No.

December 123

VAN Briefing

2008
The voice of the Voluntary Arts
Free and low-cost
IT tools
Spending money on professional software Downloading software
is often seen as the only option available Most of the tools listed below are available to download for
free from websites. To do this:
to voluntary arts groups and organisations. • visit the website in question and find the link that says
This may have been true in the past, but ‘download’ or ‘download now’;
the proliferation of the web has resulted • click this link and you will be asked where on your
computer you would like the install file to be saved;
in a huge number of free and low-cost • once the file has been downloaded, double click on it and
alternatives becoming available. This follow the on-screen instructions; and
briefing looks at some alternatives to • when the installation is complete you will be able to launch
the programme from your Start menu.
standard software, and some other tools If you already have a similar programme on your computer
that you might find useful. (e.g. you are downloading OpenOffice.org and you already have
Microsoft Office), there is no need to uninstall the existing
The final section of the briefing describes ‘open source’, the software – you can have both installed on your computer at the
process by which many of these free and low-cost IT tools are same time, and choose which you want to use as you see fit.
produced, and suggests some ways in which the open source
ethos can be applied to your other activities. 1. Virus protection
If after reading this briefing you are unsure about what
software is right for you, get advice from an IT expert. These Free programmes include:
can be found through voluntary sector ICT bodies listed in the • Avira AntiVir Personal – www.free-av.com – a popular
Further Resources section at the end of the briefing. anti-virus programme that monitors every action and reacts
promptly when a malicious program is detected.
Note: due to space constraints, this briefing focuses mainly on PCs • Ad-Aware 2008 Free – www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_
rather than Macs, although many of the tools featured work on Macs aware_free.php – a popular anti-spyware programme.
or have Mac versions available. • Malwarebytes – www.malwarebytes.org – identifies and
removes malicious software from your computer and is
good for correcting things after your system has been
A. The tools affected. It is free for non-commercial use.
Listed below is just a selection of the thousands of IT tools The companies that provide these free programmes also offer
available. Others can be found through search engines or through paid-for options, providing a higher level of protection, but still
sites such as CNET’s Download.com – www.download.com. often cheaper than some of the more well-known high-street
Download.com features reviews of each of the applications brands. Check their websites for more details, and get advice
featured on its site – it is important to look at these, as they from an IT expert if you are unsure about the level of
will highlight any potential bugs or compatibility problems with protection you require.
your system.
There is always a danger that computer viruses might be 2. Office applications
present in downloaded software, but you can mitigate against OpenOffice.org is a group of free open source (see Part B)
this risk by reading previous user reviews on sites such as office applications, which aims to emulate the look and feel of
Download.com and making sure that your virus software Microsoft Office. It can open and create most of the file formats
is up-to-date. you may already be familiar with (e.g. .doc, .xls, and .ppt).

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 Some computers come with Microsoft Office already
Glossary
installed, in which case you will probably not need an alternative
Applications – also known as ‘programmes’, the things that such as OpenOffice.org. If however, Microsoft Office is sold
run on your computer to enable you to do particular tasks, separately, or if for some reason Microsoft Office doesn’t work
e.g. word processor, Internet browser, etc. on your computer, you might like to consider OpenOffice.org
Backing up – saving copies of your files or emails as a free alternative.
somewhere else (e.g. on a CD, memory stick, another The applications that make up OpenOffice.org include:
computer or online) in case anything should go wrong with • OpenOffice Writer – a word processor similar to
your computer. Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. A great advantage of
OpenOffice Writer is that it can create Portable
Browser – the application you use to access the Internet, Document Format – PDF (see Section 3) files with no
e.g. Internet Explorer. additional software.
Bugs – things that might cause your computer to go wrong, • OpenOffice Calc – a spreadsheet with similar features
such as an incompatible application or a virus. to Microsoft Excel or Lotus 1-2-3. Calc can also create
spreadsheets in PDF format.
Byte – a unit of computer memory. A kilobyte (Kb) is one
thousand bytes, a megabyte (Mb) is one million bytes, and a • OpenOffice Impress – a presentation program similar to
Microsoft PowerPoint. It can export presentations to
gigabyte (Gb) is one billion bytes. An average document
Adobe Flash (SWF) files, allowing them to be played on any
might be around 50Kb. Most new computers come with over
computer with a Flash player installed. It also includes the
100Gb of storage space.
ability to create PDF files.
Compatibility – the extent to which software applications • OpenOffice Base – a database program similar to
and computers speak to each other successfully. Sometimes Microsoft Access. Base allows the development of
new software is incompatible with an old computer, or vice databases, and the building of forms and reports to provide
versa, and therefore won’t work. easy access to data for users.
To download OpenOffice.org visit the website at
Download – to get something from the Internet onto your
www.openoffice.org. For more information on the suitability
computer (see ‘upload’).
of OpenOffice.org for not-for-profit organisations, visit
Hardware – the physical computer, including the processor, http://why.openoffice.org/why_nfp.html.
hard drive, monitor, mouse, keyboard and other accessories.
GoogleDocs is a free service that lets you to share office files
Open source – term used to refer to software created with colleagues. You can use it to create documents, spread-
and distributed on a copyright-free basis (see Section B for sheets and presentations without having to download any
more details). software onto your computer. You can also upload your existing
Programmes – also known as ‘applications’. The process of Microsoft Office or OpenOffice.org files. Once created or
creating applications is called ‘programming’. uploaded, you and your colleagues can access your files securely
from any computer with an Internet connection and browser.
Software – all the programming that runs on the computer, To find out more and to sign up, visit www.google.com/docs.
including the operating system (e.g.Windows) and the
applications. 3. PDF creation
Spam – unsolicited emails. The advantage of Portable Document Format (PDF) files is
Spyware – a type of virus that can gather information about that they:
you without your knowledge or consent. • cannot be altered by the recipient;
System – a term used to describe your whole computer,
• often take up less space than the original file; and
including both hardware and software.
• are compatible with the majority of computers, thanks to
the free Adobe Reader software that can be downloaded
Upload – to get something from your computer onto the from www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.
Internet (see ‘download’). PDF files can be created from most types of files, including
documents, spreadsheets and presentations, using the full
Virus – a malicious programme that can infect your version of Adobe Acrobat (which isn’t free). Free alternatives
computer, causing damage or loss of information. Viruses can include OpenOffice.org’s integral PDF creator or any one
be caught through email or websites. of the free PDF creators now available.
Webcam – video camera that attaches to your computer to An example is:
allow people to see you during Internet phone calls or chat. • PDFCreator is free to download from
www.pdfforge.org/products/pdfcreator and can be used

