This page aims to:
- Raise awareness of Free Software and Open
Source Software alternatives.
- Highlight a variety of software packages produced by the Free Software
and Open SourceSoftware community, and point to some supporting resources.
Free...
...as in freedom. The Free Software movement was initiated by Richard Stallman,
who created the GNU Project to build a truly
free Unix-compatible system. The emphasis is on freedom for users: the freedom
to use, share, and enhance software for the benefit of all.
For more information, see:
Open source
Open Source Software focuses primarily on the quality of software developed
according to open processes. It was borne out of the FreeSoftware movement,
and was ostensibly created to make Free Software more palatable to business.
Open Source and Free Software Applications
Office suites
- OpenOffice.org: http://www.openoffice.org/
- OpenOffice.org has several components: Writer (word processing), Calc
(spread sheet application), Impress (slide presentation software) and
Draw (graphics tool). See a full
product description.
- See the OpenOffice.org documentation
page for help with setup/installation, frequently asked questions
about OpenOffice.org applications, and more.
- More handy links:
- StarOffice:
http://wwws.sun.com/software/product_family/staroffice.html
- StarOffice is derived from the OpenOffice.org initiative. StarOffice
comprises these tools: Word processing, Spreadsheet, Presentation, Graphics,
and Database. StarOffice is available for individual students and university
staff members to purchase
or download
from Sun Microsystems' website.
Internet
- Browser:
- Mozilla: http://www.mozilla.org/
- An open-source web browser, designed for standards compliance,
performance and portability. Download the latest version of Mozilla
for Windows, MacOS X or Linux. See more
about Mozilla.
- Instant Messaging:
- Gaim: http://gaim.sourceforge.net/about.php
- 'Gaim is a multi-protocol instant messaging client for Linux,
BSD, MacOS X, and Windows. It is compatible with AIM (Oscar and
TOC protocols), ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo, IRC, Jabber, Gadu-Gadu,
and Zephyr networks.'
- Jabber: http://www.jabber.org/
- 'An open XML protocol for the real-time exchange of messages and
presence between any two points on the Internet'.
- Video conferencing:
- GnomeMeeting: http://www.gnomemeeting.org/
- 'GnomeMeeting is an H.323 compatible videoconferencing and VOIP/IP-Telephony
application that allows you to make audio and video calls to remote
users with H.323 hardware or software (such as Microsoft Netmeeting).
It supports all modern videoconferencing features, such as registering
to an ILS directory, gatekeeper support, making multi-user conference
calls using an external MCU, using modern Quicknet telephony cards,
and making PC-To-Phone calls.'
- Web Server:
- Apache: http://httpd.apache.org/
- 'The Apache HTTP Server Project is an effort to develop and maintain
an open-source HTTP server for modern operating systems including
UNIX and Windows NT...Apache has been the most popular web server
on the Internet since April 1996.'
- PHP: http://au.php.net/
- Scripting language especially suited for Web development. PHP
site has links for downloads, documentation, FAQs, mailing lists,
manual and more.
- PHP: a simple tutorial
- Content Management:
- Zope: http://www.zope.org/
- 'An open source application server, specializing in content management,
portals, and custom applications'. More
about Zope.There are current
Zope releases for Windows, Solaris and Linux.
- Plone: http://www.plone.org/
- Plone is built on top of the open source application server Zope
and the accompanying Content Management Framework. Plone's developers
recommend it as an intranet and extranet server, as a document publishing
system and as a groupware tool for collaboration.
Graphics (2D and 3D)
- 2D Bitmap: The Gimp: http://www.gimp.org/
- 'GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely
distributed piece of software suitable for such tasks as photo retouching,
image composition and image authoring.' See more About
the Gimp.
- 2D Vector: Dia: http://www.gnome.org/projects/dia/
- Dia is a diagram creation program. An installation page for Windows
users is here. (Windows
installation requires Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000 or XP).
- 3D: Blender: http://www.blender.org/
- Blender is a '3D graphics creation suite allowing modeling, animation,
rendering, post-production, realtime interactive 3D and game creation
and playback with cross-platform compatibility'. See more about
Blender.
Database
- MySQL: http://www.mysql.com/
- See the MySQL documentation
page for links to reference manuals, mailing lists, articles, presentations
and more.
- Postgresql: http://www.postgresql.org/
Email and Personal Information Managers
- Evolution: http://www.ximian.com/evolution/
- Personal and workgroup information management for Linux and UNIX-based
systems.
Multimedia
- Audio player: X Multimedia System:
http://www.xmms.org/
- Video player: Xine: http://xinehq.de/
- Video editor: Kino: http://kino.schirmacher.de/
Text typesetting
- LaTeX: http://www.latex-project.org/
- 'A high-quality typesetting system, with features designed for the
production of technical and scientific documentation.' From the LaTeX
Project Homepage.
