Always check any software you put on your computer's suitable and compatible with your existing set up. No liability can be accepted for any problems caused from acting upon the info given.
Why pay when you can get it for nowt? There’s legal, top quality office, graphics, photo editing programs, online fax machines and more to rival the world’s big corporate software giants available for free, if you know where to look. Using this article, you can completely kit out your computer without paying a penny.
- Why is it free?
- Office Suites: Wordprocessors & more
- Handy Utilities: Speed up your PC
- Graphics & Photo: Draw, design & edit
- Audio & Video: Media players & recording
- Better Browsing at no extra cost
- Free operating systems
- For Mac: The top free programs
- Where to get more free software
- Ask a question/discuss
How can it be free?
Free software falls into two categories; promotional freebies, and software developed to help people fight back against the power of the big software providers.
Free software as a commercial giveaway
Many commercial publishers offer free versions of their software, hoping it'll become the industry standard in its category. After all, having a product sitting on millions of PCs is a fantastic marketing tool. Then they try to persuade you to upgrade to 'advanced' or 'corporate' versions.
Open source software, Freeware, and Shareware
The other side of free software comes from the thousands of developers, both amateur and professional, who contribute to developing free applications so as not to be tied to big software houses, especially Microsoft.
This software falls into two categories:
- Open source software
As well as being free, here the code used to write the program (effectively the program itself) is available too, so anybody that wants to can work on improving it. This has pros and cons. The bonus is it's constantly being honed and updated, and the problem's that support is often limited as there are no big bucks backing it up.
The open source model has come a long way since it began, and the growing popularity of Linux-based operating systems and programs like Mozilla Firefox suggests it'll only continue to grow.
- Freeware and Shareware
As the name suggests, freeware costs nothing, though some developers request a donation if you like it. The difference is that here you can't access the source code, so development is centralised in one location. Shareware is similar, except here the software's only free for a limited period, after which you have to either pay to register it, or lose some of the functionality (or have an annoying reminder message pop up every time you use it).
Generally there's less shareware and freeware available as more software goes open source, which is a good thing for people that are easily irritated by 'nag screens' (ie. just about everyone I've ever met).
Below's a list of all the top free software by category. All of it is built for Windows machines, although where OSX and Linux compatible versions are available it's noted.
Free Office Suites: Sidestep Microsoft Office
Microsoft's top end suite, Office 2007 Ultimate, currently retails at a wallet-busting £500. While occasional special offers mean you can get it much cheaper (especially if you're a student), you can furnish your machine with equivalents to most of its applications for nothing:
- OpenOffice: Word Processor, Spreadsheets & Presentations
This is an open source project which includes five separate programs, and is compatible with many Microsoft documents. The programs included are...Writer: A wordprocessor, its equivalent of Microsoft Word
Calc: A spreadsheet, its equivalent of Microsoft Excel
Impress: Presentation software, its equivalent of Microsoft Powerpoint
Base: A database, its equivalent of Microsoft Access
Draw: A design program, especially useful for flowcharts etc.Combined, they make for a powerful, if not particularly pretty suite of programs. Version 3.1.0 is the best option for most, as it's the fully tested one and includes support for Microsofts 2007 'docx' standard, which is currently difficult to edit unless you have the Microsoft Office package.
- Need more templates/clipart? Get OxygenOffice Professional
OxygenOffice Professional is based on OpenOffice's source code, but adds a wealth of templates, clipart and photos. In fact, over 3400 graphics are included, and you also get 90 new fonts and a more detailed help guide. For some people, these extra features will seem like unnecessary bloat, but if you'll use them, it's well worth considering.
Be aware though that unless you have a decent broadband connection it's a big file (215 MB) and could take a long time to download.
- How to edit Microsoft Office 2007 files without buying an upgrade
In its release of its latest Office, 2007, Microsoft did away with its old document formats and replaced them with new ones, which are more versatile. Unfortunately this also meant owners of older versions of Office software couldn't open the new files.
To remedy this issue (to an extent, at least), Microsoft released an Office Compatibility Pack, which when installed allows owners of previous copies of Office to edit these documents. If you don't have a previous copy of Office and you'd like to do this, you can either use Microsoft's free Word Viewer (ie. no editing) or use a Docx Converter online.
