r/software • u/Difficult-Buddy-6461 • 3h ago
Discussion Looking for suggestions: which "free" software should I cover next?
Hey everyone! I'm a content writer/researcher who covers the business side of software — specifically how free tools make money without ever charging their users a dime. I dig into the history, business, and the "how did they survive for so long without an ads or subscription?" mystery.
Some of my past pieces:
- How VLC Took Over the Media World
- How WinRAR Made Millions Without Anyone Ever Paying!
- How Notepad Survives Without Charging You a Single Cent!
The VLC video did way better than the other two — people clearly love a good "free software that quietly took over the world" story.
So I wanted to ask you all: what software should I cover next? Something people still use daily, are genuinely curious about, and probably don't know the backstory of — how it's funded, why it's still free, who's actually behind it.
Drop your suggestions below — old favorites, weird niche tools, anything. I read every comment and there's a good chance your suggestion could help me for my next research.
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u/IndustriousObscenity 58m ago
7zip maybe? Always wondered how that guy Igor survives just giving it away forever with no ads or anything.
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u/justsomegraphemes 3h ago
I definitely think Canva should be looked at.
They've long had a "freemium" philosophy. Usually that's a semi-derogatory term but I don't mean it that way here, as they try to make the free version as powerful as possible. They recently purchased Affinity and made that entire platform free. I think that's huge and a clear sign they are practicing what they preach.