on opensource
all about linux.
Hello all. I’m including a few Linux-related links below - enjoy.
A Wired article from a few years back about Linus Torvalds, inventor of Linux. Here’s his info page at linux.org.
unix.org
Here you can learn all about Unix, which is (historically, anyway) the software behind the internet.
gnu.org
This is Richard Stallman’s “not unix” project which fills in the gaps in Linux; he’ll throw a fit if you call Linux “Linux” and not “GNU/Linux”… so watch out.
Minix
As mentioned, this is the academic “Unix-like” OS created by Andy Tanenbaum to go with his book, Operating Systems: Design and Implementation; it formed the initial basis for Linux, with its code eventually being replaced completely.
linux.org
Here you can find loads of info about Linux history, distributions, etc.
kde.org
“About” page for the K desktop environment, which is one way of giving your Linux installation a GUI. I’ve always liked the look of KDE more than GNOME, but recently GNOME seems more developed, no doubt as a result of its default status in Ubuntu. The Ubuntu K desktop is called Kubuntu.
gnome.org
“About” page for the GNOME desktop, the default in Ubuntu.
ubuntu.com
This is the “OS” I ran through in class yesterday; it’s completely free and worth a look if you have Parallels (though Parallels isn’t required, of course); right now this is probably the best/cheapest way for a beginner to get started with a computer (just add a dirt-cheap PC).
If you want a few-years-old introduction to Linux (and an unhealthy dose of geeks on camera), you can check out the Revolution OS documentary on google video here.
f-spot
I’m planning to redesign the interface for f-spot, which is an open source photo management app for Linux (GNOME). It’s fairly capable (think speedier iPhoto), but not terribly attractive. You can check some screenshots of it (in all their default glory) here and here.
contribution options
Perl. This site isn’t terrible, and degrades well enough without CSS enabled, but it still uses tables for layout and is built for the tiniest of resolutions. I think updating the underlying code (no tables), fixing some of their type, wrapping the page content in a centered container and making the whole site even 100 px wider would help. I doubt they’re going to change the camel. Of these three possibilities, I’m leaning toward this.
Apache. I think the problem with a lot of open source sites is that they embrace “default” styling (blue underlined links, bulleted lists, white background), probably to show how “geek” they are. Apache’s main page is a good example of this, but some of the sub-projects are pretty decent. It’d be interesting, and probably beyond the scope of what could be accomplished in this class, to apply one identity across all of the apache sub-projects. Realistically though, updating the main Apache page or one of the more horrible sub-project pages would be a possibility.
Linux. Here’s another gem. This page is littered with mid-90s web weirdness. Where are these colors coming from? Check out the random centering and mixed bold/serif/sans. The possibility of getting them to change it is slim to none, but… maybe.
Stick it to the Man (in the Adobe hut that is…)
Man that was a killer pun….
I am presenting on Open Source alternatives to the ubiquitous Adobe Suite of design applications. There are a number of image editing apps out there that intend to replicate Photoshop, but the one that far and away is the best is called the GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Project): http://www.gimp.org/.
The Illustrator alternative that offers the best functionality is called Inkscape: http://www.inkscape.org/.
The alternative to InDesign is called Scribus: http://www.scribus.net.
Finally, something that will actually be useful to all of you (using a Mac at least) is NeoOffice a very well polished open source alternative to Microsoft Office: http://www.neooffice.org/
Here are a couple of programs that I use on a daily basis that are all Open Source:
Adium: An IM program that covers all the major IM kinds. I like it because of its customization options and the fact that it is not made by AOL (which I personally despise). Best of all its Open Source and Free!
Text Wrangler: A free text editor that is really useful for editing HTML and CSS. It color codes the code you write so its easier do read HTML and CSS and even more techie types of coding.
Quicksilver: This is that launcher program that I was using during the demonstration in class today. I think its probably the most amazing program ever. If only because it saves you from always going to the Applications folder and then hunting for the right program. I find it impossible to use computers without quicksilver now though so keep in mind that it spoils you! This very elegantly designed program has an equally spare and elegant website. Just click on the quicksilver button and click the dowload button in the tab that pulls out and you are set.
open source goodies
Some links to accompany my presentation.
Open source software:
Firefox browser
Some non software related links:
Open source DIY clothing patterns
Open source pretty much anything you can think of
The Code Breakers
Download the high quality file from here. Or view it through Google Video, here:
Part One:
Part Two:
