Freelance Writing: Simple Tips on Complicated Topics
Optimizing Your Freelancing Software Package – PART 2
Hey, we’re back, bringing you with the second part of our software optimization edition. If you missed the first part, you can find it here.
We don’t want to waste any of your time with an introduction. So let’s cut to the chase:
Word Processing
I’m sure that most of you use MS Word 2003/2007, and it is doubtless one of the best readily available solutions for word processing. This software provides great assistance, especially if, like me, you have a bad habit of typing faster than your brain, and make a lot of typos as a result. However, there is more to the usability of a word processor – how intuitive is the interface, how reliable is it, for example? There’s no doubt about the fact that this is one of the best solutions for word processing available.
However, I am sure that you have faced the frustration of trying to open a document with MS Word, and got a nasty gram that the file was not supported or that the file wasn’t properly decoded. For the non-tech-savvy among us, this is not a simple matter to resolve.
Fortunately, there is a great alternative: OpenOffice word processor. One of the best features of this software is that it opens practically all of the available formats. It’s free – so as the updates that come along with it Therefore, the software constantly keeps itself up-to-date with all of the available processing formats, and works really well with most of them, including MS Word format. Additionally, we, at the ResearchWritingCenter.com, also use OpenOffice.
We like how well its document restoration tool works. We also notice that it opens with more snap and dispatch than MS Word in most cases. In addition, when you save a document, you can choose from a greater range of formats than MS Word offers. Of course, it lacks some MS Word features, such as the dictionary option (the one that allows you to choose an alternative to the words in the text). We think that is a minor loss, however.
You will also need to spend some time getting used to the interface differences. Nevertheless, we recommend that you switch to this universal, open source word processing solution, that houses a lot of great features, and all of it is FREE!
PDFs
Most of you, probably, use Acrobat Reader as your tool for PDF files – those hulking whole-book scans we all get from customers, for example. You have doubtless noticed how long it takes to load, and that updates consume a lot of time to load/install. This is because it’s a heavy user of RAM (random-access memory). If this interferes with your productivity, there’s a solution for you: Foxit Reader.
It shares a number of features with Acrobat, but, unlike its rival, it’s free! It takes up significantly less space on your hard drive, and takes significantly less time to load. That sums it up – simple and functional.
E-mail Client
I won’t lie to you, my first choice is Gmail when it comes to e-mails. However, I know that many of the ResearchWritingCenter.com writers use alternate emailing services. Therefore, I guess I should publicize another great solution, which rivals Gmail, and is far, far better than other email services.
Because I am currently using Linux and Chrome, Gmail is just right for me. However, if you use other emails and your operating system is Windows, you should definitely go for my suggestion: Mozilla Thunderbird.B One of the greatest features of this email client is the Mozilla community, and the tons of plug-ins that have been created.
They will enhance the features of your Thunderbird client. You can find calendars and planners, among other items. Another great feature is its portable version. This is easy to copy to your flash drive and access to deal with your email, anywhere there is computer.
I hope that these solutions will serve you well in optimizing your software and creating a better freelancing experience 
Have a great day! Cheers
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