No money left for software ?
You are on a tight budget and you want to buy a PC and software ? Than consider spending everything on a PC and nothing on software. There are lots of free alternatives that will satisfy the needs of 90% among you. A list…
But first some remarks
- The list is aimed at users with a Windows Operating system. Most computers come with a pre-installed version. Those who are working in a Unix(-like) environment don’t really need such a list (there are literally thousands of programs and packages included in the numerous free linux distributions), and Mac OS users, well, perhaps one of the readers can make a list ?
- We have excluded online software as most of this is still a bit basic (although there are some noteble exceptions like Google Reader e.g. — another idea for a list ?)
- I have limited my suggestions to 3 maximum per application.
Browsers
Windows comes with the browser Internet Explorer. But I would strongly suggest to install some free alternatives : Mozilla Firefox, Opera or Flock.
Communication, networking, internet
Email : again a Mozilla product,Thunderbird, an e-mail and news client to replace Microsoft Outlook. Possibly you could also add the Lightning extension that adds calendar and scheduling functionality.
Next Pidgin (formerly named Gaim), a multi-platform instant messaging client. The software supports many commonly used instant messaging protocols, allowing the user to log into various different services from one application.Interesting if you love to chat.
I would also suggest Skype. It’s a software program that allows users to make calls over the Internet to other Skype users free of charge (!). Calls to landlines and cell phones can be made for a fee (lower than with traditional means). Additional features include instant messaging, file transfer and video conferencing.
You might want an aggregator to read feeds from sites, blogs, podcasts, and vlogs. Install e.g. Sage, a news aggregator extension for the Firefox browser. It’s a bit basic, but it does what it’s supposed to do without too many bells. If you use Opera, you have an aggregator included already. The same goes for Thunderbird. If you want a more advanced feedreader, than I would definitely go for Feeddemon.
Filezilla is a cross-platform FTP client. Directory Opus and Notepad++ (see below) also include a FTP client, but I prefer Filezilla.
Office suites and document editing
OpenOffice.org comes with a word processor (Writer), a spreadsheet (Calc), a presentation program (Impress), a database program (Base), a vector graphics editor (Draw) and a tool for creating and editing mathematical formulae (Math). This open source office suit is a perfect alternative for Microsoft Office. Consider also OxygenOffice Professional which is sort of an enhanced version of OpenOffice.org and comes with extras like templates, cliparts, samples, fonts and VBA support.
Scribus is a desktop publishing (DTP) application known for its broad feature set of page layout features comparable to leading commercial applications such as Adobe PageMaker, QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign.
proTeXt is a free integrated development environment (IDE) for LaTeX which is a document markup language and document preparation system for the TeX typesetting program. It includes MiKTeX, a text editor ( TeXnicCenter),along with Ghostscript and GSview. I have posted the installation procedure some time ago.
Microsoft Windows systems come with the very simple text editor Notepad. I would recommend to install Notepad++, VIM or PSPad.
PDF (Portable Document Format) is a frequently used document format that requires a special reader. The obvious one is Adobe Reader. If you want to create pdf documents than you can install PDFCreator which allows the user to select PDFCreator as their printer, allowing almost any application to print to PDF. PDF can also be created with OpenOffice.Org and LaTeX. Editing exsiting PDF documents is a bit more ccomplicated. A free one is PDFedit which is an editor for Unix-like operating systems, but can be used on top of Windows if you install Cygwin. I will not start discussing the possibilities of using UNIX on Windows machines in this post as this is (a) a bit more complicated, and (b) there are numerous ways to use Unix software and Windows on the same hardware. As of version 0.46, Inkscape (see below) also allows PDF editing through an intermediate translation step involving poppler.
Security
This is a difficult one. If we stick to the idea of not spending money on software, than ClamWin is a free antivirus software worth considering. AVG is also used by many. If you would spend some money on software, than this is probably the first thing to look at. Professional security software is still way better than open source and/or free software. Look for BitDefender, Norton (slows your system sometimes) or Kaspersky.
Back-up and data management
Cobian Backup supports Unicode, FTP, compression (Zip, SQX), encryption (including Blowfish, Rijndael, DES, RSA-Rijndael), incremental and differential backup.It supports long file names (32.000 chars) on backups except on ZIP backup (256 only). The software may be installed as an application or a service running in the background. Multilingual support is done via user-submitted language files.
Install also 7-Zip, a free open source file archiver, instead of WinZip and WinRAR, which are the main proprietary competitors.
Windows Explorer is the Microsoft application that is part of the Microsoft Windows operating system since Windows 95 and that runs on top of the Windows operating system and provides a graphical user interface for accessing the file systems. I do not see a free system to replace this, but if you have already spend some money on security and you still have some left, than check out Directory Opus, especially if you have huge amounts of files (60 days free trial). It seems that Total Commander and SpeedCommander are good as well, but I have never tried these two.
Media
Where to start ? The choice is huge…
Audio editing/management/player : Audacity (editor), iTunes (management and player), VLC Mediaplayer (eh, player…)
Images : Irfanview is an image viewer that can view, edit, and convert image files (and play video/audio formats) or the very basic application Picasa
Video editing : Avidemux, Virtual Dub or VirtualDubMod. The latter is still available but I think that development has stopped. Still an option to consider.
Graphics : GIMP, a raster graphics editor used to process digital graphics and photographs and often described as a free alternative for Adobe Photoshop, Paint.net, another possible alternative for Photoshop but I prefer GIMP ; Inkscape, “an Open Source vector graphics editor, with capabilities similar to Illustrator, CorelDraw, or Xara X, using the W3C standard Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file format” ; Dia, a general-purpose diagramming software ; and Blender, a 3D animation program. This should allow you to do a lot of decent graphics work already.
Science
I will limit this to software for statistics and mathematics. If someone has experience with software in other scientific domains, let me know.
Statistics : PSPP, definitely and more or less a free alternative for SPSS. And yes, of course Gretl, an application for compiling and interpreting data mainly for econometrics.
Mathematics : SAGE, aimed at creating an “open source alternative to Magma, Maple, Mathematica, and MATLAB”, Maxima, “a system for the manipulation of symbolic and numerical expressions, including differentiation, integration, Taylor series, Laplace transforms, ordinary differential equations, systems of linear equations, polynomials, and sets, lists, vectors, matrices, and tensors. Maxima yields high precision numeric results by using exact fractions, arbitrary precision integers, and arbitrarily precision floating point numbers. Maxima can plot functions and data in two and three dimensions”, and GNU Octave, to perform numerical computations and which is mostly compatible with MATLAB. I know I told you that I would limit suggestions to three, but let’s make an exception here. Have also a look at R and R Commander. R is a programming language and software environment for statistical computing and graphics.R Commander is a GUI for the R programming language. Extremely powerful !
Content Management Systems
CMS is perhaps not the best heading for software used for blogging, Wikis, and …CMS.
Let’s start with the blogging software: WordPress.com (hosted for free like this blog e.g.) and WordPress.org (to be hosted by you). Have a look here for other possibilities.
Next Wiki software. Again there are just too many options. Have a look at MediaWiki (used for Wikipedia), TWiki and PmWiki. Or check out the WikiMatrix for a comparaison of Wiki software.
With CMS we mean Web Content Management Systems in this overview. Or software that helps you publishing content to web sites. Have a look at Drupal and Joomla!
No heading
A nice piece of software is also FreeMind, a mind mapping application written in Java. It’s fun and useful at the same time !
You might have noticed that I didn’t include any P2P software. I haven’t seen any that I really like just yet (read : without junk).
And to end this post, one last piece of software : PortableApps. PortableApps.com is a compilation of free and open source applications founded by John T. Haller. The applications run directly from any storage equipment, like a flash drive, iPod, external hard drive, or directly from a computer. Ideal to have your favourite free software on a simple USB flash drive.
There are alternatives for most of the software I suggested in this list, and everyone has probably his own favourites. An endless discussion in some cases. I would however concentrate on one alternative and learn to use all of its features iso swapping software regularly just for some (mis-)perceived advantage.
Suggestions are of course welcome.
The universe on a string
In clear, nontechnical language, string theorist Brian Greene explains in this TED video how our understanding of the universe has evolved from Einstein’s notions of gravity and space-time to superstring theory, where minuscule strands of energy vibrating in 11 dimensions create every particle and force in the universe.
Timeline of the universe
Scientists can now tell us what happened in nearly every millisecond of the big bang. Robert Matthews takes us through the first crucial moments.
More detailed information via the Big Bang entry at wikipedia (well written with lots of links).
Celestia
Celestia is a open source 3-D astronomy program created by Chris Laurel. The program, based on the HIP, allows users to travel through an extensive universe, modelled after reality at any speed, in any direction and at any time in history. Celestia displays and interacts with objects ranging in scale from artificial satellites to entire galaxies in three dimensions using OpenGL, from perspectives which would not be possible from a classic planetarium or other ground based display. Download via Sourceforge.
Similar applications include the free software applications Stellarium and KStars, and the proprietary applications Orbiter, XEphem (both freeware), Starry Night (commercial). WorldWide Telescope, which will be made available in Spring 2008, will also offer features included in Celestia.
LateX
Besides some commercial implementations, there are numerous free distributions. The version I use (for Windows *) nowadays is MikTeX, combined with TeXnicCenter (a free open source IDE), along with Ghostscript and GSview. There are other combinations possible, but this one fits my needs. If you want to know more about TeX, LaTeX and why you should use it, this is what CTAN is saying.
Installation
- First download proTeXt here. Click ProTeXt-2.1-010408.exe and save it on your harddisk. **
- Once you have the distribution, you can start the installation by running Setup.exe (if it does not open automatically). Or you can install from a pdf named protext-install-en.pdf (you will find this pdf in the install folder from proTeXt). Just open this pdf file and click the links to install (in this order) MikTeX, TeXnicCenter, Ghostscript and GSview.
- You should be aware that MiKTeX issues regularly updates. So look for ‘Update’ via Start-All Programs-MiKTeX 2.7-Update. Choose where you want to get updates from (I suggest to select ‘random repository’ in this case) and run this. The first time this will take quite some time, but this is normal. Once you have done this, I advise to run the update say once a week.
If you have never used TeX before, then it is recommendable to work through one of the TeX/LaTeX tutorials. A good starting point is this entry in the UK TeX FAQ: http://www.tex.ac.uk/cgi-bin/texfaq2html?label=tutorials*.
But I “promise” to post some tutorials about LaTeX on this blog myself.
* For MacOS X I suggest MacTeX, and for Unix, go for TeX Live, which contains many packages and programs. It is freely available over the Internet or on CD/DVD; see the web page for details. Note that most Unix systems have TeX as an installation option, so you might already have it or be able to easily get it using your system administration package management tool: RPM, or DEB, or whatever.
**Alternatively you can download proTeXt from another server. Search for proTeXt and start the download.
Abacus
I want to learn to use an abacus ( Britannica - Wikipedia).
Quote
Three Graphic Novels
A while ago I bought three graphic novels, and tomorrow I’m going to buy another three classic graphic novels:
Blankets is a 600-page black-and-white graphic novel by Craig Thompson, published in 2003 by Shenanigans Productions. A memoir, the book tells the story of Thompson’s childhood in an Evangelical Christian family, his first love, and his early adulthood.
From Hell is a graphic novel by writer Alan Moore and artist Eddie Campbell speculating upon the identity and motives of Jack the Ripper. The title is taken from the first words of the “From Hell” letter, which some authorities believe was an authentic message sent from the killer in 1888. The work is dense, multilayered and immensely detailed; the collected edition is 572 pages long.
Berlin is the title of a comic book series created by Jason Lutes and published by Drawn and Quarterly. Planned as a series of 24 magazines, it describes life in Berlin from 1928 to 1933, during the decline of the Weimar Republic. The first eight magazines were compiled into a book titled Berlin: City of Stones, published in 2000. It starts with Marthe Müller, an art student, arriving in Berlin. One story arc details the start of her life in Berlin, focusing on her relationship to journalist Kurt Severing. A second story line describes a working class family which breaks up due to differing political views, the mother eventually joining the communists with their daughters, while the father takes their son to the Nazis. The book ends on May 1, 1929, the International Workers Day. The next eight magazines will be compiled in Berlin book two: City of Smoke and will be released on August 19, 2008.
Holiday Logos
As you probably know Google has published a variety of logos commemorating holidays and events. All (?) of them are displayed in a sort of online museum. Have always considered this to be a nice idea. No idea if any other company is doing something similar.
Poème électronique
Expo 58, also known as the Brussels World’s Fair, Brusselse Wereldtentoonstelling or Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Bruxelles, was held from April 17 to October 19, 1958. It was the first major World’s Fair after World War II.
Poème électronique (”Electronic Poem”) is a piece of electronic music by composer Edgard Varèse written especially for the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair, and was recorded to be played back from 425 loudspeakers, placed at specific points in the Philips Pavilion, designed by Iannis Xenakis while under the employ of Le Corbusier.
