Not all of the ideas that the Mozilla Firefox Team had indicated previously have made it into the official version of Firefox Panorama, but the core feature of being able to group tabs together and having an OS-like interface to quickly jump between tab groups is now going to be part of Firefox 4.

Aza Raskin has a detailed blog post in which he lays out how and why the Firefox team developed Panorama, including the basic design principles.

Some of the design issues he mentioned included:

• Harness the power of spatial memory
• Seeing is remembering
• Minimize required interactivity
• Remove distractions: out of sight, out of mind

Here’s a short video clip in which Aza Raskin explains what you’ll see in the new Firefox Panorama:

Great Software

OpenOffice.org 3 is the result of over twenty years’ software engineering. Designed from the start as a single piece of software, it has a consistency other products cannot match. A completely open development process means that anyone can report bugs, request new features, or enhance the software. The result: OpenOffice.org 3 does everything you want your office software to do, the way you want it to.

Easy To Use

OpenOffice.org 3 is easy to learn, and if you’re already using another office software package, you’ll take to OpenOffice.org 3 straight away. Our world-wide native-language community means that OpenOffice.org 3 is probably available and supported in your own language. And if you already have files from another office package – OpenOffice.org 3 will probably read them with no difficulty.

and it’s free

Best of all, OpenOffice.org 3 can be downloaded and used entirely free of any licence fees. OpenOffice.org 3 is released under the LGPL licence. This means you may use it for any purpose – domestic, commercial, educational, public administration. You may install it on as many computers as you like. You may make copies and give them away to family, friends, students, employees – anyone you like.

OpenOffice.org 3.0 New Features

OpenOffice.org 3.0 has a host of new features. Here are a few highlights to whet your appetite but if you want the full details then click on the link at the end of the list:

• Mac OS X Support
• Microsoft Office 2007 Import Filters
• New, Fresh-Looking Icons
• Start Center
• VBA Support
• Enhanced PDF Export
• PDF Import Extension

For a full details and explanatory notes click here >> OpenOffice.org New Features

To learn more about OpenOffice 3.0 and download a copy for your operating system visit OpenOffice.org by clicking the following link:

OpenOffice.org

Enjoy!!

7-Zip is open source software. Most of the source code is under the GNU LGPL license. The unRAR code is under a mixed license: GNU LGPL + unRAR restrictions.

You can use 7-Zip on any computer, including a computer in a commercial organization. You don’t need to register or pay for 7-Zip. But you can make a donation to support further development of 7-Zip.

The main features of 7-Zip

* High compression ratio in new 7z format with LZMA compression
* Supported formats:
o Packing / unpacking: 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR
o Unpacking only: RAR, CAB, ISO, ARJ, LZH, CHM, MSI, WIM, Z, CPIO, RPM, DEB and NSIS
* For ZIP and GZIP formats, 7-Zip provides a compression ratio that is 2-10 % better than the ratio provided by PKZip and WinZip
* Strong AES-256 encryption in 7z and ZIP formats
* Self-extracting capability for 7z format
* Integration with Windows Shell
* Powerful File Manager
* Powerful command line version
* Plugin for FAR Manager
* Localizations for 69 languages

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7-Zip works in Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP/Vista.

There is a port of the command line version to Linux/Unix.

Further Information About 7-Zip can be found by clicking on the link below:

Download 7-Zip Here

OpenProj has been downloaded over 600,000 times in over 142 countries and has quickly become one of the most popular open source applications.

If you want a free replacement to commercial desktop software, then OpenProj is perfect.

It’s available on Linux, Unix, Mac or Windows, and it’s free

Open Project Website

Let’s face it: Without a good set of office applications, your workday will be a waste of time. Productivity requires the right tools, and contrary to what some people think, Linux has everything you need to get you through the day without a hitch. We’re going to look at applications that will satisfy everyone in the organization — from HR to marketing to the front office.

#1: OpenOffice

This one goes without saying, offering word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, database management, drawing, and Web page editing. Add to that the ability to read and write Microsoft Office files and export to PDF and Flash (among other formats), and you have a complete office suite that should meet every need your office has. The OpenOffice user interface has little to no learning curve, so users will hardly know the difference between Microsoft Office and OpenOffice. OpenOffice is also cross-platform capable, with installation binaries for Linux, Solaris, Windows, and OS X (both Intel and PPC).

