True, you can make open content on any software. As long as you, the creator, license one of your creations under an open content license, it is open content. But, maybe you want to create pictures, music, and video to share but don’t have a ton of money to drop on art, audio, and word processing software. No problem! There are tons of free programs out there, and here’s a list of the best of the best! Have fun creating!
Textual
Open Office
Tired of bowing to software overlords? Open Office is a great productivity suite that offers the same functionality as the big guys, with none of the price. Word processing, spreadsheets, and slideshows, oh my!
AbiWord
This program has “scrappy” written all over it. Weighing in at just 8mb, it still packs a powerful word processing punch, but lacks the other features found in open office.
Visual
DrawPlus
A versatile art program that allows you to create vectors, brush drawings, tex-to-path, and more!
Google Sketchup
Google’s 3D modeling program.
Sketch Paint
Can’t be bothered to download a program? Draw right in your browser!
Inkscape
A program specializing in vector graphic editing and creation.
GIMP
Photo and image editor galore.
Audio
Audacity
A free, open source, cross-platform sound editor.
MP3 Merger
Combine MP3 files into longer audio tracks.
Musescore
A cost free alternative to Sibelius and Finale, Musescore is music composition and notation software.
Video
To start, check out Vimeo’s Video School and Our Media’s Learning Center for free lessons on making great videos.
Avidemux
Great for beginners, it allows you to filter, cut, and encode, and works with a wide range of video types.
Moviestorm
Great for adding effects to create your own full-fledged movies.
Wax
A video editing and special effects program for free download. It can work in 2D and 3D and functions as both a stand alone program and a plugin for other professional video software.
Zwei-Stein
A bit more technical, Zwei-Stein offers a variety of effects that provide powerful video editing capabilities, if you can mange the interface.
See the rest of our Free Media Guide for more info on how to license, find, and make the best open content!
Creative Commons Love: Hkuchera, CowGummy, ahhyeah and Bethan on Flickr.com
Written by Michael Jones