New online guide lists where to find FREE computers, software and email

Individuals and organizations frequently contact bridges.org to learn about using computers and the Internet, but many cannot afford retail prices and few know about the range of information technology (IT) and services that are available at little or no cost. Even when people do know that free resources exist, they often have trouble finding them. So bridges.org developed an online guide - the "Free IT Guide" - to help people find resources for free IT. It can be found at www.bridges.org/toolkit/freeIT.html.

Teresa Peters, executive director of bridges.org, said: "This is not about illegal or black market software. We want to connect people with the large variety of legitimate, legal, free software, hardware and IT services that are available. Some services and computer resources are free because they are donated. Others are offered for free as a marketing strategy when the money is made on advertising, or support and services."

The Free IT Guide has two sections. A general resources section tells

people how to find donated computers and get help from technology-savvy

volunteers. It explains where to go for free website development and

hosting, and how to obtain a free e-mail account. The Guide also offers

help on setting up e-mail lists and discussion groups. Finally, it directs IT users to free computer training.

The second section provides information on free software. It not only lists resources, but also explains the difference between various types of free software and which packages are best suited for particular tasks. For instance, it tells where to find web browsers, email software and instant messaging programmes, and suggests free anti-virus software.

There is usually at least one high-quality free programme available for

each type of application, including word processors, spreadsheets, HTML

editors and graphics tools. These free software programmes are often just as dependable and useful as their better-known commercial counterparts.

However, the authors of free software rarely have the budget to advertise, so often people just do not know about these programmes," Peters said.

The Free IT Guide is primarily aimed at helping NGOs and small businesses, however anyone can make use of these resources. The guide is not intended to be comprehensive, but rather serves as a first stop to get people started. Bridges.org will also distribute a CD of the Free IT Guide for organizations that do not have access to the Internet.

Bridges.org welcomes contributions to the guide; for more information,

please email free [email protected]

The Free IT Guide is part of bridges.org's practical toolkit, which also includes resources on telecentres, e-readiness and e-literacy, and a detailed list of organisations working to span the international digital divide.