Free Software for Busy People

Mohammad Al-Ubaydli

First Edition

Idiopathic Publishing Cambridge, UK

Free

o!t"are !or #usy People

by Mohammad Al-Ubaydli

Published by: Idiopathic Publishing Cambridge, UK orders@idiopathic.com http://www.idiopathic.com Cover design by Buthaina a!hro "rtwor! #or the si$ characters by %odd &roesbec! Copyright 'c( )**+ ,ohammad "l-Ubaydli Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modi#y this document under the terms o# the &.U ree /ocumentation 0icense, 1ersion 2.) or any later version published by the ree 3o#tware oundation4 with no 5nvariant 3ections, no ront-Cover %e$ts, and no Bac!-Cover %e$ts. " copy o# the license is included in the section entitled 6&.U ree /ocumentation 0icense6. 7hilst the advice and in#ormation in this boo! are believed to be true and accurate at the date o# going to press, neither the author nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility or liability #or any errors or omissions that may be made. Unattributed 8uotations are by ,ohammad "l-Ubaydli 53B., print ed. *-9+::2+;-<-= irst printing )**+ Cataloguing in Publication /ata is available #rom the British 0ibrary Trademarks: "ll brand names and product names used in this boo! are trade names, service mar!s, trademar!s, or registered trademar!s o# their respective owners. 5diopathic Publishing is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this boo!.

About the author

,ohammad "l-Ubaydli is a Bahraini doctor and programmer who uses 5% to improve healthcare. 5n )*** >e graduated as a doctor with a #irst-class degree #rom the University o# Cambridge. >is research pro?ect, 5mmuno3im, won the ulton @oberts 5mmunology PriAe. 3ince then, he has continued to combine his medical and computing !nowledge. %his included developing the so#tware #or Pro?ect Palm at Cambridge University, which allowed medical students to share their learning using handhelds 'www.cbcu.cam.ac.u!/handhelds(. >e co-#ounded ,edical utures 0td, which launched the ,edical utures 5nnovation "wards in )**2 'www.medical#utures.co.u!(. %he awards have raised awareness amongst doctors o# the process o# using their ideas and inventions to improve healthcare. %he event also raises money #or UK hospitals. /uring his #irst year o# clinical practice, he was able to lecture and consult on the use o# handhelds in medicine. >e wrote the boo! B>andheld Computers #or /octorsC 'www.handhelds#ordoctors.com( in )**<. >e is now a 1isiting @esearch ellow at the .CB5 '.ational Center #or Biotechnology 5n#ormationD E www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov( in Bethesda, ,/, U3".

D %he views e$pressed in this boo! do not necessarily represent the views o# the .CB5 or the United 3tates.

To Laura

Acknowledgements
5t too! a global village to ma!e this boo! and 5 am grate#ul #or the help 5 received.
Fohn Fe## @ebecca Patric! %odd "mir

Gmar

Buthaina H "hmad

3an?ay

irst, 5 would li!e to than! Fohn Knight #or teaching me about ree 3o#tware, and #or showing the typical generosity o# ree 3o#tware e$perts around the world. 5 am grate#ul that @ebecca Fones waded through the early manuscripts. Fe## 0oo, "mir ,ehr!ar and 3an?ay 3harma all helped with editing the boo!. %han!s also to Patric! BChe &uevaraC &oymer #or his heroic last-minute editing. %odd &roesbec! drew beauti#ully the si$ characters o# this boo! and my mother designed the #ront cover. 7hich brings me to my parents, Buthaina and "hmad, and my brother, Gmar, who supported me in their usual ways. Gn my recommendation, they downloaded beta so#tware even when 5 was unsure how to use it. %hey improved my writing and cheered me on all the way. %han! you all and 5 cannot wait to see you again soon.

Contents
Preface....................................................................................3 Introduction............................................................................ 6 Switching from Microsoft Office to OpenOffice.org.......... 12 Text documents.................................................................... 23 Ca cu ations and graphs....................................................... 36 Presentations........................................................................ !6 Other OpenOffice.org features............................................."6 #rowsing the we$ with %irefox............................................6! &sing emai with Thunder$ird............................................. '' Creating a $asic we$site.......................................................(1 Creating a arge we$site..................................................... 1)* %inding %ree Software to suit +our needs.......................... 12" ,o a the wa+ with ,-&./inux operating s+stem............1!3 0ow on earth can %ree Software e1en exist2..................... 1"* ,i1ing $ac3 to the %ree Software communit+................... 16* ,-& %ree 4ocumentation /icense....................................1'( Index...................................................................................1*'

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

5n e ectronic 1ersion of this $oo3 is a1ai a$ e free on ine at6 www.freedomsoftware.info ,et it7 read it7 share it. I hope +ou en8o+ it.

Preface
To understand wh+ I o1e the power of afforda$ e techno og+7 +ou need to 3now that in 2))) three ma8or e1ents occurred in m+ ife. %irst7 the deregu ation of the &9 te ecommunications mar3et meant that I cou d ma3e cheap ca s on m+ ce phone. %or 8ust three pence :around fi1e cents; per minute I cou d ca an+where in the &9 or &S5. That was ess than one fifth of the pre1ious price. Second7 the deregu ation of te ecommunications a so meant that I had un imited internet access for 8ust 1" :around <2"; per month. Pre1ious +7 dia up access in the &9 was $i ed $+ the minute. Third7 I graduated as a medica doctor. On + $ecause of these e1ents was I a$ e to 8oin three co eagues and co=found Medica %utures7 /td. The pre1ious +ears of stud+ had not $een 3ind to m+ $an3 account7 and m+ first da+ 8o$ was a ow pa+ing research position. #ut than3s to deregu ation7 I cou d afford to spend m+ e1enings and wee3ends designing our compan+>s site7 co=ordinating with m+ co eagues in /ondon7 and inter1iewing inno1ators in the &9 and &S5. The core $usiness of Medica %utures was spreading the essons of those inno1ators. /ater that +ear I $egan m+ 0ouse Officer 8o$ :first +ear residenc+; and I $ecame excited a$out what afforda$ e techno og+ can do when com$ined with a itt e education. M+ training that +ear was sp it $etween surger+7 interna medicine7 and fami + medicine7 so I was a$ e to see the computer needs of m+ co eagues in

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e a c inica specia ities. 0igh ?ua it+ handhe d computers had $ecome a1ai a$ e for 125 (around $200). Working with Dr Laura Dean, I convinced clinician in everal de!art"ent that the# could i"!rove their in$or"ation "anage"ent u ing the "achine . We then taught the" how to u e the "achine with the lea t e$$ort $or the "a%i"u" &ene$it. 'he e ucce e led "e to write a &ook called ()andheld *o"!uter $or Doctor +. I wanted to !a on enough knowledge and enthu ia " $or the reader to &e a&le to de ign their own local !ro,ect . 'o "# continuing delight, I get e"ail ever# da# $ro" reader around the world who tell "e o$ their !ro,ect . In 200- I ca"e to the ./0 and "et 1ohn 2night. I do not know wh# 1ohn wa o kind with hi ti"e, &ut I a" grate$ul that he wa . )e taught "e a&out the ne%t a$$orda&le technolog#, which i 3ree /o$tware. 4$ cour e, I in tantl# liked 3ree /o$tware &ecau e the o$tware wa availa&le $ree o$ charge. In thi &ook I will how #ou how to u e uch o$tware to ave "one#. What 1ohn al o taught "e wa the rea on $or the ca!itali ation in 3ree /o$tware. 'he o$tware i 3ree a in 3ree /!eech and 3ree 5nter!ri e 6 it i a&out $reedo" it el$. 'he i"!ortance o$ thi !oint took "e a little while to under tand, and will take a little while to e%!lain. What I can tell #ou, though, i that $reedo" &reak "ono!olie , and that i a good thing. 'he rea on that cell !hone and internet !rice were o good &ack in 2000 i that the .2 govern"ent had !ent the !reviou #ear &reaking u! 7riti h 'eleco"8 "ono!ol# on teleco""unication ervice . Without thi I could not have co9$ounded :edical 3uture .

Preface 'hink what thi could "ean $or #ou and #our organi ation. I have cho en the e%a"!le in thi &ook to illu trate what ho !ital , chool , charitie , tart9u! , govern"ent and &ig &u ine e can do, &ut o$ cour e the le on a!!l# to ever# organi ation. 0nd i$ reading thi &ook can ave enough "one# to e"!lo# one "ore nur e or one "ore teacher, or to allow one "ore tart9u! to ucceed $inanciall#, then "# ,o& i done. Mohammad 5 =&$a+d i7 @une 2))" www.freedomsoftware.info

"

Introduction
I've finally done it I've quit my job, and started my own company. I'll freelance from home and get rich quick. Congratu ationsA But starting up is so e pensive. I need furniture, stationery, a fa machine, new !"s... and then there's the software. #hat's going to cost me more than the computers. Bou shou d tr+ %ree Software. I can get $icrosoft %ffice for free& #hat's great. -ot ?uite. Microsoft ma3es some of its software a1ai a$ e free of charge7 i3e Internet Cxp orer and Out oo3 Cxpress. #ut Microsoft Office costs mone+ and +ou cannot get it for free. %h, that's no good to me. #ut +ou can sti get OpenOffice. It has most of the features of Microsoft Office7 p us a few tric3s of its own. 5nd it>s a for free from www.openoffice.org. 'hat's the catch& I must have to pay someone else later. There is no catch. Bou can cop+ it too and use it on as man+ computers as +ou want without pa+ing an+one an+ mone+. If +ou want technica support7 howe1er7 +ou can $u+ StarOffice. %or <1)) +ou get a C4 cop+ of OpenOffice7 a paper manua 7 and technica support from Sun Micros+stems. %h I get it the software is difficult to use, so that

Introduction you have to pay the money to understand how to use it. 5h7 so +oung +et so c+nica . #ut no D the software is ?uite simp e to use. If +ou ha1e used Microsoft Office in the past7 +ou wi find OpenOffice to $e fami iar for man+ tas3s. This $oo3 wi fi in the gaps. (reat. )ny more money saving tips& Sure. Bou can use MoEi a>s %irefox for we$ $rowsing and Thunder$ird for emai instead of Microsoft>s Internet Cxp orer and Out oo3 Cxpress. 'hy would I& I already get * plorer and %utlook * press for free. The+ show +ou the difference $etween free software and %ree Software. +uh& Out oo3 Cxpress is software that is a1ai a$ e free of charge. So it is free software. The pro$ em is that it has man+ $ugs and securit+ ho es. The 1irus M+4oom spread amongst mi ions of computers with Out oo3 Cxpress7 and e1en those with Microsoft Out oo37 which is not free of charge. 5nd M+4oom is 8ust one of scores of dangerous 1iruses. #usinesses around the wor d spent mi ions of hours fixing the infected computers. )nd time is money... Cxact +. Thunder$ird $+ contrast is %ree Software D it has the four freedoms descri$ed $+ Fichard Sta man16 1. The freedom to run the program7 for an+ purpose. 2. The freedom to stud+ how the program wor3s7 and adapt
1 Page !1 of G%ree Software %ree Societ+H $+ Fichard M Sta man. ,-& Press 2))2. IS#- 1**211!(*1.

'

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e it to +our needs. 3. The freedom to redistri$ute copies so +ou can he p +our neigh$our. !. The freedom to impro1e the program7 and re ease +our impro1ements to the pu$ ic so that the who e communit+ $enefits. The second and fourth freedoms are crucia . The+ a ow an+one to see how Thunder$ird wor3s7 identif+ securit+ pro$ ems7 and create fixes. Microsoft has some of the smartest software de1e opers in the wor d7 $ut the+ are sti human7 so the+ ma3e mista3es. The $eaut+ of a owing e1er+one to see +our mista3es is that +ou can use e1er+one>s inte igence to find and fix them. The ?ua it+ of %ree Software comes from these two freedoms. Modern science is possi$ e $ecause of these two freedoms D scientists 3now them as the peer re1iew process. 5nd modern societies $enefit $ecause of these two freedoms in go1ernment D we 3now them as the democratic process. ,low down comrade, all I want is cheap software. %irefox shows +ou another ad1antage of %ree Software o1er free software i3e Internet Cxp orer. It has man+ features that Internet Cxp orer does not7 such as ta$$ed $rowsing7 extensions7 pop=up $ oc3ing and themes. -#abbed browsing., -e tensions., -pop/up blocking.& I knew this would get too technical. 4on>t worr+7 this $oo3 wi exp ain a the terms for +ou. There are ots of wonderfu things that computers can do if +ou ha1e a $ac3ground in computer science. This $oo3 does not co1er them. Instead7 I ha1e focused on cost=effecti1e uses of computers. I *

Introduction assume that +ou are not a computer professiona D $ut if +ou ha1e used emai or the we$ in the past7 then +ou 3now enough to ma3e use of %ree Software. This $oo3 wi show +ou how.

Part I
OpenOffice.org
OpenOffice.org is the name of a comprehensi1e group of software too s. It shou d pro1ide for most of +our office needs. %or examp e7 +ou can write etters and essa+s using OpenOffice.org Iriter. I used it to write this $oo3. %or e ectronic and o1erhead presentations7 use OpenOffice.org Impress. OpenOffice.org Ca c a ows +ou to create spreadsheets7 with ta$ es and ca cu ations7 then to create charts and graphs from the data in +our ta$ es. If +ou ha1e used Microsoft Office in the past7 these tas3s wi $e fami iar to +ou. OpenOffice.org Iriter is simi ar to Microsoft Iord7 as are Impress to PowerPoint and Ca c to Cxce . /i3e Iord7 Iriter a so a ows +ou to create $asic we$ pages. OpenOffice.org a so has a drawing too . Bou can use this to create news etters7 $usiness cards and posters. /i3e the too s of Microsoft Office7 those of OpenOffice.org wor3 we together. %or examp e7 +ou can create a chart in Ca c and inc ude it in an artic e that +ou are writing in Iriter. Bou can a so inc ude it in an+ of +our Impress presentations.

Introduction #ut OpenOffice.org can $e $etter than Microsoft Office at wor3ing with other too s. %or instance if a co eague sends +ou an artic e created in Microsoft Iord7 OpenOffice.org Iriter a ows +ou to open it7 change it and sa1e it in Microsoft Iord format. Bou can send it $ac3 to +our co eague7 with the changes and the+ wi not 3now that +ou had not used Microsoft Iord. 0owe1er7 +ou might i3e to et them 3now7 $ecause Microsoft Iord 2))3 costs <22( and Microsoft Office Standard Cdition 2))3 costs <3((.((7 whi e OpenOffice.org costs nothing.

11

Switching from Microsoft Office to OpenOffice.org

GIar and PeaceH7 G,one Iith the IindH7 G5n 5ppartment Ca ed %reedomH2 D a great $oo3 needs great characters and this one is no exception. Six characters from different $ac3grounds wi he p i ustrate the uses of %ree Software in different settings. It is worth reading a$out a their examp es to get ideas for +our own situation. %ina +7 m+ aw+er wants +ou to 3now that a though their computing needs and the %ree Software so utions that the+ find are rea 7 these characters and their stories are products of m+ imagination. So7 without further ado7 here the+ are6

Mrs Shru$

Monsieur #rai e

4r 4igita is

Mr Sa ah 5 =4in

Ms Bates

Mr #ig

Mrs Shru$ is the Ma+or of /ondon. Inte igent7 am$itious and charismatic7 she wants to cut the

2 G5n 5ppartment Ca ed %reedomH $+ ,haEi 5 5 ,osai$i. 9egan Pau Internationa 1((6. IS#- )='1)3= )"")=*.

Switching from Microsoft Office to OpenOffice.org costs and increase the accessi$i it+ of go1ernment ser1ices.

Monsieur #rai e is a %renchman wor3ing for an educationa charit+ in ,hana. The charit+ operates a primar+ schoo . 4r 4igita is is a genera practitioner :,P; who has spent the ast two +ears on sa$$atica in China researching and training in Chinese medicine. She 3nows that her com$ination of Iestern and Chinese medica s3i s wi $ecome high + sought after $+ #ritish patients7 so she sets up a pri1ate c inic in /ondon>s 0ar e+ Street. Mr Sa ah 5 =4in is a histor+ teacher at a pri1ate high= schoo in #ahrain7 an 5ra$ countr+ in the ,u f. Ms Bates is an entrepreneur. 5 few +ears ago she saw a $usinessman strugg ing to write on his handhe d computer. She had an idea for a $etter writing st+ us so she ?uit her 8o$ to focus on the design7 production and sa e of this product. Mr #ig is the CCO of a %ortune ")) hote compan+. The compan+ has froEen a IT in1estments since 1(((7 when it had had to upgrade a its computers for Bear 2))) :B29; comp iance. 0e 3nows another round of upgrades is due within the next 1* months.

13

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e Cxamp es Mrs Shru$ earns a$out the switch of go1ernments to OpenOffice.org :page 1!; The ,-&./inux &ser ,roup he ps M. #rai e insta OpenOffice.org :page 16; 4r 4igita is uses OpenOffice.org to wor3 with Microsoft Office fi es :page 1'; Mr Sa ah 5 =4in uses the 5ra$ic 1ersion of OpenOffice.org :page 1*; Ms Bates $u+s StarOffice to get temp ates and technica support :page 1(; Mr #ig chooses OpenOffice.org for its cutting=edge features and $u+s StarOffice for his managers :p1(;

Mrs Shrub learns about the switch of governments to OpenOffice.org

4uring her campaign7 one of Mrs Shru$>s interns showed her an artic e3 a$out Munich Cit+ Counci . In Ma+ 2))37 the counci had 1oted to switch its 1!7))) computers to %ree Software. Munich is not the on + go1ernment ma3ing the switch. Singapore>s Ministr+ of 4efence has a read+ insta ed OpenOffice.org on "7))) computers7 with 2)7))) computers p anned for 2))6. %rance>s Paris Cit+ Counci is switching o1er fi1e +ears7 starting with OpenOffice.org instead of Microsoft Office and ending with ,-&./inux
3 G/iMux D The /inux Migration of the Cit+ of MunichH D www.suse.de.en.compan+.press.ser1ices.information. inux. im ux.htm .

1!

Switching from Microsoft Office to OpenOffice.org instead of Microsoft Iindows. 5nd -orwa+>s #ergen Cit+ Counci wou d mo1e a 327))) of its schoo s> computers to OpenOffice.org and ,-&./inux $+ 2))". Meanwhi e in 2))! the Chinese7 @apanese and South 9orean go1ernments had signed an agreement to in1est in de1e oping ,-&./inux for the region. She noted se1era essons from the artic e. %irst7 that mo1ing to the atest 1ersions of %ree Software pac3ages was cheaper than the atest 1ersions of proprietar+ pac3ages. This was despite the efforts of a specia de egation from Microsoft that had promised Munich considera$ e cuts in icensing prices. Second7 the mo1e to %ree Software sti had some costs7 e1enthough the software itse f is free of charge. In fact Microsoft offered icensing costs of <23.' mi ion 1ersus the pro8ected immediate costs of <3".' mi ion for the switch. That is $ecause IT staff had to insta a the new software on a of the computers and configure the networ3 settings to a ow the computers to wor3 with each other. %ina +7 she earned from her intern that the mo1e to %ree Software need not $e sudden. #ergen is switching a its software7 inc uding a$andoning Iindows7 whi e Singapore focused 8ust on OpenOffice.org. The switch from Iindows to ,-&./inux is harder and re?uires staff training. On the other hand the switch to OpenOffice.org is much easier7 as the appearance is simi ar to Microsoft Office7 the software wor3s on Microsoft Iindows and OpenOffice.org can open and sa1e fi es in Microsoft Office format. She decided that in the first +ear she wou d standardise /ondon go1ernment>s computers to OpenOffice.org. The head of her IT department down oaded a cop+ of the software :www.openoffice.org;7 copied it onto C4s and distri$uted these to the other mem$ers of staff who then 1"

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e insta ed it onto a the computers. The+ a so $ought 1)) copies of GOOoSwitchH!7 which the+ distri$uted around the /ondon offices and pro1ided training for the non=IT staff.

The GNU !inu" User Group helps M. #raille install OpenOffice.org

M. #rai e heard a$out %ree Software from the &nited -ations 4e1e opment Programme>s Internationa Open Source -etwor3 :www.iosn.net;. 0e down oaded a free cop+ of their $oo3 a$out %ree Software". 5fter months of efforts7 M. #rai e fina + achie1ed his goa 6 he co ected 6) computers as charita$ e donations from companies in the oca area. These machines were out=of= date as far as the $usinesses were concerned7 man+ of them $ought $ac3 in 1((". #ut for M. #rai e>s c ass the+ were perfect7 as each machine inc uded Iindows ("7 a dri1e for C4s and an ethernet card for connecting to the internet. 0e wou d $e a$ e to pro1ide one machine for each pair of his students in ,hana. 0e exp ained his pro8ect to the oca ,-&./inux &ser ,roup :/&, = www. inux.org.groups;. The mem$ers were 3een to he p. The+ pro1ided him with se1era C4 copies of OpenOffice.org and two mem$ers spent a wee3end insta ing
! GOOoSwitch6 ")1 Things Bou Ianted to 9now 5$out Switching to OpenOffice.org from Microsoft OfficeH $+ Tamar C ,ranor. )ent;enwerke <u&li hing 200-. I/7= 19>-0>1>9-?9 0. " G%ree . Open Source Software Cducation PrimerH D www.iosn.net.education.foss=education=primer.

16

Switching from Microsoft Office to OpenOffice.org the software onto the 6) computers.

$r $igitalis uses OpenOffice.org to wor% with Microsoft Office files

4r 4igita is found OpenOffice.org on the C4 of a computer magaEine. #+ insta ing it on her own computer and that of her secretar+ she sa1ed the 5@@ charge :around <1))); for two copies of Microsoft Office Standard edition. 0owe1er7 she wou d $e doing much of her wor3 with doctors in the &9>s -ationa 0ea th Ser1ice :-0S; and wou d ha1e to read and fo ow the protoco s and guide ines of the oca -0S 0ospita Trust. 0er co eagues were accustomed to sending and recei1ing documents in Microsoft Iord format and a of the guide ines and protoco s were a so in that format. Opening Microsoft Office documents was eas+. Ihen she insta ed OpenOffice.org on her aptop with Microsoft Iindows7 OpenOffice.org $ecame the defau t program for opening documents in Microsoft Iord7 Cxce or PowerPoint format. Ihene1er she recei1ed such a document from her -0S co eagues7 or from an -0S we$site7 OpenOffice.org opened it and disp a+ed it perfect +. 4r 4igita is decided to stic3 to Microsoft Office format for sa1ing a her documents. The Options... dia ogue from the Too s menu inc uded a section tit ed Microsoft Office. This a owed her to wor3 with her co eagues> Microsoft Iord7 PowerPoint and Cxce documents without needing to $u+ Microsoft Office.

1'

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

Mr Salah &l'$in uses the &rabic version of OpenOffice.org

Mr Sa ah 5 =4in wanted to show his students how to use computer too s to research historica topics. 0e wanted to teach them how to write professiona scho ar + essa+s a$out histor+J and he wanted the schoo >s students to pro1ide educationa materia for other schoo s and for the students> parents. In short7 he had a 1ision. 0e $egan $+ down oading a cop+ of the 5ra$ic 1ersion of OpenOffice.org. The software is a1ai a$ e in scores of anguages from around the wor d. The 5ra$ic 1ersion inc udes an 5ra$ic user=interface and the a$i it+ to cope with $idirectiona writing. This is important $ecause 5ra$ic is written from right to eft. 0e insta ed a cop+ on e1er+ one of the machines in his c assroom. #ecause he 3new that other teachers wou d e1entua + $ecome interested in the software7 he insta ed the Cng ish 1ersion onto the computers in the Cng ish anguage c assroom. That wa+7 the students cou d earn Cng ish computer terms $+ comparing them with the identica commands in the 5ra$ic software 1ersion. 0e a so created a C4 with $oth 1ersions that he ent out to the students7 $ecause the students soon as3ed to insta the software on their parents> computers at home.

1*

Switching from Microsoft Office to OpenOffice.org

Ms (ates bu)s StarOffice to get templates and technical support

Ms Bates $ought a cop+ of StarOffice for her aptop. In researching software too s to $u+ for her $usiness7 she had read a$out OpenOffice.org>s capa$i ities and its wonderfu price. #ut she wanted to use StarOffice>s commercia features. StarOffice is $ui t from the same %ree Software code as OpenOffice.org7 $ut is so d $+ Sun Micros+stems :www.sun.com.staroffice;7 with prices starting at <*) for on ine down oad. Inc uded in the price are temp ates for a parts of the software7 inc uding the presentation too . She wanted this in order to create her own custom professiona presentation as soon as possi$ e. She a so wanted to ta3e ad1antage of the () da+s of technica support pro1ided $+ Sun7 $ecause she was unsure a$out how we she wou d get on with the software at the start.

