Finally, the "command + shift + left arrow or right arrow" is back in effect in Spreadsheet. It's much more stable (at least until the time I write this post - haven't tried a significant amount of project using OOo 3.1.1 lately).
Now, I'm putting the schedule to shift my staff from Microsoft Office user into OpenOffice user. This is an additional project to the existing change management for working in the cloud project.
While on a project, where money was scarce, we were scrambling around looking for a free or open source HTML editor that can provide us the same functionality as Adobe Dreamweaver. During my analysis of the different HTML editor out there, I came across Amaya. What intrigued me about it was that it was created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). As someone who loves Dreamweaver, I thought that I would never find something comparable to it that was free (open source), but I was wrong.
Amaya is an open-source HTML editor created by the W3C. If you don’t already know, W3C is an international community that develops Web standards. It was founded by Tim Berners-Lee, who is credited as inventing the World Wide Web. In 1998, Amaya was invented. Since then, there have been various releases that have given more functionality to Amaya.
Rest of article: http://maketecheasier.com/html-editor-created-by-w3c/2009/11/06
"You can create things with Contraptor without having the actual set. 3D models of Contraptor components are hosted on Google 3D warehouse and can be downloaded directly into Sketchup"
Via Fabaloo
We're building a space for people who would like to connect to I-Open on slideshare.
"Building Community in the Civic Space" is a presentation we wrote last December, taking a closer look at some simple ways to think about connecting community where you are.
The presentation includes examples of how we've used social media to sustain and amplify people's efforts.
Building collaborative communities in the Civic Space is a topic we'll be exploring in greater detail in the months ahead. We hope you'll join us and post your perspectives on what is most valuable to you.
The success of open source code is perhaps the only thing in the computer field that hasn’t surprised me during the past several decades. But it still hasn’t reached its full potential; I believe that open-source programs will begin to be completely dominant as the economy moves more and more from products towards services, and as more and more volunteers arise to improve the code.
This is an older interview I just came across--always fascinating to hear what Donald Knuth has to say. His take on multi-core processors and parallelism is particularly interesting.
Great quote on Linux from the interview: "I currently use Ubuntu Linux, on a standalone laptop—it has no Internet connection. I occasionally carry flash memory drives between this machine and the Macs that I use for network surfing and graphics; but I trust my family jewels only to Linux."
I'm thinking of implementing something like how ActionMailer does their dynamic deliver_* methods for this opensource rails messaging plugin I'm currently working on, but I'm not sure how should I go around working it.
I'm thinking of doing an easy-to-configure HTML templating system that would allow users to customize the output of commonly sent out messages.
But what do you think? Is it even necessary? Or am I adding code bloat.
Skype (the famous Voice-Over-IP communication program) will be release under an open source license. The story started when Olivier FAURAX sent an email requesting Mandriva version of Skype. After a little chat with customer support , he got this replay “ We understand that many users complain that there is no Mandriva version at present.
We are happy to be able to inform you that Skype will from now on be part of the open source community.
Therefore Linux developers will be enabled to influence the development of the Skype client for Linux - which will most certainly result in specific versions for the different distributions.”Being employed as a developer means, 99% of the time, working with the tools you are given. The term "tools" covers anything from the PC, type of monitor, mouse and the software you use. You might have the opportunity to change your monitors for a different model, bring in your favourite mouse from home, whatever. But to work as a functioning member of the developement team, and to ensure that the team maintains coherency throughout the develeopment process, the software that you use remains as it was given to you, and is the same across the board.
At work I use Windows, Visual Studio, SQL Server, Sourcegear Vault, Microsoft Office etc. My company has an MSDN tie in, so no problem. We all use the same applications on the same operating system, on pretty much the same hardware.
At home is a different matter. Because I'm just messing around with development, I've got a hand me down laptop - because of that, I don't want the hassle of buying a copy of Windows, so I use Ubuntu. Free. Lovely. Okay, so my wife hates it because Skype doesn't work, but that's by the by.
Becasue I use Ubuntu, Mr. Gates' realm is generally barred off to me, but I have the Open Source arena with which to whet my development appetite. I don't even have to adopt a different approach to progamming - with Mono and MonoDevelop, I can carry on messing around with C#. Sure, it's never going to be as full-featured as Visual Studio, nor is the Mono implementation of C# (although it is getting there), but for crying out loud it's FREE. Compare that to a VS developer licence, and you're laughing.
And so it goes for other applications - MySQL can deliver the performance that I need from SQL Server, at zero cost. I can even use T-SQL nowadays. Source control cut it's teeth on the *nix platform, so there's a plethora of options there. OpenOffice? GIMP? I rate them all.
So why are we still seeing proprietery software and systems dominating the market? At the moment my feelings are two-fold: Compatibilty with the masses and ease of use.
Imagine you were suddenly marooned on a desert island, with nothing but your trusty laptop and a copy of both Windows and Ubuntu to call your own (okay, a little far fetched, but bear with me). After some searching, you meet another person, the only other inhabitant of the island. They too have a laptop, with Windows installed. You've got your favourite Ubuntu on yours. So what are you going to do? You've got three options:
1. Live out the rest of your days with different operating systems, connecting on the very basic of levels through Samba.
2. Try and convert your fellow compadre to the wonder and spectacle that is Ubuntu. Fail, because he's got his Start menu just how he likes it.
3. Sell out, install windows and enjoy the wonder and spectacle of all of your hardware working.
So back to the real world - most people have Windows, along with other mainstream applications installed relevant to their needs. So why go for anything else? Why go through the pain of incomatibilties in file types, missing hardware drivers, unreachable servers, using (shudder) the command line - all because you want to save a penny here and there? Not just that - the majority of friends, family members, work colleagues and other companies will be using Windows, so why make life hard for yourself?
At the end of the day, for Open Source operating systems and software to make a breakthrough, a radical shift in thinking is going to be needed. Big corporations would have to make the executive decision to switch, and just sit tight, hoping and prating that others will follow suit.
I would love to see companies using Open Source, and contribute to the projects that they use day to day. But when the PCs you buy come pre-installed with a certain OS, and everyone else is using it, why bother?