#2: Evolution

This is the Linux version of Outlook. Another one-stop shop, only this time it’s all about the PIM. E-mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, advanced searching, desktop integration, shared vCards, junk filters, encryption, LDAP support, iCal support, and much more. And if your company uses an Exchange server, you’re in luck because the Evolution Connector will be able to keep you connected. Evolution tends to be the default e-mail client for the GNOME desktop, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy Evolution on KDE (or any other window manager.)

#3: Scribus

This is desktop publishing at its open source finest. Scribus can do almost anything Adobe Acrobat can do — minus draining your wallet. Scribus does layering, opacity, ICC color management, CMYK color separations, and versatile PDF creation. With this tool, your newsletters, press packets, fliers, books, manuals, etc., are done in-house and on the cheap. I have used Scribus on numerous projects ranging from simple fliers to complex books.

#4: Gnucash

Gnucash is one of the best accounting packages available for Linux. It uses double-entry bookkeeping and is a suitable replacement for individual accounting as well as a small business accounting. Gnucash is one of the only accounting packages that is available across most all platforms (Linux, Solaris, UNIX, OS X, and Windows).

#5: OpenProj

This is the open source replacement for Microsoft Project. OpenProj has an equivalent user interface and functionality similar to Project and is interoperable with Project. OpenProj is released under the CPAL (Common Public Attribution License) license and is available for Linux, OS X, 32-bit Windows, BSD, and UNIX-like operating systems. OpenProj does require Java.

#6: Meeting Room Booking System

Meeting Room Booking System is a Web-based booking system for meeting rooms but can be altered to suit your needs. Although I wanted to include only applications that could be installed locally, I felt it necessary to include this application simply because it’s so useful. For corporate environments that have multiple rooms to book, this small-footprint application is perfect. It can also be modified for use as an appointment book, too. MRBS can do repeated bookings, reports, DAY/WEEK/MONTH views, multiple authorization levels, and multiple language support. The installation is simple but requires both a Web server (Apache) and a database server (either MySQL or Postgres).

#7: GnoTime

Formerly GTT, GnoTime is a desktop application that tracks time spent on projects and offers time-based invoice generation. Numerous reports can be generated (Journal, Activity, Daily, Status, To Do, Invoices, Query, Primer, New Reports, Edit Reports), and the interface is simple to use. GnoTime also includes a diary entry editor for each project. With GnoTime you can embed simple SQL queries into report templates. In addition, GnoTime benefits from autosave. So in the rare event your Linux desktop crashes, your data is safe from loss. GnoTime runs on Linux, UNIX, and OS X.

#8: GIMP

I realize that graphics software isn’t always included in lists of necessary office software — but if your office does any of its PR or marketing in-house, graphics tools are a necessity. And when using Linux, GIMP is the de facto standard for graphics creation and/or manipulation. GIMP is to Linux what Photoshop is to OS X and Windows. But GIMP goes Photoshop one better because it’s cross-platform ready. You can install GIMP on Linux, OS X, or Windows. It features a customizable interface, photo enhancement, digital retouching, hardware support, a huge range of file format support, plug-in support, its own scripting language, filters, and a host of other outstanding features.

#9: Pidgin

Many corporate businesses have started regarding instant messaging as a legitimate form of interoffice (or inter-cubicle) communication. And Pidgin is one of the finest of the instant messaging clients. Pidgin works with nearly all of the instant messaging services and can have multiple accounts configured. It’s released under the GNU License, it’s free, and it works on Linux, UNIX, Windows, and OS X. Pidgin supports file transfer, typing notification, spell-check, buddy pouncing, away messages, etc.

#10: K3b

What office doesn’t back up data? None, if they employ safe business practices. And the CD offers one of the safest means of data backup. K3b makes backing up to CD simple. Not only can you do multiple backup types (audio, data cd, data dvd, copy cd, iso cd, iso dvd), you can save the backup information to a file. If you do the same backup regularly, all you need to do is open up the particular backup file and click burn. (No more having to drag and drop or hunt for particular files/folders to back up.) K3b can also blank CDR-Ws, retrieve TOCs, and write cue/bin files. K3b is available only for Linux and has been optimized for KDE.