Mr #ig chooses OpenOffice.org for its cutting'edge features and bu)s StarOffice for his managers
Mr #ig>s Chief Techno og+ Officer :CTO; pro1ided him with a p an for the transition to %ree Software. The easiest win at the start wou d $e from switching a the compan+>s current computers to OpenOffice.org. These machines on + had Microsoft Office (' and so cou d $enefit from the newer features of 1(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e OpenOffice.org such as the document re1iew feature. This a ows the author of a text document to emai it to co eagues for re1iew. The+ in turn can ma3e changes to the document and OpenOffice.org 3eeps trac3 of those changes. Ihen the+ return the document7 it high ights the changes and the author can appro1e or re8ect each of the changes. #ecause OpenOffice.org was a1ai a$ e free of charge7 the compan+ sa1ed mone+ re ati1e to what it wou d ha1e spent on upgrading to the atest 1ersion of Microsoft Office. The IT department a so sa1ed time and effort in managing software icenses. Microsoft Office of course cou d on + $e insta ed on as man+ machines as the compan+ had Microsoft Office software icenses. This he ped offset the time that the IT department had to spend insta ing the software on a the o d machines. The compan+ did in1est in StarOffice for the managers7 howe1er. This was $ecause the+ cou d sa1e time $+ ta3ing ad1antage of the temp ates in the software. Technica support was a1ai a$ e through Sun7 $ut Mr #ig>s compan+>s IT department was capa$ e of pro1iding that support in= house. The compan+ $ought 3)) icenses7 ?ua if+ing for a $u 3 discount7 so paid <") per cop+. Of course7 OpenOffice.org and StarOffice shared the same document format7 so managers and 8unior staff cou d share documents easi + regard ess of which software pac3age the+ used. 5nd $oth pac3ages were a so a$ e to hand e an+ of the compan+>s o d Microsoft Office documents and an+ new documents sent from other organisations that sti used Microsoft Office.

!earning from the characters

This $oo3 is not a computer manua 7 $ut a showcase of what 2)

Switching from Microsoft Office to OpenOffice.org +ou achie1e with %ree Software. I wrote it to $e eas+ enough to read in $ed and to inspire +ou to use %ree Software the next da+. Therefore +ou wi not find step $+ step instructions within these pages. 0owe1er7 se ecting OpenOffice.org 0e p from the 0e p menu wi pro1ide +ou with most of the instructions +ou wi need :see %igure 1;. The Index ta$ a ows +ou to search for particu ar features that the characters used. %or examp e7 to earn how Mr #ig used the macro recording feature in the next chapter7 t+pe macro under the Search term in the Index ta$. 5s soon as +ou finish t+ping OpenOffice.org wi pro1ide a ist entit ed macros that inc udes recording. C ic3 twice on this to read the instructions.

Figure 1: OpenOffice.org's help documentation is detailed

5 ternati1e +7 c ic3ing the

icon a ows +ou to exp ore the 21

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e features of OpenOffice.org. The documentation is surprising + c ear and detai ed. %ina +7 if +ou prefer to read the instructions in a $oo3 rather than on a computer screen7 I ha1e recommended se1era in the examp es that fo ow. 0app+ reading.

*urther resources

OpenOffice.org D www.openoffice.org StarOffice D www.sun.com.staroffice Cxamp e OpenOffice.org C4 site :&S5; D www.getopenoffice.org Cxamp e OpenOffice.org C4 site :&9; D www.*da+sawee3.co.u3 GOOoSwitchH $+ Tamar C ,ranor. 0entEenwer3e Pu$ ishing 2))3. IS#- 1=(3)(1(=36=). ,-&./inux &ser ,roups D www. inux.org.groups &nited -ations Internationa Open Source -etwor3 D www.iosn.net IOS- $oo3 site D www.iosn.net.education.foss= education=primer

22

Te"t documents
G%reedom of the press is guaranteed on + to those who own one.H K 5. @. /ie$ ing C1er+ ten +ears7 as part of the &S Census #ureau>s counting of 1oters7 the resu ts from a ?uestionnaire $+ the -ationa Cndowment for the 5rts are a so co ated. These resu ts6 are regu ar + ?uoted in the press as showing that 5mericans are reading ess than e1er $efore. Of course the+ might $e7 $ecause the+ ha1e more TL7 more radio7 more fi ms and now more computer games than e1er $efore. 5 these media are competing for e1er+ citiEen>s imited time. Ihat often goes unmentioned7 howe1er7 is the amount of writing that 5mericans do. In 2))37 the &S5 $ro3e another pu$ ishing record7 producing o1er 1'"7))) $oo3s. :The &9 $ro3e its own7 with a most 12)7)));. 5nd of course7 there are more peop e writing we$sites than e1er $efore. ,o on D 8oin the re1o ution and write something.

6 GFeading 5t Fis36 5 Sur1e+ of /iterar+ Feading in 5mericaH D www.nea.go1.pu$.Feading5tFis3.pdf. -ationa Cndowment for the 5rts7 Fesearch 4i1ision Feport M!6.

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e Cxamp es Shru$>s switching success :page 2!; Ms Bates>s temp ates :page 2"; M. #rai e teaches t+ping :page 26; Mr Sa ah 5 =4in spe chec3s and 3eeps trac3 of re1iewer corrections :page 2*; 4r 4igita is creates P4% documents :page 31; Mr #ig>s staff use macros to automate common tas3s :page 33;

Shrub+s switching success

%or most of the staff at the Ma+or of /ondon>s office7 the switch to OpenOffice.org was pain ess. The+ cou d open a of their o d Microsoft Office documents and were soon creating new OpenOffice.org fi es. The few staff who had difficu ties were actua + the more experienced Microsoft Iord users. The+ regu ar + used Iord>s more ad1anced features and OpenOffice.org Iriter p aces these features in different parts of the program. 0owe1er7 the+ found GOOoSwitchH' to $e a 1er+ usefu $oo3. 5s the tit e promised7 the $oo3 showed them how to use a those ad1anced Microsoft Office features in OpenOffice.org. #ut its ?uestion and answer format :e.g. G0ow do I ea1e white space $etween paragraphs2H; meant
' GOOoSwitch6 ")1 Things Bou Ianted to 9now 5$out Switching to OpenOffice.org from Microsoft OfficeH $+ Tamar C ,ranor. 0entEenwer3e Pu$ ishing 2))3. IS#- 1=(3)(1(=36= ).

2!

Text documents that finding that information was ?uic3 and eas+. In fact the staff found the $ite=siEe format made it en8o+a$ e to earn a$out other features that the+ had not $een aware of in Microsoft Office :e.g. G0ow do I put mu tip e co umns in a document2H; and the+ taught these to their co eagues.

Ms (ates+s templates
The first text fi e that Ms Bates created was a etter re?uesting a manufacturing ?uote. She had identified four companies that cou d produce the high ?ua it+ protot+pes she needed. The etter contained a ist of her re?uirements and re?uests for the costs7 time frames and samp es. #ecause she had $ought the StarOffice 1ersion of OpenOffice.org Iriter7 she cou d use its temp ates. These made writing the etter ?uic3 and eas+. The+ are a1ai a$ e from the %i e menu>s Temp ates and 4ocuments item. Iriter offers a choice of etter st+ es and she pic3ed an understated professiona one. Iriter then as3ed for the address of the recipient and the address that Ms Bates wanted to ?uote. It p aced $oth at the top of the etter. The recipient>s address wou d appear through the en1e ope>s window once the page was fo ded. Ms Bates was a so a$ e to insert her compan+>s ogo at the top of the page $+ c ic3ing on the icon. Ihen isting her re?uirements7 she c ic3ed the icon so that a $u et point appeared at the start of e1er+ ine in her ist. Ihen she finished the ist7 she c ic3ed the icon again to write norma text without $u et points. In isting the dead ines for different stages of production7 she 2"

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e c ic3ed the icon $ecause the order of the dead ines in the ist was important. This meant that the first dead ine7 on the first ine7 $egan with G1 =H7 the second with G2 =H and so on. Ihen she finished her ist she c ic3ed the icon again to write norma text without num$ers. Ihen the etter was comp ete she se ected Print... from the %i e menu. She t+ped G2H in the -um$er of copies... $ox7 then c ic3ed the O9 $utton. 5fter a few seconds her printer produced two copies of her etter. She 3ept one cop+ in her fi ing ca$inet and put the other into an en1e ope7 with the address appearing through the en1e ope>s window. %or the other three manufacturers she needed the same etter $ut with different addresses at the top. %or each7 she se ected the address7 pressed the de ete 3e+ on her 3e+$oard and t+ped in the correct address for that manufacturer. Then she printed one cop+ $+ c ic3ing the icon. Iriter>s Mai Merge IiEard...7 a1ai a$ e from the Too s menu7 is a powerfu too for automating a tas3 i3e this. It wou d ha1e a owed Ms Bates to create the etter7 se ect the addresses to which she wanted copies of the etter sent and then ha1e Iriter ta3e care of printing each etter with the correct address. Ms Bates wou d use the feature in the future for mai ing ad1erts to her customers and press re eases to her contacts. 0owe1er7 in this case doing the four addresses manua + was faster and soon Ms Bates was on her wa+ to the post office.

M. #raille teaches t)ping

The chi dren in M. #rai e>s c ass were de ighted $+ the computers7 especia + when the+ figured out how to p a+ the card games that come with Microsoft Iindows. 26

Text documents 0owe1er7 getting the chi dren to use OpenOffice.org Iriter was much harder as none of the chi dren 3new how to t+pe. Iriting an essa+ on the computer too3 far too ong $ecause the+ did not 3now their wa+ around the 3e+$oard. M. #rai e was worried when he saw some of the chi dren gi1e up in frustration. M. #rai e down oaded and insta ed Tux T+ping from http6..tuxt+pe.sourceforge.net.down o ad. It is made $+ Tux!9ids :www.tux!3ids.com;7 an organisation that ma3es se1era other educationa %ree Software too s. The chi dren o1ed p a+ing with Tux7 the penguin hero of Tux T+ping. Tux eats the fish coming down the screen7 $ut on + if the etters on the $odies of the fish were correct + t+ped :see %igure 2;.

Figure 2: Tux Typing software teaches typing skills

Soon the chi dren $egan to feed Tux the most fish. 5t first the+ t+ped with one finger on each hand7 tr+ing to t+pe as fast as possi$ e. Then the+ formed teams7 with one student 2'

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e co1ering the right of the 3e+$oard and the other co1ering the eft. This showed the important ro e that teachers ha1e to p a+ in the c assroom D computers support education7 the+ do not pro1ide it. M. #rai e spent a few minutes with each chi d showing them how to use the eft hand for the eft side of the 3e+$oard and i3ewise for the right. 0e a so exp ained that the fingers shou d $e a ong the midd e row of the 3e+$oard7 with the eft itt e finger on the GaH 3e+ and the index finger on the GfH. Simi ar + the right index finger wou d $e on the G8H and the right itt e finger on the GJH. 5t first7 this wa+ of t+ping s owed the chi dren down. #ut M. #rai e encouraged them to persist and soon the+ were a$ e to $eat their pre1ious high scores6 the+ had earnt to touch= t+pe. This s3i wou d ser1e them we in adu thood as the+ entered the 8o$ mar3et7 $ut in the meantime it a owed them to write a their assignments on the c assroom computers.

Mr Salah &l'$in spell chec%s and %eeps trac% of reviewer corrections

5s Mr Sa ah 5 =4in exp ored the too s in OpenOffice.org Iriter7 he created exercises that wou d impro1e the students> earning. %irst7 he switched off the spe ing chec3er in OpenOffice.org. %rom the Too s menu7 he c ic3ed Spe chec3 and then c ic3ed 5utoSpe chec3* unti the tic3 mar3 : ; disappeared. 0e 3new that he cou d restart automatic spe chec3ing $+
* Of course7 $ecause the students were using the 5ra$ic 1ersion of OpenOffice.org7 the+ actua + c ic3ed the menu7 then and . The software inc uded an 5ra$ic spe ing chec3er.

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Text documents c ic3ing on 5utoSpe chec3 again7 $ut for now he wanted to test the students> own spe ing s3i s. 0e wou d run dictation exercises with the c ass on the computer. 5t the end7 he wou d show them how to run the spe ing chec3er $+ c ic3ing the Too s menu7 then Spe chec37 then Chec3.... Of course7 spe ing chec3ers are not rep acements for 3nowing how to spe correct + and Mr Sa ah 5 =4in wanted to pro1e this point to the c ass. Therefore he as3ed each student to gi1e a cop+ of their fi e to another student and get that student to chec3 the spe ing manua +. The students found se1era errors of meaning that automatic spe ing chec3ers cannot find D for examp e GthereH is spe t correct + if +ou mean the position :GI wi oo3 o1er thereH; $ut incorrect + if +ou mean the possession :GI wi oo3 o1er their propert+H;. 0e then taught the students how to ma3e the corrections on their friends> fi es efficient +. %rom the Cdit menu7 he to d them to c ic3 on Changes then Fecord unti the tic3 mar3 : ; appeared. That meant that OpenOffice.org Iriter wou d record e1er+ change made from that point onward. To stop recording at an+ time the student 8ust had to c ic3 Fecord unti the tic3 mar3 disappeared.

Figure 3: OpenOffice.org can track changes

OpenOffice.org ma3es these changes c ear on the screen. %or examp e7 %igure 3 shows what happens when the sentence GThis is the starting sentenceH is changed to GThis is the changed sentenceH. The 1ertica ine on the eft=hand side is to show that a change has $een made to that ine of text. 2(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e #oth GchangedH and GstartingH are in red7 meaning that the change concerned those two words on that ine. 5nd the word GchangedH is under ined $ecause it has $een added to the text7 whi e GstartingH has a stri3ethrough to show that it has $een de eted.

Figure : accepting and re!ecting changes to a document

The rea fun $egan when the students returned each fi e to its origina creator. The student cou d see which changes had $een made7 $ut a so had the power to accept or re8ect each one. This feature is a1ai a$ e $+ se ecting the Cdit menu7 then Changes7 then 5ccept or Fe8ect... :see %igure !;. Mr Sa ah 5 =4in used the same feature for his mar3ing of the students> documents. Mr Sa ah 5 =4in was a so a$ e to add notes and comments to the document such as G'.1)H7 G1er+ goodH7 or Gha1e +ou thought a$out inc uding information a$out 5 =9hawariEmi( from the Ii3ipedia2H. This is possi$ e through the -ote...
( 5$u 5$du ah Muhammad $in Musa a =9hawariEmi was a Persian scientist7 mathematician and author $orn around '*) 54. 0e de1e oped the concept of an a gorithm in mathematics and is thus sometimes gi1en the tit e Ggrandfather of computer scienceH. To earn more7 see http6..en.wi3ipedia.org.wi3i.5 = 9hawariEmi

3)

Text documents command from the Insert menu. 5 +e ow rectang e wou d appear in the text7 :see %igure "; and mo1ing the mouse on top of that rectang e wou d show the note to the student.

Figure ": OpenOffice.org notes appear as yellow rectangles

$r $igitalis creates P$* documents

OpenOffice.org pro1ides an exce ent too for distri$uting comp eted fi es. This feature is not a1ai a$ e in Microsoft Iord. 4r 4igita is used it to send posters to the practices of other ,Ps announcing her aunch part+. In the past she wou d ha1e designed the poster in Microsoft Iord and in fact she $egan this poster $+ opening one of her o d Microsoft Iord fi es in OpenOffice.org Iriter. She then changed the a+out and updated the detai s on the poster. Ihen the fi e was read+7 howe1er7 she c ic3ed Cxport as P4%... from the %i e menu. This feature is not present in Microsoft Iord and to add it wou d re?uire $u+ing 5do$e 5cro$at7 with prices starting from <2(( on top of the cost of Microsoft Iord itse f. OpenOffice.org Iriter creates P4% fi es free of charge. P4% is an a$$re1iation of Porta$ e 4ocument %ormat7 which hints as to its ad1antages. It ma3es +our fi e :the G4ocumentH; easi + transfera$ e :GPorta$ eH; to an+ other computer. 5do$e is the compan+ that created the P4% standard. The+ origina + did so to guarantee to graphic designers that fi es created on their own computers wou d oo3 exact + the same on the computer of a printing 31

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e compan+. This was important to 4r 4igita is. In the past7 when she had gi1en her Iord documents to a printing compan+7 she wou d ha1e to spend some time at the printer>s office dou$ e= chec3ing that the pages came out as she had wanted them. Often7 in mo1ing from her own computer to the printer>s7 the a+out was s ight + changed $+ a fraction of an inch. That fraction cou d mean that the fina printout oo3ed amateurish and care ess. If she found such changes7 she wou d ha1e to spend more time at the printer>s computer fixing them. P4% made her confident that she did not need to spend that time. She 8ust emai ed the P4% fi e to her printing office7 as3ed that ")) copies $e printed and came $+ the next da+ to pic3 up the pages. These pages oo3ed exact + as she had wanted. P4% a so made the process of emai ing easier. 5 Microsoft Iord or OpenOffice.org Iriter fi e can ?uic3 + grow in siEe as more and more amendments are made. This is $ecause the software 3eeps trac3 of those changes to a ow +ou to re1erse them. 0owe1er7 when inc uding the fi e in an emai to the printer7 such changes are not usefu and the arge fi e siEe $ecomes a pro$ em. P4% documents are much sma er in siEe7 ma3ing them great for emai . 5nd so 4r 4igita is was a so a$ e to emai the documents to her ,P co eagues. In time7 the posters that she had printed off wou d arri1e in her co eagues> surgeries through the mai 7 $ut she 3new that the+ wou d appreciate ha1ing the emai reminder. The ,Ps were a$ e to open and 1iew the fi e $ecause a most e1er+ computer toda+ comes with 5do$e Feader1)
1) 5do$e Feader is not %ree Software7 $ut it is free of charge. There are %ree Software a ternati1es7 $ut for now consider

32

Text documents :www.ado$e.com.acro$at;. This opens an+ P4% fi e and 4r 4igita is>s poster appeared on her co eagues> computer screens exact + as she had intended it to. %urthermore7 the P4% fi e did not inc ude an+thing that she did not want to appear. %or examp e7 if she had sent a Microsoft Iord fi e her co eagues cou d ha1e found out that her poster had origina + $een an ad1ertisement for her o d car. -or do P4% fi es a ow changes to $e made $+ the recipient of the fi e. This is crucia for c inicians. It wou d $e terri$ e if 4r 4igita is had sent a Microsoft Iord fi e that recommended drug dosages and one of the recipients accidenta + de eted a decima point from one of them. 5nd it wou d $e disastrous if that person then forwarded the amended document to others7 $ecause those recipients wou d ha1e the wrong dosage and $ecause the+ wou d thin3 it had come from 4r 4igita is. %or a of these reasons7 +ou shou d use P4% when sharing comp eted OpenOffice.org fi es. This feature7 a so accessi$ e through the icon7 is a1ai a$ e in a OpenOffice.org too s7 inc uding Iriter7 Impress and Ca c.

Mr #ig+s staff use macros to automate common tas%s

OpenOffice.org can $e customised using OpenOffice.org #asic7 a programming anguage. /i3e Microsoft Office>s Lisua #asic7 it a ows the fast creation of sma programs to automate short se?uences of tas3s.
5do$e Feader good enough.

33

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e %or Mr #ig>s IT team mem$ers7 the most important factor in ma3ing the switch to OpenOffice.org was their a$i it+ to customise it. The extraordinar+ f exi$i it+ of Microsoft>s Office software has a wa+s $een important for $usinesses and Mr #ig>s compan+ was no exception. %or examp e7 Mr #ig>s software de1e opers wanted to create a macro that a owed a receptionist to print off a customer>s $i . The macro wou d as3 the receptionist for the name of the customer7 then automatica + get the amount of mone+ that the customer owed7 create a etter in OpenOffice.org Iriter that inc uded the customer>s name and $i ing amount and print two copies of that etter. OpenOffice.org ma3es this possi$ e $ecause it inc udes too s to connect to an+ data$ase and $ecause most of OpenOffice.org Iriter>s tas3s :such as creating a etter; can $e contro ed with the OpenOffice.org #asic anguage. This anguage is not the same as Microsoft Office Lisua #asic7 $ut it is simi ar. Mr #ig>s IT staff were a$ e to ?uic3 + con1ert their o d Microsoft Office macros into macros that did the same 8o$ in OpenOffice.org. OpenOffice.org>s he p documentation co1ers this we . %or tric3+ parts7 the+ read the $oo3 GOpenOffice.org Macros Cxp ainedH11. #ut it is not 8ust programmers who can create macros. The Fecord Macro command from the Too menu a owed Mr #ig to create a macro simp + $+ using OpenOffice.org Iriter. The software 3ept trac3 of the actions that Mr #ig too3 unti he c ic3ed the Stop Fecording $utton. In this wa+ he was a$ e to create a macro that he ca ed GPrintTwoCopiesH. This wou d print two copies of his
11 GOpenOffice.org Macros Cxp ainedH $+ 5ndrew Piton+a3. 0entEenwer3e Pu$ ishing 2))!. IS#- 1(3)(1("1!.

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Text documents document e1er+ time he se ected it from the Too s menu.

*urther resources

TuxT+pe D http6..tuxt+pe.sourceforge.net. Tux!9ids D www.tux!3ids.com Ii3ipedia D www.wi3ipedia.org 5do$e 5cro$at and 5do$e Feader D www.ado$e.com.acro$at GOpenOffice.org Macros Cxp ainedH $+ 5ndrew Piton+a3. 0entEenwer3e Pu$ ishing 2))!. IS#1(3)(1("1!.

3"

,alculations and graphs

4uring the 1(!)s the &S mi itar+ was ma3ing fu use of GcomputersH. These were nothing i3e the sma machines that +ou and I are used to7 nor e1en the room= siEed machines that I#M had origina + so d to the &S census $ac3 in 1*(). Father7 GcomputersH were peop e7 usua + +oung men and women with undergraduate degrees in science and mathematics12. Cach GcomputerH wou d spend each da+ performing ong and a$orious computations7 than3fu + with the assistance of ca cu ating machines. Cach computation cou d answer ?uestions a$out the outcome of a scenario. OpenOffice.org Ca c gi1es +ou more computationa power than a who e roomfu of these patient GcomputersH. It is an examp e of a spreadsheet7 software that has transformed accounting and $usiness p anning. The rest of this chapter discusses peacefu uses of a spreadsheet. 5t its most $asic a spreadsheet i3e Ca c a ows +ou to create a ta$ e with co umn headings7 rows of data and co ourfu formatting to enhance the presentation. If +ou want to create a $eautifu ta$ e for +our paper $rochure7 OpenOffice.org Ca c ma+ $e +our $est starting point. 0owe1er7 e1er+ num$er +ou enter into the ta$ e is a num$er the spreadsheet can use for ca cu ations. Sums7 a1erages7 extrapo ations7 de1iations7 integrations and
12 This stor+ is ta3en from page 16 of the $oo3 GSupergeniusH $+ # #ruce=#riggs. -orth 5merican Po ic+ Press 2))). The $oo3 is the $iograph+ of one such GcomputerH7 0erman 9ahn7 who went on to found the 0udson Institute.

Ca cu ations and graphs differentia s D computers compute and Ca c is +our persona computing s a1e. 5nd a spreadsheet $rings ife to its ta$ es. If +ou change one num$er at the top of a ta$ e7 the outcomes of a the ca cu ations further down the ta$ e a so change. %or examp e7 to find out what wou d happen to +our profits if +ou decreased the unit price $+ 1)N $ut increased sa es $+ 2)N7 change the unit price and sa e price in the ta$ e. 5 most as soon as +ou finish t+ping Ca c wi show +ou the outcome for profits. This ma3es Ca c a powerfu too for p anning. %ina +7 Ca c creates graphs from +our ta$ esO data6 pie charts7 ine graphs7 histograms and scatter p ots are 8ust a few of the options that Ca c gi1es +ou.

3'

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e Cxamp es M. #rai e creates a simp e and secure ta$ e of pupi attendance :page 3*; Mr Sa ah 5 =4in sums and sorts :page !); 4r 4igita is creates graphs of her patient sur1e+s :page !1; Ms Bates cop+s and pastes chart from Ca c into her Iriter text documents :page !2; Mr #ig and conditiona forecasting :page !3; Mrs Shru$ imports data and earns from the &S Census :page !!;

M. #raille creates a simple and secure table of pupil attendance

M. #rai e maintained a record of pupi attendance in a arge $oo3. The $oo3 ser1ed its purpose $ut he wondered if he cou d do $etter with OpenOffice.org Ca c. The program is we =suited to ta$ es $ecause its defau t disp a+ is of man+ rows and man+ co umns. 4own the eft=most co umn he t+ped in the names of each of the pupi s. 5cross the top row he t+ped in the first date of the new schoo +ear and then the second date. 0e used Ca c>s automatic fi ing feature for the remaining da+s. %irst7 he se ected $oth dates. Ca c disp a+ed these in white text o1er a $ ac3 $ac3ground to indicate that the+ were se ected and a thic3 $ ac3 s?uare appeared in the $ottom right=hand corner to indicate that automatic fi ing was possi$ e :see %igure 6;.

3*

Ca cu ations and graphs

Figure #: $egin autofill

0e c ic3ed on the s?uare and dragged it to the right. Ihen he et go of the mouse $utton7 part of the row that he had dragged o1er was automatica + fi ed with consecuti1e dates :see %igure ';. 5utomatic fi ing is a powerfu feature and se1era sophisticated options are a1ai a$ e in OpenOffice.org Ca c through the %i item of the Cdit menu.

Figure %: &alc can automatically fill a series

Ca c pro1ides man+ features for formatting the ta$ es. M. #rai e se ected the top row and the eft=hand co umn and changed their $ac3ground co our to gre+. %or da+s on which a student was a$sent7 he changed the $ac3ground co our of that ce to red. It was eas+ to see at a g ance the attendance of an+ c ass or student o1er the +ear. M. #rai e wanted to use one fi e for a his students in an+ one +ear. 0e made use of the sheets to di1ide each fi e $+ c ass. The sheets of a fi e are isted in the $ottom eft=hand corner of the screen :see %igure *;. 0e renamed each sheet $+ c ic3ing on it with the right mouse $utton and se ecting Fename sheet....

Figure ': (heets group relate ta)les and graphs

%ina +7 $ecause he was 3eeping so much information in one fi e7 M. #rai e wanted to ensure its securit+. Ihen sa1ing the fi e he tic3ed the $ox Sa1e with password and c ic3ed 3(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e Sa1e. Once he had fi ed out the password7 Ca c encr+pted the fi e. This meant that7 for a intents and purposes7 the contents of the fi e cou d on + $e read $+ someone who entered the correct password to open the fi e.

