Everyone likes a good deal. And deals don’t get better than free! The internet is one of the best things to happen to humankind, offering access to a wealth of knowledge that goes beyond the wildest dreams. There are a jaw-dropping 5.35 billion (with a ‘b’!) internet users around the world. But you’d be surprised how many people are not aware of the learning resources, archives, tools, and services that can be accessed by paying absolutely nothing online, with just the help of a phone or computer.
Sometimes, it takes a handful of well-intentioned strangers to open your eyes. One internet user sparked an informative thread on r/AskReddit after asking everyone to share their favorite free online things that everyone should know about. Scroll down for their tips, and make sure to take notes!
Bored Panda reached out to Matt Johnson, PhD, a marketing psychology expert specializing in topics such as consumer psychology and serendipity, for his thoughts on why some people view free things with suspicion and the future of (un)paid internet resources. You'll find our full interview with him below. Be sure not to miss it!
Sometimes, it takes a handful of well-intentioned strangers to open your eyes. One internet user sparked an informative thread on r/AskReddit after asking everyone to share their favorite free online things that everyone should know about. Scroll down for their tips, and make sure to take notes!
Bored Panda reached out to Matt Johnson, PhD, a marketing psychology expert specializing in topics such as consumer psychology and serendipity, for his thoughts on why some people view free things with suspicion and the future of (un)paid internet resources. You'll find our full interview with him below. Be sure not to miss it!
#21
Millions of books and academic articles. An open database of almost all human knowledge.
https://annas-archive.org
https://libgen.rs or https://gen.lib.rus.ec
/r/scholar for article requests which aren't yet archived.
Use a VPN, use with caution and respect local copyright law. Don't reupload these contents to other sites, or it could cause issues and violate T&Cs.
https://annas-archive.org
https://libgen.rs or https://gen.lib.rus.ec
/r/scholar for article requests which aren't yet archived.
Use a VPN, use with caution and respect local copyright law. Don't reupload these contents to other sites, or it could cause issues and violate T&Cs.
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25points
What are the best free online resources and tools that you personally know and use, dear Pandas? Which of the things mentioned in this list do you think you’d find the most useful?
What paid things do you hope will become completely free in the very near future? We genuinely can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Do you have a spare moment? Let us know what you think in the comments section at the bottom of this post.
#22
Https://asoftmurmur.com
I use it every day to fall asleep.
I use it every day to fall asleep.
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24points
#23
Linux.
With Windows going apeshit a lot of us are evacuating, but i never expected it to feel like such a big upgrade.
Sure, it's a though transition for a couple days, having to google how to install video codecs on Fedora, and how to auto mount harddrives on boot. But then you see how helpful the community is, and you keep running into all these clever solutions that they've implemented on problems you always assumed you'll have to live with.
We've seen Facebook and Amazon succesfully monopolize and now live in the awkward aftermath with no cheap stores and awkward social structures. But Microsofts "Embrace, extend , extinguish" has not yet won, and this is a piece of paradise we can all keep alive together.
With Windows going apeshit a lot of us are evacuating, but i never expected it to feel like such a big upgrade.
Sure, it's a though transition for a couple days, having to google how to install video codecs on Fedora, and how to auto mount harddrives on boot. But then you see how helpful the community is, and you keep running into all these clever solutions that they've implemented on problems you always assumed you'll have to live with.
We've seen Facebook and Amazon succesfully monopolize and now live in the awkward aftermath with no cheap stores and awkward social structures. But Microsofts "Embrace, extend , extinguish" has not yet won, and this is a piece of paradise we can all keep alive together.
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23points
#24
Coursera free courses, khan academy, scishow, CS50 course.
There is alot.
There is alot.
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22points
#25
[Abandonware games.](https://www.myabandonware.com)
There is an entire library of absolute gem games you have never played that are not available on online platforms, completely for free. Some of them are not downloadable, but will link you to places where you can buy them, so no piracy is present here.
EDIT: You absolutely have to give a try to **SAW** and **You Are Empty**. **SAW** is a spinoff game that takes place after SAW 1's ending in an alternative universe where detective Tapp had survived. The controls are weird and the gameplay loop is repetitive, but I think that it's still really cool. **You Are Empty** is practically Half-Life clone, and might be too long for some gamers, but it is absolutely fun and really dynamic, as you never stay too long in one place.
There is an entire library of absolute gem games you have never played that are not available on online platforms, completely for free. Some of them are not downloadable, but will link you to places where you can buy them, so no piracy is present here.