This short list includes software that can easily handle much of your day-to-day office needs and do it on the Linux operating system. The software listed here is simple to use, reliable, (mostly) scalable, and business ready. Of course, this is a generalized list. Far more specialized office-type software is available on the Linux platform. One of the best places to look for such software is in your Install Software tool, such as Synaptic or Yumex. (The tool you have will depend upon the distribution you use.) Fire that tool up and look through the various categories (a good place to start is the “Office” category) to find what you need.

Linux is an outstanding platform for the office. It is flexible, cost-effective, reliable, secure, and enjoys a small learning curve. So if you’re doubting Linux can take over your office software needs, doubt no more!

It’s a tough call. Observers from both the open and closed source worlds say the exit of Microsoft’s longtime leader won’t usher in a GPL era at the company but it will likely accelerate what is already a changing attitude in Redmond.

“We already see quite a different approach to dealing with OSS and OSS companies from Sam Ramji’s group [which is] doing a great job in establishing dialog,” said Rafael Laguna, CEO of Open-Xchange and a former marketing exec at SUSE Linux. “With Gates’ departure, the only mammoth remaining is Ballmer. With him away in a near future, Microsoft will definitely open up. They have to.”

Gates’ exit will help acceptance of open source, another observer said.

“For much of Microsoft’s history, its primary strategic initiative has been Windows everywhere. Bill Gates was the primary architect of this and it has served the company well in reaching the $50 billion revenue mark. To get from $50 to $100 billion, however, they will clearly need to embrace the non-Windows world,” said Barry Crist, CEO, Likewise Software. “I suspect this will be easier for Microsoft to accomplish without Gates. We see substantive signs of this happening already.”

One open source backer hints that Gates’ early departure from Microsoft signals the beginning of the end for proprietary software.

“Bill Gates figured out how to harvest from software licensing early on in the game, and built the biggest software company on the planet from it. [But] selling software licenses has become a triviality,” said Juergen Geck, CTO of Openxchange, which competes against Microsoft Exchange.

No one expects Microsoft to open source any of its crown jewels but even Microsoft programmers expects to see more openness and source code releases in the post Gates era.

“I have a strong feeling that Microsoft will consider anew all their options with regard to open source strategy and the open source community. I think that Microsoft will remain much like it is now [in that] it will continue to release commercial software and take intellectual property rights very seriously. But I do think you’ll see more open source/shared source/community projects on CodePlex, on the model of the ASP.NET AJAX Control Toolkit, “ said Andrew Brust, chief of new technology at TwentySix, a longtime Microsoft partner and developer in New York. “I think you’ll see Microsoft engage more closely with open source companies, interest groups and enthusiasts, both within the .NET world, and outside of the Microsoft universe.”
Brust said a “good harbinger of this is Moonlight, the Novell-sponsored, open source, Linux-based implementation of Silverlight, and the fact that Microsoft worked with that team to help them get the product built. “Scott Guthrie is largely responsible, as far as I can tell, for this kind of constructive engagement with the open source world, and I think his influence will grow.”

One exec at the Linux Foundation can’t predict what Microsoft’s new top brass will do but open source will continue to put enormous pressure on the company’s margins and closed source ways.

“That depends on Ballmer and Ozzie and the results of what I imagine are some interesting debates internally. There is no doubt that Microsoft has no choice but to acknowledge that the closed development model for building software doesn’t work any more,” said Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation. “The future of cloud computing and Web 2.0 application development will be built on Linux and open source.”

Others say Gates will continue to influence the company as its chairman of the board and largest shareholder, and impose his vision on strategic decisions.

“Bill Gates has planned his departure well and today Microsoft is led by so many great leaders. He is a powerful symbol and an icon that we all will miss. But being Chairman is also an important position in Microsoft so he will still oversee long term strategy,” said Per Werngren, president of IDE, of Stockholm, Sweden and president of the Internal Association of Microsoft Certified Partners.