Mr Salah &l'$in sums and sorts

Mr Sa ah 5 =4in used OpenOffice.org to store his students> test mar3s. 0e created a ta$ e with the name of each student in the eft=hand co umn and the date of each test in the top row. 0e wrote the test scores in the intersecting ce s. In the eft=hand co umn7 $eneath the name of the ast student7 he t+ped in G51erageH. The rest of the row wou d contain the a1erage score of the students on each test. This ana +sis is eas+ $ecause scores are num$ers and Ca c has man+ too s for running ca cu ations on num$ers. 5fter mar3ing the first test of the +ear he fi ed an entire co umn with test scores. 0e c ic3ed inside the $ an3 ce 8ust $e ow this ist of scores7 which was on the same row as the G51erageH heading. Then he c ic3ed the icon to start the %unction IiEard. 0e se ected 5LCF5,C from the ength+ ist of functions and c ic3ed the -ext $utton. 0e then indicated to Ca c the ce s that contained the data to $e a1eraged $+ c ic3ing on the first score and dragging down to the ast one to high ight a the num$ers in the co umn. 0e c ic3ed the O9 $utton and the a1erage appeared instant +. %or su$se?uent tests he entered the scores in the co umns to right7 $ut he did not need to use the %unction IiEard again. Instead he se ected the first a1erage7 c ic3ed on the thic3 !)

Ca cu ations and graphs s?uare that appeared in the $ottom right hand corner and dragged to the right. The automatic fi ing of Ca c too3 care of the rest7 using the same 5LCF5,C function on the data to the right. %ina +7 Ca c is good for sorting text and num$ers. Mr Sa ah 5 =4in high ighted a the ce s in his ta$ e and se ected Sort... from the 4ata menu. %irst he sorted using the eft= hand co umn7 ordering the tests $+ the names of the studentsJ he printed that page off. Then he sorted again7 this time using the co umn of the atest test>s data. 0e printed that off to gi1e the students their ran3ings.

$r $igitalis creates graphs of her patient surve)s

C1er+ patient that consu ted 4r 4igita is fi ed out a satisfaction sur1e+ that she had prepared. 0er secretar+ entered the data from the paper sur1e+ into OpenOffice.org Ca c. 4r 4igita is cou d then ana +se the data and create charts. To create a graph7 c ic3 in the top eft corner of the data and drag down to the $ottom right corner7 ensuring that co umn and row headings are inc uded in +our se ection. C ic3 on the icon7 se ect the area of +our chart7 and Ca c wi show +ou the 5uto%ormat Chart dia ogue. The chart t+pe of which 4r 4igita is was most fond was the pie chart D she used this at month + team meetings to show the proportion of patients who found the care it recei1ed to $e ess than accepta$ e. Ihen she had co ected data o1er man+ months she used ine charts to show trends o1er time. !1

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e #ar charts are good for comparing data from groups of patients7 whi e PB charts show the re ationship $etween two 1aria$ es7 such as waiting time and satisfaction.

Figure *: The +utoFormat &hart dialogue

5 chart created $+ Ca c automatica + uses the origina ta$ e row and co umn headings for its a$e s. Bou can edit indi1idua e ements $+ dou$ e=c ic3ing on them. %or examp e7 c ic3ing twice on a s ice of a pie chart a ows +ou to change its co our. /i3ewise doing so on the x=axis of an PB chart changes its sca e and the increments of its tic3 mar3s.

Ms (ates copies and pastes charts from ,alc into her -riter te"t documents
#ecause OpenOffice.org is so we integrated +ou can use Ca c charts in an+ other OpenOffice.org document. C ic3 on a chart7 se ect Cop+ from the Cdit menu7 switch to +our other document and se ect Paste from its Cdit menu. In researching her $usiness p an Ms Bates co ected a ot of data a$out the mar3et7 her customers7 and competitors. She stored these data in Ca c and made se1era charts to support !2

Ca cu ations and graphs her arguments. She used this to incorporate charts into the Iriter document of her $usiness p an. The gre+sca e P4% that she printed for her $an3 manager i ustrated her findings. She used the same charts in the Impress presentations to 1enture capita ists and the pie charts were pro8ected in their co ourfu g or+.

Mr #ig and conditional forecasting

Ca c supports scenario p anning6 changing the data in one ce changes the data in a the other ce s and charts that depend on that ce . 5s Mr #ig $egan his career as an accountant7 he sti o1ed a good spreadsheet document $ecause of this feature. %or examp e7 changing the re1enue from one of his compan+>s hote s changed the tota for the region that contained the hote and the tota of a the regions. The change impacted charts as we . %or examp e7 in the pie chart showing a region>s contri$ution to re1enues7 that region>s portion decreased and the other regions> portions increased in siEe. Mr #ig and his team cou d immediate + see the impact of changing costs and re1enues on the affected charts. Ca c offers some powerfu and su$t e too s for the ta$u ar data. %or examp e7 using Conditiona %ormatting... from the %ormat menu +ou can set a ce to appear red if its 1a ue is negati1e and $ ac3 otherwise. Ma3ing this ce the sum of re1enues and costs for the hote s in a region ma3es it immediate + apparent when changing the re1enues eads to osses for the region. The Too s menu>s ,oa See3... item a ows the re1erse D Mr !3

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e #ig cou d set the target 1a ue for that ce and then ca cu ate the re1enues necessar+ from the hote s that contri$uted to the 1a ue of that ce .

Mrs Shrub imports data and learns from the US ,ensus

Mrs Shru$ i3ed the &S Census we$site :www.census.go1;. /i3e the $est of &S go1ernment we$sites it ma3es as much of its data pu$ ic + a1ai a$ e as possi$ e. She wanted to create a simi ar site for the statistics co ected $+ /ondon>s go1ernment. /i3e the &9>s Census site137 the &S site is impressi1e + interacti1e with maps generated on the f + to i ustrate data of an+ su$set. More significant +7 its data were a1ai a$ e for down oad and she cou d use these in OpenOffice.org. Of course Microsoft Cxce fi es opened instant + in Ca c and man+ of the $usiness data were a1ai a$ e in this format. Other statistics were a1ai a$ e in CSL format. This is simp er than Cxce Os $ut it is an open standard that is fu + supported $+ a spreadsheet software7 inc uding Cxce and Ca c. %ina +7 other data were a1ai a$ e in d#ase format. OpenOffice.org inc udes #ase7 a data$ase too 7 that is capa$ e of hand ing a who e range of data$ase formats. 5 though Mrs Shru$ had no interest in these fi es7 she understood that $usinesses and citiEens> organisations wou d $enefit from ha1ing access to the data for their own ana +sis and integration.
13 www.statistics.go1.u3.census2))1.

!!

Ca cu ations and graphs

*urther resources

GSupergeniusH $+ # #ruce=#riggs. -orth 5merican Po ic+ Press 2))). The &S Census D www.census.go1 The &9 Census D www.statistics.go1.u3.census2))1.

!"

Presentations
4r Ihitfie d 4iffie is one of the few computer scientists to recei1e erotica +=charged fan mai . 0is $est 3nown contri$ution to the wor d of computing is the co=in1ention of a method for protecting secrets e ectronica +6 pu$ ic=3e+ cr+ptograph+. Ihat is ess we 3nown is that he created the first presentation software. 0is program inspired his co eague #o$ ,as3ins to create PowerPoint1!. Microsoft e1entua + $ought PowerPoint. On o1er 2") mi ion computers around the wor d $usinessmen7 teachers7 officia s7 c inicians7 professiona s and citiEens are using PowerPoint to ma3e their point. Impress is the OpenOffice.org e?ui1a ent.

1! 5 fascinating histor+ of PowerPoint appeared in The ,ew -orker>s Ma+ 2*th 2))1 issue. Iritten $+ Ian Par3er7 G5$so ute Power pointH is we worth the read at6 www.ph+sics.ohio= state.edu.Qwi 3ins.group.powerpt.htm

Presentations Cxamp es M. #rai e uses existing PowerPoint fi es :page !'; Ms Bates creates a simp e presentation and uses the StarOffice ga er+ :page !*; 4r 4igita is creates a ecture handout :page !(; Mrs Shru$ creates animations and organisationa charts :page "); Mr #ig adds corporate ogos and co ours using the s ide master :page "2; Mr Sa ah 5 =4in shares his presentations with other teachers :page "!;

M. #raille uses e"isting PowerPoint files

5round the wor d7 man+ teachers use PowerPoint to support their essons. 5nd man+ of them ma3e their PowerPoint fi es a1ai a$ e for other teachers to use. In fact Microsoft>s own site pro1ides a who e range of materia s :www.microsoft.com.Cducation.;. OpenOffice.org Impress can open a these fi es. M. #rai e found that for each particu ar esson he cou d ta3e e ements from the esson p ans of se1era other teachers. 0e cou d Cop+ entire s ides that he i3ed and Paste them into his own Impress presentation. #+ choosing S ide Sorter from the Liew menu the order of the s ides can $e changed. The text can $e changed $+ dou$ e=c ic3ing on the s ide containing it. %ina +7 the /a+outs part of the Tas3s pane on the right=hand side a ows changing the a+out of each s ide !'

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e :see %igure 1);.

Figure 1.: The /ayouts part of the Tasks pane

Ms (ates creates a simple presentation and uses the StarOffice galler)

Creating a new Impress document is eas+. Bou can se ect OpenOffice.org Impress from the Start menu. 5 ternati1e +7 within an+ OpenOffice.org fi e :inc uding a text or spreadsheet document; +ou can se ect -ew from the %i e menu and then Presentation. To create a new s ide7 se ect S ide... from the Insert menu. 0owe1er7 OpenOffice.org does not contain man+ temp ates7 nor are the inc uded graphics as s ic3 as those in Microsoft PowerPoint.

!*

Presentations

Figure 11: The (tarOffice gallery

This is wh+ Ms Bates was so p eased with ha1ing paid for StarOffice. It has man+ usefu temp ates and a ga er+ of graphics. Iithin e1er+ app ication in OpenOffice.org the ,a er+ can $e reached through the Too s menu7 or $+ c ic3ing on the icon. The ga er+ of StarOffice has hundreds of usefu graphics7 inc uding maps7 icons and the infamous screen$ean characters :see %igure 11;.

$r $igitalis creates a lecture handout

4r 4igita is read GThe Cogniti1e St+ e of PowerPointH1". This 2*=page essa+ is $+ the wonderfu Professor Cdward Tufte7 who teaches courses in statistica e1idence at Ba e &ni1ersit+. The essa+ is high + critica of Gs idewareH i3e PowerPoint and Impress6 5 as7 s ideware often reduces the ana +tica ?ua it+ of presentations. In particu ar7 the popu ar PowerPoint temp ates :read+=made designs; usua + wea3en 1er$a and spatia reasoning7 and a most a wa+s corrupt statistica ana +sis. Ihat is the pro$ em with PowerPoint2 5nd how can we impro1e our presentations2
1" GThe Cogniti1e St+ e of PowerPointH $+ Cdward Tufte. ,raphics Press 2))3. IS#- )(613(21").

!(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e One of the points that Tufte stresses is the importance of a good handout for sharing data with the audience. Showing the data on Gs idewareH imits the audience>s a$i it+ to digest the data7 whi e a detai ed handout comp ements the o1er1iew that good s ides can gi1e. OpenOffice.org has se1era features for creating handouts. %irst7 there is the 0andout Page7 a1ai a$ e from the Liew menu in Impress. This automatica + inc udes reduced 1ersions of each s ide on a page with space eft o1er for pro1iding extra notes a$out the s ides. The icon at the $ottom of the screen a ows text to $e added. Second7 $ecause OpenOffice.org is so we integrated7 +ou can Cop+ and Paste text7 ta$ es and charts from Iriter and Ca c. Bou can a so do the re1erse6 create the handout in Iriter7 then Cop+ and Paste each s ide from Impress into +our text document. %ina +7 the 0andout Page in Impress automatica + inc udes a header and footer area. In these 4r 4igita is put the tit e of her ecture7 her name and the we$site address of her c inic. She 3new that her detai ed handouts wou d $e so usefu that the+ wou d $e shared with other c inicians.

Mrs Shrub creates animations and organisational charts

Creating s ideshows is not a that Impress is good for. The 4rawing too $ar :see %igure 12; at the $ottom of the window has man+ too s for creating shapes7 co ouring them in and connecting them. %or examp e7 c ic3ing the icon a ows the insertion of $asic shapes i3e rectang es7 o1a s and rings. ")

Presentations The /ine and %i ing too $ar at the top of the page a ows a teration of the $order ine and fi ing co our of a shape. 5nd dou$ e=c ic3ing on a shape a ows +ou to write inside it.

Figure 12: The 0rawing tool)ar

These too s a owed Mrs Shru$ to moc3 up ?uic3 + a neat diagram of an+thing that she wanted. She was a$ e to show the we$site designer the e ements she wanted disp a+ed on the /ondon go1ernment>s we$site homepage7 the a+out of the staff news etter7 a $irthda+ card for her sister and the organisation chart for her department. The chart was particu ar + eas+ to create $ecause of the Connector too : ; in the 4rawing too $ar. This draws connecting ines $etween an+ two shapes. Impress correct + redraws each ine e1er+ time one of the shapes it was connected to is mo1ed. Mrs Shru$ $rought her organisationa diagrams to ife using the animation feature of Impress. /i3e /a+outs7 this is a so a1ai a$ e from the Tas3s pane on the right hand side :see %igure 13;. #+ c ic3ing on Custom 5nimation +ou can 5dd... and Femo1e effects for each item of each s ide. %or shapes representing emp o+ees ower in the hierarch+ Mrs Shru$ se ected the #asic effect ca ed 5ppear. The rectang e wou d appear during her s ideshow when she pressed the space$ar. %or emp o+ees whom she wanted to sing e out for praise7 she chose the % + In effect and made the shape e1itate from the $ottom of the screen. She was a wa+s carefu 7 howe1er7 to a1oid too man+ animation effects7 or effects that were too 8arring. 5 c ass+ ad+7 she did not need Tufte to te her that "1

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e ess is more when it comes to the specia effects of s ideware.

Figure 13: The &ustom +nimation part of the Tasks pane

Mr #ig adds corporate logos and colours using the slide master
Impress has two features to ensure that different s ides ha1e the same $ac3ground7 ogos and corporate theme. This was important for Mr #ig and his executi1es as the+ gi1e man+ ectures at industr+ conferences. %irst7 the S ide Master is a1ai a$ e from the Liew menu. Changing an+ e ement in this 1iew changes a of the e ements in the -orma 1iew :see %igure 1!;. %or examp e7 $+ changing the $ac3ground to match the orange and am$er "2

Presentations co ours of the ogo of Mr #ig>s hote chain7 the $ac3ground in e1er+ sing e s ide was changed. 5nd pasting the ogo in the top eft corner of the master s ide made it appear in the top eft corner of e1er+ s ide.

Figure 1 : The (lide 1aster 2iew

%urthermore7 changing the siEe of the writing in the st+ e of each Out ine /e1e changes the siEe of that writing in e1er+ s ide. &sing this Mr #ig changed the defau t t+peface from 5 $an+ to Tahoma7 his fa1ourite. The second important feature is sa1ing the fi e as a temp ate :see %igure 1"; through the %i e menu>s Sa1e 5s... dia ogue. The compan+ made the temp ate fi e a1ai a$ e to a of its emp o+ees. Ihene1er an OpenOffice.org temp ate is opened7 it creates a new fi e with the same defau t settings as the temp ate. In other words7 Mr #ig>s executi1es wou d $egin their Impress presentations $+ opening the temp ate. 5 their s ides wou d "3

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e ha1e the compan+>s $ac3ground7 ogo and t+peface. Mr #ig o1ed consistenc+.

Figure 1": The 3mpress (a2e +s... dialogue

Mr Salah &l'$in shares his presentations with other teachers

/i3e M. #rai e7 Mr Sa ah 5 =4in used Impress extensi1e + in his essons. 0owe1er7 he i3ed to ma3e his fi es a1ai a$ e to others through the schoo we$site. This was good for students who had missed his essons through i ness. 0e a so shared the fi es with other teachers to sa1e their time and to a ow impro1ements to the esson p ans. The Sa1e 5s... dia ogue of Impress :see %igure 1"; offers se1era options7 inc uding Microsoft PowerPoint presentation and Microsoft PowerPoint temp ate formats. %or sharing on the we$ there are se1era usefu read=on + formats. /i3e OpenOffice.org Iriter these are a1ai a$ e through the Cxport... dia ogue of the %i e menu. The P4% format is usefu for emai ing copies of a esson that wou d $e printed7 whi e 0TM/ is usefu for inc uding the esson in a we$site. %ina +7 the Marcomedia % ash format is good for p a+ing the s ides on a we$site. The next part of this $oo3 wi co1er the internet and some of the man+ %ree Software too s that wi he p +ou create +our own we$site. #ut I wi finish this part with a reminder "!

Presentations of 8ust how much OpenOffice.org can do for +ou.

*urther resources

G5$so ute PowerPointH $+ Ian Par3er. ,ew -orker7 Ma+ 2*th 2))1. 5 cop+ is a1ai a$ e at6 www.ph+sics.ohio= state.edu.Qwi 3ins.group.powerpt.htm Microsoft education resources D www.microsoft.com.Cducation. GThe Cogniti1e St+ e of PowerPointH $+ Cdward Tufte. ,raphics Press 2))3. IS#- )(613(21").

""

Other OpenOffice.org features

GIf a +ou ha1e is a hammer7 e1er+thing oo3s i3e a nai .H 5non+mous In 1*(1 Lictorinox $egan supp +ing the Swiss 5rm+ with poc3et 3nifes. The compan+ now produces o1er 227))) Swiss 5rm+ 3ni1es per da+ most of which are for export. 5round the wor d man+ peop e ha1e come to depend on these 3ni1es for their 1ersati it+. OpenOffice.org is e1en more 1ersati e. In this chapter I hope to gi1e +ou some ideas that show off more of its a$i ities.

-riter has ever)thing )ou need for writing )our own boo%
I wrote this $oo3 using OpenOffice.org Iriter. Man+ features made the software an exce ent choice. %or examp e7 the Indexes and Ta$ es... command automatica + generated the ta$ e of contents for the $oo3. 5s I added7 de eted and reorganised chapters7 Iriter ad8usted the ta$ e of contents and 3ept trac3 of the page num$ers. The command a so created the index at the $ac3 of the $oo3. 5 I had to do was identif+ indi1idua ideas as important enough to inc ude in the index using the Cntr+... command. 5s the $oo3 increased in siEe I decided to di1ide it into separate fi es for faster oading and easier $ac3ing up. I used the Master 4ocument command to create a sing e fi e that co ated the other fi es. Iriter automatica +

Other OpenOffice.org features renum$ered the pages7 figure captions and entries in the ta$ e of contents and index across a of these fi es. I exported the resu t into a sing e P4% fi e. I cou d pro1ide this to an+ printer and $e sure that the output wou d $e exact + as I had intended. I had done this using Microsoft Iord and 5do$e 5cro$at when I wrote and pu$ ished m+ first $oo37 G0andhe ds for 4octorsH16.

Figure 1#: OpenOffice.org's 40Fs include )ookmarks

Ihat impressed me with OpenOffice.org was that the exported P4% inc uded 5do$e Feader=compati$ e features
16 This was the se f=pu$ ished edition of the $oo3 that was e1entua + pu$ ished $+ @ohn Ii e+ R Sons7 /td7 under the tit e G0andhe d Computers for 4octorsH.

"'

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e i3e #oo3mar3s. This adds a professiona touch to the e ectronic $oo3 and ma3es for a p easant reading experience. 4oing this with Iord and 5cro$at is difficu t and time= consuming $ut Iriter hand ed the 8o$ $eautifu + and automatica + :see %igure 16;. 5cademic authors wi a so appreciate IriterOs formu ae and $i$ iograph+ features. The %ormu a feature is powerfu 7 a owing the insertion and manipu ation of man+ mathematica s+m$o s. &n i3e Iord7 Iriter a so inc udes a $i$ iograph+ manager7 accessi$ e as the #i$ iograph+ 4ata$ase from the Too s menu. This feature is particu ar + worth watching7 as with the re ease of Lersion 2 of OpenOffice.org de1e opment of more ad1anced $i$ iographic too s has $egun1'. In fact the re ease of this 1ersion a so hera ds de1e opment of ots of other too s $ecause OpenOffice.org is $ui t on PM/1*. %or software de1e opers and enterprises this means a transparent foundation on which to $ui d ?uic3 + extensions. %or +ou and me it means a wea th of more powerfu too s is on the wa+. #ut enough a$out text D OpenOffice.org can a so hand e drawings.

$rawings with OpenOffice.org

Impress is surprising + good for a+out design. The Too $ars su$menu from the Liew menu ists se1era usefu too $ars. These inc ude the 4rawing too $ar that appears at the $ottom of the screen $+ defau t7 $ut a so the 34=O$8ects7 Circ es and O1a s7 and other too $ars. On a $ an3 s ide with no a+out
1' http6..$i$ iographic.openoffice.org. 1* http6..xm .openoffice.org.

"*

Other OpenOffice.org features +ou can use a the text7 shapes and co ours that +ou need for +our drawing. OpenOffice.org 4raw is a more specia ised too that has no e?ui1a ent in Microsoft Office. Bou can access it $+ choosing -ew then 4rawing from the %i e menu. &se the Page... command from the %ormat menu to se ect a different a+out for the page. %or examp e7 +ou can choose a much arger page for a poster7 or a s?uare one for a $irthda+ card. Ihen +our drawing is finished7 the Cxport... command wi create something appropriate for +our pu$ ication medium. %or the arge poster examp e7 P4% is what +our printer wi expect from +ou. If +ou are pu$ ishing for the we$ the 0TM/ 4ocument option creates a we$ page whi e the P-, option creates an image that +ou can use in other we$ pages. Bou can use an+ of +our OpenOffice.org 4raw documents in an+ of +our other OpenOffice.org documents. This e1en wor3s in OpenOffice.org #ase.

OpenOffice.org #ase creates databases as Microsoft &ccess does

The most significant impro1ement in OpenOffice.org 2.) is the addition of #ase $ecause it a ows +ou to create data$ases. 5 data$ase is an e ectronic 1ersion of a fi ing ca$inet containing paper forms. /i3e the fi ing ca$inet +ou can use it to store the forms for safe 3eeping7 and see the data entered in each form whene1er +ou need. Bou can a so add more data $+ comp eting a new form and adding it to the store. #ut $ecause it is e ectronic7 a data$ase has man+ ad1antages "(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e o1er fi ing ca$inets. %irst7 it sorts the data ?uic3 + and in as man+ wa+s as +ou want it to. %or examp e7 +ou can sort a data$ase of +our friendsO $irthda+s $+ the ast name of each of them7 or their $irthda+7 or $oth. The forms can a so $e faster to comp ete. %or examp e7 a data$ase form with addresses can inc ude a drop=down ist of countries. Choosing from these can $e faster than writing the countr+ name. More important +7 +ou can guarantee that e1er+one who fi s out the form wi ha1e spe t the countr+ correct + $ecause the+ chose from +our correct + spe t ist. Iith a itt e programming7 #ase can $e 1er+ powerfu . %or examp e7 when the user t+pes in the Eip code the data$ase can automatica + deduce the cit+ and state. The programming aspect means that most of us wi ea1e the design of data$ases to someone with forma computer training. Ihat +ou need to te this mem$er of +our team is that #ase is a re ationa data$ase with %orms and Feports7 that it can connect to an+ O4#C datasource7 inc uding M+SS/ data$ases and that it hand es SS/ ?ueries. In other words7 #ase matches Microsoft 5ccess in features7 $ut is a1ai a$ e free of charge. Meanwhi e7 what +ou need to 3now is that #ase is powerfu and usefu . Ihene1er +ou find +ourse f and +our team fi ing out a form more than a few times7 thin3 of using #ase. Ihether +ou want to store +our churchOs mem$ership7 +our c ientsO addresses7 +our patientsO cancer diagnoses7 or +our cit+ residentsO propert+ tax 1a uations7 consider using #ase as part of the so ution. I hope that $+ now +ou ha1e understood some of the power of OpenOffice.org and the imp ications of ha1ing this power free of charge. The next part wi show +ou that such power and price is a1ai a$ e in man+ other examp es of %ree 6)

Other OpenOffice.org features Software.

*urther resources

OpenOffice.org #i$ iographic Pro8ect D http6..$i$ iographic.openoffice.org. OpenOffice.org PM/ D http6..xm .openoffice.org.

61

Part II
Internet tools
If +ou ha1e e1er used ,oog e :www.goog e.com; to search the internet7 then +ou ha1e re ied upon %ree Software. That is $ecause ,oog e>s we$site runs on tens of thousands of computers and each of these is using the ,-&./inux operating s+stem and the 5pache we$ ser1er. ,oog e>s scientists ha1e stated man+ times that on + 5pache and ,-&./inux can pro1ide the sta$i it+ and securit+ re?uired to ser1e the mi ions of we$ users e1er+ da+. 5nd on + with 5pache and ,-&./inux cou d the+ ha1e afforded to $u+ so man+ scores of thousands of computers. That is wh+ ,oog e7 5maEon7 BahooA7 e#a+ and numerous other companies depend on %ree Software. In fact7 a most ')N of we$sites are run using the 5pache we$ ser1er %ree Software and the computers of man+ we$sites use %ree operating s+stems i3e ,-&./inux or #S4 &nix1(. Bour organisation does not need to ha1e as man+
1( http6..news.netcraft.com.archi1es.we$Tser1erTsur1e+.htm

Other OpenOffice.org features customers as ,oog e does to $e a$ e to $enefit from %ree Software>s internet too s. The fact is that the free cost of %ree Software means that e1er+one can afford to use it. 5nd as this part of the $oo3 wi show +ou7 the %ree too s a1ai a$ e are often superior in ?ua it+ to commercia software.