Philips Pavilion
«Poème électronique» is the first, electronic-spatial environment to combine architecture, film, light and music to a total experience made to function in time and space. Under the direction of Le Corbusier, Iannis Xenaki’s concept and geometry designed the World’s Fair exhibition space adhering to mathematical functions. Edgard Varèse composed the both concrete and vocal music which enhanced dynamic, light and image projections conceived by Le Corbusier. Varèse’s work had always sought the abstract and, in part, visually inspired concepts of form and spatial movements. Among other elements for «Poème électronique» he used machine noises, transported piano chords, filtered choir and solo voices, and synthetic tone colorings. With the help of the advanced technical means made available through the Philips Pavilion, the sounds of this composition for tape recorder could wander throughout the space on highly complex routes. (source)
A recording of Poème électronique:
Weekend Reading
The Contextualizer: Arthur Lubow portrays Prizker prizewinner Jean Nouvel.
Into the Eisenshpritz. Elif Batuman looks at the latest publications in the world of the graphic novel and explains the attractions of the super heroes and their younger siblings. It’s their double character we find so fascinating.
No forbidden zone in reading ?
Dushu (simplified Chinese: 读书; pinyin: Dúshū, Reading in Chinese) is a monthly Chinese literary magazine. First published in April 1979 with its leading article No Forbidden Zone in Reading, it has great influence in Chinese intellects.
In the New Left Review of Jan-Feb 2008 Zhang Yongle provides a detailed history of the magazine entitled No Forbidden Zone in Reading. The survey relates the journal’s trajectory to the PRC’s dramatic development course and ruptures within its intelligentsia. A very interesting article that gives a good window on intellectual debates in the PRC since the mid nineties and the discussions going on about the (partial ?) adoptation of the capitalist model in China. See also e.g. wikipedia on the Chinese New Left and the Chines Liberals.
Another overview of the differing voices and views of leading Chinese thinkers, debating the future of their society and its place in the world, can be found in One China, Many Paths, a collection of essays reflecting the new thinking that developed in the 1990s. Both Chinese liberal and Chinese New Left views are represented, along with some views that do not fit either category (review of this book by Ban Wang).
Although the wind
Although the wind
blows terribly here,
the moonlight also leaks
between the roof planks
of this ruined house.
–Izumi Shikibu (translated by Jane Hirshfield and Mariko Aratani, from The Ink Dark Moon)
Cartoons
25 best Bush cartoons according to David Horsey.
Ophidiophobia
Ophidiophobia refers to fear of snakes. The word comes from the Greek words “ophis” (ὄφις) which refers to snakes and “phobia” (φοβία) meaning fear.
Some of the oldest tales and wisest mythology allude to the snake as a mischievous seducer, dangerous foe or powerful iconoclast; however, the legend surrounding this proverbial predator may not be based solely on fantasy. As scientists from the University of Virginia recently discovered, the common fear of snakes may well be intrinsic.
Are Newspapers Doomed?
Throughout the week assorted writers, journalists, bloggers, and media scholars will discuss and debate the state of newspapers in the digital age on Britannica’s blog forum.
Monday, April 7:
Nicholas Carr: “The Great Unbundling: Newspapers & the Net“
Clay Shirky: “What Newspapers & Journalism Need Now: Experimentation, not Nostalgia“
Tuesday, April 8:
Jay Rosen: “Newspapers & the Net: Where’s the Business Model, People?“
Jon Talton: “When I Hear the Term ‘Citizen Journalist,’ I Reach For My Pistol!“
Wednesday, April 9:
Charles M. Madigan: “Why Almost Everyone is Wrong About Newspapers & the Internet“
Mary Stuckey: “How Online News Saved Political Rhetoric“
Thursday, April 10:
Colette Bancroft: “Reading Ain’t Dead: Books, Newspapers, and the Net“
Friday, April 11:
Caryle Murphy: “Foreign Correspondents & the Information Revolution“
Jennifer Saba: “Look at the Numbers: Why Print Will Continue to Matter to Newspapers“
Another thing to read next week and a subject I already made some comments on.
NAPP Launches Lightroom Beta Learning Centre
The National Association of Photoshop Professionals has just launched the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 Learning Center.(via)
Take Five
Schrödinger’s cat
Schrödinger’s cat, often described as a paradox, is a thought experiment devised by Erwin Schrödinger. It attempts to illustrate what he saw as the problems of the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics when it is applied beyond just atomic or subatomic systems. A translation of his original paper.