If you use the Mac version of Office, 2004, you can download Microsoft's Mac Compatibility pack (scroll down the bottom right window for the download link), though you may have to download its XML converter too to make this work. Mac users can also use a handy Desktop Converter widget.
On the flipside, perhaps you need to edit an OpenDocument (The open source document format used by OpenOffice and many other programs) file in Microsoft Office. If so, you'll need to install the Sun Microsystems ODF Plug-in, else you'll be faced with a page of gobbledygook. This will also allow you to save Office documents in the OpenDocument format should you so wish.
- Buy Microsoft Office on the cheap if you're a student
If you're a student, you can get the top-end versions of Office for under £50. Microsoft hopes that by selling you it cheap now, you'll pay more in future. To get a discount copy, it's worth trying websites Software4Students and RM Software; you'll need some evidence that you're currently studying (at least part-time) to get the cheap prices. Handily, both of these sites also sell Mac versions at similarly low prices.
Online office suites...
There are also a few online office suites worth checking out. With these, there's no installation to worry about, you can store your work online, and their primary function is you can share it with others you're collaborating with via the web. The flipside though, is you must be online for them to work. Here's the best:
- ThinkFree.
Almost 100% compatible with Office, ThinkFree is a free online suite which bears a striking resemblance to the latter, and has received glowing reviews all round. It includes the equivalents of Word, Excel & Powerpoint, looks pretty, and most importantly for an online suite, is responsive and simple to navigate.
It also holds a trump card in the way it hides your web browser window when in use, so you can use regular keyboard shortcuts to control it without upsetting your browser. Neat.
- Zoho Office Suite.
This basic-but-superfast package is fine for simple tasks, but if you're going to need advanced features it's best to look elsewhere. Whilst it offers a wider range of applications than ThinkFree, they aren't as detailed. Zoho stores all your documents in its 1GB free storage space, and allows you to share them with (member) friends via email invitation.
- Google Docs.
This service has more of an emphasis on collaboration than the other two. The idea here is you can select a few people to work with you on the same document, and they can all see it and make changes in real-time. I've included it since it now includes plenty of useful document, spreadsheet, and presentation templates which you can use to get going.
It's also the most web-oriented, since if you publish one of your Google Docs, you can use all manner of Google's whizzy analytics tools to track its progress too.
- Presentations Only: Preezo.
Preezo is a dedicated online presentation application, quite similar in use to Microsoft's PowerPoint. It's ideal if you need to put together a presentation quickly and have no software installed on your machine.
Handy Utilities: Make your computer faster for free
The longer you use any computer for, the slower it'll get, since operating systems leave a trail of hard-drive clogging mess behind. Thankfully, there are a handful of free applications that'll clean up, and others to solve otherwise painfully mundane problems with printing, converting files and the like.
- Dump junk data: CCleaner.
This superfast program cleans up unused files in around a second, getting rid of all the crap (that's what the first 'c' stands for - honest) as it goes. CCleaner doesn't run all the time; just have it give your machine a quick spruce up every week to keep it ship shape.
- Free fax machine. Faxtastic.
Thanks to clever little tool Faxtastic, it's possible to turn your PC into a fax machine. You get your own special number which people can fax you on and faxes are then converted into email format.
There are a couple of things to watch out for though; you're given an 0870/1 number which costs people faxing you 8-10p/minute during the day (it's cheaper evenings and weekends). Normally I rail against these numbers (see the Say No To 0870 article) yet as this provides a service, it works well. Still, do let people faxing you know how much it will cost, as effectively they are subsidising your free fax machine.
To keep the service active you must receive at least one fax in the first seven days of opening an account, and at least one every 90 days thereafter, else you'll lose the allocated fax number and will have to re-register.
- Speed up your hard drive: Defraggler.
From Piriform, the same stable as CCleaner, Defraggler is a 'defragmenting' tool. Fragments are made when your computer splits up files because there's not enough space in the place they were originally saved. It has a significant effect on performance, since when re-opening these files, your PC has to find two (or more) pieces instead of one. Defragmenters join the pieces together again, thus speeding up the computer.
Windows has its own Disk Defragmenter, which can be found in the System Tools menu, but it takes ages, as it'll only go through your entire hard disk at once. Defraggler can be used to do the job on a smaller scale; you just choose files and it'll process them in a few seconds.