63

#rowsing the web with *irefo"

GI suggest dumping Microsoft>s Internet Cxp orer7 which has a histor+ of securit+ $reaches. I recommend instead using MoEi a %irefox. ItOs not on + more secure $ut a so more modern and ad1anced7 with ta$$ed $rowsing and a $etter pop=up ad $ oc3er.H K Ia t Moss$erg7 5all (treet 6ournal7 Septem$er 16th 2))!. In the preface I mentioned that one of the ad1antages of %ree Software is that it $rea3s monopo ies and that that is a good thing. Ie$ $rowser software is a great i ustration of this point. The wor d wide we$ was itera + in1ented $+ Tim #erners=/ee7 a #ritish ph+sicist wor3ing at CCF-7 the wor d>s argest partic e ph+sics a$orator+. Sir Tim7 who recei1ed a 3nighthood in 2))! for his efforts7 created a standard for we$ pages and designed software for oo3ing at those pages. The standard that he created was $ri iant $ecause it made writing we$ pages so eas+. 0is software was not so $ri iant7 $ut Sir Tim made sure that an+one e se cou d write software for $rowsing and creating pages. In fact7 he de i$erate + refused to ma3e mone+ from his wor d wide we$ so that other de1e opers wou d $e free to create $etter and $etter software too s. This wor3ed magnificent + and one of the first companies to ta3e ad1antage of the we$ was -etscape. Their $rowser software was powerfu and free of charge for non=commercia users. In the mid=1(()s7 up to ()N of peop e reading we$ pages were doing so

#rowsing the we$ with %irefox with -etscape>s we$ $rowser2). In 1(("7 Microsoft aunched its own we$ $rowser7 Internet Cxp orer217 which was initia + inferior to -etscape>s. 0owe1er7 Microsoft cou d afford to gi1e the software awa+ free of charge $ecause it was ma3ing so much mone+ from Iindows and Office software. %urthermore7 it inc uded Internet Cxp orer with Iindows and made it the defau t $rowser. Toda+ around ()N of we$ users do so with Internet Cxp orer. This does not mean Internet Cxp orer is the $est $rowser. In the ast few +ears features i3e ta$$ed $rowsing and integrated customised searching and themes ha1e dramatica + impro1ed the experience of $rowsing the we$. 0owe1er7 Microsoft has not added an+ of these to Internet Cxp orer. %urthermore7 Internet Cxp orer has $een downright dangerous7 exposing computers to attac3s. These dangers dro1e the go1ernments of the &S522 and ,erman+237 as we as se1era securit+ companies7 to ad1ise against using Internet Cxp orer. There are se1era reasons for this state of affairs. %irst7 the incenti1es6 Microsoft does not ma3e an+ mone+ from +ou when +ou use its we$ $rowsing software7 its on + interest $eing to to ensure that other we$ $rowser companies pose no threat to its monopo +. #ecause the+ ha1e achie1ed this7 o$taining ()N mar3et share7 the+ ha1e no further incenti1e to impro1e the software.
2) http6..en.wi3ipedia.org.wi3i.-etscapeT-a1igator 21 http6..en.wi3ipedia.org.wi3i.InternetTexp orer 22 http6..www.3$.cert.org.1u s.id.'13*'* 23 http6..www.theregister.co.u3.2))!.)(.13.germanTieT8itters.

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e Companies i3e Opera :www.opera.com; se we$ $rowser software7 so the+ are constant + adding features $ecause the+ must constant + fight for income. Second7 man+ of the securit+ ris3s ris3s come from a simi ar pro$ em of incenti1es. 5t the time that Microsoft was tr+ing to $eat -etscape7 the+ added features i3e 5cti1eP to Internet Cxp orer that a owed them to ad1ertise capa$i ities that -etscape cou d not match. -etscape cou d not match these $ecause the features depended on ha1ing direct access to the Iindows code. #ut 5cti1eP had significant securit+ ris3s2!. Microsoft ad1ertised the features despite the ris3s. The ad1ertising is gone7 $ecause -etscape>s threat is gone7 $ut on mi ions of PCs toda+ the securit+ ris3s remain. %ina +7 Microsoft simp + cannot do e1er+thing right $ecause no one can $e so perfect. It on + has so man+ software de1e opers7 the+ can on + spend so much time ana +sing their code for securit+ ris3s and the+ on + ha1e so much expertise a$out securit+. This chapter is a$out MoEi a %oundation>s approach to we$ $rowsers and its product7 %irefox :www.moEi a.org.firefox;. The %oundation funds de1e opers who are passionate a$out we$ $rowsing software. The too s are further chec3ed $+ peop e from a o1er the wor d who are a so passionate a$out $rowsing software. 5 these peop e use %irefox. If there is a pro$ em with the software the+ 3now a$out it soon and the+ fix it soon after. The+ depend on the software $eing of high ?ua it+7 which is wh+ the+ ha1e an incenti1e to fix it. Second7 the de1e opers were concerned a$out securit+ from the start. The+ a+ the foundations for good securit+ in their software $ecause the it wi $e used $+ important peop e in mission=critica pro8ects.
2! http6..www.cs.princeton.edu.sip.fa?.8a1a=1s=acti1ex.htm

66

#rowsing the we$ with %irefox %urthermore7 the code that the+ produce is a1ai a$ e for e1er+one to see. The paradox of securit+ is that $+ exposing e1er+ securit+ ho e it is easier to ensure securit+ D experts around the wor d are constant + scrutinising %irefox code and pointing out deficiencies. On the other hand this shou d not surprise us. The democracies of the Iest f ourished whi e the Communist states of the So1iet &nion co apsed )ecause the democracies shared information with their citiEens7 not despite it. Transparenc+ encourages securit+. %ina +7 $+ ma3ing the code a1ai a$ e to e1er+one7 it is much easier to $ui d good extensions to the code. The rest of this chapter wi show +ou these too s and end with technica exp anations of how to get them and use them. #ut the main point for now is that the monopo + is $rea3ing and that is good for users of the we$. C1er+ wee3 $rings more artic es praising the superior ?ua it+ of %irefox 1ersus Internet Cxp orer. C1er+ wee3 more computer users decide that using the we$ is faster7 more powerfu and simp + more p easant when using %irefox. 5nd e1er+ wee3 decision ma3ers in go1ernments7 companies and organisations ma3e the decision that the securit+ of their computer networ3 depends on using MoEi a>s software. Microsoft wi simp + ha1e to respond $+ impro1ing the ?ua it+ and securit+ of Internet Cxp orer. 5 computer users wi $e winners from such impro1ements. &nti that da+7 +ou can $enefit $+ switching to %irefox.

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e Cxamp es Ms Bates searches ,oog e7 uses ta$s and a1oids pop=up windows :page 6*; Mr Sa ah 5 =4in searches for meaning :page 6(; 4r 4igita is searches Pu$Med :page '); M. #rai e down oads entire we$sites :page '2; Mr #ig>s team impro1es securit+7 creates $oo3mar3s and designs a theme :page '3;

Ms (ates searches Google. uses tabs and avoids pop'up windows

%irefox ma3es searching eas+. Father than 1isiting ,oog e to $egin a search7 t+pe +our search text into text area in the top right corner of %irefox :see %igure 1'; and press the return 3e+. %irefox wi show +ou the ist of resu ts from ,oog e. The ta$s feature a ows +ou to stud+ these resu ts ?uic3 +.

Figure 1%: The search )ar is in the top right corner of Firefox

Ms Bates t+ped Ghandhe d computer accessoriesH into the search $ar. She decided that the first ten companies in the ist wou d $e the the most important source of competition or partnerships. Iith the right mouse $utton7 she c ic3ed on the tit e of the first we$site7 then with the eft mouse $utton she c ic3ed on Open /in3 in -ew Ta$. 5t the top of %irefox7 a ta$ appeared with the tit e of that we$site. She repeated this for the next 6*

#rowsing the we$ with %irefox nine we$sites and nine new ta$s appeared for the we$sites :see %igure 1*;.

Figure 1': Opening multiple ta)s from 7oogle search results

#+ c ic3ing on the tit e of each ta$7 she cou d see each compan+>s we$site. Comparing different companies> sites $+ c ic3ing on the different ta$s was eas+ and ?uic3. %irefox was a particu ar + good time sa1er when Ms Bates connected to the internet through her aptop>s dia =up modem. She fre?uent + had to do this whi e tra1e ing7 which meant that she was often in a hurr+7 $ut that she had a s ow internet connection. #+ opening mu tip e ta$s for $rowsing7 she found that $+ the time she had finished reading the text of the we$ page of the first ta$7 the text of a the other ta$s> we$ pages had finished oading. This is $ecause %irefox wor3s efficient + on mu tip e tas3s7 i3e oading other ta$s7 e1en as it remains responsi1e to +our main tas37 which is reading a particu ar we$ page. It a so a1oids wasting time $+ $ oc3ing the windows that pop up on some sites7 often ca ed pop=up windows. These are a most a wa+s ad1ertisements and Ms Bates was de ighted that she was no onger $othered $+ them.

Mr Salah &l'$in searches for meaning

,oog e is not the on + search engine that %irefox offers. C ic3 on the icon to see a ist of a ternati1es inc uded with %irefox and c ic3 on 5dd Cngines... to see a huge and expanding ist of other search engines 6(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e +ou can add. Mr Sa ah 5 =4in was de ighted to find the Ii3ipedia :www.wi3ipedia.org;. It meant that he cou d search this enc+c opaedia from the top right=hand corner of %irefox. There were a sorts of other enc+c opaedias for him to choose from7 inc uding 0owStuffIor3s :www.howstuffwor3s.com; and Microsoft Cncarta :http6..encarta.msn.com.;. 0e a so found a ist of dictionaries7 from which he chose the Ii3tionar+ :www.wi3tionar+.org;. Others on the ist inc uded the Cam$ridge 4ictionar+ :http6..dictionar+.cam$ridge.org; and the Merriam=Ie$ster Thesaurus :www.merriam=we$ster.com;. 0e made sure that a of the students> PCs had the enc+c opaedia and dictionar+ searches added.

$r $igitalis searches PubMed

Pu$Med :www.pu$med.go1; pro1ides the a$stracts of the papers from most modern $iomedica 8ourna s. It is run $+ the &S go1ernment>s -ationa Center for #iotechno og+ Information :-C#I;. 4r 4igita is had found it an in1a ua$ e resource when dea ing with unusua c inica pro$ ems $ecause she cou d find the 1er+ atest papers that cou d he p answer her ?uestions. &sing the 5dd Cngines... feature she added -C#I Pu$Med to her search engines7 speeding up her Pu$Med searches.

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#rowsing the we$ with %irefox She a so found Pu$Med Centra 2" and Pu$Med #oo3s26 as search engines for other -C#I too s. The first a owed searching papers for which the entire text was a1ai a$ e. This was 1er+ usefu $ecause her pri1ate practice had not +et su$scri$ed to man+ 8ourna s7 which had pre1ious + meant that 4r 4igita is cou d read on + the a$stracts for free and wou d ha1e to re?uest the fu copies from her oca medica i$rar+. Searching Pu$Med Centra meant that an+ papers that did appear wou d instant + $e a1ai a$ e free of charge. Pu$Med Centra ma3es a these papers a1ai a$ e $ecause the 8ourna s that pu$ ished them did so under an Open 5ccess icence :www.doa8.org;. This is the pu$ ishing wor d>s e?ui1a ent to %ree Software7 $ecause it means that there are no restrictions on the 1iewing and redistri$ution of the digita 1ersion of the papers. In 2))! the &S Congress passed egis ation so that papers from an+ research that recei1ed %edera funds wou d $e made a1ai a$ e through Pu$Med Centra in this wa+. The &9>s Par iament is a so oo3ing at simi ar egis ation for #ritish science7 as are the go1ernments of ,erman+7 %rance and @apan. 4r 4igita is found that the -C#I #oo3she f :GPu$Med #oo3sH; a so pro1ided an incredi$ e amount of free $iomedica information7 $ut in the form of text$oo3s. %or examp e7 the 0ST5T series of text$oo3s2' pro1ided &S go1ernment guide ines on the treatment of a wide range of diseases. She fre?uent + used the Pu$Med #oo3s search engine to
2" www.pu$medcentra .go1 26 http6..www.nc$i.n m.nih.go1.entreE.?uer+.fcgi2d$U#oo3s 2' http6..www.nc$i.n m.nih.go1.$oo3s.$1.fcgi2ca U$1.Liew..Sho wTOCRridUhstat.TOCRdepthU2

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e oo3 up $io ogica terms with which she was not fami iar. This ed her to text$oo3s i3e Str+er>s $iochemistry2* and #aron R Samue >s 1edical 1icro)iology2( $ecause the+ co1ered areas of medica science that were not her strongest. To her surprise7 the $oo3s were we =written and actua + en8o+a$ e to read7 a refreshing + different experience from her ear + +ears at medica schoo .

M. #raille downloads entire websites

/i3e Mr Sa ah 5 =4in7 M. #rai e added the Ii3ipedia search engine to the top right corner of %irefox7 $ut he used the %rench 1ersion of the enc+c opaedia :http6..fr.wi3ipedia.org;. 0owe1er7 his students cou d not use the enc+c opaedia7 nor e1en the we$ in genera 7 $ecause the schoo did not ha1e internet access. M. #rai e cou d use the internet in his home through his own PC and phone ine. Ihen he found a page that wou d $e usefu for his essons7 he se ected Sa1e Page 5s... from the %i e menu and %irefox wou d sa1e a cop+ of the page on his f opp+ dis3. M. #rai e wou d then ta3e the dis3 to schoo and cop+ the page from the dis3 to e1er+ computer. 0e was carefu to on + do this from sites that ga1e permission. 0e found man+ sites7 i3e the Ii3ipedia7 which used the ,-& %ree 4ocumentation /icense7 which ga1e him a the freedom he needed to ma3e copies in this wa+.
2* http6..www.nc$i.n m.nih.go1.$oo3s.$1.fcgi2ca U$1.Liew..Sho wTOCRridUstr+er.TOCRdepthU2 2( http6..www.nc$i.n m.nih.go1.$oo3s.$1.fcgi2ca U$1.Liew..Sho wTOCRridUmmed.TOCRdepthU2

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#rowsing the we$ with %irefox #ut soon he found that he wanted se1era re ated pages from each site and the process of sa1ing each indi1idua page was ength+ and $urdensome. SpiderEi a :http6..spiderEi a.moEde1.org; is an Cxtension that so 1es this pro$ em. #+ c ic3ing 4own oad this site from the Too s menu7 M. #rai e cou d down oad entire we$sites onto his computer. 0e cou d then cop+ these onto the computers at the schoo and the chi dren cou d $rowse around the sites without needing internet access.

Mr #ig+s team improves securit). creates boo%mar%s and designs a theme

Mr #ig>s Chief Techno og+ Officer was re ie1ed when the IT department insta ed %irefox on a the PCs in a the hote s. &sing %irefox rather than Internet Cxp orer remo1ed se1era important securit+ threats. It a so sa1ed the time of IT department staff who were ha1ing to constant + 3eep up with Microsoft>s securit+ patches for Internet Cxp orer and ensure that a of them were insta ed on a PCs. Iith this securit+ ris3 remo1ed7 the CTO fe t more confident a$out his p an to pro1ide computers for customers in a of the hote o$$ies. 0e wanted customers to $e a$ e to use the machines to get information a$out their hote and a$out the oca area. To achie1e this7 the IT staff changed the defau t starting we$ page for %irefox in each hote . The+ se ected Options... from the Too s menu and c ic3ed on ,enera . &nder 0ome Page7 the+ t+ped in the we$ address for the hote chain>s we$site7 then c ic3ed the O9 $utton. '3

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e This meant that when a customer $egan $rowsing the we$ on a PC in the hote o$$+7 the first we$ page to appear wou d $e the hote >s. If the customer wanted to get $ac3 to that page7 the+ cou d 8ust c ic3 the icon. The IT staff a so taught the hote staff how to add $oo3mar3s that wou d $e usefu to customers wanting to earn a$out the oca area. %or examp e7 the 5ashington 4ost>s oca e1ents page is usefu for hote s in the Iashington7 4C area. The easiest wa+ was to 1isit the right we$ page7 then c ic3 #oo3mar3 This Page... :see %igure 1(;. The customer cou d 1isit that we$ page again $+ c ic3ing on the #oo3mar3s menu and then on the we$ page>s name. The Themes feature in %irefox a ows changing the co ours and icons of the we$ $rowser. Se ecting ,et More Themes shows a ist of free + a1ai a$ e themes. Creating a theme ta3es a itt e more wor37 $ut the MoEi aVine we$site pro1ides c ear exp anations and examp es3).

Figure 1* +dding a )ookmark

-atura +7 the mar3eting department wanted to use this for $randing. Soon the hote had its own %irefox theme and it
3) http6..3$.moEi aEine.org.4e1T6TThemes

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#rowsing the we$ with %irefox was insta ed on a the machines in the o$$+.

*urther resources

MoEi a %irefox D www.moEi a.org.firefox Opera D www.opera.com ,oog e D www.goog e.com Ii3ipedia D www.wi3ipedia.org 0owStuffIor3s D www.howstuffwor3s.com MS- Cncarta D http6..encarta.msn.com. Ii3tionar+ D www.wi3tionar+.org Cam$ridge 4ictionar+ D http6..dictionar+.cam$ridge.org. Merriam=Ie$ster Thesaurus D www.merriam= we$ster.com Ie$site for this $oo3 D www.freedomsoftware.info Pu$Med Centra D www.pu$medcentra .go1 -C#I #oo3she f D http6..www.nc$i.n m.nih.go1.entreE.?uer+.fcgi2d$U#oo3s 4ictionar+ of Open 5ccess @ourna s D www.doa8.org G0ea th Ser1ices.Techno og+ 5ssessment Text :0ST5T;H7 -ationa /i$rar+ of Medicine 2))3. D http6..www.nc$i.n m.nih.go1.$oo3s.$1.fcgi2ca U$1.Liew ..ShowTOCRridUhstat.TOCRdepthU2 G#iochemistr+H $+ #erg7 T+mocE3o R Str+er. I0 %reeman R Compan+ 2))2. IS#- )'16'!6*!). http6..www.nc$i.n m.nih.go1.$oo3s.$1.fcgi2ca U$1.Liew ..ShowTOCRridUstr+er.TOCRdepthU2 '"

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

GMedica Micro$io og+H $+ #aron7 Samue . &ni1ersit+ of Texas 1((6. IS#- )(6311'211. http6..www.nc$i.n m.nih.go1.$oo3s.$1.fcgi2ca U$1.Liew ..ShowTOCRridUmmed.TOCRdepthU2 MoEi aVine artic e a$out creating themes D http6..3$.moEi aEine.org.4e1T6TThemes

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Using email with Thunderbird

5ccording to ,rant Thornton>s 2))" Internationa #usiness Owners Sur1e+ the a1erage &S $usiness owner spends two hours e1er+ da+ using emai . -or is this the highest a1erage D $usiness owners in the Phi ippines reported spending 2.1 hours per da+. The+ were a so high + optimistic a$out the internet7 *!N of them reporting that the internet had increased their re1enues. The %rench 1iew was more sceptica 7 on + 13N responding so positi1e + a$out the internet. 0owe1er7 the+ sti spent c ose to one hour per da+ using emai 31. Ihether +ou are of the %rench or the %i ipino schoo of thought7 it is c ear that the internet has an important ro e to p a+ in our institutions and man+ of us spend a significant part of each da+ reading and writing emai s. ,i1en this popu arit+ it is no surprise that spammers ha1e targeted emai as a wa+ to reach mi ions of peop e cheap +. Ihat is surprising is how ong so man+ peop e to erate using emai software that is 1u nera$ e to 1iruses. Microsoft>s Out oo3 and Out oo3 Cxpress are $+ far the most popu ar software too s for emai 7 $ut the+ ha1e a so $een the reason for the spread of the most de1astating 1iruses. Sasser7 # aster7 -achi and So$ig were notorious names in the ast two +ears7 affecting itera + mi ions of machines around the wor d. Of course part of the reason for their creation is that
31 WCmai W. 8conomist March 3rd 2))". www.economist.com.mar3ets.disp a+Stor+.cfm2stor+Tid U3'22''(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e ma icious creators of computer 1iruses target the most popu ar software to cause the most damage. #ut the other component is that Microsoft had made some uni?ue + $ad securit+ decisions32 in the past and the users of Out oo3 and Out oo3 Cxpress ha1e suffered $ecause of this. Cmai does not ha1e to $e this wa+ D and MoEi a>s %ree Software gi1es +ou impressi1e a ternati1es :www.moEi a.org.thunder$ird;.

32 %or examp e7 see6 http6..pcwor d.a$out.com.magaEine.1(1)p)"(id"'(63.htm http6..news.com.com.21))=1)23=*663)'.htm 2 egac+Ucnet and http6..secunia.com.ad1isories.11)6'.

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&sing emai with Thunder$ird Cxamp es 4r 4igita is switches to Thunder$ird and imports her o d emai messages :page '(; Mr Sa ah 5 =4in switches from POP to IM5P for accessing his emai at home :page *1; Mrs Shru$ reads the news with FSS :page *2; M. #rai e fi ters out his spam mai :page *"; Ms Bates uses extensions :page *'; Mr #ig uses MoEi a suite :page **;

$r $igitalis switches to Thunderbird and imports her old email messages

The Thunder$ird insta er automatica + as3s +ou if +ou want to import +our o d emai messages and settings. It can import data from Out oo37 Out oo3 Cxpress and Cudora7 as we as other emai software from MoEi a. This was a great re ief to 4r 4igita is as she was worried a$out her o d messages. #ecause she had so man+ o d emai s7 the process too3 a$out ha f an hour. 5fter this7 howe1er7 Thunder$ird was ?uite fast. In fact Thunder$ird indexes a emai messages in ad1ance so that searching through them is much faster than with Out oo3 or Out oo3 Cxpress. Bou can ?uic3 + find an emai $+ a particu ar person7 or with a particu ar phrase in the su$8ect7 $+ t+ping next to the icon.

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

Figure 2.: Thunder)ird stores your email in the 90ocuments and (ettings9 folder under your profile.

%ina +7 4r 4igita is was re ie1ed at how eas+ it is to $ac3 up messages. 5s %igure 2) shows the 4r 4igita is fo der is insider her computer>s 4ocuments and Settings fo der. This contains the 5pp ication 4ata fo der7 which contains the Thunder$ird fo der7 which in turn contains a her emai s. Ma3ing a $ac3up cop+ of this fo der meant that a her messages were $ac3ed up. This method is good for se1era reasons. %irst7 the fo der itse f is eas+ to find D Out oo3 Cxpress and Out oo3 use cr+ptic names for their storage. Second7 Out oo3 stores the messages for each user in 8ust one fi e. If an+ message in that fi e is corrupted7 the who e of the fi e D and a the messages it contains D can no onger $e opened. #ecause Thunder$ird creates a fo der on +our computer for each message fo der that +ou create in Thunder$ird from the %i e menu. Third7 $ac3ing up a fo der to a C4 can $e easier. If the siEe of a fi e exceeds that of +our $ac3up medium :around ')) M# for a C4; sp itting up that fi e is comp icated. #ecause Thunder$ird uses a fo der that contains se1era sma er fi es and fo ders7 it is more i3e + that each of these fi es wi fit inside +our $ac3up medium.

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&sing emai with Thunder$ird

Mr Salah &l'$in switches from POP to IM&P for accessing his email at home
Thunder$ird can connect to POP and IM5P emai ser1ers. POP stands for Post Office Protoco and is a common method for managing emai within an organisation. Commercia emai accounts from companies i3e BahooA and ,oog e a so pro1ide POP ser1ers for their customers. Mr Sa ah 5 =4in had a computer at home that he used to chec3 his emai outside of schoo hours. Initia +7 he had set up Thunder$ird so that it connects to the schoo >s POP e ectronic mai ser1er. 0owe1er7 the defau t for Thunder$ird and most emai software is to remo1e emai from a POP ser1er. In other words e1er+ time Mr Sa ah 5 =4in c ic3ed the ,et Mai $utton7 Thunder$ird down oaded messages from his POP ser1er to his computer then de eted the messages on the POP ser1er. This is usefu for sa1ing space on the POP ser1er. 0owe1er7 for Mr Sa ah 5 =4in this was a ma8or incon1enience D as soon as he chec3ed his emai on his home PC it wou d not $e a1ai a$ e the next da+ on his wor3 PC. 5nd at home he cou d not access an+ of the messages that had $een down oaded to his PC at wor3 ear ier during the da+. Initia + the so ution was to switch off the de etion using the 5ccount Settings item from the Too s menu. 0owe1er7 an e1en $etter so ution was possi$ e when the schoo switched to using IM5P :Internet Message 5ccess Protoco ; rather than POP for running the emai ser1er. %irst7 a most as soon as an emai arri1ed for Mr Sa ah 5 =4in on *1

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e the schoo >s emai ser1er7 it appeared on the PC he was using. 0e no onger needed to c ic3 the ,et Mai $utton. Second7 the message was not de eted from the ser1er when it appeared on his computer D rather7 Thunder$ird ga1e Mr Sa ah 5 =4in direct access to what was on the ser1er. This meant that the messages that Mr Sa ah 5 =4in read in the e1ening on his home PC were a1ai a$ e for him to see the next da+ on his wor3 PC. In addition7 the Thunder$ird interface on $oth machines indicated which messages he had a read+ read7 $ecause their tit es were not in $o d text :see %igure 21;. The icon showed which messages he had rep ied to the night $efore.

