Tag Archives: Software

Innovate Journal Call For Submissions: Open Source Issue

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Innovate Journal has put out a call for submissions for an upcoming issue to focus on open-source software (thanks Heather).

We seek manuscripts that cover the following topics: (1) developments in open-source programs around the world, (2) challenges related to the development, deployment, and adoption of open source programs, including how specific software is being used, (3) the advantages and disadvantages of open source and proprietary systems, and (5) the future of the OSS movement. We expect authors to take full advantage of Innovate’s multimedia capacity; supplementary files that illuminate the text are welcome, and we are especially interested in the possibility of hosting “Try it!” sites that would offer readers hands-on experience with particular OSS features.

If you would like to submit a manuscript on this topic, please review our submission guidelines at http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=submit and send your manuscript to the guest editor of this issue, Vijay Kumar (vkumar@MIT.EDU ), and to the editor-in-chief, James Morrison (jlm@nova.edu ) no later than March 30, 2006.

I’m thinking I’ll submit something once I get a bit further into my study. I encourage others to as well as I am looking forward to reading some of the fresh research in the field. Maybe someone can write about the greatly hyped, super top-secret Linux announcement expected in less than 72 hours. Hmmmm.

Facial Recognition Software?

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I’ve experimented with a web-based facial recognition application, and a couple of the results are described below. The application compares your uploaded photo to a celebrity photo database and produces several possible matches. Maybe this will end up becoming a meme.

After several attempts, it seems that I have facial characteristics similar to … Robin Williams?

Robin Williams vs. Alec Couros

Ummmm … I don’t think so.

And, as I scroll down the list, it produces an even more amazing comparison … it seems I also look much like Lindsay Lohan!

Lindsay Lohan vs. Alec Couros

Yea … I have my doubts. The only thing I seem to have in common with Ms. Lohan is that we are both staring to the right in these photos.

Well it’s a neat technology, but obviously, still pretty buggy (at least in this particular case). Or maybe there’s just no one like me. “I’m good enough, smart enough … and gosh darnit, people like me.”

Have a try, and let me know what your results are.

Schools Save Money With Open Source Software

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Here’s an interesting account of cost-savings in a school district written by the Technology Coordinator of Noxon Schools in Montana. The school district has been using open source software for the past six years.

Here is the summary of the cost-savings:

Office Suite
OpenOffice Cost for 185 computers = 0 ($0 over 10 years)
Microsoft Office Cost for 185 computers = $11,936.20 ($50,000 over 10 years)

Anti-Virus Software – ClamAV
ClamAv Cost for 185 computers/servers = 0 ($0 over 10 years)
Other Anti-Virus Vendors – $4000 ($40,000 over 10 years)

Servers
Red Hat Enterprise 3 servers – $150 ($1500 over 10 years)
SUSE, Slackware – $0 ($0 over 10 years)
Microsoft $7889 (10 Year estimate $23,667)
Novell Yearly Subscription $1000 (10 Year estimate $10,000)

Hardware
LTSP Server and 100 workstations – $4500
3 additional LTSP Servers – $4000
100 New Computers and Server Hardware for Microsoft Product $78,500.00
10 Year Cost Estimate (upgrade 3 times) – $225,000

Total Open Source Savings for Setup – $92,675.20
Ten Year Savings – $338,667.00

The reality of these figures for Noxon Schools is that if we had Microsoft products only we would not have185 computers we would have 50 because that is all we could sustain. That is the big difference for us.

Relatively, this is a very small school district (only 270 students). Could you imagine the savings in a larger district?

Update: While on this topic, I just noticed a recent short essay by Robert Pogson, a sysadmin in La Loche Saskatchewan. Here, he makes the case for using LTSP (Linux Terminal Server Project) in schools in order to save money on computer hardware.

Google Earth For Mac Released … Sort Of

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It seems that some form of Google Earth Beta for the Mac is making its way around the ‘net. It doesn’t seem that Google has officially released it yet, but you can get it from this odd source and follow the clumsy link path while (likely) someone generates ad revenue from your clicking.

I’ve installed it, and it works, although I haven’t tested a lot of feature yet. It does require Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or later. If you desire a more direct source to get this Beta, contact me.

Google Earth For The Mac

I’m assuming that this is either a leaked version, or a Google-instigated leak (aka. viral marketing). However, I’m thinking that the latter is not really Google’s style.

Update: I went back to view the download source for this file, and saw the follow message:

File Forbidden

What file? Google Mac for Earth? Whatever. I’ve never heard of such a thing.

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Vienna RSS/Atom Reader For Mac OS X

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I just downloaded Vienna 2.0 and threw in my feeds over from Shrook. Vienna is open source/freeware, has a nice clean user interface and seems much snappier and responsive than my usual reader. Although, the speed may have something to do with it not being able to handle file attachments within the reader. This is a bit of a downfall for the moment. So far, Vienna seems pretty good, but not overly impressive.

Fluxiom

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I don’t know much about this other than it looks to be a very cool organizational asset manager. Yet, the video makes me want it!

However, something makes me think this will be both proprietary and expensive. OK, my love affair with Fluxiom is now officially over.

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Songbird: iTunes Alternative?

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I just noticed Songbird, what seems to be an iTunes like media player in development with the first preview release forecasted for this December. Songbird is being developed on Mozilla’s XULRunner package so I’m thinking that this may be a free/open source package, however, I dont’ see anything on the Songbird website that confirms this.

Of course, even if it is iTunes like, will it be able to sync. my iPod(s). I’m doubting this, but I’d be very happy to have an open alternative to iTunes. I’ll keep an eye on this, but I’m not getting my hopes up yet.

Paris Accelerates Move To Open Source

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InfoWorld reports (thanks Michael) that the City of Paris is stepping-up the move toward open source software alternatives to its current, mostly-proprietary environment.

The city of Paris is accelerating its move to free and open-source software as part of a strategy to reduce its dependence on suppliers. It plans to replace more of its server software with free and open-source alternatives, and to install open-source applications on desktops.

Earlier this year, volunteers among the city’s 46,000 staff were invited to download and install open-source software to their desktops, including the Firefox browser and the Open Office.org productivity suite. Now, the city is planning to migrate all the users of one city department or all of those in one of the city’s 20 districts, not just the volunteers, to test a larger migration. The city has 17,000 workstations, up from 12,000 in 2001.

I find this particularly interesting as I still see much resistance to open source in our local schools. Today, I sent out a Python tutorial (via Downes) to a former student of mine, who is now a teacher in a local highschool. He told me that, although thankful for the resource, he couldn’t use it in school as they don’t allow the installation of Firefox (the resource is designed for the Firefox sidebar). So, not only does the school ban the use of a superior, alternative web browser, they effectively block excellent, openly developed content.

OpenCD 3.1 Released

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I’ve mentioned the OpenCD project before, and it’s only getting better. And, the project continues to get better. For those of you who don’t know what this is, please read the following description.

The OpenCD is a collection of high quality Free and Open Source Software. The programs run in Windows and cover the most common tasks such as word processing, presentations, e-mail, web browsing, web design, and image manipulation. We include only the highest quality programs, which have been carefully tested for stability and which we consider appropriate for a wide audience.

For Windows users new to open source software, this is a great place to start. There are some excellent applications on this CD (see full list), and of course, once downloaded, the CD is freely distributable. This is a great resource for teachers looking to empower their students with good software, and for introducing these youth to a powerful social movement that is beginning to change the way jknowledge is distributed in society.