- Close frozen programs: Task Killer (Up to XP only).
You probably know that pressing Ctrl, Alt & Delete brings up the Windows Task Manager, which is good for closing unresponsive programs down (if you know what to look for that is), but TaskKiller makes it easier, and its 'SmartKill' mode is safer than the Windows Task Manager's. It adds an icon to your taskbar, which, when clicked brings up a list of active programs. Just click the frozen one and it'll disappear it for you.
- Find out what's going on in your machine: Coolmon 2.
If you've a nerdy drive to know exactly what's going on inside your computer, Coolmon 2 is an editable system diagnostics tool that can give you the stats (and graphs!) on RAM usage, motherboard temperature, page file usage and the rest. What's more, dozens of free plug-ins make it do other stuff (like controlling your media player) too. Installation can be a touch confusing though, so read SimpleHelp's overview to see if it's for you first.
- Test for memory errors: Memtest 86+.
Tests how well your RAM is working, to help determine whether any computer problems you may be having are hardware-based. Memtest86+ could potentially save you a wedge of cash, as buying and fitting some new RAM sticks is a lot cheaper than paying for a tech support person to do it.
- Over-web Printing: PrinterShare.
If, like me, your printer ran out sometime last year and you've not yet got around to buying more totally overpriced ink cartriges for it, PrinterShare is the perfect thing. It allows you to print things out on your more-organised friends' printers, by sending them over the web.
Sounds complicated, but once installed and auto-configured the long distance print option will appear in your regular print window. Don't do it too often though; you'll get a reputation... Available for Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux.
- File Conversion online: YouConvertIt/Zamzar.
These are nifty, user-friendly sites which can convert over 100 types of media file formats between each other. So, if you've a CV document from Word, and you'd like to make it a PDF instead, you simply put in your email address, upload the file to convert, and choose '.PDF' in the drop-down box below.
Both YouConvertIt and Zamzar work the same way; they'll do the hard work, and then email you a link to download the new file. One thing though, since these services both store your files online before conversion, it's not advisable to use them to convert sensitive documents.
Graphics & Photo: Draw, design and edit images
Go top end on graphics software and you can easily spend £1,000's, so it's good to see that capable freebie programs even exist. As the majority of photo's are now digital, there are some great free photo editing programs emerging too, both to download or simply use online.
- A full suite of graphics programs: Serif.
Serif offers a whole suite of design programs for free; PhotoPlus (Image Manipulation), PagePlus (Publishing), WebPlus (Web Design), DrawPlus (Drawing), Scrapbook Artist (Photo collage), and PanoramaPlus (Panoramic photo-stitching). This is classic shareware; the company hopes that after using these free versions of its applications, you'll spend £10 on the full versions, which have extra features.
- Pro-style graphic design: Paint.net.
Originally conceived as a University project, Paint.net is about as close as you can get to Adobe's pro software without spending. It's not as feature-packed, yet still includes pro-design staples such as layering, and a plethora of nice looking effects. What's more, it's easy to use too; its original mission statement was that it should be instantly familiar to users of MS Paint.
- Vector graphics: Inkscape.
Inkscape is a free program similar in operation to Adobe Illustrator or Corel Xara. It's for building 'scalable vector graphics', which unlike any other type of graphic, remain perfectly sharp no matter how much you zoom in or out, making them ideal for serious design work. Also available for Linux. Thanks to superscaper for suggesting this in the forum discussion.
- 3D modeling: Truespace 7.6
Caligari's excellent 3D modeling & animation software, Truespace 7.6, is now available to download free from its site for registered users. It can be a little complicated to get started if you've never tried anything like this, but the site includes fully free video tutorials to get you going. It also includes various collaborative projects to get involved on, so you could become part of the digital art/film fraternity in no time. Thanks to batvink for posting this one!
- Simpler 3D modeling: Google Sketchup 6
If you're planning to build an extension to your house, or simply redecorate, Google's free Sketchup tool makes it relatively easy to build an accurate 3D model to work from. Again, there are plenty of video tutorials to set you on the right track, and once you've used it a few times, you'll be impressing everybody with your designs.
- More like actual painting: Artweaver.
A freeware programme, Artweaver is designed to simulate natural brush tools and lets you create paintings and sketches from scratch.
- Desktop Publishing: Scribus.
