Open Source Alternatives

CEBU, Philippines - In today's plethora of technical terms and jargons, "open source" has long been linked with the working philosophy of free computer software options, available in different forms of different software types.

Developed under the pretext of collaborative efforts initiated by like minded programmers and developers, open source programs are often utilized as alternatives to mainstream, privately developed and commercially released software products, with their cost-free benefits helping countless individuals and organizations accomplish their respective computer-oriented goals and tasks.

With open source applications for word processing, graphics editing, video and audio editing and more, it's really no wonder why more electronic consumers have gone open source with their opted software solutions.

Here are some of the more popular open source alternatives known to run in the rigs of many Cebuanos.

Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com)

Linux-based OS (operating system) for PC Machines and other compatible gadgets.

With its name taken after the South African "ubuntu" (humanity towards others), the Linux-based operating system has been a steady alternative OS superstar since its debut some eight years ago.

Considered to be the most popular Linux distribution for personal computers, Ubuntu is famed for its user-friendly status as a Linux desktop system, a feature which has been a challenge for other Linux distributions designed for end-user electronic consumer markets.

Relatively easy to use and install, and backed by its comprehensive documentation, FAQ (frequently asked questions) resolutions, help tips and tricks and more, the regular release of updates and the active involvement of developers has made Ubuntu an ideal alternative to other end-user class operating systems for computers and select handheld gadgets.

Open Office (www.openoffice.org)

Office productivity suite combining different office-oriented productivity software solutions.

Initially released as StarOffice in 2002, OpenOffice continues to be the preferred open source alternative to Microsoft's Microsoft Office Suite, designed to run in various operating system platforms, including Windows and Mac OS X versions.

With the OpenOffice Suite combining presentation, graphics manipulation, database management, spreadsheet authoring and word processing software features, its popularity as an open source alternative for Microsoft Office is one which is easy to understand.

GIMP (www.gimp.org)

Open source image manipulation/editing software.

GIMP - formally known as the GNU Image Manipulation Program - continues to be a popular alternative to the graphics and design industry standard that is Adobe Photoshop.

Initially released in 1996, GIMP is one of the longest running open source programs in the world, with its current release supporting a number of photo/image editing functions featured in most commercial image editing applications of its caliber.

Often used for the creation of graphics geared for various soft-copy and/or hard-copy collaterals and materials, GIMP's image manipulation inclinations and highlight features makes it a smart open source software option for freelance graphic designers.

VLC Media Player (www.videolan.org)

Open source media player, with streaming media server features.

Developed by the VideoLAN project, VLC Media Player is dubbed as the "Swiss army knife of media players", given its capacity to recognize a wide variety of media file formats.

Bundled with a number of decoding and encoding libraries, it initially came out in 2001 and has since grown into one of the top media players preferred by many electronic consumers.

With versions for Windows, OS X and Linux, VLC is also available for Android and the iOS, not only making it a versatile player that can deal with most digital media formats, but also a cross-platform open source application that works with different systems and devices.

Pidgin (www.pidgin.im)

Open source multi-protocol instant messenger application.

Though updates to this open source multi-protocol instant messenger app have been overdue, Pidgin is still found in many computers.

Formerly known as Gaim, the application unifies instant messenger accounts, allowing for the simultaneous use of Yahoo Messenger accounts, GTalk accounts, AIM and more.

Via featured plug-ins, Pidgin could be rigged to work with other instant messenger protocols, with chat boxes neatly housed in a clean-cut, tabbed conversation window environment. With Pidgin, desktop clutter caused by chat windows is reduced to their most minimum of levels.

For more details on the abovementioned open source applications, a simple Google search would lead you to their respective websites and other sites where you'll gain further details on how to install and use them to your advantage.