
Inkscape
If you love working on Illustrator, Inkscape is the best free alternative. It can do pretty much everything Illustrator can do but it does not come with a hefty price tag. So why don’t you give it a try by downloading it now.
Winrar Alternative
Did you know Winrar is not free? You do get a seamlessly unlimited trial period with WinRar but if you use it professionally, there are tons of features locked away behind a price tag.
7zip
7zip is the perfect alternative to Winrar. It is opensource and contains every feature WinRaR has.
ITunes Alternative
ITunes or Windows Media Player are popularly used in Pakistan to simply organize their library. You can replace these by the following:
MusikCube
MusikCube is an excellent software that can help your organize your music. It also makes it really quick to find the stuff you have on your PC. Plus you can create some very awesome smart playlists.