EDIT: You absolutely have to give a try to **SAW** and **You Are Empty**. **SAW** is a spinoff game that takes place after SAW 1's ending in an alternative universe where detective Tapp had survived. The controls are weird and the gameplay loop is repetitive, but I think that it's still really cool. **You Are Empty** is practically Half-Life clone, and might be too long for some gamers, but it is absolutely fun and really dynamic, as you never stay too long in one place.
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21points
#26
Sunny Classroom if you want to learn computer networking. Super bright professor who has some underappreciated tricks for things like memorizing subnets.
Humor is a bit dry but if you want an Asian guy who out of the blue hits you with things like "Thank you for being patient with my strong... CHINGLISH" you'll love him.
Definitely recommend!
Humor is a bit dry but if you want an Asian guy who out of the blue hits you with things like "Thank you for being patient with my strong... CHINGLISH" you'll love him.
Definitely recommend!
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21points
#27
If you’re in the US, your state’s “unclaimed property” website.
https://unclaimed.org/
Companies often owe people money but they either have bad address information (or they just get lazy) so instead of sending you a check, they turn it over to the state. You can look up your name, family members’ names, or company name and see if the state is holding cash in your name.
I’ve never found money for me but I *have* found a hundred or so for my parents, 4 figures worth for my in-laws, and *five figures* worth for the company I was working for at the time.
https://unclaimed.org/
Companies often owe people money but they either have bad address information (or they just get lazy) so instead of sending you a check, they turn it over to the state. You can look up your name, family members’ names, or company name and see if the state is holding cash in your name.
I’ve never found money for me but I *have* found a hundred or so for my parents, 4 figures worth for my in-laws, and *five figures* worth for the company I was working for at the time.
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21points
#28
There are free harvard courses you can attend.
19points
#29
(For U.S. residents) Informed Delivery at usps.com. Emails you daily images of the mailpieces you should be receiving along with tracking numbers for any packages.
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19points
#30
Duolingo isn't perfect and won't make you fluent in a language without outside practice and study too but It's a great start and encourages you to keep up with vocabulary every day.
19points
#31
For university students: Zotero is a great, no-b******t reference manager. Also, SciHub for accessing paywalled journal articles.
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18points
#32
The Organic Chemistry Tutor on YouTube… has amazing videos on almost any math/science videos. There are probably so many degrees that can be thanked to him lol.
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18points
#33
Free online courses like Websites such as Coursera, edX, and Khan Academy provide a wealth of knowledge for free. It's an excellent approach to acquiring new talents without spending any money.
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18points
#34
Free Microsoft office replacements. Screw 365 subscriptions.
MadOliveGaming, https://support.microsoft.com/lt-lt/office/nauja-office-i%C5%A1vaizda-a6cdf19a-b2bd-4be1-9515-d74a37aa59bf
Report17points
#35
Library Genesis.
PDF drive online
Youtube.
PDF drive online
Youtube.
17points
#36
Removepaywall. It really helps when you want to read an article from an online publication, but don't want to subscribe to it at all or already reached a limit of free articles.
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17points
#37
For me, one of the best free things online is educational content from platforms like Khan Academy, Coursera, and edX. You can learn almost anything for free, from coding to art history, at your own pace. Also, check out free audiobooks and eBooks from Project Gutenberg and LibriVox. If you’re into fitness, there are tons of high-quality workout routines on YouTube, like Yoga with Adriene or Fitness Blender. And don’t forget about the endless amount of free entertainment on platforms like Spotify, where you can find podcasts on virtually any topic.
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17points
#38
Education via YouTube. Seriously, I got into music production to complement my songwriting/guitar playing and it is ridiculous how many top-tier producers are just putting stuff out there.
It's a huge teaching tool. I used it to learn saxophone (slowing down songs to transcribe), how to code in Python and SQL, what to lookout for on a car I'm interested in buying, air crash incidents (as explained by an actual commercial pilot).
It's a huge teaching tool. I used it to learn saxophone (slowing down songs to transcribe), how to code in Python and SQL, what to lookout for on a car I'm interested in buying, air crash incidents (as explained by an actual commercial pilot).
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16points
#39
Free cartoons from the late 80s - 90s uploaded on YouTube. Examples - Street Sharks, Mighty Max, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers: Beast Wars... The list of cartoons available for you or your children is huge. YouTube isn't just for Minecraft videos. It has an amazing selection of Saturday Morning Cartoons.
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15points
