The Complete Open Source Solution: A Complete Non-Microsoft Operating System

With the growth of the open source movement in recent years, the number of open source solutions has expanded in recent years with the large scale apotion of Linux, the founding of the Mozilla Foundation, and the development of OpenOffice.org in the late nineties. The number of Non-Microsoft solutions is quite astonishing. And it's a wonder why the majority of the geek community has not jumped onto the Linux Bandwagon. But that entire issue is for another post. Onto the complete Open Source solution.

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 Open 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

Live Spaces Spaced Out & The Amazing Screw on Head

Spaces Spaced Out

If any of my old MSN Spaces blogging audience is reading this, you know that I switched over from the MSN Spaces blogging service back in July for various reasons. Just to explain a few, I found the lack of costumization, as well as the chessy looking interface, did not have the proper image I wanted to project to the Blogoshere. The fact is, with MSN Spaces, you could not insert things like Pictures or Video's into your posts. With Blogger, you can insert both pictures and video's into your posts. For those of us who are a bit more technically inclined, you can directly edit the template using either CSS or HTML code. And if your really into it you can create your own template using CSS. By using the Template edit feature in Blogger, it is possible to add links and buttons your sidebar. I've added my favorite Podcasts, News Sites, Blogs and Free Software. Of course I can alwasys add more if I so desire, however at this point I think that that would be enough. Anway back to the main point of the story, MSN spaces was upgraded to Live Spaces on August 1st. The Live version of it's predesessr, it included a bevy of new features including the ability to post photo's in albums (think Flickr), the ability to create lists (who makes lists?) and the ability to put Windows Live Gadgets(Widgets, think either Dashboard or Konfabulator) So basically all MSN spaces does is take all the features that other sites have come up with and copy them. Well, that's a very compelling reason to go back to spaces. Not. And the fact is, half of the so far users have reported probelms with half of he features. Yet another reason to go back to Spaces. Not.Blogger was the first blogging engine ever. Let me repeat that. First Ever. So when Microsoft comes along and thinks that it can waltz right into the Blogging market, and hope to take it over, they are totally and completly wrong. Now many people use Spaces for the shear sake of simplicity. Ok, I can understand that. But the fact is, with most of the products Microsoft designs, they are engineered to the people-who-could-care-less-about-what-the-techo-features -are. Well I've got some news for Microsoft. They're are people who actully care about what the Blog Looks like. If you didn't notice, I cahanged the layout the other day because I felt the blog needed a better more clean, bright image. The fact is, sites like LiveJournal, Blogger and TypePad will win the end, because of the fact they give they're more for the fact that actully put time and not just money into the development of it's software. The fact is, money doesn't buy everything, but time is priceless, that's why things like Gmail and Flickr are still in Beta. Anyway, the overall point of this is I will not be returning to Spaces anytime soon.
The Amazing Screw on Head
Mentioned in TWiT 62, the Amazing Screw on head is one of those cartoons that shows a plot that seems to be way out of contecgt at the time, but is actully quite amazing to watch. The Amazing Screw on Head is set in the days of the Civil War, the Amazing screw on head is about just that. It's a screw on head that has an amazing knowledge of ancient history, more specifically, the ancient evils and they're technologies. In the Pilot (I just watched it today.) The Amazing Screw on head is called in by President Abraham Lincholn to stop a plot to release a demon that will reek havoc on the world at large. The technology that is used is a variation shown in things like James Bond and the like. Just as an example, the mode of transportation is a steel capusle that is fired like a rocket. The show is just all action. It's a comedy as well. The Screw on Head (as he is called) has several people to help him. Irconically enough all the names of his support team begin with Mr. For example, his Butler and backup (think Alfred from Batman) name is Mr. Groin (yes that is his name, and you can stop laughing.) his dog is named Mr. Dog. But I digress. This is a really cool show and I hope that it goes from Pilot to series. Moreover I hope that it comes to Canada.
Well that's all I can think for tonight.
Nathaniel
P.S. Check out my New Blog that I'm doing with BoredSVUNut. Ranting Geeks. We posted last night and we will post again either tomorrow or Sunday Night.