Figure 21: Thunder)ird uses )old text to indicate messages that ha2e not yet )een read

In fact7 Thunder$ird 3eeps a cop+ of the messages sent on the IM5P ser1er7 so no matter which computer Mr Sa ah 5 = 4in used for sending and recei1ing his messages he wou d a wa+s $e a$ e to see a of these messages. %ina +7 he insta ed Thunder$ird onto his aptop. The 5ccount Settings dia ogue inc uded an option to 3eep an off ine cop+ of the mai from the IM5P ser1er. This a owed Mr Sa ah 5 =4in to see his o d emai messages e1en whi e not connected to the internet.

Mrs Shrub reads the news with /SS

Thunder$ird offers a usefu wa+ of getting the news. This is $ecause man+ we$sites offer FSS 1ersions of their news stories and *2

&sing emai with Thunder$ird Thunder$ird can use FSS to co ect those stories. FSS stands for the Fea + Simp e S+ndication7 $ut the name $e ies the power that it offers and the professiona ism of the organisations that offer it. Mrs Shru$ i3ed to start her da+ $+ reading the newspapers whi e watching the ##C>s news on TL. She was intrigued to earn that the ##C offers FSS feeds from its news site33 :see %igure 22;. To use FSS7 oo3 out for the icon in %irefox. C ic3 on it with the right mouse $utton and se ect Cop+ /in3 /ocation. In Thunder$ird7 c ic3 on Manage Su$scriptions7 then 5dd and paste the address of the in3 +ou copied in %irefox. 5fter +ou c ic3 the O9 $utton Thunder$ird $egins down oading the stories. 5s soon as the ##C pu$ ished a new stor+7 it wou d appear on Mrs Shru$>s FSS account in Thunder$ird. The ##C site a so offers se1era news categories7 from which she se ected G-ews %ront PageH7 G&9H7 G#usinessH and GPo iticsH :see %igure 22;. Other sites offer an e1en greater choice. %or examp e7 Moreo1er3! pro1ides o1er 33) news categories7 inc uding GTop &9 storiesH7 which co ects stories from the &9>s newspapers. Once she understood the significance of the icon Mrs Shru$ $egan spotting it e1er+where7 inc uding the we$sites of C--3" and The ,ew -ork Times3#. Some consu ting
33 http6..news.$$c.co.u3.2.hi.he p.3223!*!.stm 3! http6..w.moreo1er.com.new.other.categoriesTrss.htm 3" www.cnn.com.ser1ices.rss. 36 www.n+times.com.ser1ices.xm .rss.

*3

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e companies7 i3e the Oxford #usiness ,roup3'7 used the icon instead.

Figure 22: The $$&'s news site makes :(( feeds a2aila)le at http:;;news.))c.co.uk;1;hi;help;rss;3223 ' .stm

This is the icon that she found on man+ $ ogs D on ine diaries D that she en8o+ed reading. One of these was the $ og3* of Margot Ia strXm7 the Lice=President of the Curopean Commission. 0er site had de1e oped a o+a readership and seemed a pu$ ic re ations triumph. Mrs Shru$ wondered if she cou d create a simi ar $ og to reach her 1oters in /ondon.
3' www.oxford$usinessgroup.com 3* http6..we$ og.8rc.cec.eu.int.page.wa strom

*!

&sing emai with Thunder$ird

M. #raille filters out his spam mail

Sad +7 ha1ing an emai address means recei1ing 8un3 emai s. 0owe1er7 when Thunder$ird co ects +our emai messages +ou wi notice that man+ of the spammers> messages ha1e a icon. This is Thunder$ird>s @un3 Mai Contro ... at wor3. 0owe1er7 not a the 8un3 messages wi ha1e the icon. Se ect each of these and c ic3 the @un3 $utton at the top of the window. Con1erse +7 some messages wi ha1e $een identified wrong + as 8un3 mai . Se ect each of these and c ic3 the -ot @un3 $utton. 5 though M. #rai e recei1ed man+ messages e1er+ da+ from fami +7 friends and co=wor3ers7 he recei1ed e1en more 8un3 messages from spammers. 5fter a few da+s of manua + o1erriding the 8un3 status that Thunder$ird had assigned to each of his messages he noticed that the program>s accurac+ was impro1ing. This is $ecause the 8un3 mai feature changes its ru es to match more c ose + the 8udgement of the user. It a so refrains from a$e ing as 8un3 mai an+ messages that come from emai addresses that are a read+ contained in +our address $oo3. Thunder$ird has a su$t e feature for $ oc3ing the efforts of spammers D it does not automatica + show the pictures in an emai if the picture was not inc uded with the emai . This is $ecause some spammers simp + inc ude a reference to a picture in the mass emai s that the+ send out. Some emai software automatica + fo ows those references7 connecting to the internet to get a cop+ of the pictures and then disp a+ing it. 0owe1er7 as soon as the software connects to the internet it confirms to the spammer that the emai address *"

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e is a egitimate one. The spammer targets confirmed emai addresses e1en more strong +. #+ not automatica + fo owing such references Thunder$ird pre1ents the confirmation that spammers thri1e on. The Show Images $utton a ows manua o1erriding in each message :see %igure 23;.

Figure 23: To protect against spammers Thunder)ird does not automatically show remote images. &lick the 9(how 3mages9 )utton to o2erride this.

Soon M. #rai e trusted the software enough D it did not a$e e1er+thing correct + as 8un3 mai 7 $ut it stopped incorrect + a$e ing an+ of his egitimate messages as 8un3 mai . %rom the Too s menu he se ected @un3 Mai Contro s... and switched on automatic message hand ing. This meant that Thunder$ird automatica + mo1ed 8un3 mai messages to a separate fo der7 c earing his In$ox. Inspired $+ this automation M. #rai e $egan reading a$out the Message %i ters... command in the Too s menu. This a ows setting ru es for hand ing new messages. 0e added a ru e so that Thunder$ird automatica + mo1ed e1er+ message from his co eagues at the charit+ to a fo der he ca ed GCharit+H. 0e created another fo der ca ed G/it= IdeasH. This was for messages that he recei1ed from the /it= Ideas mai ing ist3(7 an entertaining discussion ist for uni1ersit+ professors in the humanities to discuss the impact of techno og+. C1er+ message that came from the ist inc uded GY it=ideasZH in the su$8ect. M. #rai e created a fi ter that automatica + identified these messages $+ their su$8ect and copied them to the G/it=ideasH fo der.
3( www.free ists.org. ist. it=ideas

*6

&sing emai with Thunder$ird

Ms (ates uses e"tensions

Ms Bates had used se1era extensions for %irefox. She was de ighted that extensions were a so a1ai a$ e for Thunder$ird from the Too s menu. The first extension that she insta ed was a dictionar+!) D this a owed her to oo3 up the definitions of technica words in her messages. 5nother extension a owed her to contro her iTunes music p a+er and most other music p a+ers7 inc uding the %ree Software Vinf!1. This was important $ecause she spent a ot of time e1er+ da+ reading and writing her emai s and she i3ed to do so with music p a+ing in the $ac3ground. The extension>s contro s were a1ai a$ e in e1er+ Thunder$ird window7 meaning that she cou d fast=forward7 rewind7 pause7 p a+ and change the 1o ume without switching awa+ from the message she was reading. 5nother 1ersion of the extension ga1e her the same contro s on %irefox as we !2. -ew extensions are a wa+s $eing added and Ms Bates wanted to 3eep trac3 of a them. She found the MoEi a %oundation>s FSS feed a$out new extensions!3.

!) https6..addons.update.moEi a.org.extensions.moreinfo.php2idU 6*Rapp icationUthunder$ird !1 https6..addons.update.moEi a.org.extensions.moreinfo.php2idU 21(Rapp icationUthunder$ird !2 https6..addons.update.moEi a.org.extensions.moreinfo.php2idU 21(Rapp icationUfirefox !3 https6..addons.update.moEi a.org.rss.2app icationUthunder$ird Rt+peUCR istUnewest

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

Mr #ig uses Mo0illa suite

One of the 3e+ strengths of Microsoft Out oo3 is its ca endar. This feature is not inc uded in the defau t insta ation of Thunder$ird. Se1era %ree Software options are a1ai a$ e. One is to use Thunder$ird>s extensions. %or examp e7 the MoEi a Ca endar extension!! adds a Ca endar command to the Too s menu. The ca endar icon can a so $e added to the too $ar :see %igure 2!;. The Pa mS+nc extension!" further strengthens Thunder$ird>s address $oo3 $+ a owing its s+nchronisation with Pa m Powered handhe d computers.

Figure 2 : The &alendar extension's icon can )e added )y right< clicking onto the tool)ar and selecting &ustomi=e...

0owe1er7 other %ree Software too s are a1ai a$ e that were designed with ca endar integration as a 3e+ feature rather than an afterthought. %or examp e7 the Open Source 5pp ication %oundation is creating Chand er :www.osafoundation.org;7 with an impressi1e 1ision for persona information management. 0owe1er7 it is sti under de1e opment and a sta$ e 1ersion is not +et a1ai a$ e. On the other hand Pimian C1o ution is mature software that is simi ar to Out oo3 in functiona it+ and user interface $ut superior in securit+ :www.ximian.com;. It a so integrates
!! http6..www.moEi a.org.pro8ects.ca endar. !" http6..3$.moEi aEine.org.Thunder$irdT6T%5SsT6TPa mS+nc

**

&sing emai with Thunder$ird into the Microsoft Cxchange emai ser1er7 a owing group ca endar functiona it+. 0owe1er7 it is on + a1ai a$ e for computers running ,-&./inux7 not Iindows. In the end Mr #ig chose the MoEi a Suite :www.moEi a.org.products.moEi a1.x.;7 after which the MoEi a foundation was origina + named. Its integration is e1en greater than Out oo3>s7 com$ining we$ $rowsing7 emai hand ing7 FSS reading7 ca endar functiona it+ and we$ page creation. 5nd $ecause it is $ased on the MoEi a %oundation>s techno og+7 it can use the same extensions that are a1ai a$ e for %irefox and Thunder$ird.

*urther resources

MoEi a Thunder$ird D www.moEi a.org.thunder$ird ##C -ews FSS feeds D http6..news.$$c.co.u3.2.hi.he p.3223!*!.stm Moreo1er news FSS feeds D http6..w.moreo1er.com.new.other.categoriesTrss.htm C-- FSS feeds D www.cnn.com.ser1ices.rss. ,ew -ork Times FSS feeds D www.n+times.com.ser1ices.xm .rss. Oxford #usiness ,roup D www.oxford$usinessgroup.com Margot Ia strXm>s $ og D http6..we$ og.8rc.cec.eu.int.page.wa strom 4ictionar+Search extension D https6..addons.update.moEi a.org.extensions.moreinfo.ph p2idU6*Rapp icationUthunder$ird *(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

%ox+Tunes extension for Thunder$ird D https6..addons.update.moEi a.org.extensions.moreinfo.ph p2idU21(Rapp icationUthunder$ird %ox+Tunes extension for %irefox D https6..addons.update.moEi a.org.extensions.moreinfo.ph p2idU21(Rapp icationUfirefox Thunder$ird new extensions FSS feed D https6..addons.update.moEi a.org.rss.2app icationUthunde r$irdRt+peUCR istUnewest Ca endar extension D www.moEi a.org.pro8ects.ca endar. Pa mS+nc extension D http6..3$.moEi aEine.org.Thunder$irdT6T%5SsT6TPa mS+ nc Open Source 5pp ication %oundation Chand er D www.osafoundation.org Pimian C1o ution D www.ximian.com MoEi a Suite D www.moEi a.org.products.moEi a1.x.

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,reating a basic website

In 2))!7 9ing Sihanou3 of Cam$odia a$dicated his throne!6. The wor d and his par iamentarians7 found out a$out this through his persona we$site :www.norodomsihanou3.info;. 4uring 2))37 Sa am Pax :http6..dearTraed.$ ogspot.com.; descri$ed to readers around the wor d his dai + experiences during the fighting $etween the &S and Saddam>s arm+. 5nd in 2))"7 #oing#oing :www.$oing$oing.net; continues to fascinate as Ga director+ of wonderfu thingsH. 5 we$site is a great wa+ to share information with others around the wor d. To create a we$site7 +ou need three things. %irst7 +ou need content in the form of we$pages. Iriting a we$page is simp er than writing a word processing document7 so if +ou are comforta$ e with OpenOffice.org Iriter then +ou wi find creating a we$page is eas+. Second7 +ou need a computer to store the we$pages for +our readers. This is ca ed a we$ser1er. Funning +our own we$ser1er is expensi1e and can $e a fu =time 8o$. #ut renting a we$ser1er is eas+ and afforda$ e and some companies e1en offer the ser1ice free of charge. The companies that rent out parts of their we$ser1er to host +our we$site are ca ed we$hosts. Third7 +ou need a we$ address so that other peop e using the we$ can find the we$ser1er containing +our we$pages. Cxamp es of we$ addresses inc ude www.freedomsoftware.info for this $oo3. The address a so a ows others to emai +ou. %or examp e7 +ou can
!6 www.economist.com.disp a+stor+.cfm2stor+TidU311!62 2

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e emai me at mo[freedomsoftware.info. The costs of these steps are constant + dropping7 the ease of starting is constant + impro1ing and this chapter wi dem+stif+ the $asics. Ihat is most important to earn from this chapter is that there are man+ possi$i ities for +our own we$site. Cach of the characters uses their site for different reasons and +ou wi ha1e reasons of +our own. It is a common reaction to fee sh+ a$out setting up +our own we$site for the first time. 0owe1er7 we a ha1e something to te others a$out7 whether it is our da+>s e1ents for fami + and friends to read a$out7 or our professiona expertise for co eagues to earn from. Bou ma+ fee scared a$out the ris3s and wor3 oad of +our we$site and +ou are right to thin3 ahead. There are four points to mention. %irst7 a1oid putting information on the internet that +ou do not want e2eryone to earn a$out. It is possi$ e to secure +our we$site so that on + certain users can read it7 $ut this ta3es some 3now edge and is ne1er without ris3s. So stic3 to sanitised information7 at east at the start. In other words7 do not $roadcast +our o1e ife7 or +our comp aints a$out +our $oss. On the other hand these topics ma3e for some of the most charming and compe ing reading materia on the we$ and in time +ou wi gain the confidence to discuss them in a wa+ that minimises the ris3s to +ou. Second7 running a we$ser1er is often a fu =time 8o$ $ecause of the constant attac3s from ma icious computer users. 0owe1er7 $+ renting a we$ser1er +ou a1oid a these headaches as there are professiona s ta3ing the oad for +ou. On a good we$host>s we$site +ou wi see a guarantee of at east G((.(N uptimeH7 which means that the+ wi ensure that their we$ser1er ma3es +our we$site a1ai a$ e at east ((.(N (2

Creating a $asic we$site of the +ear. In a sing e +ear7 +our we$site wi $e wor3ing for a most e1er+ sing e hour of e1er+ sing e da+7 fa tering for no more than ( hours in tota . Third7 writing for the we$ is different from traditiona writing. 4r. @a3o$ -ie son has exce ent introductor+ artic es!' a$out this7 whi e 4an #ri3 in>s site pro1ides a wonderfu guide :www.gooddocuments.com; from a pioneer. %ina +7 the wor3 oad of creating and maintaining a site can $ui d up7 especia + as +ou come to en8o+ writing and +our we$site>s 1isitors en8o+ reading. On the other hand7 that ma+ not $e a $ad thing. #ut start with a simp e site and s ow + add content to it. Ihat most often astonishes new authors is how ?uic3 + the content on their we$site grows. M+ persona we$site :www.mo.md; $egan as a sing e artic e that I wrote a$out handhe d computers. I $egan occasiona + adding artic es7 unti a medica compan+ noticed it and commissioned a ten= part series from me. Soon I had readers from around the wor d and in time I decided that I had enough materia for a $oo3. G0andhe d Computers for 4octorsH was the resu t :www.handhe dsfordoctors.com;.

!' www.useit.com.papers.we$writing.

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e Cxamp es Mr Sa ah 5 =4in and his students use OpenOffice.org for simp e we$sites :page (!; Ms Bates uses -L& to create her compan+>s we$site :page ('; M. #rai e uses Pa+Pa and 5maEon to co ect donations through his we$site :page ((; Mrs Shru$ uses Ci1icSpace to $ og :page 1)2; 4r 4igita is uses IordPress to create a $ og a$out acupuncture :page 1)3; Mr #ig>s emp o+ees use IordPress $ ogs to 3eep co eagues informed :page 1)!;

Mr Salah &l'$in and his students use OpenOffice.org for simple websites
To create +our first we$page +ou on + need OpenOffice.org. %rom the %i e menu se ected -ew then 0TM/ 4ocument. 0TM/ is an a$$re1iation of 0+perText Mar3up /anguage7 which is the name the Sir Tim #erners=/ee had gi1en to the anguage he in1ented $ac3 in 1(*( and a we$pages are written in 0TM/. Mr Sa ah 5 =4in>s schoo a read+ had a we$site7 $ut it consisted of 8ust a few pages. Mr Sa ah 5 =4in wanted to gi1e each of his students some space on the schoo we$site so that the+ cou d express themse 1es and impro1e their writing s3i s. #ecause the schoo a read+ had a we$ser1er and a we$ address7 a Mr Sa ah 5 =4in had to worr+ a$out was the (!

Creating a $asic we$site too s for creating the extra we$pages. OpenOffice.org 0TM/ editor is eas+ to use $ecause its icons are identica to those of OpenOffice.org Iriter. Bou can ma3e text bold7 italici=ed or under ined $+ c ic3ing on the 7 and icons respecti1e +. Inserting images in a document is a so simi ar to OpenOffice.org Iriter6 se ect ,raphics... from the Insert menu. 0owe1er7 there is one important difference. It is $etter for the image fi e to a read+ $e in the same fo der as the 0TM/ fi e. Bou can a so create h+per in3s to other we$pages. %rom the Insert menu se ect 0+per in3. If the h+per in3 is to another we$page in the same we$site7 c ic3 on the 4ocument icon on the eft hand side7 then the icon in the top right corner :see %igure 2";.

Figure 2" The hyperlink dialogue

%or examp e7 one student created se1era we$pages in her fo der7 each containing a sing e essa+. The student then created a sing e page with the tit es of a the essa+s. %or each tit e7 she se ected its text then inserted a h+per in3 to the we$page with the fu essa+. 5nd on e1er+ essa+>s ("

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e we$page she wrote G0omeH at the top of the page and inserted a h+per in3 to the page isting a the essa+s. In this wa+ her parents cou d start with that page7 c ic3 on the tit e of e1er+ essa+ that the+ wanted to read and c ic3 on G0omeH to get $ac3 to the ist when the+ had finished reading an essa+. To in3 to an+ other we$page on the internet7 c ic3 on the Internet icon on the eft hand side. Then t+pe in the address of the we$page into the Target fie d and c ic3 the 5pp + $utton. %or examp e7 another student i3ed to ?uote a ot of references in his essa+s. Man+ of those references were a1ai a$ e on the internet7 so he se ected the tit e of each reference and inserted a h+per in3 to the we$site with the fu text. Other references were to $oo3s that were not a1ai a$ e on the we$7 so the student created in3s to the 5maEon.com pages that contained more information a$out the $oo3s. #+ fo owing a in3 the reader wou d find re1iews of the $oo37 find out information a$out its pu$ isher and $u+ it. 0owe1er7 OpenOffice.org is on + capa$ e of $asic 0TM/. %or more sophisticated a+out or ad1anced 0TM/ features the students needed more professiona 0TM/ editing software. The students $egan reading $oo3s a$out we$page design!* and searching the internet for more information!(. That is how the+ found out a$out -L&.

!* GCreate Bour Own Ie$site :&sing Ihat Bou 5 read+ 9now;H $+ Scott Mitche . Sams 2))!. IS#- )6'232662). !( www.w3schoo s.com.htm .defau t.asp

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Creating a $asic we$site

Ms (ates uses N1U to create her compan)+s website

Bou can get a we$ address in ten minutes for ess than <1) per +ear. T+pe in the name of +our organisation as one word at www. godadd+.com then c ic3 the Search $utton :see %igure 26;. There are se1era a ternati1e endings for +our we$ address. %or examp e7 .com is for companies with g o$a customers7 .co.u3 is for &9 companies and .org is for non=profit organisations"). Ms Bates $ought a .com address. Iithin !* hours her address was wor3ing. She ordered some new $usiness cards that inc uded her we$site and emai addresses. %or a we$host7 she chose Site,round :www.siteground.com;. 5 t+pica Site,round account costs <6) for each +ear>s ser1ice. This inc udes 1 ,# of space7 which is enough for detai ed photographs. The performance of the site is good enough for starting and wou d cope with Ms Bates>s expanding needs for at east the first few +ears. %ina +7 for writing the we$pages7 she chose -L& :www.n1u.com;. It a ows more sophisticated page design than OpenOffice.org as it can hand e ta$ es"1. -L& a so copes $etter than OpenOffice.org does with mu tip e inter in3ed we$pages. 5s +our site expands7 +ou wi rearrange and reorganise the we$pages. -L& automatica + updates the in3s $etween the pages.
") G,etting an internet addressH $+ Mohammad 5 =&$a+d i. $16 &areer Focus 2))". www.mo.md.id1'!.htm "1 www.w3schoo s.com.htm .htm Tta$ es.asp

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

Figure 2#: &hoosing a we)site address >www.goddady.com?

Figure 2%: (ite7round's Fantastico allows easy installation of many Free (oftware tools for your we)site

%ina +7 -L& can cop+ the we$pages from +our computer to +our we$host>s ser1er. Bou wi need some detai s from +our we$host and Site,round inc udes these in the we come emai +ou recei1e on setting up +our account. Cnter these detai s into -L& using the Cdit sites $utton on the eft hand side :see %igure 2*;. The software is simi ar enough to OpenOffice.org to use comforta$ + for writing. 0owe1er7 designing the correct a+out ta3es some more effort. The easiest wa+ to get started is to use %irefox and find some we$sites that +ou i3e. %rom the %irefox %i e menu se ect Sa1e Page 5s... to sa1e a cop+ (*

Creating a $asic we$site of the we$page on +our computer. Then Open the cop+ in -L& and customise it to suit +our needs.

Figure 2': ,@A

M. #raille uses Pa)Pal and &ma0on to collect donations through his website
Two companies ma3e it eas+ to recei1e credit card pa+ments through +our we$site6 5maEon :www.amaEon.com; and Pa+Pa :www.pa+pa .com;. 5round the wor d mi ions of peop e trust these companies to hand e their on ine transactions. M. #rai e wanted to use his we$site to raise mone+ for his charit+. 0e $ought an address ending in .org and created ((

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e three documents. %or the first he used OpenOffice.org Iriter to create the comp ete $rochure a$out the charit+ with photographs of the chi dren7 the schoo and its staff. 0e then exported the document in P4% format. %or the second document he used -L& to create the main we$page of his we$site. It a so contained a h+per in3 to the P4% document that he had created and another to the down oad site for 5do$e Feader"2. The former in3 wou d a ow 1isitors to his site to get the $rochure a$out the charit+>s wor3 and the atter ensured that an+ 1isitors who did not ha1e 5do$e Feader software cou d down oad a free cop+ $efore dow oading the $rochure. To hand e the donation through Pa+Pa he used his charit+>s $an3 account in %rance. 0e registered with Pa+Pa >s %rench site :www.pa+pa .com.fr.; and waited for a few da+s whi e the compan+ 1erified his $an3 account detai s. /ogging in to Pa+Pa >s site he was a$ e to access its Outi s marchand :merchant too s; section to create pa+ment $uttons :see %igure 2(;. %or each $utton he specified the currenc+ and amount of pa+ment.

Figure 2*: 4ay4al offers se2eral payment )uttons

Ihene1er a user c ic3s one of these $uttons Pa+Pa wou d guide them through the pa+ment process7 transferring the appropriate amount in the appropriate currenc+ from the donor>s $an3 account to that of M. #rai e>s charit+.
"2 www.ado$e.com.products.acro$at.readstep2.htm

1))

Creating a $asic we$site M. #rai e used Pa+Pa to create $uttons for the Curo7 Pound Ster ing and &S 4o ar currencies. %or each currenc+ he created three e1e s of pa+ment. 5t the end7 Pa+Pa pro1ided him with the 0TM/ code for nine pa+ment $uttons. 0e copied these codes into -L& under the heading G4onate using Pa+Pa H. The fina page that he created7 again using -L&7 was a GThan3 +ouH page. This was the page that Pa+Pa wou d show to donors after the+ had comp eted their donation and a owed M. #rai e to than3 the donor in %rench and in Cng ish. %or 5maEon donations he used 5maEon>s 0onor S+stem feature. This re?uired him to ha1e an 5merican $an3 account to recei1e deposits so he pro1ided the detai s of a sister charit+ in the &S5. 5t the end of this 5maEon presented him with 0TM/ code7 i3e Pa+Pa >s7 that he added to his we$page in -L&. &nderneath the 5maEon donation $utton he inc uded the ")1:c;:3; information a$out the 5merican charit+. This wou d a ow 5mericans to count their donation as tax= deducti$ e. The $eaut+ of this s+stem was its ow cost. 5nnua +7 the charit+ had to pa+ around <1)) for the domain name and hosting. %urthermore7 Pa+Pa and 5maEon do not charge an+ setup fees7 simp + ta3ing around "N of each donation. @ust <1)" in donations wou d ha1e made the site se f=financing. #ut as it happened7 the site $ecame ?uite profita$ e7 attracting interest and donors from around the wor d7 inc uding peop e that the charit+>s %rench posta mai ings had not pre1ious + reached.

