Does learning new software always seem time-consuming and expensive?

I’ve gotten through the learning stage with hundreds of software programs without paying for them (until of course, I realize that I actually enjoy that software).

Now, you ask, am I telling you to steal software? No, of course not. You can select and test out software to fit your needs legally and safely.

For me, technology and learning about technology (both hardware and software) is something I enjoy a great deal. I realize that software and technology are not always such a fun thing to learn for everyone however — so here’s my quick guide on how to learn software quickly and most importantly, for free.

The tips within this article will tell you how to make sure you get what you want out of the software you are going to choose, as well as some tips on testing out software before you buy it to make it’s what you need.

Write down what you need to software to do.

This can be a rather informal exercise. The important part is figuring out exactly what you need. For example, do I really need all the capabilities of a full-blown word processor if my only real need is to take a few notes in meetings I have with people? Probably not.

Writing down exactly what you need is one of the first steps to getting your mind around exactly what kind of software you’re looking for.

Obtain a free demo or trial copy of the software.

You can often find demo or trial versions of software that have limited capabilities or are good for only a certain period of time. While you may already know this, many other people who are attempting to learn how to use a piece of software consider only the end purchase they have to make

Using a demo or trial version is especially important if you are unsure of whether the software will really suit your needs. Maybe you have a particular set of photos you need to edit, and are considering purchasing a photo editing suite. There are many, many options to consider when it comes to this particular type of software, so think carefully about what you need beforehand (see my point above about writing down your requirements).

Find an alternative to a commercial piece of software.

While commercial software is probably the option we all think of first when it comes to getting software, there are many free options available (for example, I mentioned OpenOffice as an alternative to purchasing the Microsoft Office suite in my previous post). SourceForge is a great place to find many types of free open source software (if you’re not familiar with open source software, here’s a definition of what it is).

Don’t forget however, that there are people who actually create this software and distribute for free. So if you use something and really like it, don’t hesitate to send them a few bucks to show your appreciation and help them develop more software.

Find somewhere to use a commerical piece of software for free.

Sometimes you have no choice but to go with a commercial piece of software (something with all the functionality of Adobe Photoshop is pretty tough to find in free software for example). If it turns out that there’s no free alternative out there, consider checking your local public library to see if they have the software installed on a computer. Explain to one of the library staff members that you’re considering purchasing the software, and that you were hoping to book some time to try it out.

On that note, I’ll make a more general recommendation.

Go to the library.

Some of us learn better by having a physical book in front of us (but don’t forget that even if you find some useful information online, you can always print it out to read it). While we often find it’s necessary to purchase a book if we’re learning something very complex (like a new programming language for example), purchasing a software book is not always such a great option.

They can be expensive, but their shelf life is also quite limited. So instead, why not go to the library to borrow a book for free? If the library doesn’t have the book you’re looking for, there is usually a process in place to put in a polite request for the book you’d like to see on the shelf.

Go online to look for help materials.

Not everything we need to learn a new piece of software is necessarily printed. Since we’re talking about technology, there are many proficient people with software who are happy to share their knowledge on online forums and web sites. So if you’re looking for help in that respect, try a Google search using the name of the software you’re looking for and the word ‘tutorials’. For an example of a tutorial website, here’s a listing of tutorials for Photoshop. Here’s another site that has some video tutorials.

One short cautionary note about these type of web sites: try to avoid duplicating questions that have already been answered. Search and browse the site for a posting or tutorial that already deals with your question, if you still can’t find it, then try posting it. People are happy to help you, but don’t like answering the same questions over and over again.

Talk to people you know who already know how to use what you’re learning.

Maybe you have a friend or a colleague who is interested in learning the same type of software that you are. Maybe you already know someone who is an expert in using that software. The only way to know is to discuss your software learning needs with as many people as you can. Tell people you know what you’re trying to do, and ask them if they know of anything they’ve used in the past that has worked for them.

Even if you don’t know anyone who directly uses what you’re looking for, chances are someone they know does. And it never hurts to ask.