An acclaimed open source desktop publishing programme, Scribus offers features usually only found on more expensive suites like MS Publisher or InDesign, such as CYMK colour and ICC colour management. If that means nothing to you, but you want to make a professional magazine, then download this and read some of the detailed free tutorials. Also available for Linux.
- Image viewing & editing: Irfanview.
This clever piece of software allows you to view all manner of different image file types, and adjust them to your heart's content. Irfanview is suitable for beginners, and as well as cropping and resizing, it counts scanning, sharpening, blurring and filtering images amongst its features.
- More advanced photo editing: Gimp.
For more advanced photo editing, Gimp is well worth checking out. It can do some pretty clever stuff with your pictures, even fixing perspective distortion, and offers powerful filtering options. A range of free plug-ins add functionality too. Also available for Mac OSX & Linux.
Online Graphic & Photo applications...
- Organise your photos online: Windows Live Photo Gallery.
Photo Gallery, part of Microsoft's 'Live' suite, is an application for photo storage and online editing. It's very similar in use to Google's Picasa below, but seems notably faster and adds a couple of extra features. Which you choose is likely to depend mostly on whether you prefer Microsoft or Google's web products.
- Picasa.
Google's photo organiser Picasa also offers a wealth of photo editing, storage and back-up options, and recently it's added face-recognition technology to its feature-set, meaning you can tag 100s of photos at once. Whether it's better than the Live service above though is still a matter of opinion.
- Photo editing in a hurry: Picnik.
This is another online photo editor, but you don't need to register to use it, so it's great if you're in a rush. Picnik is also fast, and has some more fun and arty effects than the others.
- Quick image resizer: Rsizr.
This is a simple online tool for resizing and cropping pictures. There are plenty of similar sites on the web, but Rsizr's flash-based, step-by-step interface makes it the most intuitive I've seen.
Audio and Video: Media players & recording software
As well as a free sound recording program to banish Windows' Sound Recorder forever, there's also a free way to organise your MP3 collection, an alternative media player which'll play almost any format, and a clever converter which lets you play any video you like on your iPod.
- Better sound recording & wave editing: Audacity.
Audacity is a proper wave editing & recording program. With it, you can record audio, add effects, and even create your own soundscapes from scratch. It's not the most user-friendly tool, but its power more than makes up for this. Also available for Mac OSX & Linux.
- Clean up audio files: Levelator.
Designed for podcasters, the sole purpose of Levelator is to normalise audio files and make them sound crisper. There's no way to change its settings, you just drag audio files onto the program and it does its stuff to them. It's good stuff though; managing to make all but the most appalling recordings listenable. Also available for Linux.
- Organise your MP3s : MusicBrainz Picard.
If you've got hundreds of untitled MP3 tracks on your machine, Picard will analyse them, and add all the relevant artist/title info for those that match tracks in its database, saving you the hassle. It also offers a wealth of other options for keeping your collection organised. Also available for Linux.
- Ditch iTunes: Mediamonkey.
MediaMonkey claims to be 'the music organiser for serious collectors', and it includes plenty of features which lend it well to high-volume music management. What's more, it'll sync iPods, iPhones and many other mp3 players, converting unsupported formats and checking levels as it goes; great news for those (like me) currently annoyed with iTunes' file fussiness. Thanks to davektoo for suggesting this in the forum discussion!
- Play almost any media file: VLC Player.
Videolan's VLC Player is the most widely compatible media player available. It seems that no matter how esoteric a music or video format you throw at it is, it's got it covered. Plus, nowadays skins are available to make it look pretty too, the only thing it was lacking before. Also available for Mac OSX & Linux.
- For Video iPodders: Videora Converter.
Videora converts a range of formats, including the ever-popular DivX, into files playable by iPods and other Apple products, meaning you needn't buy all your video content direct from iTunes after all. Several versions are available, so make sure you find the right one for your player.
Better browsing at no extra cost
If you look at the web on your PC, chances are your 'web-browser' is Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which has been bundled with its operating system for some years now (a fact at the centre of the firm's high-profile antitrust court case in 2001). The software's been through plenty of revisions and updates, and has now reached version 8. It does have some functions that the others browsers lack (such as multiple home pages), yet depending on your needs, there may be a better alternative.
- The big alternative: Firefox 3.