1)1

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

Mrs Shrub uses ,ivicSpace to blog

The 2))! &S presidentia e ections demonstrated the use of we$ ogs $+ the po itica candidates. Ie$ ogs D or $ ogs7 as the+>re common + 3nown D are we$sites in which the author can 3eep a og of e1ents and their thoughts a$out these e1ents. To a reader a $ og is a we$page with se1era entries. Cach has a date7 a tit e and some text. The newest entries are at the top and the o dest at the $ottom. Feaders of $ ogs i3e them $ecause the+ can easi + see the atest entries D in the &S e ections candidates p aced their opinions a$out the most recent issues and pro1ided in3s to more detai ed information. Loters were a$ e to fo ow these to ma3e informed decisions. 5uthors of $ ogs i3e them $ecause the+ ma3e writing eas+ D a +ou wou d need is a we$ $rowser with access to the internet. Bou can access +our own $ og7 og in and fi out a new entr+. %or po iticians tra1e ing around the &S5 this was a godsend. %urthermore7 the structure of a $ og means that the author does not ha1e to worr+ a$out the a+out7 on + the writing. These efforts contri$uted to 0oward 4ean>s a$i it+ to raise se1era mi ion do ars. & timate +7 4ean fai ed to secure the nomination of his part+7 osing to @ohn 9err+. 0owe1er7 the software that his team had de1e oped continued to $e de1e oped e1en after his campaign ended. -ow ca ed Ci1icSpace :www.ci1icspace a$s.org;7 it is a1ai a$ e as %ree Software and de1e opers around the wor d ha1e 8oined the effort to impro1e its features.

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Creating a $asic we$site Mrs Shru$ was ha fwa+ through her term which meant that she wou d soon $egin campaigning again. %or now7 she had enough time to earn to write her $ og and for her team to $egin forging re ationships with the authors of other $ ogs.

$r $igitalis uses -ordPress to create a blog about acupuncture

5 3e+ ad1antage of choosing Site,round for we$ hosting is its %antastico contro pane :see %igure 2';. It a ows +ou to ?uic3 + and easi + insta a who e range of %ree Software. This inc udes the IordPress $ ogging software :www.wordpress.org;. 4r 4igita is wanted to write a $ og to 3eep trac3 of de1e opments in acupuncture and store in3s to the artic es that she found usefu . %rom godadd+.com she $ought an address ending in .info. In her Site,round account she insta ed IordPress. C1er+ da+7 during her reading of the atest iterature7 she wou d pic3 a few artic es a$out which she wou d write. %or each she inc uded a in3 to the artic e7 a few choice ?uotes from its text and her own comment on the artic e. This was usefu for her memor+. %irst7 $ecause she had spent this effort on each artic e she found it easier to remem$er the contents of the artic e on future occasions. %urthermore7 IordPress indexes a the entries and pro1ides a search $ox. She cou d enter into the search $ox the 3e+words of the artic e that she was interested in finding and IordPress wou d show a ist of the $ og entries that inc uded these 3e+words. The more detai she inc uded in each of her entries the easier it was to find the artic e again. 1)3

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e In time7 howe1er7 other doctors found the $ og usefu . Man+ of them were ,Ps and found the $ac3ground exp anations that she ga1e to $e usefu and entertaining. The+7 in turn7 recommended it to other co eagues. %or this 3ind of recommendation it was important that the we$ address that she had chosen was short and memora$ e. Ihat 4r 4igita is had not expected was the num$er of new referra s coming her wa+ $ecause of the $ og. #+ pro1iding an educationa ser1ice she was a so demonstrating to other ,Ps her 3now edge and her a$i it+ to exp ain things c ear + to patients that the ,Ps wou d send. 5 this without ad1ertising.

Mr #ig+s emplo)ees use -ordPress blogs to %eep colleagues informed

More and more $usinesses are finding the ad1antages of $ ogs written $+ emp o+ees for interna communication. IordPress a ows the creation of different user accounts and different entr+ categories. The manager of the San %rancisco hote showed Mr #ig the emp o+ee $ ogs. &sing an interna ser1er7 a1ai a$ e on + to emp o+ees within the hote >s networ37 the team had insta ed IordPress. This meant that each of the senior emp o+ees cou d write entries a$out their own department>s wor3. %or each entr+ IordPress wou d disp a+ the name of the author as we as its date. The author wou d a so tic3 the categories to which the entr+ was most appropriate7 for examp e GmaintenanceH7 Groom ser1iceH7 Gcustomer feed$ac3H and so on. This was a great wa+ to communicate amongst the different 1)!

Creating a $asic we$site emp o+ees who wor3ed different shifts in different parts of the hote . If an emp o+ee wanted to chec3 on the progress of a particu ar item of maintenance the+ wou d search the $ og. Some emp o+ees found this so usefu that the+ too3 ad1antage of the FSS feature on IordPress. This wou d a ow them to su$scri$e to the $ og in Thunder$ird7 to recei1e a the entries. 5t the start of their shift the+ wou d spend around 1" minutes reading a that had gone on in the pre1ious shift. Mr #ig ordered that IordPress $e insta ed on a the interna ser1ers of a the hote s. The regiona managers found the+ cou d su$scri$e to the FSS feeds of a the hote s that the+ were responsi$ e for. The other emp o+ees around the wor d too3 some training $efore the+ understood the $enefits D not a of them were i3e the technophi es of San %rancisco. #ut soon the+ too found the act of documentation and the ease of searching others> documentation to $e usefu . In fact the pendu um $egan swinging too much in that direction with some managers as3ing that e1er+ emp o+ee use the $ og. This was possi$ e in the hote s that pro1ided computers and internet connections in e1er+ room6 8unior emp o+ees that wor3ed on indi1idua f oors cou d ogin to IordPress using the computers in customers> rooms and document their progress during the da+. 0owe1er7 the pro$ em with this was the information o1er oad. Fegiona managers su$scri$ing to the FSS feeds of a hote >s $ og were f ooded with entries announcing that the c eaning of a particu ar f oor>s rooms had $een comp eted. The compan+>s po ic+ $ecame that the main $ og was for senior emp o+ees. Cach hote manager cou d then choose to 1)"

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e ha1e another cop+ of IordPress for 8unior emp o+ees. This wou d on + $e of interest to that hote >s emp o+ees $ut a owed those emp o+ees the freedom to use it in the wa+ that suited their wor3 ha$its. 5t an+ rate the experiment was now enough of a success that Mr #ig was oo3ing for other so utions that %ree Software cou d $ring to his we$ ser1ers. Perhaps San %rancisco wou d show the wa+ again.

*urther resources

9ing Sihanou3>s we$site D www.norodomsihanou3.info Sa am Pax>s $ og D http6..dearTraed.$ ogspot.com. #oing#oing D www.$oing$oing.net %ree Software for #us+ Peop e we$site D www.freedomsoftware.info GIriting for the Ie$H artic e $+ 4r. @a3o$ -ie sen D www.useit.com.papers.we$writing. 4an #ri3 in>s guide ines for we$ writing D www.gooddocuments.com Mohammad 5 =&$a+d i>s we$site D www.mo.md G0andhe d Computers for 4octorsH $+ Mohammad 5 = &$a+d i. Ii e+ 2))3. IS#- )!')*"*(() D www.handhe dsfordoctors.com GCreate Bour Own Ie$site :&sing Ihat Bou 5 read+ 9now;H $+ Scott Mitche . Sams 2))!. IS#)6'232662). 0TM/ tutoria D http6..www.w3schoo s.com.htm . ,o4add+ D www.godadd+.com

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Creating a $asic we$site

G,etting an internet addressH $+ Mohammad 5 =&$a+d i. #M@ Career %ocus 2))" 33)6 13). www.mo.md.id1'!.htm 0TM/ ta$ es tutoria D www.w3schoo s.com.htm .htm Tta$ es.asp 5maEon D www.amaEon.com Pa+Pa D www.pa+pa .com Ci1ic Space D www.ci1icspace a$s.org IordPress D www.wordpress.org

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,reating a large website

5maEon is more than a $oo3shop D it is your $oo3shop. 5fter a few 1isits to and purchases from the site7 it $egins to inc ude recommendations that are eeri + attuned to +our tastes. #ut when 3 1isit the site I see different recommendations7 ones that are tai ored to m+ tastes rather than +ours. 5nd when +our friend 1isits the site the+ wi see recommendations that are a so uni?ue to them. This is a possi$ e $ecause 5maEon>s we$site is $ui t on a data$ase. 5 data$ase is a p ace to store data D thin3 of it as an e ectronic fi ing ca$inet. 5maEon co ects a sorts of data a$out +ou7 inc uding +our $i ing address and orders of course7 $ut a so +our rating of these $oo3s and e1en $oo3 in3s +ou c ic3 on. It a so compares data a$out +ou with data a$out other customers and uses that to generate more data. 5 of 5maEon>s pages are shown to +ou after consu ting the data$ase. If +ou are ordering a $oo3 5maEon shows +ou pre1ious de i1er+ addresses that +ou used7 in case +ou want to use one of them again. If +ou are oo3ing at a $oo3 5maEon shows +ou ratings $+ other users who ha1e read the $oo3. Most ucrati1e +7 5maEon constant + extrapo ates from +our pre1ious $eha1iour to recommend $oo3s to +ou that +ou wou d not ha1e 3nown a$out or thought of reading. Bou7 I and others $u+ these $oo3s $ecause 5maEon is not in the $oo3s $usiness as much as in the data$ase $usiness. 5nd data$ases are the $eaut+ of the we$. The we$sites that +ou $ui d with OpenOffice.org and -L& wi for the most part not $e data$ase=dri1en. It is possi$ e and man+ we$ programmers do so7 to use

Creating a arge we$site -L& to de1e op data$ase=dri1en sites. #ut for most peop e the process is comp icated and re?uires too much training. 0owe1er7 IordPress is a too that a ows the eas+ creation of data$ase=dri1en sites. To add entries to a $ og +ou need a username and a password7 which IordPress 3eeps trac3 of. IordPress can 3eep trac3 of the ogin detai s of man+ users and it stores the date and authorship data a$out each entr+. IordPress is not the on + %ree Software that a ows +ou to create data$ase=dri1en sites D there are other too s and man+ are far more powerfu . #ut of course with power comes comp exit+. These too s re?uire time and 3now edge to set up and administer $ut the+ ma3e it eas+ to create and edit content. So this chapter does not pro1ide a tips section to exp ain how to do e1er+thing D reading the documentation for e1er+ too is necessar+ for this. This is wh+ +ou might find it usefu to hire someone>s ser1ices7 at east for the setup phase of +our site. 5fter that +ou wi ha1e the too s and a$i it+ to focus on content. So the rest of the chapter is to gi1e +ou ideas on what +ou might do with the too s. Ie come to the data$ase $usiness.

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e Cxamp es 4r 4igita is creates a discussion $oard :page 11); Ms Bates uses the Mam$o content management s+stem :page 113; Mr Sa ah 5 =4in>s students use a Ii3i to co a$orate in writing :page 11"; Mrs Shru$ uses Ci1icSpace for her campaign :page 11'; M. #rai e uses C aro ine to run courses :page 11*; Mr #ig uses dotPro8ect for pro8ect management :page 12);

$r $igitalis creates a discussion board

#u etin $oards7 or discussion $oards7 a ow the posting and reading of comments a$out different topics. Php$$ :www.php$$.com; is a popu ar %ree Software 1ersion. 4r 4igita is found it under the 4iscussion #oards heading of Site,round>s %antastico. It too3 three steps to insta . Since starting the $ og 4r 4igita is was recei1ing emai s from c inicians around the &9 and increasing + from a$road7 as3ing her ?uestions a$out acupuncture The ?uestions were good for $usiness $ecause man+ were fo owed $+ the referring of a patient. She a so i3ed answering these ?uestions. 0owe1er7 some wou d a wa+s $e $e+ond her expertise. Others were simp e and fre?uent7 re?uiring her to t+pe the same answers se1era times in a wee3. 4iscussion $oards i3e php$$ ma3e it eas+ for peop e to as3 11)

Creating a arge we$site ?uestions and others to respond to the ?uestions. It a so ma3es it eas+ to de$ate the answers. %urthermore7 $+ de$ating the answers through php$$ the de i$erations are a1ai a$ e to future 1isitors to the site. 5 1isitor can search through past ?uestions and answers. %ina +7 php$$ a ows each user to inc ude information a$out themse 1es. This p eases experts $ecause each can inc ude information a$out their wor3. 4r 4igita is recruited co eagues in China7 Toronto and Ca ifornia to share the oad of answering the ?uestions. Their geographica spread ensured that there wou d $e at east one expert a1ai a$ e to answer ?uestions at an+ time. Ihoe1er sets up a php$$ site $ecomes its 5dministrator. This a ows contro ing the functioning of the site. %or examp e7 at the start 4r 4igita is on + a owed registered users to see the ?uestions and answers and on + a owed users to register after she had seen the detai s on their app ication forms. She wanted to restrict ?uestions to those from &9 doctors7 so she wou d contact each of the app icants to as3 for their ,enera Medica Counci :,MC; num$er. This wou d pro1ide a safe en1ironment for c inicians to discuss ?uestions amongst themse 1es and maintain patient confidentia it+. 0owe1er7 there were se1era pro$ ems with this stringenc+. %irst7 php$$ is a good s+stem $ut it is designed for ease of use7 not securit+. Suite simp +7 4r 4igita is understood that she did not understand enough a$out securit+ to pro1ide the site>s users with guarantees of confidentia it+. %urthermore7 man+ &9 doctors $rist ed at the registration re?uirement7 assuming that 4r 4igita is wanted to send them 8un3 mai . 5nd app icants without a &9 ,MC num$er 111

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e wou d $e exc uded. This meant that the internationa experts she had recruited wou d $e depri1ed of oca c ients and patient referra s. In fact the restrictions on reading the discussion meant that ,oog e and other search engines cou d not index the site7 depri1ing the experts of a particu ar + significant source of c ients6 patients searching ,oog e. %ina +7 it was simp + too much wor3 to oo3 at e1er+ sing e app icant>s detai s. 4r 4igita is switched to a more re axed approach. She a owed an+one to read an+ of the pages. She a so a owed an+one to register and to inc ude as few detai s as the+ wanted to on registration7 $ut registration was sti necessar+ to contri$ute ?uestions or answers. That wa+ search engines and casua readers cou d access the site whi e a itt e more commitment was necessar+ to contri$ute. 5nother administrati1e tas3 is to organise a site>s discussion. 4r 4igita is created topics and su$topics to he p someone $rowsing through the site>s past discussions. %or examp e7 she created the GConsu tationsH topic for genera ?uestions a$out patient pro$ ems that cou d $enefit from acupuncture7 whi e the G&9H7 GChinaH and GCanadaH topics dea t with countr+=specific ?uestions. The organisation of php$$ a so a owed her to de1ote some topic areas to issues that wou d concern her experts. She chose to restrict the access to one area so that on + the co eagues that she had recruited cou d read its contents and add to them. This a owed for reasona$ + confidentia discussions amongst her team. Most of these discussions centred a$out the occasiona registered user who was a$using the forum. She wou d de$ate with her co eagues how to dea with the $eha1iour. Ihen appropriate7 4r 4igita is cou d $ar that 112

Creating a arge we$site user from using the site and remo1e an+ inappropriate contri$utions the+ had made. In time she $egan to entrust her co eagues with more responsi$i it+ on the site7 upgrading their administration pri1i eges. This reduced the drain on her time from managing the site. It a so increased the commitment of her co eagues as their profi es showed their new status.

Ms (ates uses the Mambo content management s)stem

5 Content Management S+stem :CMS; a ows eas+ adding to and updating of a we$site>s content. Se1era are a1ai a$ e from Site,round>s %antastico inc uding Mam$o :www.mam$osource.com;. 5uthors i3e Mam$o $ecause its editing interface is simi ar to a word processor>s :see %igure 3);. 0owe1er7 it sti runs inside a we$ $rowser i3e %irefox or Internet Cxp orer. This means the authors can do their writing on an+ computer that is connected to the internet. Bou can write whi e at wor37 at a friend>s computer7 or in an internet caf\ whi e on ho ida+. Ie$site administrators i3e Mam$o $ecause it is so f exi$ e. Someone with a itt e programming 3now edge can change e1er+ aspect of the we$site>s appearance. There are a so hundreds of extensions a1ai a$ e at www.mam$oforge.net. These add features to +our we$site i3e discussion $oards7 group ca endars and shopping cata ogues. Ms Bates insta ed Mam$o for her compan+ we$site. She searched ,oog e for Gmam$o temp atesH to find read+=made designs for the site. She found se1era a1ai a$ e free of 113

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e charge $ut paid <2) for a professiona design from www.temp atemuseum.com. CustomiEing it was far easier than creating a temp ate from scratch.

Figure 3.: 1am)o's content editing has a familiar word processing interface )ut runs inside a we) )rowser

Of course the site ac3ed content. Ms Bates a read+ had se1era OpenOffice.org documents with the text that she needed. She was a$ e to Cop+ and Paste the text into her Mam$o pages.

Figure 31: 1am)o content is organised in (ectionsB which in turn contain &ategories

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Creating a arge we$site She insta ed mam$o=shop"3 to manage her shop. This a owed her to hand e different products7 currencies7 shipping rates7 taxes and pa+ment methods. %or the atter she chose Pa+Pa and Ior dPa+.

Mr Salah &l'$in+s students use a -i%i to collaborate in writing

Ii3is are we$sites designed for eas+ co a$oration on content. The Ii3ipedia7 at www.wi3ipedia.org7 is a great examp e of this too in action. The site pro1ides free access to enc+c opaedias in different anguages. Cach enc+c opaedia was written $+ hundreds of authors around the wor d. Cach author pic3s a topic a$out which the+ ha1e an expertise then the+ write a$out it. The twist is the peer re1iew. 5n+one can edit an+ of the artic es. This sounds i3e a recipe for chaos $ut the outcome7 in this case7 is scho ar + accurac+6 if an+one writes an extreme 1iew7 other authors with opposing extreme 1iews a ter the page. This can ead to a $ac3=and=forth of editing and counter=editing7 $ut soon the parties sett e down on o$8ecti1e accurac+7 reporting on + the facts that cannot $e disputed and ensuring that a the facts are inc uded. Mr Sa ah 5 =4in used a wi3i to he p teach his c ass a$out the #ahraini Constitution. In 2))2 #ahrainis 1oted o1erwhe ming + in fa1our of the new Constitution"!7 $ased on the one that had $een suspended in 1('". Mr Sa ah 5 = 4in wanted to he p his students understand the document
"3 http6..mam$oforge.net.pro8ects.mam$o=phpshop.

"!www.$ahrain.go1.$h.pdfs.constitution.pdf 11"

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e and its po itica significance. There are man+ different t+pes of Ii3i software. Mr Sa ah 5 =4in chose 4o3uIi3i $ecause its emphasis was on eas+ documentation creation with a c ean design :http6..wi3i.sp it$rain.org.wi3i6do3uwi3i;. The software has its own data$ase as a text fi e7 meaning that insta ation is ?uic3 and eas+. 0e up oaded the fi es to his ser1er7 changed the access ru es for some of the fi es as descri$ed in the instructions and the s+stem $egan wor3ing. Securit+ features were not so good7 $ut this did not matter in this case as the 4o3uIi3i wou d on + $e reacha$ e $+ computers on the schoo >s networ37 not $+ internet users outside the networ3. 0e di1ided his students into teams. Cach team wou d $e in charge of one part of the constitution. Iriting this in a 4o3uIi3i is eas+. Cach student wou d create a page $+ t+ping its address in the we$ $rowser. %or examp e7 to create the o1er1iew page the+ wou d t+pe in do3u.php2idUo1er1iew whi e to create the page a$out Section 2 5rtic e 3 of the constitution the+ wou d t+pe in do3u.php2idUsection2artic e3. The+ made sure that the o1er1iew page isted a the pages in the site and pro1ided in3s to them so that a 1isitor cou d $rowse the constitution. The next stage was what excited Mr Sa ah 5 =4in the most. 0e as3ed each of the teams to compare the #ahraini Constitution with that of another countr+. Then the teams wou d write their thoughts in these comparisons. %or examp e7 the #ahraini Constitution states that Is am is the re igion of #ahrain7 that a citiEens are entit ed to education and hea thcare and that the head of state wou d $e a mem$er of the ro+a fami + chosen through heredit+. These features were in star3 contrast to the &S Constitution.

116

Creating a arge we$site 5fter each team had written their comparison and commentar+ he as3ed them to read and edit the efforts of e1er+ other group. Of course this ead to i1e + de$ates amongst the students7 exact + as Mr Sa ah 5 =4in wanted. The schoo was de1e oping a reputation for teaching ci1ic eadership.

Mrs Shrub uses ,ivicSpace for her campaign

Mrs Shru$>s campaign team mem$ers were putting Ci1icSpace to great use. The software>s insta ation is eas+ and inc udes step=$+=step instructions to exp ain the 1arious a1ai a$ e options. The team chose to use the site as a po itica action p atform which wou d a ow them to manage spreading information to the 1oters a$out the campaign. Two a ternati1es are a so a1ai a$ e.The first7 a S ashdot=st+ e communit+ site7 mimics the features of www.s ashdot.org. That site7 itse f a %ree Software pro8ect7 is great for discussions $etween participants $ut terri$ e for spreading information in the top=down manner that campaigns depend on. The second7 a persona we$site or $ og7 was a possi$i it+ for Mrs Shru$. 0owe1er7 it ac3s the other features that wou d ha1e he ped coordinate her campaign. These inc ude6

%orum topics to a ow discussions amongst 1oters7 acti1ists and campaign staff. In the ear + stages campaign staff used these to coordinate their efforts with acti1ists and consu t them on the messages with which to reach out to the 1oters. In ater stages the staff acti1e + in1ited 1oters to pose their ?uestions and comment on the 11'

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e answers.

Po s to he p ?uantif+ opinions. Of course the data is not scientific or statistica + representati1e7 $ut 1isitors to the site en8o+ed ta3ing part in topica sur1e+s. The stor+ feature a ows writing ength+ artic es. The mass mai er stream ines the sending of emai messages to different groups.

Figure 32: 3nstallation screen for &i2ic(pace

M. #raille uses ,laroline to run courses

5pache is the we$ser1er software $ehind most we$sites and M+SS/ is open source data$ase software that powers an increasing num$er of them. #oth ha1e pro1en their sta$i it+. The atest computer that M. #rai e recei1ed from the ,-&./inux &ser ,roup ran 5pache and M+SS/. 11*

Creating a arge we$site M. #rai e did not understand how to use these $ut he did not need to D once insta ed7 M. #rai e cou d 8ust add the computer to the networ3 in his schoo and the software wou d 8ust wor3. #ecause the networ3 did not ha1e access to the outside internet M. #rai e did not ha1e to worr+ a$out securit+ D the on + threat was attac3 from inside the networ3 and that wou d on + come from the schoo chi dren. The computer a so inc uded C aro ine :www.c aro ine.net;7 which is software for administering an educationa institution . Ihen M. #rai e ogged in to his computer>s C aro ine site he was presented with the 1iew of a course teacher. 0e cou d create as man+ courses as he wanted. %or each course he cou d write educationa materia and design exercises and tests. 0e cou d a so determine who had access to each course. C aro ine a ows the monitoring of which student had gone through which educationa materia s and exercises and their scores on the tests. M. #rai e cou d impose time imits for the tests and weightings for the ?uestions. If M. #rai e had wanted7 he cou d ha1e run a uni1ersit+ using this computer. In fact7 %rance>s &ni1ersit\ de -antes7 #ritain>s &ni1ersit+ of , asgow7 5merica>s &ni1ersit+ of Pitts$urgh and o1er 3") other organisations from o1er "" countries around the wor d are using C aro ine to de i1er their education to students. #ut his am$itions were more modest. 0e wanted to pro1ide education to more of the parents of students in the 1i age $+ using his imited computer resources. 0e made fi1e computers and one assistant a1ai a$ e to the parents of students so that the+ cou d access his C aro ine=powered 11(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e we$site. Than3s to the testing modu es he cou d a so pro1ide certificates for the parents as the+ earnt more and comp eted harder tas3s. The ser1ice was modest $ut it made a difference to the parents and added to their pride. 5nd he a so 3new that educated parents can $etter support the education of their chi dren. Of course the 3e+ was pro1iding usefu courses and M. #rai e great + en8o+ed writing these. #ut he did not ha1e to do a the writing D teaching materia s are free at Creati1e Commons :www.creati1ecommons.org;. The organisation a ows creators around the wor d to ma3e their inte ectua propert+ a1ai a$ e to others according to each creator>s indi1idua preferences. The education section pro1ides esson p ans that are free + a1ai a$ e :www.creati1ecommons.org.education; for reuse and customisation. In time he wou d $e 1isiting Creati1e Commons to ma3e his own creations a1ai a$ e to others :www.creati1ecommons.org. icense.;. #ut for now his students wou d $e the $eneficiaries of his teaching.

