You know, I’ve got to confess, I was chatting to an old school friend called Tim, today, on Facebook, and happened to mention the simple fact I could — legally — get hold of free software.
Tim was — to say the least — mildly gobsmacked.
He’d never heard of the idea.
I don’t think many of us have.
I know that, before coming across Ubuntu Linux for the first time, I’d not heard of open source software, either.
Now I know I’ve written about the subject before, but I also think the subject bears explaining again, for those of us who don’t know about it.
Open source software — things like OpenOffice and the Mac port of it, NeoOffice — are bits of software that are usually developed by volunteers, and usually handed out for free; at least, the developers will ask for a minimal (optional) donation.
Open source source software is also usually handed out under various versions of what’s called the General Public License; if I’ve understood the implications of it correctly, it means you can freely hand out copies of the software, and can happily make changes to it — so long as you tell people what changes you’ve made, where you can get the original, and give them a copy of the GPL the software came with.
(Where a lot of of developer’s make their money is making the various extras and plug-ins; little bits of extra code that make add bits of extra functionality to a given piece of software.)
There’s a couple of other things to mention about open source software.
Most popular software — things like Mac OS X, Windoze, Microsoft Office, iTunes, what have you — are what’s called closed source software. In other words, the likes of you and I can’t get to the underlying code, to make changes to it.
Partly, that’s a security thing; people like Microsoft, Apple and others have the responsibility to not let people grab your details, through their software, so try and keep very tight control of it prevent malicious hackers doing so.
Something else people forget is simply that Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, et al, also own the copyright to their software.
In point of fact, it’s I was explaining to Denny, when I was helping him install Ubuntu on his laptop; we own our computers.
But Microsoft and Apple own the operating systems — whatever version of Mac OS X or Windoze you’re using — on them.
Same with other software, as well; media players like Quicktime, or iTunes, office software like MS Office, or creative suites like Adobe’s flagship PhotoShop.
The way I explained it to Denny was simple; we’ve both bought a car, each. And while we own the car — outright — we actually renting the engine.
The big difference between a Mac, and a PC is equally as simple. With a PC, the engine’s designed and built by a different company to the one that made the rest of the car; with a Mac, you’re still renting the engine … but at least the car and it’s engine are designed and built by the same company.
Bit of a better fit, I think …
But I’m digressing.
This shows you one of the other differences between open and closed source software.
Quite simply, you — rather than the developer/s who made it — actually own that software.
Or at least, that copy.
Which always seems to make sense, to me.
Either way, I would urge any one reading this to look for a piece of open source software, before you spend money on ‘real’ software.
Actually, I’m convinced money’s another reason why more people don’t know about the various open source projects out there.
Money.
Or commission, at any rate.
Lets be blunt, if you walk into a shop to buy a computer — and any associated software — the sales staff earn commission on what they sell you.
So they’re not necessary going to want to tell you about free stuff they won’t earn anything from, are they?
At any rate, let’s add a few links, shall we?
Yes, lets!!
Right; now I’ve already mentioned OpenOffice.org, and NeoOffice, haven’t I?
So that’s those out of the way.
But I also pointed Tim towards the open source media player, vlc, and at HandBrake, the open source dvd ripper, as well. HandBrake is very good at copying dvds to computer hard drives, and vlc will play ’em, whatever format you happen to want to watch them in.
On top of that, open source web browser, Firefox, is still out there, and generally agreed to be a shade faster than IE. (Personally, I prefer Safari; but while Apple give it away for free, it’s not, strictly speaking, open source.)
Moving rapidly along, the amusing comedy doggie is called Wilbur, and he’s the logo for The GIMP. Or the Gnu Image Manipulation Programme.
Which is a handy, and fairly complete, image manipulation programme.
Before you start casting aspersions, Tim.
And finally, before I forget, there’s also the popular open source operating system, Ubuntu. You can read what I’ve written about it, here.
But I’d suggest — much as I did, back in January — that taken a little time to check out the open source option will pay you.
There is still a recession on, after all!
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