Are Free Tools Worth the Price?

In my final discussion panel with Brenda Dyck (Salon # 5: Are Free Tools Worth the Price?), we unanimously agreed they are definitely worth it! First of all, the "No" viewpoint was very weak, focusing on the assumption that we must support the software companies "that have worked the bugs out of programs before we use them." How lame is that? Somehow, I think the computer software companies will figure out how to survive in a Web 2.0 world! I think the "Yes" viewpoint hit on a better negative point, which is the problems sometimes associated with free tools. However, who hasn't encountered similar problems with purchased software too? The extra time it may take to fiddle with a new free tool is well worth the savings, especially in light of today's economic crisis and looming budget cuts. In addition, the argument the "No" viewpoint makes with respect to the lack of usefulness and appropriateness of some free tools I also found to be misguided. Sure, some people may not see the need for "word clouds" or "Wordles" in the classroom, but that doesn't mean they are worthless, just that some people may just lack imagination! To help make my point, I created the Glogster page that's shown above. At first glance, an online poster maker may just seem like another frivolous tool, but with a little ingenuity, a "scholarly" topic and some imagination, even a Glogster can be used in education!