Mr #ig uses dotPro2ect for pro2ect management

Microsoft Pro8ect is designed to he p with managing pro8ects. It can 3eep trac3 of the tas3s for the pro8ect7 the peop e carr+ing them out and the progress of the pro8ect. %or the atter7 the software automatica + creates ,antt charts"" to pro1ide a 1isua
"" In1ented $+ the mechanica engineer 0enr+ /aurence ,antt :1*61=1(1(;7 ,antt charts were used on arge construction pro8ects i3e the 0oo1er 4am7 started in 1(31 and the interstate

12)

Creating a arge we$site representation. The pro$ em with a 1ersions $efore Microsoft Pro8ect 2))3 is co a$oration. On + one person can enter information into the fi e at a time7 which usua + means that one person $ecomes in charge of entering a the information. That person must 3eep trac3 of a the emp o+ees on the pro8ect7 as we as document their progress on a of the tas3s. Microsoft Pro8ect 2))3 he ps so 1e this pro$ em $+ pro1iding a 1ersion that wor3s on a ser1er and a 1ersion that wor3s on PCs. The ser1er 1ersion 3eeps trac3 of the information that the indi1idua emp o+ees su$mit using the PC 1ersion on their own PCs. 0owe1er7 the ser1er itse f costs <17!(( and then there is the cost of upgrading to the atest PC 1ersion. Mr #ig is a fan of Microsoft Pro8ect7 regu ar + using the o der PC 1ersion and insisting that his immediate emp o+ees a so use it7 $ut this pricing was too high. So dotPro8ect :www.dotpro8ect.net; seemed i3e the perfect so ution. It is a %ree Software pro8ect management ser1er and its interface is accessi$ e through an+ we$ $rowser. Once insta ed each user can create as man+ pro8ects as the+ need to manage. %or each pro8ect the+ can co a$orate with as man+ users as necessar+. Cach user in a pro8ect can enter information a$out the tas3s the+ are responsi$ e for7 inc uding their costs7 expected duration and progress so far. The person managing the pro8ect no onger has to enter this information $ut sti gets to see it7 inc uding the o1er1iew pro1ided $+ ,antt charts that dotPro8ect generates. 4otPro8ect a ows storage of fi es. The team can co a$orate on these fi es7 amending pro8ect proposa s in OpenOffice.org Iriter and presentations in OpenOffice.org Impress. The
highwa+ networ37 started in 1("6.

121

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e Fecord Changes feature in OpenOffice.org 3eeps trac3 of these amendments. The creators of dotPro8ect cared a$out integration7 ma3ing sure that it wor3ed we with other software. Most immediate + Mr #ig appreciated this $ecause he cou d import his o d Microsoft Pro8ect fi es into dotPro8ect. The software a so integrates into /45P ser1ers7 meaning that Mr #ig>s emp o+ees cou d use the same passwords to og onto dotPro8ect as the+ used to og on to their computers. Once ogged in the+ cou d see the contact detai s of a their co eagues $ecause these had $een imported from the compan+>s /45P ser1er. Simi ar too s are $eing de1e oped to integrate dotPro8ect with the Mam$o content management s+stem and with the SugarCFM sa es force software. The creators a so pro1ided support contracts. The software is ?uite sta$ e and we tested $ut Mr #ig insisted that dedicated support $e a1ai a$ e to his IT department in case there were an+ pro$ ems. 0e $egan with a &S compan+ :www.case+software.com; and added a contract with the 5ustra ian compan+ that had started the who e pro8ect :www.sa3i.com.au;. 5 third compan+7 $ased in #raEi 7 is a so a1ai a$ e. The time Eones meant that the first two companies pro1ided his staff with support around the c oc3.

*urther resources

Php$$ discussion $oard D www.php$$.com Mam$o CMS D www.mam$oser1er.com Mam$o%orge D www.mam$oforge.net Temp ate Museum D www.temp atemuseum.com Ii3ipedia D www.wi3ipedia.org

122

Creating a arge we$site

4o3uIi3i D http6..wi3i.sp it$rain.org.wi3i6do3uwi3i S ashdot D www.s ashdot.org Creati1e Commons D www.creati1ecommons.org Creati1e Commons Cducation D www.creati1ecommons.org.education Creati1e Commons /icense D www.creati1ecommons.org. icense. dotPro8ect D www.dotpro8ect.net SugarCFM D www.sugarcrm.com Case+ Software D www.case+software.com Sa3i D www.sa3i.com.au

123

Part III
Getting serious with *ree Software

*inding *ree Software to suit )our needs

5ccording to #arr+ SchwartE>s GThe Paradox of ChoiceH7 choice can $e a $ad thing. If that is the case7 then %ree Software is 1er+ $ad7 $ecause so man+ choices are a1ai a$ e. It is7 as a good friend of mine descri$es it7 an em$arrassment of riches. This chapter wi he p +ou choose from these riches. It wi teach +ou a$out some of the resources a1ai a$ e and gi1e some tips for finding and e1a uating %ree Software. The character examp es high ight some of the $est a1ai a$ e software to get +ou started. #+ the end7 I hope +ou wi agree that choice is a wonderfu thing.

Searching for software 3 let Google guide )ou

Iith the right words7 +ou can find most %ree Software through ,oog e :www.goog e.com;. ,oog e is usefu $ecause its ran3ings are inf uenced $+ popu arit+ D the more we$sites in3ed to a particu ar we$site7 the more importance ,oog e assigns to that we$site. This is usua + a good indicator of how c ose software is to $eing the standard in its categor+. %or examp e7 if +ou search for we$ $rowser7 the top resu t on ,oog e is MoEi a7 with its open source software i3e %irefox and Thunder$ird :see %igure 33;. 0owe1er7 not a examp es are this simp e. %or most cases +ou wi need to specif+ that +ou are interested in %ree Software $+ adding ,P/ to +our search. This refers to the ,-& ,enera Pu$ ic /icense7 which has

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e the four freedoms of %ree Software. %or examp e7 cd rip gp shows V urp :www.E urp.com;7 which a ows +ou to cop+ +our music C4s onto +our computer.

Figure 33: 1o=illa's Firefox is the top result for we) )rowser on 7oogle

Bou can widen +our search a itt e $+ using open source rather than gp . Open source software is a1ai a$ e free of charge and its source code is a1ai a$ e for inspection and impro1ement. %ree Software is an examp e of open source software7 $ut the term open source is more common + used on ,oog e. This is wh+ ,oog e shows 5udacit+ as the top resu t :http6..audacit+.sourceforge.net.; for the search sound editor open source. So far we ha1e used search terms that accurate + descri$e the software7 $ut sometimes +ou wi not 3now the correct description. It he ps to use the name of a popu ar commercia a ternati1e. %or examp e7 word open source shows OpenOffice.org on ,oog e. %ina +7 +ou wi not a wa+s get software as the top resu t on ,oog e. Instead +ou might more usefu + get an artic e guiding +ou through +our options. %or examp e7 photoshop

126

%inding %ree Software to suit +our needs open source shows a -ews%orge artic e"6 descri$ing a ternati1es to the image editor 5do$e Photoshop. These inc ude ,IMP7 which is descri$ed in more detai in M. #rai eOs examp e on page 13".

*riends. famil) and forums

Of course7 +ou do not ha1e to accept ,oog eOs 8udgement of the most popu ar software. Often7 choosing the same software as the one that +our friends and fami + mem$ers are using is $etter. This wa+ +ou can as3 them for he p when +ou are earning how to use the software and exchanging fi es is easier. Bou wi a so $e a$ e to as3 for their opinion of the softwareOs strengths and wea3nesses. %ina +7 contact +our oca ,-&./inux &ser ,roup. ,-&./inux is a %ree Software operating s+stem7 an a ternati1e to Microsoft Iindows that is discussed in the next chapter. Cnthusiasts in these user groups pro1ide usefu ad1ice7 training and support with %ree Software. 5ttendance at their sessions is a most a wa+s free and the detai s of +our nearest group wi pro$a$ + $e a1ai a$ e at www. inux.org.groups..

$ownloading the software

Once +ou find software that +ou thin3 +ou wi use7 +ou can down oad and insta it for +our computer. There are three points to oo3 out for6 the 1ersion num$er of the software7 its down oad ocation and whether or not the fi e is Eipped.

The version number

The 1ersion num$er of the software te s +ou how recent the
"6 http6..www.newsforge.com.artic e.p 2sidU)!.)'.1(.21!2)6

12'

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e 1ersion is. %or examp e7 OpenOffice.org 2.) is more recent 1ersion than 1.1.!7 which is in turn more recent than 1.1.3. &sua + +ou wi want the atest 1ersion $ecause it has the most features and the fewest $ugs7 $ut there are two exceptions. %irst7 +ou might want an o der 1ersion if +ou ha1e an o der computer. This is $ecause the fewer features of the o der 1ersion ma3e fewer demands on +our computer7 which is important if the computer is o d and therefore ess powerfu . Second7 the words G$etaH or Ga phaH next to a 1ersion num$er indicate that it is sti under testing. This means +ou can get ear + access to the new features $ut that the $ugs ha1e not $een fu + remo1ed +et. %or examp e7 MoEi a %irefox 1.1 a pha shou d on + $e down oaded $+ programmers $ecause it is so experimenta 7 whi e %irefox 1.1 $eta is pro$a$ + sta$ e enough for most users to ta3e ad1antage of the new features. 0owe1er7 if +ou are using +our computer for critica wor37 or if re ia$i it+ matters to +ou more than features7 +ou shou d on + down oad %irefox 1.) toda+7 or %irefox 1.1 when it is fina + a1ai a$ e.

$ownload location
#ecause %ree Software is so popu ar and $ecause down oads ma3e considera$ e demands on the we$sites ma3ing them a1ai a$ e7 creators of %ree Software share the oad with partners around the wor d. To down oad the software +ou must pic3 one of these partners to get a cop+. %or examp e7 OpenOffice.org is a1ai a$ e through uni1ersities :such as #raEi Os Pontif]cia &ni1ersidade Cat^ ica do Paran_; and internet ser1ice pro1iders :such as 5ustra iaOs Pacific Internet; around the wor d. The ist is shown to +ou when +ou c ic3 the down oad in3 on 12*

%inding %ree Software to suit +our needs OpenOffice.orgOs we$site :see %igure 3!;. 5n+ of the sites is suita$ e7 $ut it is often faster to choose the one that is c osest to +ou geographica +. %or examp e7 if +ou are in Canada7 choosing the &S site wi pro$a$ + $e more efficient than choosing the 5ustra ian one and choosing the Canadian one pro$a$ + the most efficient. %ina +7 $ecause +ou are oo3ing at the page using a we$ $rowser7 ma3e sure that +ou se ect the in3 next to 0TTP rather than %TP.

Figure 3 : you must choose the download site for OpenOffice.org

Un0ipping software files

Software insta ers usua + re?uire se1era fi es. To sa1e +ou the trou$ e of down oading each of these separate +7 programmers often com$ine the fi es into one. This is the case with OpenOffice.org. The com$ining is ca ed 12(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e compression7 or Eipping and +ou can te this has $een done $ecause the fi e name ends in .Eip. Ihen +ou down oad the fi e +ou must re1erse the compression to recreate the origina fi es. This is ca ed unEipping. If +our computer is running Iindows PP or Mac OS P it is a read+ capa$ e of unEipping"'. If not7 '=Eip is %ree Software that wor3s on a 1ersions of Iindows and a ows +ou to unEip :www.'=Eip.org;. Incidenta +7 +ou can use '=Eip to Eip +our own fi es. This is usefu for emai ing se1era fi es together as one fi eJ con1erting se1era arge fi es into one fi e which is sma er than the tota of the origina fi e siEesJ and for encr+pting fi es so that their contents can on + $e accessed with the correct password.

"' http6..www.cod.edu.dept.t c.TIPS.Vip=unEip.htm

13)

%inding %ree Software to suit +our needs Cxamp es Mrs Shru$ uses %reeMind for mind maps :see page 131; 4r 4igita is uses OpenCMF for her patients> medica records :see page 133; M. #rai e uses ,IMP for drawings :see page 13"; Mr #ig uses ,antt Pro8ect for pro8ect management :see page 136; Ms Bates uses P uc3er for her handhe d computer :see page 13'; Mr Sa ah 5 =4in p a+s games :see page 13(;

Mrs Shrub uses *reeMind for mind maps

5 mind map is a great wa+ to show comp ex information. The most important point is argest and at the centre of the page. Its su$sidiar+ points appear as sma er $ranches and su$=$ranches. &sing co ours and pictures pro1ides 1i1id earning for the $rain :see %igure 36;. I great + $enefited from this method during medica schoo $ecause it a owed me to understand and remem$er the ectures. Mind maps :www.mind=map.com; were in1ented $+ Ton+ #uEan in the 1(6)s and since then mi ions of students7 $usinessmen and professiona s ha1e $enefited from his techni?ues. If +ou ha1e not read an+ of his $oo3s +et7 +our i$rar+ wi a most certain + contain one and it is we worth earning more.

131

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

Figure 3": choosing the download site for the 5indows 2ersion of Free1ind mind mapping software

Mrs Shru$ i3ed to use mind maps $ecause of the num$er of po ic+ reports and data that came to her des3 e1er+ da+. She made mind maps of the important reports so that she cou d refer to them ater. Searching for mind maps gp she found %reeMind :http6..freemind.sourceforge.net.;7 which she down oaded from the &9Os &ni1ersit+ of 9ent :see %igure 3";./i3e OpenOffice.org7 it re?uired the atest 1ersion of @a1a to run :http6..8a1a.sun.com.82se.index.8sp;. %reeMind is designed for speed. Pressing the Insert 3e+ creates a new su$=$ranch7 whi e pressing the Cnter 3e+ creates a $ranch of the same thic3ness :see %igure 36;. Mrs Shru$ cou d ?uic3 + create an out ine of the points in an+ document she was reading. The eft hand side contains icons that +ou can add to each $ranch7 or +ou can add +our own pictures and diagrams using the Set Image command. %ina +7 the Cxport to 0TM/ command creates we$pages out of mind maps.

132

%inding %ree Software to suit +our needs

Figure 3#: Free1ind creates mind maps

$r $igitalis uses Open4M/ for her patients+ medical records

There are se1era open source too s for storing medica records. One of the most wide + used is the Leterans 0ea th Information S+stems and Techno og+ 5rchitecture :List5;. Created $+ and for the &S 4epartment of Leterans 5ffairs7 the software contains the medica records of mi ions of &S mi itar+ 1eterans and their fami ies :www.wor d1ista.org;. This means it is pro$a$ + the most popu ar medica records software in the wor d. #ecause it is a1ai a$ e in the pu$ ic domain it is a so used outside the &S57 inc uding in the #er in 0eart Institute of ,erman+ and the -ationa Cancer Institute of Cairo &ni1ersit+ in Cg+pt. 0owe1er7 setting up the software re?uires considera$ e 133

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e expertise and maintaining it re?uires access to an IT department. This meant it was not suita$ e for the sma practice of 4r 4igita is. %or her7 OpenCMF :www.openemr.net; was more appropriate. Its code is a1ai a$ e as %ree Software and an experienced computer professiona can insta it onto a we$site within one hour. Once running7 OpenCMF is a1ai a$ e through an+ we$ $rowser software on an+ computer connected to the internet. This inc uded the ta$ et computer of which 4r 4igita is had grown fond. Iith the right username and password +ou can create different user accounts for +our team mem$ers. Through the we$site a c inician can enter information a$out a patientOs pro$ em7 examination findings and test resu ts. The c inician can a so prescri$e medications and print off the prescription. OpenCMF is fu + 0IP55=comp iant. This means that it conforms to the &S egis ation on the securit+ and porta$i it+ of medica records. Its $i ing modu es wor3 with &S hea th insurance c earing houses i3e Prox+Med and Virmed. More important + for 4r 4igita is7 se1era companies se products and support to ease insta ation and maintenance. %or examp e7 for <3)) S+nitech se s a porta$ e hard dis3 with the software a read+ insta ed :www.s+nitech.com;. The patient records are stored encr+pted on the hard dis3 and this can $e oc3ed at night. 5nd $ecause it is porta$ e7 4r 4igita is cou d carr+ it home if she wanted to access her patient records there. In the end7 she chose the ser1ices of the Pennington %irm :www.pennfirm.com;. %or an annua fee the+ pro1ide a we$site running OpenCMF through which she cou d access her patientsO records. The+ ma3e regu ar $ac3ups of the 13!

%inding %ree Software to suit +our needs patient data. The+ a so imp emented se1era extra securit+ measures such as restricting access to the we$site so that on + computers in her c inic or home cou d 1iew the patient records. This meant that 4r 4igita is cou d stop worr+ing a$out $ac3ups and securit+ and 8ust concentrate on using the software to support the care of her patients.

M. #raille uses GIMP for drawings

The ,-& Image Manipu ation Program :,IMP D www.gimp.org; a ows +ou to create and edit images. Its features match those of 5do$eOs Photoshop7 inc uding a+ers7 mas3ing7 $ ending7 toning7 image maps and scripting. These features ma3e it we suited to professiona s7 $ut M. #rai eOs students a so wasted no time in putting it to use. #ecause it is such a we esta$ ished too 7 man+ $oo3s ha1e $een written a$out it. The ,IMP we$site ists these7 inc uding the %rench $oo3 G:5 a; SOS ,IMPH"*. Its entire text is a1ai a$ e free on ine :www. e=radar.com;7 as is the text of the Cng ish $oo3 G,ro33ing the ,IMPH"(. The site a so inc uded se1era usefu tutoria s for $eginners :www.gimp.org.tutoria s.;. The Figure 3%: chi dren used these and were soon editing their The 7314 fami + pictures for the schoo Os we$site.
"* GY5 aZ SOS ,IMPH $+ C\dric ,em+. 2))". IS#2("21')312. "( G,ro33ing the ,IMPH $+ Care+ #un3s. Pearson Cducation 2))). IS#- )'3"')(2!6.

13"

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e In trained hands7 the ,IMP is a speed+ too $ecause it has man+ 3e+$oard shortcuts. Pressing a series of shortcuts is faster than c ic3ing the menu items using the mouse. The more experience the students gained7 the more the+ wanted to memorise these shortcuts. The+ were de ighted when M. #rai e $ought a cop+ of GThe ,IMP Poc3et FeferenceH6).

Mr #ig uses Gantt Pro2ect for pro2ect management

#ecause it is we$=$ased7 dotPro8ect does ha1e a wea3ness6 entering ots of information can $e s ow. That is wh+ Mr #ig appreciated the a$i it+ to import Microsoft Pro8ect fi es. 5t the start of a pro8ect he cou d enter ots of pre iminar+ detai s ?uic3 + using Microsoft Pro8ect then import the fi e into dotPro8ect. Co a$orating with the rest of the team on fina ising the detai s was faster with dotPro8ect. #etter sti 7 dotPro8ect can import ,antt Pro8ect fi es :http6..ganttpro8ect.sourceforge.net.;. /i3e Microsoft Pro8ect this runs on a PC rather than a we$ser1er so it is fast to enter data. It matches Microsoft Pro8ect for man+ features. The software a so wor3s with %reeMind than3s to gan2mm :http6..ganttpro8ect.sourceforge.net.extras.php;. This is one of the extra too s a1ai a$ e and demonstrates an ad1antage of %ree Software6 $ecause the code and fi es are transparent it eas+ to create integrated too s. 5nd $ecause it is free of charge Mr #ig insisted that a his emp o+ees use the software. Com$ining it with dotPro8ect
6) GThe ,IMP Poc3et FeferenceH $+ S1en -eumann. O>Fei + R 5ssociates 2))). IS#- 1"6"(2'311.

136

%inding %ree Software to suit +our needs ga1e the staff powerfu too s for p anning and trac3ing their pro8ects.

Figure 3': 7antt 4ro!ect is similar to 1icrosoft 4ro!ect

Ms (ates uses Pluc%er for her handheld computer

P uc3er can ma3e a cop+ of a we$site. This is usefu if +ou want to oo3 at the we$site ater on without a connection to the internet. The software comes in two parts6 the disti er7 which ma3es the cop+ and the 1iewer7 which ets +ou oo3 at it. The disti er is designed to wor3 on a PC running Iindows7 ,-&./inux or Mac OS P operating s+stems. 5 though 1iewer 1ersions are a1ai a$ e for these PCs the most usefu 1ersions run on Pa m Powered and Poc3et PC handhe d computers. The Pa m Powered 1ersion interested Ms Bates the most. She down oaded the P uc3er 4es3top for Iindows from 13'

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e www.p 3r.org. This inc udes the disti er for her Iindows PC and the 1iewer for her Pa m Powered computer. The Poc3et PC 1iewer is a1ai a$ e at http6..1ade= mecum.sourceforge.net..

Ms Bates used P uc3er for news we$sites. 5 though handhe d computer screens are sma 7 the P uc3er 1iewer ad8usts the a+out for comforta$ e reading. It was perfect for ong trips. The $atter+ on her handhe d computer asted much onger than her aptopOs7 a owing her to read the news whi e standing in ine or waiting for her f ight. P uc3er is a so usefu for reference we$sites. %or examp e7 the entire CI5 Ior d %act$oo3 is a1ai a$ e for down oad61 and P uc3er can wor3 on the down oaded we$pages. Ms Bates o1ed earning a$out other countries through this. Ms Bates a so used P uc3er to create copies of $oo3s from Pro8ect ,uten$erg :www.guten$erg.org;. The we$site has copies of $oo3s that are a1ai a$ e in the pu$ ic domain. She particu ar + en8o+ed reading GSe f 0e pH627 perhaps the first $oo3 in the se f=he p genre.
61 www.cia.go1.cia.down oad.htm 62 GSe f 0e pJ Conduct and Perse1eranceH $+ Samue Smi es. It was origina + pu$ ished in 1*"(7 the same +ear as GOn /i$ert+H $+ @ohn Stuart Mi and GOn the Origin of SpeciesH $+ Char es 4arwin.

13*

%inding %ree Software to suit +our needs The we$site www.pa mopensource.com contains se1era other %ree Software too s for handhe d computers. Most of it is for Pa m Powered de1ices7 $ut the newer http6..ppc.pa mopensource.com. contains Poc3et PC software as we . The sites inc ude se1era serious $usiness app ications that he ped Ms Bates with her wor3 D $ut it was the game OpenChess that occupied her most :http6..pa mopenchess.sourceforge.net.;.

Mr Salah &l'$in pla)s games

There are man+ %ree Software games a1ai a$ e7 inc uding the educationa ones i3e Tux T+ping produced $+ Tux!9ids :www.tux!3ids.com;. One of the most comprehensi1e isting is the ,ames . Cntertainment categor+63 of www.sourceforge.net. The students used this to find a %ree Software 1ersion of the Fis3 :http6..8ris3.sourceforge.net.; $oard game. Man+ of the mu tip a+er games can $e p a+ed through a computer networ3. To start a game7 one student wou d designate his computer as a game ser1er and the other students wou d use their computers to connect to it. 5 the students connected to the ser1er wou d $e a$ e to p a+ the same game together. Some games7 i3e %reeCi1 :www.freeci1.org;7 ma3e pu$ ic ser1ers a1ai a$ e :http6..pu$ser1er.freeci1.org.;. This a owed the students to p a+ from their home computers with their friends from around the wor d. #ut it was Mr Sa ah 5 =4in that p a+ed the most. The game is a %ree Software 1ersion of Sid MeierOs c assic game7 Ci1i iEation7 which is wonderfu
63 www.sourceforge.net.softwaremap.tro1eT ist.php2formTcatU*)

13(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e for teaching histor+. 5s the game progresses the p a+er $ui ds cities of increasing sophistication and de1e ops techno ogies and mi itar+ units. %ina +7 there are p ent+ of %ree Software games that offer origina gamep a+ rather than cop+ing existing commercia games. #ut man+ of these are on + a1ai a$ e for the ,-&./inux operating s+stem7 with no Microsoft Iindows 1ersion a1ai a$ e. The students $egan as3ing Mr Sa ah 5 = 4in for copies of ,-&./inux.

*urther resources

,oog e D www.goog e.com V urp D www.E urp.com 5udacit+ D http6..audacit+.sourceforge.net. ,uide to 5do$e Photoshop a ternati1es D http6..www.newsforge.com.artic e.p 2sidU)!.)'.1(.21!2) 6 ,-&./inux &ser ,roups D www. inux.org.groups. ,uide to unEipping on Iindows D http6..www.cod.edu.dept.t c.TIPS.Vip=unEip.htm '=Eip D www.'=Eip.org Mind maps D www.mind=map.com %reeMind D http6..freemind.sourceforge.net. @a1a D http6..8a1a.sun.com.82se.index.8sp LIST5 D www.wor d1ista.org S+nitech D www.s+nitech.com Pennington %irm D www.pennfirm.com

1!)

%inding %ree Software to suit +our needs

,IMP D www.gimp.org GY5 aZ SOS ,IMPH $+ C\dric ,em+. 2))". IS#2("21')312. G,ro33ing the ,IMPH $+ Care+ #un3s. Pearson Cducation 2))). IS#- )'3"')(2!6. GThe ,IMP Poc3et FeferenceH $+ S1en -eumann. O>Fei + R 5ssociates 2))). IS#- 1"6"(2'311. ,anttPro8ect D http6..ganttpro8ect.sourceforge.net. ,antt Pro8ect extras D http6..ganttpro8ect.sourceforge.net.extras.php P uc3er7 inc uding disti er for Iindows and 1iewer for Pa m Powered handhe d computers D www.p 3r.org Lade Mecum P uc3er 1iewer for Poc3et PCs D http6..1ade=mecum.sourceforge.net. CI5 Ior d %act$oo3 D http6..www.cia.go1.cia.down oad.htm GSe f 0e pJ Conduct and Perse1eranceH $+ Samue Smi es. Pro8ect ,uten$erg pro1ides the text at http6..www.guten$erg.org.etext.(3" http6..pa mopenchess.sourceforge.net. Tux!9ids D www.tux!3ids.com Source%orge D www.sourceforge.net Source%orge ,ames . Cntertainment D www.sourceforge.net.softwaremap.tro1eT ist.php2formTc atU*) Fis3 D http6..8ris3.sourceforge.net. %reeCi1 D www.freeci1.org 1!1

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

%reeCi1 pu$ ic ser1er D http6..pu$ser1er.freeci1.org.

