Free back to school computer downloads

I heard a discussion on the radio this week about the cost of sending kids to school. We have two left in our family that are in their college days.

Saving money with as little sacrifice as possible has always been a fun/frustrating game for parents.

This is from an email I received this week:

Back-to-school downloads

Behold, our favorite back-to-school downloads. See the other five.

1. WordWeb - If you think the Web has rendered offline dictionaries moot, think again. An intuitive, integrated interface and huge database of more than 150,000 root words and 120,000 synonyms make WordWeb essential freeware for aspiring writers.

2. Typing Master Pro Typing Tutor - The rise of technology has made it imperative for all students to master the standard QWERTY setup. This top-rated app includes well-designed lessons, games, and personalized exercises to teach or improve skills.

3. Zotero - Today, online research is the name of the game, but recording and citing sources is still as important as ever. This free extension for Mozilla Firefox puts reference information directly in your browser, while letting you add and manage notes.

4. Graph - This free software for drawing 2D graphs of mathematical functions includes a vast number of predefined functions, and it's easy to add your own. It also calculates length and area of functions, as well as first and second derivatives.

5. StudyMinder Homework System - Academic commitments only get more complicated as you advance through your school years, and it's best to master your schedule as soon as you can. The publisher of this feature-packed organizer also offers a free Lite version and a portable version for U3 drives.