- More
about LaTeX
Educational
- TuxPaint: http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/tuxpaint/
- A drawing program for young children.
- GCompris: http://www.ofset.org/gcompris
Financial management
- GNU Cash: http://www.gnucash.org/
- A personal financial management tool for tracking bank accounts, stocks,
income and expenses. GnuCash runs on MacOS X, GNU/Linux, BSD, and the
traditional Unixes: Solaris, AIX, and so on. See more about software
required for implementation.
- More handy links:
Publishing and archiving
- eprints.org: http://www.eprints.org/
- Archive-creating software. Eprints.org is dedicated to opening access
to the refereed research literature online through author/institution
self-archiving.
- University of Melbourne ePrints
Repository is running on EPrints2 archive-creating software.
Books
Numerous books have been published about the open source movement and open
source applications.
- Search? The online store www.amazon.com
has a good search engine that lets you identify publication details of books
on all sorts of topics.
- Borrow? University of Melbourne library has some books on the open source
movement, and open source applications.
- To run a catalogue search on keywords 'open source' and see available
titles, click
here.
- Use the catalogue keyword
search option to identify books available in the University of Melbourne
library on more specific topics, eg LaTeX.
- Buy? The university bookshop
has a good selection of computer text books and open source software manuals.
Specific titles to look out for: OpenOffice.org and StarOffice
| The GIMP
OpenOffice.org and StarOffice
OpenOffice.Org 1.0 Resource Kit
by Solveig Haugland, Floyd Jones
Paperback, 1040 pages
Prentice Hall PTR
ISBN: 0131407457
StarOffice 6.0 Office Suite Companion
by Solveig Haugland, Floyd Jones
Paperback, 1056 pages
Prentice Hall PTR
ISBN: 0130384739
Taming Openoffice.Org Writer
by Jean Hollis Weber
Paperback, 152 pages
Weberwoman's Wrevenge
ISBN: 0957841965
OOoSwitch: 501 Things You Want to Know About Switching OpenOffice.org from
Microsoft Office
by Rob Erbarin
Paperback, 600 pages
Hentzenwerke Corporation
ISBN: 1930919360
Special Edition Using StarOffice 6.0
by Michael Koch
Paperback, 1176 pages
Que
ISBN: 0789728338
The Book of OpenOffice.org: Your Guide to the Free Microsoft-Compatible Office
Suite
Paperback, 432 pages
No Starch Press
ISBN: 1886411980
(Coming September 2003)
The GIMP
Grokking the GIMP
by Carey Bunks
Paperback, 352 pages
Que
ISBN: 0735709246
Also available online at: http://gimp-savvy.com/BOOK/
GIMP Pocket Reference (O'Reilly Pocket Reference Series)
by Sven Neumann
Paperback, 112 pages
O'Reilly & Associates
ISBN: 1565927311
Essential Gimp for Web Professionals
by Michael J. Hammel
Paperback, 384 pages
Prentice Hall PTR
ISBN: 0130191140
GIMP Essential Reference
by Alex Harford
Textbook Binding, 373 pages
Que
ISBN: 0735709114
GIMP for Linux Bible
by Stephanie Cottrell Bryant, Tillman Hodgson, Bryan Livingston
Paperback, 728 pages
John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0764533983
Tutorials
More weblinks
- Open Source Directory: http://osdir.com/
Open source software, reviews and news.
- SourceForge.net: http://sourceforge.net/
Open Source software development website, with the largest repository of
Open Source code and applications available on the Internet. SourceForge.net
provides free services to Open Source developers.
- Versiontracker.com: http://www.versiontracker.com/
Track current and earlier versions of software, including free and proprietary
applications.
Software showcase at UMelb
A showcase of free and open source software was presented on July 27 2003
at the Unversity of Melbourne by Gavin Baker, Peter Eckersley, Suresh Gnasegarah
and Mike Ciavarella. The showcase was a joint effort by individuals from the
Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, School of Graduate
Studies, and the Information Division.
Here is Gavin's introductory slide
presentation [PDF]
Here is an outline of proceedings for the showcase, listing applications
and presenters:
- Welcome, Introduction (Gavin)
- OpenOffice.org Overview (MikeC)
- OpenOffice.org Writer (Suresh)
- OpenOffice.org Calc (MikeC)
- OpenOffice.org Impress (Suresh)
- Mozilla (Peter)
- Gaim + GnomeMeeting (Gavin)
- Gnu R Statistics (Gavin)
- The Gimp (Peter)
- Dia (Suresh)
- Blender (Gavin)
- Discussion, Questions, Extra Demos (All)
Catalogue : Electronic Resources : Find Information : Information Skills Classes
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