| 19 September, 2009 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 2:00 pm |
Saturday 19 September is International Software Freedom Day. Software Freedom Day aims to promote and inform about programs that are freely available to everyone to install and use. You may be using some of these well known programs:
* Firefox – Web browser
* Thunderbird – Mail client
* Open Office – An office suite for word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, graphics, databases and more.
* Scribus – Desktop publishing
* Inkscape – Drawing program
* Gimp – Image editing
* VLC – Media player
To help you become familiar with these and others there are two events organised over two weekends.
Event 1: The Stall
Come to the Software Freedom Day Stall where we’ll be handing out free software as well as demonstrating and discussing the software available. If you have any questions about Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) this is a good place to start. Come and have talk to a local expert, or try one of the programs one one of the demonstration machines. Free CDs will be handed out (while available) and many examples of FOSS software for use on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Location: Computer Markets, Old Bus Depot Markets
Date: Saturday, 19th September 2009
Time: 10am to 2pm
Event 2: Install Fest
If you want help installing your free software, or just want to ask some more questions, then come along to the install fest. Bring your
computer and your questions to:
Location: Room N101, Ground Floor, Computer Science and Information Technology building, ANU
Date: Saturday, 26th September 2009
Time: 10am to 3pm
For more information:
General information. http://www.softwarefreedomday.org/
Information about the Canberra events http://softwarefreedomday.org/teams/Canberra
Information on some of the programs being given away http://www.theopendisc.com/programs/
Open Source as alternative http://www.osalt.com/
One of the distributions of Linux available on the day http://www.ubuntu.com/
Another distribution of Linux available on the day http://fedoraproject.org/
Contact Details
Organiser Paul Wayper
Email paulway@mabula.net
Phone 6251 5257
RiotACT is a big fan of free software – particularly Ubuntu Server.
Do a Myth TV stall. Because it runs so well on relatively older hardware.
There’s quite a few people using Myth TV here in Canberra, and there will be people at both SFD events who will be happy to talk about it with you. Paul Wayper should also be able to point you to some more resources.
L
Much love for mythTV. I’m also using XBMC as a front-end for Myth, for bonus geek points.
Is it ironic that International Software Freedom Day is on the same day as International Talk Like a Pirate Day?
joshka said :
HAHAHA
Maybe we should have International Pirated Software Talk Day.
Why would anyone want free software when you can pay through the nose for perfectly functional and bug-free stuff that Bill gates foists on the planet?
(serious question) Is Firefox really that much better than IE?
Maybe we should have International Pirated Software Talk Day.
Isn’t that every day for most people?
Is Open Office free software? Harvey Norman charged us $80 for it when we bought our new PC. We were told that that was a special discount too.
toadstool said :
roflcopter
You got charged for them to get the work exp kid to install it by the sound of it….
owned
toadstool said :
Correct, retail suppliers bank on the fact that not everyone will go looking to download free software and they know they can get people to pay for the convenience. http://www.openoffice.org
My personal fave is the wonderful Paint.NET – an Image manipulation program (think basic Photoshop functionality). Very easy to use – and massive support through the forums… does everything the average home user would need…
Hi can anyone tell me if Ubuntu is harder to operate than Microsoft, also have Ubuntu only got something similar to Microsoft.org office
thanks
Ubuntu now has 25000 free Apps to download, a lot of which are available to install on Windows, Just with Windows there is a lot of freeware, crapware etc that fills the registry, I prefer to use Linux. But Microsoft office is still the superior office application. Get what you pay for. Just use both, use Linux on what of might of ended up in the dump and Windows on your new stuff, Both will preform the same.But Linux is faster than Vista. W7 I don’t know yet.
VITURE said :
The few times Ive used Ubuntu, Ive found it incredibly easy to use with a GUI almost from the start, and a point-and-click style environment. There are a few subtle differences, such as program menus at the top instead of a start button at the bottom of the screen, but the learning curve for ubuntu is quite shallow compared to other linuxes Ive used (and Ive used a few).
Also, openoffice.org will do what you want, its pretty much compatible with M$ office and its file formats. Another app I use often is qcad, great for drawings ranging from a simple sketch upto a complete 3D technical drawing.
> (serious question) Is Firefox really that much better than IE?
Yes. It is much, much, much better. Donwload it, try it.
> Hi can anyone tell me if Ubuntu is harder to operate than Microsoft, also have Ubuntu only got something similar to Microsoft.org office
Ubuntu is a piece of cake to operate….& yes, Open Office.
> Is Firefox really that much better than IE?
On its own, it’s just another browser. But with the addition of a few add-ons, it is MUCH better than IE. Adblock plus is essential (right click on an annoying advertisement and NEVER see/download it again!), then there’s cacheviewer, downloadhelper…
Cheers for the Firefox advice – will give it a go. I had a quick look at the Mozilla website last night, and have to admit that it did sound pretty impressive.
I just have a problem thinking that something free can actually be good.
At times, Firefox can be a fantastic way to turn your laptop cpu into a portable stove.
On the subject of software, does anyone know where we can get a copy of Office 2003? We’ve tried the new Office 2007 and can’t stand the new format of the menus. Alternatively, can the menus on 2007 be converted to the 2003 look? Why they decided to change it I don’t know. The original version was great.
toadstool said “On the subject of software, does anyone know where we can get a copy of Office 2003? We’ve tried the new Office 2007 and can’t stand the new format of the menus. Alternatively, can the menus on 2007 be converted to the 2003 look? Why they decided to change it I don’t know. The original version was great.”
Buy a MSDN subscription msdn.microsoft.com/en-au/default.aspx (All Microsoft software) Costs you heaps, or just work for somebody that gives you access to one. Then watch the bandwidth usage.
If you are a Internode customer their mirror supports a lot of open source software un-metered download.
And the new Opera 10 web browser is now better, works good on Ubuntu too at last.
Skidbladnir said :
!!
And all this time I thought foxy was just being VERY affectionate…
Is there any free software for video editing?
Hank said :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_free_software_packages#Video_editing
L
Hi thank you guys for the information on Ubuntu, were I have my computer fixed, they advised me to stay with Microsoft as Ubuntu was harder to operate, I suppose they would say that, I tried to buy Office professional editon 2003, I was informed they no longer sell it, I don’t like the new office 2007, Someone also told me Ubuntu was quite a good package, I needed more input about Ubantu from others who have tried it.
Yes; may have something to do with the fact that they sell Microsoft products?
http://www.ubuntu.com/ is a good place to start.
You can find out more about OpenOffice at http://www.openoffice.org/
It’s available for Windows, OS X, as well as Linux.
I absolutely loathe Internet Explorer. Firefox is a must on any PC I use. The add-ins you can get for it are fantastic as well. The add-ins I use include ForecastFox (Weather Forcast Toolbar), bandwidth throttle and a Download Manager.
OpenOffice.org is almost passable as an Office app. Good for a free application in its own right but not a very good substitute for MS Office. I still use Office XP which is pretty much trouble free.
Lots of good free apps out there. My current favourite is Google SketchUp.