As John continued to work with his trusty ArcGIS 10.4, he began to explore alternative solutions, such as subscription-based services or open-source alternatives. He discovered that there were often free or low-cost options available, and he started to appreciate the flexibility and affordability they offered.

If you are looking for GIS tools without the high cost of a commercial license, several legitimate and safe options are available: ArcGIS Public Account : You can create a free public account for personal, non-commercial use on ArcGIS Online. QGIS (Open Source)