Having so many distributions of Linux available can be more confusing than helpful. To make things a bit easier, here’s a helpful Linux Distro Chooser that can assist those looking for the right fit.
Note: This chooser is geared for x86 based-systems only.
Tag Archives: Software
Opera Browser Free For One Day Only
It seems that Opera is celebrating its tenth anniversay, and for one day only, you can get the ad-free version of the browser. Here’s how:
For one day only, you can get an ad-free version of Opera. Simply e-mail registerme@opera.com to obtain a registration code. This offer is valid from 12 a.m. Tuesday, August 30 to 12 a.m. Wednesday, August 31 2005 (PDT).
Although I prefer open source browsers like Firefox (free ALL the time), if you were ever interested in Opera, here’s an opportunity.
Puppy Linux Live CD
Tom Radcliff recently put me on to Puppy Linux, a live CD Linux distro that he is using where he teaches high school. I got a chance to test it out, and I am really impressed. Check out the mission statement:
* Puppy will easily install to USB, Zip or hard drive media.
* Booting from CD, Puppy will load totally into RAM so that the CD drive is then free for other purposes.
* Booting from CD, Puppy can save everything back to the CD, no need for a hard drive.
* Booting from USB, Puppy will greatly minimise writes, to extend the life of Flash devices indefinitely.
* Puppy will be extremely friendly for Linux newbies.
* Puppy will boot up and run extraordinarily fast.
* Puppy will have all the applications needed for daily use.
* Puppy will just work, no hassles.
* Puppy will breathe new life into old PCs
Beyond the speed (it puts both my OS X and XP machines to shame in this department), I really like the idea that this Linux distro is as small as it is … only 60(ish) MBs. As stated above, users can actually use the other 590-640 MBs to store files as the OS setup allows you to use the existing CD-R space for file storage. Thus, no hard disk drive necessary. Those features, and the fact that the minimum requirements for use are PC’s with Pentium 200MMX and 64MB RAM (with swap partition), make Puppy Linux something that should be seriously considered for student/school use.
Essential Freeware For The Mac User
Today, Stephen Downes pointed to an entry by Sudeep Bansal who gave a great list of “Essential Freeware for the PC user“. Bansal has now offered another post which lists “Essential Freeware for the Mac user“. Both lists are worth looking at, and while there is a lot of overlap, I see that as very much a positive thing. Now, if Bansal comes up with “Essential Freeware for the Linux user”, we will have the trifecta.
“Computing Means Connecting” By Dave Tosh
Dave Tosh has posted an excellent PowerPoint resource which was recently presented at a Knowledge Lab event in Denmark. I’m especially appreciate of the Tosh’s treatment of the idea of personal space vs. public space, and what bridging these areas might look like in practice. I am aware of these dimensions in my own practice, but the on-going struggle for me as a teacher has been to move my students in the direction where their learning space is significantly connected to their personal online space. It’s coming (I’ll get ’em this semester), but in many cases, there’s still a rigid disconnect.
The presentation is excellent, and points to many strong resources in the field. Check it out.
Update: Now that I am finally caught up on reading OLDaily from this last week, I realize that Stephen Downes pointed to this a few days ago.
Knoppix 4.0 Live CD/DVD Released
For those who aren’t aware, Knoppix is a bootable live system distribution of Linux. In other words, a Knoppix Live CD or DVD allows you to run a distribution of Linux without having to install any software on your machine. While Knoppix isn’t the only distribution that runs live, it’s one of the more popular distros and ideal for education. Here are many other live distros.
And there’s plenty of open source software included with Knoppix.
Due to on-the-fly decompression, the CD can have up to 2 GB of executable software installed on it (over 8GB on the DVD “Maxi” edition).
If you are interested in giving Linux a try, or at least seeing what all the hype is about, this is a great place to start.
DTV: Internet TV On Your Mac
Boing Boing just announced the launch of DTV Beta, “an open source video publishing/viewing/downloading tool”. This is the player component of the Broadcast Machine, a tool that enables users to create their own video channels. I suspect that DTV has been out since June, but I just haven’t had a chance to follow-up.
So far it looks great! DTV includes a channel guide and allows users to easily subscribe to video RSS feeds. Very slick, be sure to check it out.
The Interface Without The Mouse-Click
Don’tClickIt.com provides the interesting experience of a click-less interface. The site does well to make a point of how difficult it is to break the mouse-click habit, provides a brief history of the mouse-click in computer history and poses a few alternatives to mouse-click in practice. For me, it helped me consider how the GUI has been shaped by the mouse-click, and helped me contemplate an alternative history in my mind’s eye. Check it out … see if you can resist the click.
Recording Skype With WireTap Pro
I’ve been using Skype with both my Mac and Windows machine (and a l’il on Ubuntu Linux), and while it has been working fine, I haven’t been able to record the conversations easily on my Mac. I attempted an overly complex solution using Soundflower, Audio HiJack Pro & Audion, and even played around with Audacity and Garageband as other possibilities. Still, nothing was as simple as I wanted.
Well, then I tried Wiretap Pro. I had previously used Wiretap (-Pro), but that only seemed to capture he Apple audio, and didn’t catch the line-in audio. However, I upgraded and Wiretap Pro is exactly what I need, and very easy to use without messing with audio preferences. Just use WTP to record Apple audio, line-in or both … very simple, and easily picks up Skype conversations. Additionally, you can record straight out as AIFF, AAC, Quicktime or MP3. Yea, I paid $19ish … however (lesson to for-money software developers) I will still pay for proprietary software when there is no good and easy open source equivalent. Until then, WTP is worth my time.
“How I Got My Wife To Love Linux”
I thought this was rather interesting as it reflects partially what is being said repeatedly in the data analysis of my open source research project. While this is nothing profound, or unexpected, people, especially adults, have trouble moving to the Linux desktop because “it’s different”. However, making the interface more similar to what they know and expect may lead to greater adoption.
Fedora XP or “How I Got My Wife To Love Linux” demonstrates how even minor Linux modifications such as simulating the Windows “start” button (although my firm belief is that the Windows start button was never natively intutive, only intuitive by massive social repetition) could lead to wider acceptance of desktop Linux.
From my own experience and research, I know that this familiarity factor is very relevant to wide-scale technology adoptions in K-12 education. As a generality, teachers don’t like and will resist change. Making technology intuitive may not always be enough … familiarity, at least in the short term, may sometimes count for more.
Neat Skype Add-Ons
Skype Journal presented a list of the best five software add-ons for Skype. The number one pick was Pamela-Systems Pro, something the EdTech Posse has been using successfully lately, and Rob wrote briefly about. There were some neat addons in the list including Video4IM, which integrates video into Skype calls, and Jybe, which enables document sharing.
Unfortunately most of the tools are for Windows only, so off goes the dustcover … its’ time to experiment.
New Zealand Schools Go Open Source
The National Business Review reports that New Zealand’s Ministry of Education and Novell have signed a national agreement0 “to provide all state and state-integrated schools ith a range of Novell software, including SUSE Linux operating systems.”
From the article,
Embracing open source offers many opportunities for New Zealand schools now and in the future. This agreement embodies all the advantages of Novell’s traditional offerings plus the advantages of Linux and open source – the provision of cost-effective, secure and reliable systems.
So yes, another national government openly accepts open source into education. Anyone keeping track?
And just in time for Open Source Day! Last year, Rick Schwier proclaimed July 16 open source day, and since I will be away from my email for the weekend, I thought I would announce early. So if anyone has some open source news to share over the next few days, do it in the spirit of the second annual, very unofficial Open Source Day.