Inkscape

Inkscape is an open-source vector graphics editor and a perfectly good alternative to Adobe Illustrator. Inkscape is a great way to make your ArcGIS maps look good and here is a quick tutorial about how that works from Gretchen Peterson. Now all you need is to ditch Photoshop for GIMP or Pixlr and you can free yourself from Adobe. I never understood this weird double standard: the love affair with Adobe and the hate towards Microsoft.