Try free open-source run-anywhere software

Try free open-source run-anywhere software

Why use expensive commercial 'bloatware' (which locks you into an endless cycle of planned obsolescence at your expense) when so much free, open-source software is now available? Much of it even runs on Windows, although much of the software emerged from open source communities and companies that backed open source (at least in some forms).

The portable applications, such as Lupo PenSuite and PortableApps will run on the hard drive of your computer (without creating hard-to-uninstall files and registry artifacts), but you can also run them from a portable pen drive or other such memory device (SD card, Memory Stick, attached external hard drive, etc.). There are other products and online services available in addition to the ones listed here, but, except for the last entry on the list ('Other'), I am only including ones that I have downloaded and am using now.

It is not just that expensive proprietary software is being challenged by cheaper and even free rivals. It's that desktop computing and office functions, like DTP and word processing, are now being ingeniously adapted to ubiquitous computing and the new Web (Web 2.0). What I like about much of the software listed below is that, not only is it free, but I can run it on all my computers and on any computer that I use (such as at an internet cafe when I travel), with or without an internet connection (except Google Docs and PicasaWeb , which are a web-based word processor and photo album, respectively).


I. Lupo PenSuite
http://www.lupopensuite.com/

This is a whole set of portable programs (you can run them from your chosen type of plug-in memory, such as an SD card, Memory Stick, or Pen Drive), and it is available in both full and light versions.

Download here:

http://www.lupopensuite.com/download.htm

The suite includes portable versions of Firefox, Opera, Thunderbird, Gimp, IrFanView, ClamWin Anti-Virus, AbiWord WP, and numerous other productivity applications and utilities. Language packs for many languages are also available.

Here is a link to a longer list of software either included with the Lupo PenSuite or compatible with it, and available for download:

http://www.lupopensuite.com/a-internet.htm



II. PortableApps
http://portableapps.com/

Another total package of programs that comes in a suite or to be run 'anywhere' as individual programs. This one includes a very nifty portable, run-anywhere version of Open Office, itself a suite of programs that can replace MS Office.

Download versions of the PortApps suite here:

http://portableapps.com/download

III. OpenOffice from Sun
http://www.openoffice.org/

This is a complete office suite that includes compatibility with MS Office and other word processors. However, the open document standard that is being promoted with Open Office also integrates with Google Documents, the online word processor that Google provides to its account holders.

Download information is here:

http://download.openoffice.org/index.html

Free and discounted software from Sun (the providers of OpenOffice) for educators and educational institutions.

http://www.sun.com/solutions/landing/industry/education/edusoftware.xml

http://www.sun.com/solutions/landing/industry/education/edusoftware.xml#StarOffice


IV. Yahoo! Downloads
http://downloads.yahoo.com/

Mostly downloads for web communications and Web 2.0 life.

Try http://mobile.yahoo.com/ if you can do real 3G telephony with a programmable phone.
If you are accessing them from your phone, type m.yahoo.com in your phone browser.

V. Google Docs
http://docs.google.com/


You need a Google account, and once you have it, you can co-ordinate your g-mail activity with your Google Docs (such as upload an attached .doc from an e-mail and begin to edit it at the Google Docs interface, which is really a word processor running in your browser). Not only does Google Docs integrate with other Google services, but it accepts the Open Document format (such as documents saved in the default format of Open Office, extension .odt) and Star Office (.sxw) as well as MS (.doc) and Rich Text (.rtf).

Also, make note of PicasaWeb, which integrates a web service for photos with the really good photo editing and album software available through Google Pack, a program called Picasa.

http://picasaweb.google.com/

Google also makes available a much more extensive collection of useful and fun software (GooglePack) at:

http://pack.google.com


VI. Other

A. Free Portable Software Downloads
http://www.portablefreeware.com/


B. Open Source Living
http://osliving.com/index.php


For example, imagine replacing Adobe Page Maker for DTP with freeware, such as Scribus:

http://osliving.com/documents/word-office-suites/scribus/

C. winPenPack 3.4
http://www.winpenpack.com/main/news.php


Another suite of programs optimized to run anywhere, such as on a pen drive, SD card, Memory Stick or external drive..

http://sourceforge.net/projects/winpenpack/


http://sourceforge.net/forum/forum.php?forum_id=827925

To download, go here:

http://www.winpenpack.com/main/download.php?list.201

or

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=214327

Labels: free software, freeware, Ichitaro, Just System, Open Office, open source, pendrive, portable software, Star Office, Sun Microsystems, ubiquitous computing