I have dealt with computers since 1978 (not all of the time but a lot of the time). All of my favorite programs are, with a few exceptions, free (preferably open source) - yes, that implies that I work a lot in Linux (Ubuntu at the moment) a lot of the time. I prefer β-versions - when software matures it gets boring and predictable. I guess, that's what people in general like about “final versions.” I find browsers like Firefox and Chromium (the backbone of Google Chrome) fascinating, because you get to watch them in the making. I know, most people have serious agendas when it comes to their choice of software - well, I'm not serious, and what I look for in a piece of software is more in line with what I find intriguing in a novel or a movie: “make it new - surprise me”