open source recommendations
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Opensource Software Recommendations
Opensource is the most excting frontier in software development to come from the Internet age.
For those that don't know exactly what it is here's a brief explanation:
OpenSource Software are quite simply programs that are created for free by a group of interested users who come together either via a forum or other online resource. The key differance to normal programming is that opensource programs come with the source code used to create them freely available, this code is then built on and altered by indivuduals rather than a company.
The benefits of this approch are many. mostly the software is free for the end user (sometimes with the option to doante) also the programs created are created by users for specific tasks and are then moulded and formed constantly to create much more flexible and inventive packages as the end product. The process is creative and input from even none programmers to the open source programmers all comes together to help the project grow.
Best of all the open source equivilents of many popular mainstream programs usually not only contain all the features of the original but have the added bonus of comming form the perspective of 'this was good...but what would be better?'
For those that don't know exactly what it is here's a brief explanation:
OpenSource Software are quite simply programs that are created for free by a group of interested users who come together either via a forum or other online resource. The key differance to normal programming is that opensource programs come with the source code used to create them freely available, this code is then built on and altered by indivuduals rather than a company.
The benefits of this approch are many. mostly the software is free for the end user (sometimes with the option to doante) also the programs created are created by users for specific tasks and are then moulded and formed constantly to create much more flexible and inventive packages as the end product. The process is creative and input from even none programmers to the open source programmers all comes together to help the project grow.
Best of all the open source equivilents of many popular mainstream programs usually not only contain all the features of the original but have the added bonus of comming form the perspective of 'this was good...but what would be better?'
Top Opensource Programs
My Recommendations for opensource software.
Here are the links to some of the most useful opensource programs i've found and use.
I'll write longer reviews below.
I'll write longer reviews below.
- The Gimp, Opensource Graphics art package
- A fantastic and comprehensive graphics art package, easily able to match Adobe Photoshop...but FREE!
- VLC Player: The Ultimate media player
- The GOM is good but VLC is pretty much all you need, it's simple fast and very high quality.
Watch DVD's or any other vidoe file, and also play all your favorite music files easily and quickly. - Faststone Image Viewer
- This incredible image viewer is a must for anyone with a digital camera. It's quick and easy to navigate best of all it can open almost all image types including the usually tricky .RAW file type.
Not only can you view images easily with Faststone you can also edit them in a veriety of ways. - 7-Zip Archiver
- 7-Zip is a vastly more effective version of WinZip or WinRAR or infact anyother archive program and should be the standard.
- GOM Player: Media Player
- The GOM player is a fantastic opensource media player mainly for video.
The quality is good and since it's contantly being updated it's always improving.
Say hi or post another recommendation
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JoyfulPamela
Jan 16, 2011 @ 3:02 pm | delete
- Hi! =D These look interesting!
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BFB1131
Jan 16, 2011 @ 5:10 pm | delete
- Hi thanks for the comments :)
And yes they are great pieces of software, often much better than the standared stuff like Windows media payer.
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The GIMP
Professional Graphics package for Free
The GIMP is an amazing creation it truely dose offer professional graphics package power but without the £100+ price tag.
The only thing i could say against it is that if anything it offers too many options and feel like it basically has every feature and tool from all the other Graphics packages piled in together.
This can mean it will feel a bit daunting when you first pick it up, but don't be discouraged because if you need to create graphics, edit photos or learn how to use a computer for graphic art then this is a perfect place to start before you think about spending anything or the more official brands.
Plus this is not only free but constantly being updated and improved so even if it dosn't have a certain feature yet give it time and it will. This is really exciting software and a credit to the open source community and the amazing programmers who gave it to the world.
The only thing i could say against it is that if anything it offers too many options and feel like it basically has every feature and tool from all the other Graphics packages piled in together.
This can mean it will feel a bit daunting when you first pick it up, but don't be discouraged because if you need to create graphics, edit photos or learn how to use a computer for graphic art then this is a perfect place to start before you think about spending anything or the more official brands.
