A lot of us have made changes in our spending habits in the face of recent events. It's the wise thing to do in an uncertain economy. But we still want to be generous with those we love. Our December newsletter is our second on Open Source software, software that's freely available to anyone. There are many applications that are available, from educational games (including some we like to use in class) to financial management programs (similar to Quicken) to photo editing programs and more.

So, we offer this advice: Before downloading and installing any free software from the web, make sure that

• your operating system is up to date,
• that your security software (like Norton or MacAfee or whatever you're using) is up to date, and
• that you download only from reputable sites that screen their contents for malware and viruses.

If you have questions, compliments, or complaints, this is the place for you to let us know. You will also receive a complimentary copy of your message at the e-mail address you use below.

A quick note of caution (June 26, 2009): you may see an internal server error message after submitting this form, but please rest assured that the email will most likely go through. I'll send you a confirmation, and in the meantime, please just go back to the home page. I'll have this fixed as soon as possible - it just won't be today.