Club CDFreaks - Knowledge is Power - View Single Post - Comparing Freeware and Payware DVD Applications"

*Kerry56* · 14-01-2008

I recommend quite a lot of freeware apps, including a few not on blutach's list, like FAVC, AVI2DVD and GUIforDVDAuthor. As he pointed out, its hard to list them all, and even harder to keep up with new ones as they appear. I don't know many of the programs coming out to work with HD material for example, and I keep discovering new ones over at videohelp.com

As to paying for the programs that are offered, I agree that if you can afford a few dollars, send a donation to the authors. I've paid small amounts over the years for DVDDecrypter, ImgBurn and DVDRebuilder, among a few others. I would have paid for DVDShrink, but the author refused donations.

But I don't see this as a subject of controversy. Why should it be controversial to use freeware instead of payware or visa versa? Use what works for you.

My main tools working with video are fairly expensive, obtained over years and cost a fair amount to update. For a hobby, that adds up. So I don't look down on anyone who chooses freeware to accomplish these same tasks. In fact, many of them know the ins and outs of video better than I simply because they have had to learn how to use Vdub, VobBlanker or AviSynth to meet their objectives.

14-01-2008	#8 (permalink)
Kerry56 CDFreaks Resident Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: West Texas Posts: 2,823	Re: Freeware vs Payware - Let's talk about it here and not in the threads I recommend quite a lot of freeware apps, including a few not on blutach's list, like FAVC, AVI2DVD and GUIforDVDAuthor. As he pointed out, its hard to list them all, and even harder to keep up with new ones as they appear. I don't know many of the programs coming out to work with HD material for example, and I keep discovering new ones over at videohelp.com As to paying for the programs that are offered, I agree that if you can afford a few dollars, send a donation to the authors. I've paid small amounts over the years for DVDDecrypter, ImgBurn and DVDRebuilder, among a few others. I would have paid for DVDShrink, but the author refused donations. But I don't see this as a subject of controversy. Why should it be controversial to use freeware instead of payware or visa versa? Use what works for you. My main tools working with video are fairly expensive, obtained over years and cost a fair amount to update. For a hobby, that adds up. So I don't look down on anyone who chooses freeware to accomplish these same tasks. In fact, many of them know the ins and outs of video better than I simply because they have had to learn how to use Vdub, VobBlanker or AviSynth to meet their objectives.