Affiliates
Re: Selling vs. Shaming
I read a post today on Zonker's blog called Selling vs. shaming. In it, the author argues that it's better to have non-free software loaded on a mostly free software system if it pleases the user, rather than have a pure free software system that doesn't meet the user's wants or needs. I couldn't agree more.
Zonker's post was brought on by a conversation he'd had on identi.ca regarding the newly released Hulu Desktop for Linux. Apparently some folks are upset that the Linux world is abuzz with the news that Hulu Desktop for Linux is out, but it doesn't meet the Free Software Foundation's definition of free.
The Free Software Foundation's goals are noble. However, their extremist stance on Software Freedom can be alienating to the uninitiated. The fact that the folks at Hulu made their new software compatible with GNU/Linux based operating systems is great for the future of the Linux desktop.
The benefits to desktop Linux are twofold:
- This one's obvious. Linux users have software that they (presumably) want available for their system. (Sort of - downloads are available for 32-bit and 64-bit Fedora and Ubuntu only)
- Perhaps more importantly, the Linux version of Hulu Desktop is not buried in some hidden corner of their website. It's right there on the main page alongside Mac and Windows downloads. This puts a mention of Linux in front of potentially millions of computer users who may not have even heard of Linux before. And for those that have heard of it, it helps to break down the myth that desirable software is not available for Linux.
The day that Adobe released Flash Player for Linux was a great day for the Linux desktop. Flash does not meet FSF's free software definition. Flash on Windows is a power hungry application and it's doubly so on Linux. I certainly wish I didn't need it installed on my computer, but so much of the internet uses Flash that it's practically a necessity. If it weren't available at all for Linux it would be one more nail in the coffin for desktop Linux.
Few people are going to care about a GNU/Linux operating system if they can't do the things they want to do on their computer. We'll have an easier time converting people to using Linux if they can have a system that meets their wants and needs. If it takes a few pieces of proprietary software to get there, then so be it. As the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day.
A lot of dedicated programmers are making great strides in developing free alternatives to the most popular software, but the job isn't done yet. The job will likely never be done as the proprietary world continues to progress as well. Let's not wait for the perfect free system. We should applaud every effort to provide software for Linux whether free or proprietary.
So let's hear it for one more program available for Linux. You're free to install it, not install it, uninstall it, love it, hate it, or ignore it.
Open Source Apps for Windows to Introduce Users to FOSS
There is an article on InfoWorld today listing the author's 10 favorite FOSS applications for Windows. One of the great things about Open Source is that someone can take that source code and compile it for another platform. These free programs are a great way to spread the word about the vast world of Free Open Source Software that is available to today's computer user. As users get accustomed to using these non-proprietary programs, it becomes much easier for them to make the transition to Linux.
InfoWorld's List
Here are the items that were on the list at InfoWorld.
- FileZilla FTP Client
- VirtualBox
- OpenOffice.org
- Mozilla Firefox
- Paint.net
- Media Player Classic
- TrueCrypt
- PDFCreator
- 7-Zip
- ClamWin
My List
The above list is pretty good, but I thought some of the choices were a bit odd. I haven't used FileZilla, I just don't often have the need for an FTP client. If I were doing major web development, then maybe, but most hosting providers have a web based uploader that meets my needs. On the rare occasion that I do need FTP, there's always the good old command line interface.
Here's my version in no particular order.
- VirtualBox - I use VirtualBox on Linux. It's great for trying out new distros or firing up Windows when I have the occasional need. This is a great way to introduce people to Linux through a virtual machine. You wouldn't believe the number of people I've run across who are afraid that a Linux Live CD is going to wipe out their hard drive. I guess years of malware bombardment have instilled in them a healthy level of fear. VirtualBox is as good or better than VMware, and it's free.
- AbiWord - OpenOffice.org is a great office suite, but I think I'll get few arguments that it's a pig on memory. It's just downright slow to start up. Although AbiWord does not provide the level of sophistication and features of OOo, it opens up in a snap and it provides what I typically need for word processing. Like OOo, it provides it's own PDF exporter, so no need for PDFCreator.
- Gnumeric - Similar to AbiWord, Gnumeric just opens up in a snap and provides the features I need in a spreadsheet program. It also includes the capability to export to PDF.
- Mozilla Firefox - What can I say, I use Firefox every day. It's much faster than IE (I know, Chrome and Safari kick the pants off of it) and the extensions available are just invaluable. The extensions are where Firefox really shines.
- GIMP - Admittedly, I've never used Paint.net, but GIMP just outright kicks butt. I'm told that it's not on par with Photoshop, but it's capable of far more than I know how to do. I think many of the complaints about GIMP are from Photoshop users who don't like the fact that GIMP does things a bit differently. GIMP is an amazing program. What's more amazing is that it's free!
- VLC Media Player - I haven't used Media Player Classic, but one thing the author mentioned about it is also true about VLC. VLC will play just about any multimedia file you throw at it without the need to install additional codecs.
- TrueCrypt - I haven't used this. I use Cryptkeeper on Linux. As it's described on InfoWorld, TrueCrypt sounds like a good application and I'll have to check it out.
- BitPim - Want to create your own ringtones for your mobile phone? How about back up your contact list, or download the photos from your phone? BitPim works on both Linux and Windows and works with a large variety of mobile phones.
- 7-Zip - I totally agree on this one. I ran across 7-Zip on SourceForge a number of years ago. It turned out to be a great alternative to WinZip or WinRAR. 7-Zip is the program that taught me "when you're looking for a program that does ___, go to SourceForge."
- ClamWin - I haven't used this Windows version of ClamAV, but the Linux version of Clam AntiVirus has successfully cleaned up infected Windows hard drives for me when AVG for Linux failed.
- Deluge - This is a great BitTorrent client. Although the torrent scene is off the radar screen of typical users, this is one of the best ways to download a Linux distro to try; especially if you are trying to download it just after a new version has been released. Also, if you can wait a day to watch a missed TV show, then who needs a DVR when there's BitTorrent. The most popular shows are out in torrents only a few hours after they air. Deluge has a clean interface and supports stream encryption and block lists among other things. This one can give the proprietary ?Torrent a run for it's money.
So that's my list. These programs can be a great way to introduce your friends and family to Free Open Source Software. You may even get a few of them to switch to Linux eventually.
Don't see your favorite FOSS Windows program? Leave a comment.