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 even for commercial purposes. It will convert most types of 6.Website building
file into a PDF file.
Note: Not all PDF creators available for free download remain free; Some free website-building tools that are relatively simple to
some are commercial products with a 30-day trial period, after which use include:
you have to pay to continue to use them. • Conventional websites – one of the easiest website-
building tools on the Internet is Freewebs. Register online
4. Internet telephony and within minutes you can have a simple site up and
running, without any knowledge of web programming.
Skype is a free software application that allows you to make Freewebs funds its free version by placing adverts on your
phone calls from your computer. Calls to other people who are website, but you can remove these if you wish by paying a
using Skype are free, but you have to pay for calls to landlines subscription of $1.66 (around £1.10) per month. To set up
and mobiles, either on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ or subscription basis your site, register at www.freewebs.com.
(prices at www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/prices). • Blogging sites – a blog is like an online diary, mostly
The only hardware you will need is a pair of earphones created by individuals about their lives in general, or about
and a microphone. These can be combined in the form of a a specific aspect such as their work, projects or interests.
headset, which can be picked up for under £10 (€13) from VAN Briefing 114 – The latest developments in web technology
most computer or electronics suppliers, or a special Internet explains the uses of blogs in more detail. Two free
telephony phone, which plugs into the USB port of your blogging utilities are Blogger, which is more basic but
computer, and can cost from around £20 (€25). If you have a quick to set up (www.blogger.com), and Wordpress,
webcam you can also make video calls so the person you are which is more versatile in terms of design and options
calling can see you as well as hear you. (http://wordpress.org).
You can download Skype for free from www.skype.com. • Wikis – the most famous wiki is Wikipedia, the online
encyclopaedia that anyone can contribute to and edit. Wikis
5. Conferencing and collaboration are great for compiling and consolidating the expertise of a
There are many ways you can use the latest free and low-cost large number of people. VAN Briefing 114 explains the uses
IT tools to collaborate with colleagues anywhere in the world. of wikis more detail. Wikispaces is a free wiki provider you
GoogleDocs (see Section 2) allows you to share office files and can register with at www.wikispaces.com. Like Freewebs, its
Skype allows you to set up telephone conferencing. sites feature advertising which can be removed for a small
Other tools include: monthly subscription.
• Huddle is a secure online environment where you and
your colleagues can come together to work on files, plan B. Open source
projects and collaborate on ideas. Huddle is free to
selected registered charities, thanks to the Huddle Some of the free software applications listed above, such as
Foundation. It provides ten gigabytes of space, the capacity OpenOffice.org, are examples of what is termed ‘open source’
for an unlimited number of users and online support. software. This is software that has been developed by
If you are a registered charity, you can find out if you are programming enthusiasts using source code (the building
eligible by visiting www.huddle.net/about/charity-criteria . blocks of computer software) that is freely available in the
If you aren’t eligible, you can still set up a more basic public domain.
Huddle account absolutely free at www.huddle.net . More recently, the term ‘open source’ has been used in
• Meet-O-Matic (www.meetomatic.com) is a free and other areas. ‘Open source culture’, for example, is one in which
simple way to schedule meetings. Just visit the site, add the cultural works that might otherwise be entitled to copyright
details of your proposed meeting and who you would like to protection are made freely available so that participants can
invite, and Meet-O-Matic will email the invitees and monitor access them, modify them and/or redistribute them back into
their responses about whether or not they are available. the community.
Unlike Huddle, Meet-O-Matic doesn’t provide online spaces Licenses, such as the Creative Commons and the GNU
for collaboration, but is useful for setting up real-life General Public License, allow artists to specify and fine-tune
meetings when you are unsure whether or not everyone how a work can be used, modified and redistributed, and under
will be available. what circumstances.
• Eventbrite (www.eventbrite.com) is an online event
registration service that is free to use for free events (it Creative Commons is a non-profit organisation
charges 2.5 per cent commission for paid events). Unlike devoted to expanding the range of creative works
Huddle and Meet-O-Matic, Eventbrite is more suited to available for others to build upon legally and to share.
setting up public or membership events, rather than just The organisation has released several copyright licenses known
staff or volunteer meetings. Once you have set up an as Creative Commons licenses. These licenses allow creators
account, you can add details of your events and Eventbrite to communicate which rights they reserve, and which rights
will provide you with a link you can send to people and they waive for the benefit of other creators.
publish on your website, allowing anyone to book (and, if http://creativecommons.org
applicable, pay) online.

