Get trained with these 8 free courses on free software

I would like to start with this phrase from Richard Stallman, someone who everyone knows in the world of free software and who can agree on some things or not, but on this he is right and says like this:

“Some companies distribute free or very cheap versions of their proprietary software to schools, students learn to use that software and graduate dependent on those programs they have learned. But now that they are not studying, they no longer receive free copies of the program they have learned to use. These companies use schools as instruments to impose permanent dependency on students. "

Every time we see how Apple and MicrosoftAbove all, they enter educational environments to offer their technologies. Apparently to improve education and support educational projects or to become good Samaritans. I know schools in which their students are forced to buy iPads (they cannot be other alternatives), but only Apple devices. This seems to me an aberration and cannot be called education.

Likewise, a few days ago (specifically on January 10) there was a special promoted by Santillana and AtresMedia, presented by Anna Simon and in which Elsa Punset, Roberto Brasero, Mario Alonso Puig, among others (who do not doubt the kindness and the professionalism of none). And among those others appears the president of Microsoft in Spain, Maria Garaña. And Microsoft and education cannot go hand in hand if this company does not offer open projects. It squeaks me ...

In the educational field it is the same, programs such as AutoCAD or Solid are used, among others, obviously very professional programs, but that create a dependency on the student body and then implement it in the companies they go to. If a student learns to use software at university, they will no longer want to learn anything else and this will be the tax in the company.

Y your licenses of these software cost several thousand euros, which each time you want to acquire a new license or update, you will have to pay. And that money can be used to pay salaries, for R&D or for other more logical purposes.

This is something legal, I am not saying that it is a crime, even Unix It became so widespread for this reason, since it was present in universities and then students took it to their jobs. But Unix did not prevail, it was chosen for being the best ...

But what I mean is that I don't think it's ethical that you are big companies do not hide behind business education. Just as I do not like that celebrities or brands donate money to charity causes and promote it to the four winds. If you want to be supportive, do it, you are doing something great, but don't post it. Because if it cannot lead you to think beyond solidarity and that you do it to promote yourself.

It would be better offer alternatives so that each one can choose the one they want. And in any case, if something is imposed (which should not be imposed), impose open source software since it is free and does not carry any type of interest, in addition to not forcing families to spend amounts of money that they do not they have because their son at school has been told to bring an iPad or a Microsoft Surface.

Therefore, in this article and after this critical introduction, we offer you 8 free free software courses, although some of them are paid, but free alternatives are offered:

1. Photo retouching course with GIMP - Alternative: FREE GIMP COURSE (VIDEOTUTORIALS)
2. Digital drawing course with Krita - Alternative: VIDEO-TUTORIAL
3. Vector Graphics with Inkscape - Alternative:FREE INKSAPE COURSE
4. Digital book layout with Scribus
5. Edit source code with Vim
6. Office automation with LibreOffice - Alternative: FREE LIBREOFFICE COURSE: Write / Calc / Impress
7. Create your own cloud with ownCloud
8. App development for FirefoxOS

• Extra: Free Arduino Course / Blender Manual

We cannot turn classrooms into cages and it is being done ...