Is Rosetta Stone Worth It?

At Costco recently I passed by the Rosetta Stone software.  I stopped to look at the price: it is expensive.  I realized that that price is a reflection of the value people place on knowing a language.  Rosetta Stone is, from my perspective, the most well-known language learning software.  I tried it at my school's language learning lab for free, and I didn't really like it.  In contrast to my experience learning Portuguese as a missionary in Brazil, I felt like Rosetta Stone was not very efficient for me.  On this note, I have recently been looking at some language learning websites which I think are better than Rosetta Stone.  Surprisingly, these websites can be used for free for the basic version of the site, which is what I have been using, or for a small fee for the premium version.

• LiveMocha is a website that offers lessons which, for the most part, are similar to that of Rosetta Stone.  One feature I have enjoyed is that you can get your practice exercises corrected by native speakers.  You either write something out or record your pronunciation of a few sentences, submit it, and native speakers, who are using the site to learn English or another language, will correct it.  The cost is that you have to correct someone else's English assignments.  I have found it easy to correct a basic level English assignment.
  
  One feature with LiveMocha which I have not used is the chat feature.  One can find "language partners" to chat with to practice the language.  For example, if I am learning Portuguese, I can find someone who speaks Portuguese who is learning English and chat with them.  Friends can help one to learn a language a lot faster.
  
• Lang-8 is a website which does not do what Rosetta Stone does.  It may be better for the more advanced learner.  What you do is you write a small post in the language you are learning.  It can be about anything.  You can write about your day, about a movie you saw, or anything else that you might normally blog about.  Then, like with LiveMocha, someone corrects your writing.  In return, you correct someone else's English writing.  This is a simple website but it has a powerful idea.  I have been pleased with the things I am able to learn with it.  And again, it is free to use the basic version.

In conclusion, I would not invest in Rosetta Stone.  In addition to these websites, I am aware of other websites which also do a good job; none of them costs nearly as much as Rosetta Stone, and most of them are probably at least as good if not better than it.  In addition to this, there are things like language learning podcasts, blogs in other languages, and other foriegn-language material available for free online.