Plus this is not only free but constantly being updated and improved so even if it dosn't have a certain feature yet give it time and it will. This is really exciting software and a credit to the open source community and the amazing programmers who gave it to the world.
VLC Media Player
The Only one you need.
VLC is the simplest and the best media player i've ever seen. It can play almost any file type and even has a codec download library if you find one it can't play immediately.
It has all the options and more of any other media player, from sound and speaker settings to all the standard video options.
It can load subtitle SRT files easily and allows you to control subtitle layout, colour and fonts style on some file types.
It's quick loading and give great video and sound quality during playback, it's pretty much the only player you'll ever need.
It has all the options and more of any other media player, from sound and speaker settings to all the standard video options.
It can load subtitle SRT files easily and allows you to control subtitle layout, colour and fonts style on some file types.
It's quick loading and give great video and sound quality during playback, it's pretty much the only player you'll ever need.
Faststone Image Viewer
The Faststone image viewer is an amazingly handy and versatile peice of software that can be used for free.
It offers a powerful and very intuitive interface that lets you browse almost any image file type easily and quickly.
Not only can you browse but you can also edit, with options for brightness/contrast, hue and saturation, sharpness and many more.
Faststone also lets you quickly crop and resize images as well as having a handy desktop wallpaper creation option.
If you need something to browse your digital images but don't fancy messing about with all the complexity and power of a full graphics program then Faststone is perfect, and even if you have the more powerful program available Faststone with its ease and speed is oten more appropriate.
It offers a powerful and very intuitive interface that lets you browse almost any image file type easily and quickly.
Not only can you browse but you can also edit, with options for brightness/contrast, hue and saturation, sharpness and many more.
Faststone also lets you quickly crop and resize images as well as having a handy desktop wallpaper creation option.
If you need something to browse your digital images but don't fancy messing about with all the complexity and power of a full graphics program then Faststone is perfect, and even if you have the more powerful program available Faststone with its ease and speed is oten more appropriate.
7Zip
The Ultimate Archiver
Chances are if you use a computer your going to come across compressed files, or your going to have to make them youreself if say you need to send multiple files via e-mail or if you download often.
And for the most part your going to end up using WinZip to access or create them, but as with most file and computer systems Archives come in a veriety of types and i've found that winzip isn't always up to the task. Thats why 7Zip is such a godsend.
With 7Zip you can be sure you've got the right tool to open pretty much all of the archives out there, it also offers a very high level of compression for zip creation too.
The software is very simple and easy to use with lots of features that i've not even explored. 7Zip should certianly be part of your standard PC toolset.
And for the most part your going to end up using WinZip to access or create them, but as with most file and computer systems Archives come in a veriety of types and i've found that winzip isn't always up to the task. Thats why 7Zip is such a godsend.
With 7Zip you can be sure you've got the right tool to open pretty much all of the archives out there, it also offers a very high level of compression for zip creation too.
The software is very simple and easy to use with lots of features that i've not even explored. 7Zip should certianly be part of your standard PC toolset.
Gom Player
Another Media Player option
The Gom Player, Now i know above i just said VLC was the only one you need and i still believe that.
But just incase you don't for some reason get on with the VLC player this is another great option.
The Gomplayer is great for videos and movies with fantastic quality and features, I used it less for Music but i'm sure it'll do that good too. It's slightly more fancy user interface wise than the VLC player but mainly it's much the same good quality opensource stuff on offer.
I still think that VLc is the best out there but this is a very close second.
But just incase you don't for some reason get on with the VLC player this is another great option.
The Gomplayer is great for videos and movies with fantastic quality and features, I used it less for Music but i'm sure it'll do that good too. It's slightly more fancy user interface wise than the VLC player but mainly it's much the same good quality opensource stuff on offer.
I still think that VLc is the best out there but this is a very close second.
by BFB1131
I'm a gamer, not a professional gamer by any means but i do like to think i do it well....and i REALLY enjoy it.
Other than that i pretty much fit in...
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