Features

* Convert and Rename images in batch mode
* Support JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, TIFF and JPEG2000
* Resize, crop, change color depth, apply color effects, add text, watermark and border effects
* Rename images with sequential number
* Support folder/non-folder structure
* Load and save settings
* And much more…

Download FastStone Photo Resizer Here

Micro-Sized Yet Feature Filled

Most of the features present in other BitTorrent clients are present in µTorrent, including bandwidth prioritization, scheduling, RSS auto-downloading and Mainline DHT (compatible with BitComet). Additionally, µTorrent supports the Protocol Encryption joint specification (compatible with Azureus 2.4.0.0 and above, BitComet 0.63 and above) and peer exchange.

Resource-Friendly

µTorrent was written with efficiency in mind. Unlike many torrent clients, it does not hog valuable system resources – typically using less than 6MB of memory, allowing you to use the computer as if it weren’t there at all. Additionally, the program itself is contained within a single executable less than 220 KB in size.

Skinnable and Localized

Various icon, toolbar graphic and status icon replacements are available, and creating your own is very simple. µTorrent also has support for localization, and with a language file present, will automatically switch to your system language. If your language isn’t available, you can easily add your own, or edit other existing translations to improve them!

Actively Developed and Improved

The developer puts in a lot of time working on features and making things more user-friendly. Releases only come out when they’re ready, with no schedule pressures, so the few bugs that appear are quickly addressed and fixed.

You can download uTorrent BitTorrent Client from here:

http://utorrent.com

Overview

FileZilla Client is a fast and reliable cross-platform FTP, FTPS and SFTP client with lots of useful features and an intuitive interface.

Client Features

Among others, the features of FileZilla include the following:

* Easy to use
* Supports FTP, FTP over SSL/TLS (FTPS) and SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
* Cross-platform. Runs on Windows, Linux, *BSD, OSX and more
* Available in many languages
* Supports resume and transfer of large files > 4GB
* Powerful Site Manager and transfer queue
* Drag & drop support
* Configurable Speed limits
* Filename filters
* Network configuration wizard

For further information and to download FileZilla – The Free FTP Solution please visit their site by clicking on the link below:

FileZilla – The Free FTP Solution

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It was originally published on November 21st, 2007 by Jeff Dray

There is a link to the original article near the bottom for your reference.

Enjoy

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At home, on a lowly field engineer’s income, I have to make the most of free software. OpenOffice is a good package for general home usage, AVG AntiVirus consistently outperforms Norton, and IOBit’s Advanced Windows Care and SmartDefrag keep my laptop running smoothly. The open-source movement seems to go from strength to strength yet many companies still prefer to go down the expensive Microsoft road.

Most new viruses that are released are usually catered for by AVG within a few hours and should the worst happen you can usually find a tool to clean it up by visiting Symantec’s Web site and downloading a free removal tool.

So why do people still shell out their hard earned money on expensive products like Microsoft Office, Norton Antivirus, expensive firewalls, and so on? The answer is that a lot of the free software is only free to home users, those in a commercial environment do not qualify for the free version and have to pay. With this in mind do you go for the most expensive software, using the old adage, “You only get what you pay for,” or do you look around for a better value product and do some in-depth product testing?

My experience is that you can do better for free. My experience of AVG against Norton Antivirus speaks volumes. I used to use Norton, taking the view that, when it comes to antivirus precautions, you can’t afford to take risks and that a well thought of paid solution had to better than a freebie.

Removing Norton reduced the time taken to boot up by over 50%. AVG, at its first scan removed a couple of Trojans that were longstanding. It updates automatically each time I switch on and I have suffered no serious attacks.

OpenOffice, whilst it lacks the range of facilities of MS Office, still delivers the key aspects required from an office package and the price is still a favourite of mine, whether it be books, beer, or software, free, gratis and for nothing is a very attractive price.

Many local authorities in the UK are switching over to open source to make tight budgets stretch that little bit further.

My advice? Look at the alternatives. If you have a spare machine that can be used to evaluate software try out all the alternatives before making that purchasing decision.

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Original Article > Free Software: Can It Be As Good As Products You Pay For?

Our Open Source & Free Software Category