Many web-savvy people prefer to use the freely downloadable browser Firefox 3, which is far more customisable since it's open source, meaning programmers are free to develop their own plug-ins for it (ironically, it's also based on Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer's old adversary, and the cause of the aforementioned court case).
Firefox offers a little more than IE (cleverer bookmarking, one-click site security info), even if you don't realise it at first. However, its performance is fairly similar, so it's really a matter of personal choice, and of whether you'll take advantage of Firefox's expandability. Most websites will appear the same in Firefox and Internet Explorer, but occasionally there are differences, and then Firefox users can suffer more as people optimise for Internet Explorer. Also available for Mac OSX & Linux.
- The new alternative: Google Chrome.
Web juggernaut Google's open source browser, 'Chrome', places its emphasis on speed and intuitive use. The way it looks is a tribute to this fact; a stripped-down interface leaves way more space for web pages than any competitor's, and a refreshing lack of multi-coloured buttons or icons makes it seem very clean.
Clever features include tabs which work independently of one another (so if one crashes it won't crash the whole browser), speedy launching and operation, and an 'incognito' (aka porn) mode for private browsing, where none of your actions are saved (similar to IE 8's).
On the downside though, since it's only in its first beta version there are undoubtedly things to be fixed; it doesn't have the add-ons enjoyed by Firefox, and given Google's cosy arrangement with big advertisers, you can bet that a lot of your browsing habits are being recorded for marketing purposes when you use it.
- The quick alternative: Opera 9.5.
Not quite as comprehensive as Firefox, Opera (which also released its first browser before IE), focuses on being light and fast. Version 9.5 maintains this focus, but prettifies the interface, and adds some extra widgets to keep it competitive. In tests, it has often proved slighty faster than both Firefox and IE at opening some, though by no means all, websites.
Again it's just a matter of personal preference whether to opt for it. Some people swear by the Opera browser, so it's certainly worth consideration. Also available for Mac OSX & Linux.
Operating Systems
Now we're getting seriously techie, and if you're interested in changing your operating system it's likely you know your stuff. If you got Windows included with your machine, it's probably not time to ditch it just yet, but it's worth bearing in mind that the
open source operating system, Linux, has come a long way in the last few years. In fact, there are now a whole generation of miniature laptops (UMPCs) which rely on modified versions of it, eschewing proprietary products entirely.
It's likely this trend will only gather speed in future, as manufacturers tire of Windows' hefty licence fees and high hardware requirements, and computers become more specialised.
The friendliest face of Linux: Ubuntu
Ubuntu versions of Linux have turned the tables for what was often deemed a 'geek-only' operating system. Designed for the average home user, they often compete with, and sometimes beat Microsoft's offerings for pure usability, especially in stripped-down incarnations. If you haven't heard of Ubuntu, it's most likely because Linux developers don't have the deep pockets required to advertise widely, unlike the megabucks software corporations.
It's been over three years since Ubuntu's first incarnation, and much work has been done to iron out bugs and make the package more complete. As it's a community-built project, it benefits from being constantly updated and modified, and a new version is released every six months.
The current desktop edition comes with OpenOffice built-in (see above), and there are thousands of (variable quality) free applications to download, covering every area, as well as revisions of Ubuntu itself, tailored for different needs.
An additional bonus is that most viruses are designed to attack Windows rather than Linux, so by using it you decrease the risk of being infected. Even so, there's plenty of free anti-virus software available.
The top free Mac programs
Mac users can also benefit from a wealth of excellent open source and freeware programs. As well as versions of usual suspects Firefox, VLC Player, Gimp, Audacity & OpenOffice (see above for descriptions), there's a raft of other programs worth a look. Due to popular demand, here's a run-down of some of the best out there, in no particular order:
- OpenOffice, tailored for OSX: Neo Office.
Funded by donations, and based on OpenOffice, the Mac-only Neo Office adds functions that already come built into Macs, like grammar-checking, MS Word support, and floating tool windows. The changes aren't huge, but all of them improve a little on the original.
- Combine your instant messaging: Adium X.
If your online social life includes more than one instant messaging program, Adium X's a neat way of combining them all in one easy-to-use window. It supports AIM, Yahoo & MSN amongst many others, and it's highly customisable with add-ons aplenty, so you can make the cute duck do everything your way.
