The Myth of “Free Software” in the Solomon Islands

If you’ve worked in IT in the Solomon Islands for any length of time, you’ve probably come across this idea over and over again: software should be free.

It’s a mindset that shows up everywhere—across individuals, small businesses, schools, and even larger organizations. And after more than a decade working in IT, I can confidently say this is one of the biggest misconceptions holding us back in how we use and value technology.

Where the Expectation Comes From

Let’s start with a common scenario.

A business relies heavily on Microsoft Office for daily operations—writing documents, managing spreadsheets, preparing reports. Everything runs smoothly until the license expires. Then the question comes:

“Can you just activate it?”

What this really means is: Can you make it work again without paying for it?

This isn’t an isolated case—it’s something many IT professionals in the country hear regularly. The same expectation applies to other types of software as well, from operating systems to specialized business tools.

And it doesn’t stop there.

The “Set and Forget” Website Mentality

Another area where this mindset is clear is in web development.

When a company invests in a website, there’s often an assumption that once it’s launched, the job is done. The website should just exist forever—no additional costs, no maintenance, no updates.

But in reality, a website is not a one-time product. It requires:

• Hosting (servers that keep it online)
• Domain renewals
• Security updates
• Ongoing maintenance

Without these, even the best-built website will eventually break, become vulnerable, or simply go offline.

The Reality: Software Is Never Truly Free

Here’s the truth that often gets overlooked: software is never truly free.

Behind every application is a significant investment:

• Developers writing and maintaining code
• Infrastructure to host and deliver services
• Support teams fixing issues and improving features

Even software that is marketed as “free” operates on a business model. It might be supported by:

• Advertising
• Sponsorships
• Freemium upgrades
• Donations or community contributions

So when software appears to be completely free with no visible cost, there’s usually something else going on behind the scenes.

In many local cases, unfortunately, “free” simply means unlicensed or cracked software.

Why This Matters

At first glance, this might not seem like a big issue. After all, people are just trying to save money, right?

But over time, this mindset has real consequences:

• It undervalues the work of developers and IT professionals
• It exposes businesses to legal and security risks
• It creates unreliable systems that can fail at critical moments

For businesses especially, relying on unlicensed software is risky. There’s no support, no updates, and no guarantee that your systems are secure.

A Better Approach: Use Legal Alternatives

The good news is that there’s a practical and ethical way forward.

If you genuinely cannot afford paid software, that’s completely understandable. But instead of turning to illegal copies, consider using legal free alternatives.

For example, instead of pirating Microsoft Office, you can use LibreOffice. It’s free, fully legal, and capable of handling most everyday tasks like documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

There are many similar alternatives available across different categories of software—tools that are built by global communities and offered freely for anyone to use.

Changing the Mindset

Ultimately, this is not just a technical issue—it’s a mindset issue.

We need to start recognizing that:

• Software has value
• That value comes from real people doing real work
• And sustaining that value requires some form of payment

Whether it’s through buying licenses, paying for subscriptions, or choosing ethical free alternatives, the goal should be to respect the ecosystem that makes these tools available to us.

Final Thoughts

Software is not just something you install once and forget. It’s an ongoing service that evolves, improves, and supports the way we work and live.

As the Solomon Islands continues to grow digitally, shifting our mindset around software—from “it should be free” to “it provides value”—will be an important step forward.

Because in the end, when we respect the value behind software, we also invest in a stronger, more sustainable digital future for ourselves.