Operating System: Ubuntu Linux
One of the newer Linux distro's Unbuntu was financed by Mark Shuttleworth and is updated every six months. It's based off of the Debian Linux source code. But that's the 
technical aspect. Ubuntu, unlke most Linux distro's is a full featured OS. It's comes bundled with other software (more on that later.) Many other Linux distrobutions do not come bundled with the software and require that you download the Linux version of the software. Like other Linux distro's, it allows much more customization than Windows. Today I read an article on Digg that showed users of Linux on how to make your own theme's as well as how to design your own login screens. And the fact is, you can expand Ubuntu and customize it to suit your needs. So for a user friendly Open Source Free Operating System, you can order a Free CD from Here. For those of you who want to get out of Windows World to the Open Source World should use Ubuntu. Until you get into the hardcore coding and learn things like Python, Perl, C, and Java you should use Ubuntu.
Productivity Suite: OpenOffice.org 2.0
As I mentioned above, Ubuntu comes bunbled with free software. Along with the Firefox Web Browser and the GIMP Image Editor, it also comes with a productivity suite called OpenOffice.org 2.0. An alternative to Microsoft Office, Open Office comes with a Word Processor (Microsoft Word) a Presentation Client (Powerpoint), an Excel Client (Excel) a Graphing Client (Acess) and a Graphics creation client. And it's all FREE. Instead of paying hundred's of dollars (the basic version of Microsoft Office will cost you $100-150) for programs you can get the same features for free. Now it's a bit of a change in terms of interface as the program is set up a bit differently. But once you get over that, OpenOffice is a powerful suite of applications for all types of users.
Editors: The GIMP (Picture) Audacity (Audio)
Although I don't personally use the GIMP, it is what some people are calling an O
pen source, free alternative to Adobe Photoshop(it can run up up over $700 CDN) as well for Audio editing. (Apple's Soundtrack Pro can run up hundreds of dollars.) I use Leo Laporte's recomendation of Audacity for an Audio editor. It's powerful, enough for basic Audio editing. If your doing your Own Podcast, it's enough to use Audiacity. I don't have a lot to say about these editors, other than the fact that they run great and it's not worth the money to go out and buy things like Soundtrack Pro and Photoshop.
Email & Web Surfing: Firefox & Thunderbird
I've mentioned this before. Firefox is better. End of discussion. If you
have a POP or IMAP account (like Gmail or Yahoo) you can use Thunderbird to access your Email account. If you don't use a POP/IMAP account, ignore this section. If you are using an Email account like Gmail Gmail will give you the settings to set up the account on Thuderbird. Thunderbird is a very versatile client that allows for extension. You can add in things like Theme's and more functionality. The same is true with Firefox. It allows for more functionality and it has the ability to change it's apperence. And here 's the best thing. If your techno-savy you can download the source code. And if you find a legitimate error in the code you will get $500 and a Firefox T-Shirt. You don't see Microsoft or Apple doing that. That's the great thing about the Open Source community: it has a community feel and an open mind that allow for expasion. If you found an error in the source code for Apple or Microsft you'll be calling Microsoft one day and your laywer the next. See my other entry about the death of closed source standards.
Media:Musik & The Movie Player
Since you cannot use iTunes on Linux (and that would be the height of irony.) you must find another player. I've recently been introduced to a not-so-shiny music player called Music that will run on Linux. As far as I know it only plays audio files but it woks with most file extensions (excluding Apple's protected AAC iTunes Music) and allows for things like crossfading and a 16 channel equalizer for all you audiofiles out there. For Video I would recommend the Movie Player. Although it isn't again, is not as nice on the UI side of things, it supports dozens of codecs.
Security: SmoothWall & F-Prot
Even with an Operating system as secure and popular as Linux, it is paramount that you have both a solid firewall and a anti-virus program that can detect things like spyware and virus's. I recommend Smoothwall for a Firewall. It's free as well as Open Source. And for Email and general anti-virus protection, I recommend F-Pro.
That's just a few programs that I've come across. There are many others for people like you and me who are trying to figure out what to use in the Open Source World. And if you learn things like C, Java, Perl and Python, you can make your own programs!