Inclings of WWDC, The Destructo Drive, Editorial: The Death of Microsoft and Closed Source Standards

Inclings of WWDC

With WWDC only days away, the Apple Rumor mill has gone into overdrive, with the latest rumors comming from Engadget. Engadget speculates that Apple will release the must speculated and anticipated iPhone. They present several compelling argurments including the fact that when Apple released it's Q3 results, CFO Peter Openhiemer, when asked about the iPhone, Openhimer said "Were not sitting still". This coupled with the fact that Apple has partnered with an old flame, Mortorola for the Phones, gives the impression that Apple is using the ROKR as a prototype to see if it's worth developing a Mobile Version of OS X, or if they'll get Motorola to design it. The fact is Apple hardly ever outsources software work. But who knows? This may be the exception. Another rumor that's floating around WWDC is a patent that Apple filed for a few months ago. It concerns' the fact that Apple would like to either put an iSight Camera above the monitor or put the Camera inside the display itself. This would mean imbedding sensors directly into or behind the layer of Liquid Crystal. It has an entire Star Trek feel to it. The most likely rumors are the Introduction of the new Mac Pro, the realease date of 10.5 Leopard and maybe just maybe the introduction of Conroe and/or Merom Processors into the Low-Mid Range Macs. This would give me all the more reason to purchase a Mac Mini or the low end iMac, if the up the Processor speeds to at least 1.8 Ghz. My reason behing not using the 1.66 Ghz Mac Mini is this: I've been stuck behind a 1.6 Ghz Dell for almost five years now and it's driving me nuts. At Minimim I would like to have a 1.8 Ghz processor. I weant out tonight and priced a DIY PC built with an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor (2.16 Ghz) 2 GB RAM et cetera et cetera. If I'm going to invest in a Mac it will have to be fast. Becuase I'm not going to invest in something that is slower than a turtle stuck in molasses in a Canadian Deep Freeze. It's got to be fast enough to keep up with intensive web browsing, and have enough features to host a Digital Suite. This means (enventually) a Digital Camera, A Digital Video Camera, a NAS, a large music music collection and a large set up speakers. So, in order to get the most bang out of my buck, I'm going to either with the Low end iMac or a DIY PC. I'm not going to Dell to risk all my personal Data to something like Bad Memory. If I'm going to trust my Data to be secure on a Dell, these latest revolations about lack of quality are not very reassuring. I'd rather DYI my PC than trust a manufacturur. But I digress. Needless to say I'm waiting with baited breath from WWDC and when Steve Jobs walk's out onto that Stage in San Fransisco I'll be watching.

The Destructo Drive

Engadget has had some very interesting things on it's front page recently. But for the most bizarre/interesting piece of technology that I've seen in a while is Plextor's Plexeraser Destructo Drive. This like the Royal Media Destroyer is something that you'll want to keep out of reach of little brother and sisters, annoying friends (the one's that eat the last Oreo in the box, that kind that take your favorite Lord of Rings Novel and destroy it, that kind of thing.) The Drive essentially format's the disk like what a magnet does to a hardrive. It wipes any and all media off the drive. They are some really odd things that are going for Tech these days and this has to be one of most useful and/or most bizarre pieces of tech. But it could be useful. If you have certain CD's around the house that are annoying the heck out of you (heavy metal, hip-hop as examples.) You can basically destory the CD's and then you can use something like the Royal Media Destroyer to physically destroy the CD. Then when they ask "Where did my (insert name of artist here) CD Go?" shrug your shoulders and say "I havn't seen it."
Editorial: The Death of Microsoft and Close Source Standards
Microsoft is comming up on it's 31st birthday. For 31 years it has produced programs and and Operating systems. It has produced some of the richest men in the world. It has pinoneered software and revolutionized the Home PC. It has enabled small business' to have computer access on hundreds of machines on a five-figures budget. Well it was nice knowing you Microsoft, but know that you've suckered the world into buying your sub standard software the security holes you've put in our software. But now, since Linux and the Macintosh are gaining in popularity, we will no longer need your services. Linux is FREE. We no longer need to buy the $200-400 OS. We can order a CD for Free. Or if we really want to buy an OS, we can go ahead and get Mac OS X. Besides being more secure, it's much more versatile. The fact is there is no "plug and play" feature in Windows. There is plug-and-play feature in OS X. And it's so much easier to manage, edit and create things like Video, Pictures and Music. Although it takes a bit of getting used to, the Aqua Interface is much better and pleasing to the eyes than Windows. The fact is, Linux is open source. That enables you to customize the look and feel of the Linux and gives you flexibility with features. Although most software is not officially supppored on Linux, peeople like Miguel de Icaza and Ryan Gordon are porting games and other programs to help expand the library of software that is able to run on Linux. The fully completed Linux distro Unbuntu is becoming more and more popular. The fact is Open Source is becoming more and more popular. Programs like Firefox, Thunderbird and OpenOffice are evidence of this. Microsoft has become obsolete. Closed source standards are no longer acceptable in the world of technology. Like the Human Race, you must adapt to your conditions, or you will die. The case is the same for Microsoft. It must open up it's standards or it will be trampled into the dust. Companies like Google will surpass it will the new idea's, fresh look and acceptence for open source software make it a compelling force in the world of software. That's why Google has been so popular amoung the Geek community, and why Microsoft has been shunned. Microsoft's golden age is done. It will never be the same again. It will only be a mere memory to the Geek community in a matter of years.
That's my Rant for Today,
Nathaniel