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 First issued with Update 55

Open source culture and the voluntary arts their own perspectives and change the content you have
Unlike some parts of the professional arts sector, the voluntary added if they believe it to be incomplete or incorrect.
and amateur arts are more interested in increasing participation If more people become involved and the wiki grows, people
and sharing human experiences than in generating money will begin to feel a joint ownership over the information
through intellectual property. So what better place to trial resource and the group or art form it represents, bringing
some of the ideas of open source culture? them together as a community.
Giving up your exclusive rights to the art and craft work
you produce can be a daunting prospect. However, it might be
worth looking in more detail at the various licenses on the Further Resources
Creative Commons website and deciding which of them might VAN briefings
be appropriate to trial for different aspects of your work. You These are available to download from the VAN website for free
could, for example: at www.voluntaryarts.org . The final three are older briefings
• Publish some dances you or your members have that have been superceded by newer technology, but may still
choreographed under one of the Creative Commons be useful for general information purposes.
licenses. You could invite other members to use these steps
as a basis for their own dances, which they in turn will agree
• 114 – The latest developments in web technology
to publish under the same license. You could post the results
• 97 – What do I need to know about copyright?
on a video hosting site like YouTube (www.youtube.com)
• 86 – Making your website for everyone
and see how the project grows.
• 73 – Writing for the web
• 71 – Help! I’ve been invaded – how to deal with
• Run a workshop where the group is encouraged to computer viruses
collaborate on a piece of music the participants create
together. Stress the importance of the idea (for this project ICT information providers
at least) that no-one owns the piece and that people need • ICT Hub – www.icthub.org.uk
not feel aggrieved if their contributions are changed. Use • ICTpoint – www.ictpoint.ie
recording technology to record the piece of music at each • Lasa Knowledgebase – www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk
stage of development and discuss how the changes relate
to the evolutionary process of music composition in
general. You could run this project over a number of weeks Disclaimer: The websites cited in this briefing are included for
and log its progress in a blog, encouraging people to submit information and illustrative purposes only and are not endorsed
their comments. by VAN. VAN cannot be held responsible for any damage or loss
• Create a wiki detailing the history of your group or art form caused by third party websites. Please proceed with caution and
and add your own research and/or archives under one of ensure that your virus protection and firewall are up-to-date and
the Creative Commons licenses. Encourage others to add that all important data is regularly backed-up to a secure location.

Information contained here may go out of date and you are therefore advised to check its currency.
Updated information may be available on the VAN website: www.voluntaryarts.org
Disclaimer: Reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the information in this document is accurate. However, it is not intended
to be legally comprehensive; it is designed to provide guidance in good faith at the stated date but without accepting liability.
We therefore recommend you take appropriate professional advice before taking action on any of the matters covered herein.
© Copyright notice: Unless otherwise stated, all material published by VAN is subject to copyright.
However, we do encourage members of the voluntary arts sector to copy and disseminate this material for non-commercial purposes.
If you wish to do so, please send details of your requirements to [email protected].
We also ask that you acknowledge VAN wherever such material is used.

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The Voluntary Arts Network, Ground floor, 121 Cathedral Road, Pontcanna, Cardiff CF11 9PH
T: 029 20 395 395 E: [email protected] W: www.voluntaryarts.org
The Voluntary Arts Network is registered in Scotland as Company No. 139147 and Charity No. SC 020345.
VAN acknowledges funding from the Arts Councils of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Registered office: 2nd Floor, 54 Manor Place, Edinburgh EH3 7EH.

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