That's all for now,
Either Today or Tomorrow I will have coverage of Apple's WWDC Conference.
Nathaniel
technical aspect. Ubuntu, unlke most Linux distro's is a full featured OS. It's comes bundled with other software (more on that later.) Many other Linux distrobutions do not come bundled with the software and require that you download the Linux version of the software. Like other Linux distro's, it allows much more customization than Windows. Today I read an article on Digg that showed users of Linux on how to make your own theme's as well as how to design your own login screens. And the fact is, you can expand Ubuntu and customize it to suit your needs. So for a user friendly Open Source Free Operating System, you can order a Free CD from Here. For those of you who want to get out of Windows World to the Open Source World should use Ubuntu. Until you get into the hardcore coding and learn things like Python, Perl, C, and Java you should use Ubuntu.Productivity Suite: OpenOffice.org 2.0
As I mentioned above, Ubuntu comes bunbled with free software. Along with the Firefox Web Browser and the GIMP Image Editor, it also comes with a productivity suite called OpenOffice.org 2.0. An alternative to Microsoft Office, Open Office comes with a Word Processor (Microsoft Word) a Presentation Client (Powerpoint), an Excel Client (Excel) a Graphing Client (Acess) and a Graphics creation client. And it's all FREE. Instead of paying hundred's of dollars (the basic version of Microsoft Office will cost you $100-150) for programs you can get the same features for free. Now it's a bit of a change in terms of interface as the program is set up a bit differently. But once you get over that, OpenOffice is a powerful suite of applications for all types of users.
Editors: The GIMP (Picture) Audacity (Audio)
Although I don't personally use the GIMP, it is what some people are calling an O
pen source, free alternative to Adobe Photoshop(it can run up up over $700 CDN) as well for Audio editing. (Apple's Soundtrack Pro can run up hundreds of dollars.) I use Leo Laporte's recomendation of Audacity for an Audio editor. It's powerful, enough for basic Audio editing. If your doing your Own Podcast, it's enough to use Audiacity. I don't have a lot to say about these editors, other than the fact that they run great and it's not worth the money to go out and buy things like Soundtrack Pro and Photoshop.Email & Web Surfing: Firefox & Thunderbird
I've mentioned this before. Firefox is better. End of discussion. If you
have a POP or IMAP account (like Gmail or Yahoo) you can use Thunderbird to access your Email account. If you don't use a POP/IMAP account, ignore this section. If you are using an Email account like Gmail Gmail will give you the settings to set up the account on Thuderbird. Thunderbird is a very versatile client that allows for extension. You can add in things like Theme's and more functionality. The same is true with Firefox. It allows for more functionality and it has the ability to change it's apperence. And here 's the best thing. If your techno-savy you can download the source code. And if you find a legitimate error in the code you will get $500 and a Firefox T-Shirt. You don't see Microsoft or Apple doing that. That's the great thing about the Open Source community: it has a community feel and an open mind that allow for expasion. If you found an error in the source code for Apple or Microsft you'll be calling Microsoft one day and your laywer the next. See my other entry about the death of closed source standards.Media:Musik & The Movie Player
Since you cannot use iTunes on Linux (and that would be the height of irony.) you must find another player. I've recently been introduced to a not-so-shiny music player called Music that will run on Linux. As far as I know it only plays audio files but it woks with most file extensions (excluding Apple's protected AAC iTunes Music) and allows for things like crossfading and a 16 channel equalizer for all you audiofiles out there. For Video I would recommend the Movie Player. Although it isn't again, is not as nice on the UI side of things, it supports dozens of codecs.
Security: SmoothWall & F-Prot
Even with an Operating system as secure and popular as Linux, it is paramount that you have both a solid firewall and a anti-virus program that can detect things like spyware and virus's. I recommend Smoothwall for a Firewall. It's free as well as Open Source. And for Email and general anti-virus protection, I recommend F-Pro.
That's just a few programs that I've come across. There are many others for people like you and me who are trying to figure out what to use in the Open Source World. And if you learn things like C, Java, Perl and Python, you can make your own programs!
That's all for now,
Either Today or Tomorrow I will have coverage of Apple's WWDC Conference.
Nathaniel
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