Posts belonging to Category Software

As a writer, I am proud to say that I have used OpenOffice.org as my primary office suite for over 5 years, and could not be happier with it. While I must admit that Microsoft Office is a good office suite product, I rather dislike its user interface (the ribbon, and all that), and prefer to keep my documents in a non-proprietary format (that is, the OpenDocument format). However, not all is well on the OpenOffice.org front these days.

It is no small news that OpenOffice.org, perhaps the only significant (not to mention free) compeditor to Microsoft Office, is in a bit of a topsy-turvy state right now. But first some background. While OpenOffice.org is indeed an open source software project released under the Lesser General Public License (LGPL), the trademark for OpenOffice.org itself is (or was) owned by Sun Microsystems — OpenOffice.org’s biggest corporate partner and contributor. However, on January 27, 2010, Sun was acquired by Oracle Corporation along with all its assets, which of course include not only the trademark to OpenOffice.org, but several other open source projects as well, such as the popular, free, and open source database MySQL (which directly competes with Oracle’s own horrendously expensive database). Although Oracle can do nothing to stop, kill, or even take over a software project whose code-base is released under the GPL or LGPL, they can cause serious disruption.  Many feared this would happen to MySQL, but few expected a big fuss over OpenOffice.org. After all, Oracle stands to gain ground tremendous against Microsoft by continuing to support and promote OpenOffice.org. (more…)

InfoWorld has a great article covering some of the best free (and open source) software for Windows. So, all you Windows users out there (you know who you are, tisk tisk), listen up: you really can get free software legitimately (a.k.a., not stealing). As would be expected, OpenOffice.org and Mozilla Firefox both make the list, but there are some lesser known gems as well, including VirtualBox, TrueCrypt, and Paint.Net (I would have chosen GIMP of course).

Anyway,  if you want some great free software, check it out! There is also a slideshow, too.

Yes, I am a Google fanboy (what self-respecting Linux-loving, Microsoft-basher isn’t?), and this just makes me “Oooo” and “Ahhhh” with childlike wonder. The new Google Earth 5.0 features…. wait for it… wait for it… Google Mars!

As the video shows, Google Mars even has a mode where it can show old maps of Mars, such as those made by Giovanni Schiaparelli and Percival Lowell.

Here’s another video about other features in Google Earth 5.0:

You can get Google Earth 5.0 for Mac, Linux, and even Microsoft Windows (if that’s your persuasion) at Earth.Google.com.

Personally I use Linux, but I just love these “I’m a Mac” and “I’m a PC” commercials. Here’s 15 of the Mac vs PC commercials — enjoy!

And for more laughs, here’s the UK versions of the commercials!

The first new major release of OpenOffice.org in three years is finally here! From the looks of it, OpenOffice.org 3.0 promises to deliver some serious competition to Microsoft Office, and not simple because of its fabulous price (which is free). Indeed, the popular open source office suite arguably has as much going for it as MS Office 2003, and only lacks some of the more advanced features of MS Office 2007. OpenOffice.org 3.0 also lacks many of the horribly annoying features of MS Office 2007, such as the atrocious “ribbon” interface and a rather narcissistic disposition.

I am a writer, as well as professional programmer, so I spend a copious quantity of my time on computers, both at home and at work. The only items I have ever found lacking in OpenOffice.org 2.x have finally been incorporated in 3.0, these being native MacOS support and the previously inadequate Notes system. But the new OpenOffice 3.0 brings in even more features and capability than these little fixes, all for the same low, low price of just zero dollars and zero zero cents (at 0% down and 0% APR).

Read on for more details!
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Hello everyone. My name is M.C. Williams, author and creator of Mythania. I am a writer, a programmer, and a gamer; and I am a recovering Microsoft User.

Before I begin, let me start off by saying that I am not an anti-Microsoft war-monger. In fact, for my day-job I develop Microsoft ASP.NET 3.0 web applications, and I believe it is a perfectly fine development platform–if (and only if) you are willing to accept the caveats of being perpetually tied to Microsoft. I, as an individual however, desire the freedom of choice and the ability to do what I want with my computer, its operating system, and its programs, without restriction or dependency on any corporation or organization.

That is why I use Linux. That, and the fact that it’s really cheap.

Specifically, I use Ubuntu Linux, and have been for the past nine months (as of this writing, July 2008). In that time I have come to the astonishing conclusion that we don’t need Microsoft any more. Actually, I was of that opinion several years ago, but only now have the alternatives matured to the point where it has become practical to do away with Microsoft altogether and replace its operating system with Linux on the common person’s computer.
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In this article I shall review various commercial (that is to say, “not free”) software applications that writers may find useful. I will not review software for which there are perfectly viable Free and Open Source alternatives. This is why you will not find Microsoft Office reviewed in this article — see my article on Free and Open Source software for an alternative to MS Office and other commercial software This list of recommended commercial software for writers is rather short compared my to list of Free and Open Source software, mainly because there are only a few useful commercial software packages for which there is no free or open source alternative. Most of the software listed here is for Windows only, except where noted.

Keep in mind that none of this software is absolutely necessary. Some of these applications will assist in your research, or in world building, or in the creative process of writing. But no software can write your stories for you. Do not become bogged down in the technology — if you end up doing nothing but building worlds and designing characters you run the risk of never getting to your story. I personally have found the best tool for writing to be my own imagination.

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Nothing is worse than an old cliché, but today more than ever the adage stands true: “the only constant is change”. We live in a world of constant change, surfing the rising wave of the Information Age. And no industry changes faster than that of computer technology and software development.

But constant change requires constant adaptation, and those who cannot adapt will fall by the wayside. Constant change means that everyday everything you own — be it an automobile, a telephone, a television, a computer, or thousands of dollars worth of software — are slowly and inexorably fading into that dark and dismal abyss of obsolescence. Who wants to spend several thousand dollars on software that will become obsolete in two or three years? Who would buy a car knowing it will not be able keep up with newer cars in a few years time? Probably no one. But this “planned obsolescence” seems to be the norm in the fast-passed world of computer technology.

Today, thanks to advances in manufacturing, the cost of computer hardware has dropped relative to the overall cost of software. As a result, while you may pay $500 for a new computer, the final cost may end up tripling after you add software. Additionally, newer versions of software packages are often released on a yearly basis, while some software giants even require annual subscriptions forcing you to pay every year to continue using their software. And what about when you buy that flashy new computer? You might think you can install the software from your old computer on your new one, but the electronic registration methods now being employed by many companies cripples your ability to freely use the very software which you purchased. In fact, the EULA (End User Licensing Agreement) on most commercial software is so restrictive and rigid that one might think you were signing a pact with the Devil simply to install the application.

So what does all this software ultimately cost? Let’s take a look at the numbers for some common software applications that might be found on a writer’s or artist’s computer (retail prices as of June 2008):

Microsoft Windows Vista Home: $129
Microsoft Office Professional: $499
Adobe Acrobat Pro: $449
Adobe Photoshop CS: $649
McAfee Internet Security Suite: $69

All told, that comes to over $1795! And expect to pay that every 2-3 years to keep up. Granted, you may not need Photoshop or Acrobat, and may get a “deal” for the other software if you purchase a computer from Dell, Gateway, or HP, but the cost of software, combined with highly restrictive EULAs, has simply become unacceptable.

…That is, especially when you consider that there are perfectly viable Free and Open Source alternatives for all of the above mentioned software… and more.

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