- Play Windows Media files with Quicktime: Flip4Mac.
Like it or not, if you watch video content online, you'll come across plenty of Windows Media .wmv files, which Quicktime doesn't natively support. The previous solution was to download Microsoft's crummy Windows Media Player for Mac, but thankfully you can now just get Flip4Mac, a plug-in for Quicktime which allows it to play the offending files, and even comes recommended by Microsoft.
- Compress/Uncompress files: StuffIt 12.
Whilst OSX is perfectly capable of packing/unpacking .zip files, if you want to open or use the wealth of other compressed file types out there, you'll need a third-party expander. Smith-Micro's free version of StuffIt fills this void perfectly, and offers a simple drag-and-drop interface which in my experience just works, so you can focus on more exciting things, like, erm, anything.
- Speed up your productivity: Quicksilver.
If you've got the time to learn it, Quicksilver's a clever productivity tool which'll allow you to launch applications, files & folders without taking your hands of the keyboard. Many more advanced features mean it can totally change the way you use your computer for the better (and faster), and plug-ins extend its capability yet further. Read Lifehacker's Beginners' Guide to see if it's for you if you're not sure.
- Rip DVDs for iPod & other media players: Handbrake.
Like the Videora converter for Windows, in essence Handbrake's a DVD to MP4 converter which makes files playable on a portable media player. It's better than Videora in its support for the likes of Dolby Digital and multi-track audio, and also runs really rather fast. A quick note though, the latest version is only available to users of Leopard 10.5 or newer.
- Improve your display for free: SuperCal.
It's worth trying out SuperCal even if you think your display looks fine. It's a display calibrator which can clean up the image you see on screen by tailoring your computer's output to the characteristics of the monitor you're using. The net result of which should be better tonal colour gradients, clearer text, and better long-term eyesight for you.
- Build websites: Nvu.
If you've got the web-coding skills, but don't want to spend a small fortune on the likes of Dreamweaver, Nvu's an open source web editor, which, while less powerful than its paid-for counterparts, still shines at doing the basics.
If you need more functionality, it may also be worth checking out Coda, which isn't free (it costs $99, though there's a 14-day free trial), but is still way cheaper than comparable applications.
- Keep up-to-date on the news: NetNewsWire Lite
If you subscribe to RSS news feeds, this free version of the Mac newsreader par excellence, NetNewsWire, is the reader to plump for. Just tell it what to subscribe to and NetNewsWire Lite'll keep you up-to-date with articles from all your favourite news sources, and alert you when new ones crop up.
This list is just the tip of the iceberg; there are plenty of sites out there with vast databases of free programs. Yet always be careful what you add to your computer, and regularly check the Add/Remove Programs section of Control Panel for things you've downloaded yet never use. Get rid of those you have no need for to keep your PC in shape.
If you're looking for free anti-virus software, read the full article on How To Protect Your PC For Free. Also if you're a newbie and have questions visit this site's Techie Board, where regulars are keen to help (though remember there are no guarantees they're right).
As for browsing free software sites, there are a few big ones, which have programs on virtually anything under the sun. Be careful to check the veracity of other download sites before using them; after all, it's through downloading that the most vicious malware will get onto your machine.
- Osalt.
Osalt is a software database with a difference, as it only lists open source equivalents to commercial programs. You just tell it which commercial program you want, and it'll list the free programs that are most similar to it.
- Sourceforge.
Sourceforge is another open source software database, this time in regular search-to-find style. You do, however, have to sign up for a free account to get in.
- FileHippo.
A user friendly and well organised site, FileHippo catalogues browsers, firewalls, audio tools and DVD tools. It also promises no pop-ups when you visit the site.
- Snapfiles.
More slick than FileHippo SnapFiles has the added bonus of user reviews and feedback, though it can be hard to find what you're looking for.
- Download.
One of the biggest databases, Download.com includes everything from digital photo tools to developer tools. Also has a Mac section.
- Tucows.
Like Snapfiles, Tucows includes its own and users' ratings and also has sections for Linux and Mac users.
- For Mac users.
As well as some of the sites above, it's worth stopping by Softpedia's Mac arm, VersionTracker for OSX, and Apple's own software repository.
Know of some free software that should be included here?
Please report it in the discussion below, and I'll investigate. Thanks to all the MoneySavers who've left feedback so far!
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