1!2

Go all the wa) with GNU !inu" operating s)stem

On @anuar+ 6th 2))"7 #i ,ates>s computer crashed7 again. Cm$arrassing + this happened whi e he was gi1ing the 3e+note speech at the Internationa Consumer C ectronics Show in /as Legas. C1en if Mr ,ates had $een using OpenOffice.org Impress rather than Microsoft PowerPoint his presentation wou d sti ha1e had an unnecessari + high chance of crashing $ecause his computer was running Iindows. 5s +ou read this chapter there ma+ we $e another news stor+ a$out a $ug or 1irus that is threatening Iindows users. It does not ha1e to $e this wa+.

GNU !inu" is good

So far most of the %ree Software too s in this $oo3 run on Microsoft>s Iindows and 5pp e>s Mac OS P operating s+stems. I chose these too s $ecause +ou can experience the ad1antages of %ree Software without ha1ing to change +our ha$its. #ut a %ree Software operating s+stem does exist and it is ca ed ,-&./inux. In fact it is the 8ewe in the %ree Software crown6 secure7 high ?ua it+7 tested software that enterprises depend on for their most critica computing tas3s. 5 the %ree Software descri$ed so far is a1ai a$ e in 1ersions that run on ,-&./inux. There are a so some great examp es that on + run on ,-&./inux7 with no Iindows 1ersions a1ai a$ e. %or examp e7 ,nuCash is

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e respected accounting software :www.gnucash.org;. Scri$us has impressi1e des3top pu$ ishing capa$i ities for designing posters7 $rochures and $oo3s :www.scri$us.org.u3;. C1o ution :www.gnome.org.pro8ects.e1o ution.; has the features of Microsoft Out oo37 inc uding a ca endar and address $oo3. It a so has Microsoft Cxchange compati$i it+7 without the securit+ ris3s and 1iruses of Out oo3. 5s operating s+stems go7 ,-&./inux is rather efficient. It runs ?uic3 + e1en on computers that ma+ $e running too s ow + with Microsoft Iindows. Man+ users $egin their switch to ,-&./inux $+ insta ing it onto an o d computer that is no onger coping with Iindows. ,-&./inux is a so more secure. The 0one+net Pro8ect>s :www.hone+net.org; researchers regu ar + test operating s+stems for their a$i it+ to withstand attac3s from the internet. Their @anuar+ 2))" report6! showed that PCs running unmodified ,-&./inux asted an a1erage of three months $efore $eing hac3ed. The a1erage time for PCs running unmodified Iindows was measured in minutes.

GNU !inu" is not for beginners

There are some ca1eats. -ot a the software that is a1ai a$ e in a Iindows 1ersion is a so a1ai a$ e for ,-&./inux. This is changing as more software is de1e oped for the expanding mar3et of ,-&./inux users. Bou might sti find that one or two app ications +ou depend on are on + a1ai a$ e for Iindows. There are two wa+s around this. The easiest is to find a ternati1e software designed for ,-&./inux. %or examp e7 C1o ution has simi ar features to Microsoft Out oo3 and its
6! http6..www.hone+net.org.papers.trends. ife= inux.pdf

1!!

,o a the wa+ with ,-&./inux operating s+stem interface wi $e fami iar to an+one who is used to Out oo3>s. The software is a so compati$ e with Microsoft Cxchange7 meaning that +our ,-&./inux machine fits perfect + we into a networ3 of Iindows machines. 5 ternati1e +7 for specia ised app ications with no ,-&./inux a ternati1e7 +ou can use emu ator software. This a ows +our ,-&./inux machine to act i3e Iindows for the purposes of running +our Iindows software. One of the most popu ar emu ators is ca ed Iine :www.wineh?.com; and it is ?uite usa$ e for most Iindows software. The other ca1eat is more significant6 ,-&./inux wor3s in a different wa+ to Iindows. On the one hand7 this is a good thingJ it is how +ou can a1oid the crashes and securit+ pro$ ems of Iindows. On the other7 this wi mean a period of unfami iarit+ at the start. In the past few +ears7 one we come de1e opment has $een a dramatic impro1ement in the ,-&./inux user interface. -ewer 1ersions of the software are more user=friend + and some 1ersions ha1e tried to mimic the Iindows interface7 ma3ing the switch ess painfu . #ut it is not pain ess. 0ou should only install (1234inu if you are a computer e pert, or if you have the help of a computer e pert. %or a start7 the expertise is necessar+ to choose $etween the different 1ersions.

There are man) versions of GNU !inu"

There are different 1ersions of ,-&./inux and the differences matter. Cach of the 1ersions7 3nown as a distri$ution :www. inux.org.dist.;7 is maintained $+ one compan+ or organisation. Cach distri$ution focuses on a particu ar group of users. Ma3ing the right choice at the start wi sa1e +ou effort and ensure +our needs are met. 1!"

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e Cxamp es Mr Sa ah 5 =4in experiments with 9noppix i1e C4 :page 1!6; Ms Bates chooses /inspire for ease of use :page 1!'; M. #rai e chooses &$untu for its internationa features :page 1"); Mrs Shru$ chooses a #eowu f c uster for afforda$ e and sca a$ e computing power :page 1"1; 4r 4igita is chooses /+coris for her ta$ et PC :page 1"3; Mr #ig chooses Fed 0at for support :page 1"";

Mr Salah &l'$in e"periments with 5noppi" live ,$

5 i1e C4 is a safe wa+ of tr+ing ,-&./inux. Ihene1er +ou start up a computer with a i1e C4 inserted the computer wi run ,-&./inux. -o software wi $e insta ed7 instead the operating s+stem wi run from the C4. If for an+ reason +ou decide +ou no onger want to use ,-&./inux7 ta3e out the C4 and restart the computer. The computer wi return to whate1er state it was in $efore +ou used the C4. Bour Iindows insta ation and fi es wi $e untouched. One of Mr Sa ah 5 =4in>s students ga1e him a i1e C4 1ersion of ,-&./inux 9noppix :www.3noppix.org;. 0e tried it on an o d computer and it ran we . The C4 inc uded %irefox7 OpenOffice.org and other too s for c ass wor3. Father than insta ing it7 Mr Sa ah 5 =4in decided to ma3e 1!6

,o a the wa+ with ,-&./inux operating s+stem copies of the C4 for each of his c assroom>s computers. This wa+ he wou d a1oid the pro$ ems of Iindows crashing in the c assroom and of students ma3ing changes to the computers that he had to fix. 5 he had to do was restart the computer and the i1e C4 wou d return to its origina ,-&./inux state7 read+ for the next c assroom. 0e a so made copies of the C4 for other students to ta3e home D 9noppix inc uded se1era games that the+ had $een as3ing for.

Ms (ates chooses !inspire for ease of use

/inspire :www. inspire.com; is one of the easiest 1ersions of ,-&./inux to use. Ihen Ms Bates decided to switch she found it at her oca Stap es store. The La ue #und e inc udes a C4 and a one +ear su$scription. She switched $ecause she cou d not restart her Iindows computer. She did not 3now wh+ and the computer support representati1e did not 3now wh+ either. The representati1e cou d on + suggest using the reco1er+ C4 that had come with the computer. Sad +7 Greco1er+H was a misnomer. The C4 wou d de ete a the fi es on her computer and then insta a new cop+ of Iindows. She wou d ha1e to insta an+ other software that she wanted. 5nd7 she wou d on + $e a$ e to rec aim her fi es $ecause she had $een regu ar + $ac3ing up her computer7 ma3ing wee3 + copies of her documents onto externa hard dis3s. Iithin ha f an hour of inserting the /inspire C4 into her aptop computer7 Ms Bates was $rowsing the we$ through 1!'

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e her $road$and connection. The software oo3ed as fami iar and eas+ to use as Microsoft Iindows :see %igure 3(;. 0owe1er7 in some wa+s /inspire was e1en easier to use. The one +ear mem$ership meant she cou d ta3e ad1antage of the C ic3=-=Fun :C-F; Iarehouse. This ga1e her access to thousands of software app ications. She wou d se ect the ones she wanted to insta and C-F wou d ta3e care of the rest.

Figure 3*: /inspire has a friendly and familiar user interface

0a f an hour ater7 she had insta ed the atest 1ersions of OpenOffice.org7 %irefox7 Thunder$ird and ,IMP. She a so found new software i3e C1o ution7 which was more powerfu than Thunder$ird and ,nucash7 which seemed promising as an a ternati1e to Suasar 5ccounting. In the end7 howe1er7 she stuc3 to Suasar $ecause she wanted to use her prior accounting fi es and Thunder$ird $ecause she was 1!*

,o a the wa+ with ,-&./inux operating s+stem used to it. #rowsing the C-F Iarehouse is particu ar + usefu $ecause it is we organised into categories and the software too s in each categor+ are ran3ed $+ popu arit+. In this wa+ Ms Bates identified man+ software too s of which she was not aware. These inc uded pro8ect management too s i3e P anner :www.imendio.com.pro8ects.p anner.; which a owed her do draw a ,antt chart for the next phase of her mar3eting p an. #ut it a so inc uded p ent+ of home and educationa software that her chi dren wou d en8o+. The chi dren wou d not need her aptop to use the software $ecause she cou d insta /inspire on a her home machines. Iithin another hour she had insta ed /inspire on her fami + des3top PC and used her C-F account on that PC to get more software. That PC sti had Iindows insta ed7 $ut /inspire coexisted happi + with it. In time the chi dren preferred the /inspire machine $ecause it inc uded software to manage their digita camera>s photographs :http6..info. inspire.com. photo.; and to organise the music :http6..info. inspire.com. songs.; from their C4 co ection. To protect them on the internet Ms Bates $ought a one=+ear sus$cription to SurfSafe. This ser1ice pre1ents fami + computers from accessing adu t=on + we$sites :www. inspire.com.surfTsafeTinfo.php;. In time7 Ms Bates wou d fee safe enough to de ete Iindows from that PC. %or now7 she fe t comforta$ e with the securit+ and sta$i it+ that /inspire>s ,-&./inux techno og+ ga1e her aptop.

1!(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

M. #raille chooses Ubuntu for its international features

&$untu has exce ent support for different anguages7 particu ar + 5frican ones such as Swahi i. This is a anguage supported $+ OpenOffice.org $ut not Microsoft Office. M. #rai e first heard a$out &$untu ,-&./inux whi e on a trip to 9en+a7 where another schoo there was a read+ using it. &$untu ,-&./inux so 1ed another pro$ em that M. #rai e was facing6 donated PCs with Microsoft Iindows (*. #ecause Microsoft had stopped supporting Iindows (*7 he cou d not get securit+ updates to ensure the safet+ of the machines when $rowsing the internet. &$untu can run on these machines and inc udes exce ent securit+. Insta ing &$untu :www.u$untu inux.org; is eas+. M. #rai e copied an insta ation C4 from the 9en+an schoo and inserted it into each of his PCs. The &$untu we$site a so pro1ides free C4s and co1ers the costs of de i1er+ :http6..shipit.u$untu inux.org.;. The C4 automatica + detected the different hardware and configured it to access the networ3. It a so insta ed se1era common software pac3ages inc uding OpenOffice.org7 %irefox7 C1o ution and ,IMP D e1er+thing a schoo PC needs. The students i3ed the interface $ecause it was co ourfu and simp e to use :see %igure 3*;. M. #rai e i3ed it $ecause it p aced strict imits on what changes the students cou d ma3e to the settings. M. #rai e decided to use &$untu e1en on PCs that came with ater 1ersions of Iindows. 1")

,o a the wa+ with ,-&./inux operating s+stem

Figure .: A)untu is perfect for schools

Mrs Shrub chooses a #eowulf cluster for affordable and scalable computing power
Mrs Shru$ instructed her computer officer to a+ out a p an for switching to ,-&./inux. The easiest starting point7 he decided7 was to switch the go1ernment>s we$ ser1ers to ,-&./inux. The machines were current + running Iindows as the operating s+stem7 M+SS/ as the data$ase and P0P as the programming anguage. The same machines cou d ha1e ,-&./inux insta ed on them7 then use the same P0P code and M+SS/ data$ase to ser1e the pu$ ic. #ut the new machines wou d function $etter $ecause the team chose a #eowu f c uster :www.$eowu f.org;. This is 1"1

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e the method used $+ ,oog e and other organisations running we$sites with enormous demand $ecause it a ows afforda$ e upgrading of computer resources to meet demand. %or examp e7 when a citiEen 1isits the /ondon go1ernment we$site to pa+ off a par3ing tic3et7 he or she is assigned the east $us+ computer within the #eowu f c uster. The remainder of the citiEen>s 1isit is hand ed $+ that computer7 from the exp anations of the process of pa+ment to chec3ing with the citiEen>s credit card pro1ider for a1ai a$i it+ of funds. If an+ computer in the c uster $rea3s down7 the c uster continues to wor3 D a $eit a itt e more s ow + D with the remaining computers. Ihen the fai ing computer is rep aced7 the c uster returns to its former speed. The power of the s+stem is that it has a most no diminishing returns. In other words7 dou$ ing the num$er of computers wor3ing in the c uster dou$ es the power of the c uster. It can hand e twice as man+ 1isits $+ citiEens7 or hand e the same num$er of 1isits in ha f the time. #+ switching from Iindows to ,-&./inux the computer team was a$ e to switch their efforts from p ugging the securit+ ho es and $reaches of their ser1ers7 to impro1ing their power and responsi1eness to citiEens> demands. The resu ts for citiEens were measura$ e and Mrs Shru$ made sure that the measurements were pu$ icised in time for the e ection. 0owe1er7 the #eowo f 1ersion of ,-&./inux is not much use for go1ernment emp o+ees doing their dai + wor3. It ac3s the user=friend iness of Iindows. In fact it ac3s windows or an+ other fami iar aspects of user interfaces that we ta3e for granted toda+. %or those users7 Mrs Shru$>s team chose SuSC ,-&./inux 1"2

,o a the wa+ with ,-&./inux operating s+stem :www.no1e .com. inux.suse.;. The+ found a /ondon=$ased compan+ that wou d pro1ide he p with the migration from Iindows to ,-&./inux. It cou d a so pro1ide ongoing technica support. The SuSC distri$ution inc udes a user interface that is simi ar to Iindows. The switch wou d $e more difficu t than switching the ser1ers to #eowo f or switching the emp o+ees to using OpenOffice.org. #ut again the computers wou d $e faster7 safer and more sta$ e.

$r $igitalis chooses !)coris for her tablet P,

5 ta$ et PC oo3s i3e a aptop $ut its screen can $e turned and fo ded $ac3 onto the 3e+$oard. The screen is a so touch=sensiti1e. This design has $een hea1i + mar3eted to c inicians. It promised the ad1antages of paper pads. In rea it+7 ta$ et PCs running Iindows ha1e se1era pro$ ems. %irst7 their handwriting recognition is ac3 ustre and s ow :particu ar + with the famous + mess+ handwriting of doctors7 $ut that is another matter;. The $atter+ ife is a so poor7 not enough to ast a fu c inica da+. %urthermore7 the screen on + responds to a specia st+ us7 certain + not a finger or a pen. Ihen 4r 4igita is pic3ed a ta$ et PC that ran ,-&./inux7 she did so to a1oid that ast pro$ em D she was a$ e to write on her machine using whate1er pointed o$8ect was a1ai a$ e7 $e it the inc uded st+ us or e1en her finger. She particu ar + fa1oured TrueTip pen tops :www.truetip.com; $ecause one end is a pen tip for writing on paper and the other is a p astic tip that wor3ed on her ta$ et PC. 1"3

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e The handwriting recognition was not $ri iant7 $ut at east it used the same a pha$et as the one on her Pa m Powered handhe d computer7 so she did not ha1e to earn a new writing s+stem. 4r 4igita is and her patients o1ed the machine. 5t the $eginning of each session with a patient7 she wou d use the machine as a aptop. She cou d twist the screen to a ow the patient to see some detai s that wou d $e usefu to them7 i3e the response of their $ ood pressure to the new h+pertension ta$ et. The end of the session wou d usua + in1o 1e educating the patient7 at which point she wou d switch to ta$ et mode. She used %irefox to show we$sites that the patient wou d find usefu and 5do$e Feader to read through educationa documents $efore printing them off. Printing and $rowsing were eas+ with the ta$ et $ecause the+ main + re?uired tapping the icons on the screen. #ut prescriptions were a so possi$ e :and impressi1e to her patients; $ecause the+ re?uired on + imited writing. Instead7 most of the prescription in1o 1ed se ecting from different choices7 such as the num$er of ta$ ets per da+ or the num$er of da+s per prescription. The ta$ et inc uded /+coris ,-&./inux :www. +coris.com;. This has ta$ et=friend + features such as switching $etween andscape disp a+ :for aptop mode; and portrait disp a+ :for ta$ et mode;. #ut it a so shares two features with /inspire. %irst7 its interface was reassuring + fami iar to users of Iindows and had simi ar ease of use. Second7 it had the app ication insta ation features of /inspire7 which a owed 4r 4igita is to $rowse easi + for and insta additiona software. The mix and focus of the app ications was ess for the home user than the office professiona 7 which suited the needs of 4r 4igita is. 1"!

,o a the wa+ with ,-&./inux operating s+stem -ot that 4r 4igita is did not use the ta$ et at home. The machine inc uded wire ess internet connecti1it+7 which is what a owed 4r 4igita is to mo1e free + with it from room to room in the c inic. Once she got used to $rowsing the internet in ta$ et mode7 howe1er7 she cou d not resist using it in the same wa+ at home. She cou d ie on the couch7 g ass of wine in one hand and TrueTip st+ us in the other7 reading the ,uardian newspaper>s site in portrait disp a+. It was the perfect end to her da+.

Mr #ig switches to /ed 6at for support

5t the start of 2))" Microsoft announced that the+ wou d no onger support Iindows -T !. This meant that the compan+ wou d not create an+ new securit+ fixes for the software. 5 though the -T series of Iindows was designed for securit+ and was the $asis of Iindows PP>s enhanced securit+7 new securit+ ho es were found e1er+ wee3 e1en in Iindows PP. Iithout the fixes7 the o d -T !.) machines wou d $ecome a greater ris3 e1er+ da+ as new pro$ ems were pu$ ic + announced $ut so utions remained una1ai a$ e. The $usiness opportunit+ of egac+ -T !.) machines was not ost on ,-&./inux companies7 man+ of whom $ought ad1ertising spots where CCOs i3e Mr #ig wou d see them. 5round the wor d7 man+ of Mr #ig>s hote staff were sti using machines that ran Iindows -T !.) software. The machines were o d7 $ut the+ wor3ed and rep acing them wou d cost too much mone+. One of the $est companies doing this is Fed 0at :www.redhat.com;. Its Fed 0at ,-&./inux distri$ution had $ecome one of the most popu ar $ecause of its focus on 1""

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e ma3ing the switch $etween Iindows and ,-&./inux as eas+ as possi$ e D its insta ation software was c ear and comforting7 guiding the user through the steps and it insta ed software that Iindows users found reassuring + fami iar. -ow ca ed Fed 0at %edora ,-&./inux7 it is sti a1ai a$ e free of charge :http6..fedora.redhat.com.;. #oo3s i3e GFed 0at %edora !6 &n eashedH6" inc ude the software on a 4L4 and +ou can insta it onto as man+ computers as +ou want. More recent +7 Fed 0at $egan focusing a its efforts on se ing to arge organisations7 re easing Fed 0at Cnterprise ,-&./inux. %or examp e7 it created too s which wou d ease the insta ation onto mu tip e machines and assist the management of a these machines. %urthermore7 its pricing and support contracts were sca a$ e7 a owing Mr #ig>s compan+ to $egin with the Iindows -T machines and then ramp up their ,-&./inux insta ations to a of the compan+>s computers. Mr #ig>s Chief Techno og+ Officer i3ed this $ecause it wou d a ow him to Gstart ow and go s owH7 his fa1ourite aphorism7 and thus reduce the ris3 and pain of the switch. 5nd Mr #ig himse f i3ed it $ecause the costs were transparent7 predicta$ e and managea$ e. 0e cou d see where the mone+ was going and what his compan+ wou d get out of it. In time7 he wou d switch a the compan+>s machines to ,-&./inux.

*urther resources

,nuCash D www.gnucash.org

6" GFed 0at %edora ! &n eashedH $+ Pau 0udson7 5ndrew 0udson7 #i #a 7 0o+t 4uff. Sams 2))". IS#- )6'232'(2(.

1"6

,o a the wa+ with ,-&./inux operating s+stem

Scri$us D www.scri$us.org.u3 C1o ution D www.gnome.org.pro8ects.e1o ution 0one+net Pro8ect D www.hone+net.org 0one+net Pro8ect report on ,-&./inux securit+ D http6..www.hone+net.org.papers.trends. ife= inux.pdf Iine D www.wineh?.com ,-&./inux distri$utions D www. inux.org.dist. 9noppix D www.3noppix.org /inspire ,-&./inux D www. inspire.com P anner D www.imendio.com.pro8ects.p anner. /photo D http6..info. inspire.com. photo. /songs D http6..info. inspire.com. songs. SurfSafe D www. inspire.com.surfTsafeTinfo.php &$untu ,-&./inux D www.u$untu inux.org &$untu free C4s D http6..shipit.u$untu inux.org. #eowu f c uster D www.$eowu f.org SuSC ,-&./inux D www.no1e .com. inux.suse. TrueTip D www.truetip.com /+coris ,-&./inux D www. +coris.com Fed 0at ,-&./inux D www.redhat.com Fed 0at %edora ,-&./inux D http6..fedora.redhat.com. GFed 0at %edora ! &n eashedH $+ Pau 0udson7 5ndrew 0udson7 #i #a 7 0o+t 4uff. Sams 2))". IS#)6'232'(2(.

1"'

6ow on earth can *ree Software even e"ist7

GIhat is a c+nic2 5 man who 3nows the price of e1er+thing and the 1a ue of nothingH Oscar Ii de7 /ady 5indermere's Fan :1*(2; 5ct 3. 4uring m+ chi dhood I earnt the 1a ue of freedom. I i1ed in se1era countries as m+ parents tra1e ed to pursue their wor3 and studies. These inc uded S+ria7 a communist dictatorship7 and /e$anon7 a countr+ that had $een a free=mar3et democrac+ $efore its tragic ci1i war. #ac3 then communism made sense to man+ peop e D the go1ernment wou d ta3e responsi$i it+ for organising the econom+ to produce the goods that its citiEens needed. #+ contrast free mar3ets seemed chaotic. 0ow cou d the right goods $e produced if there was no one to p an or ta3e responsi$i it+ for their production2 #ut the fact is that the+ are produced7 the s+stem does wor3 and it does so $etter than the centra p anning of communist countries. &nderstanding this he ps us understand wh+ %ree Software is so important and successfu .

*ree mar%ets and *ree Software

Ihat I earnt on m+ tra1e s is the $enefit that freedom $rings to societ+. In a free mar3et7 an+one has the freedom to tr+ their hand at meeting customers> needs. Iith time7 customers find that some companies are $etter than

0ow on earth can %ree Software e1en exist2 others for meeting these needs and so the+ focus their spending on those companies. 0owe1er7 if one of the companies raises its prices or owers the ?ua it+ of its products7 customers are a$ e to redirect their spending to that compan+>s competitors. This freedom means companies that mistreat their customers go $an3rupt whi e those that treat them we grow richer. More important +7 3now edge of this freedom means that companies understand that the+ must treat their customers we . Most companies in free mar3et societies are constant + stri1ing to de i1er $etter products at ower prices for their customers. This is particu ar + c ear in the information techno og+ industr+ D e1er+ 1* months7 for o1er !) +ears7 the mar3etOs freedom has produced a dou$ ing of computer power7 with astonishing drops in costs. This phenomenon was descri$ed in a semina paper66 $+ Inte Os 4r ,ordon Moore $ac3 in 1(6" and ed to his epon+mous aw. Computing power has $een mirrored $+ software with rising features and dropping costs. Ihere1er there has $een competition in IT7 the customer has $enefited. Con1erse +7 where1er competition was ac3ing7 the customer has suffered. %ree Software ensures competition D an+ de1e oper is free to $ui d on existing %ree Software and extend its functiona it+. If this wor3 does impro1e the software7 an+one can $enefit from the impro1ements $+ cop+ing and using the extended software. Competition to ma3e these impro1ements is fierce
66 GCramming more components into integrated circuitsH7 ,ordon C Moore. C ectronics7 Lo ume 3*7 -um$er *7 5pri 1(th 1(6". The origina paper is a1ai a$ e from Inte 6 ftp6..down oad.inte .com.research.si icon.moorespaper.pdf

1"(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e and as this $oo3 has descri$ed7 the resu t has $een an extraordinar+ 1ariet+ of ?ua it+ software.

*ree speech and *ree Software

M+ parents spent man+ +ears campaigning for the democratic rights of their fe ow citiEens in #ahrain. M+ generation is the first to $enefit and in 2))2 I was a$ e to 1ote for the first time in m+ ife. M+ generation is a so a $eneficiar+ of free speech7 an essentia right enshrined in numerous democracies> constitutions. %ree speech a ows honest inte igent discussion of pro$ ems and their so utions. Iithout it7 accounta$i it+ co apses and corruption $egins. %ree Software is $ui t on such openness. The source code from which software programs are created is open + a1ai a$ e for an+one to read and criti?ue. This is wh+ %ree Software is often referred to as open source software. It is a so wh+ $ugs in %ree Software are spotted and fixed more ?uic3 + than in its c osed source a ternati1e. %or examp e7 a stud+ $+ Stanford &ni1ersit+ scientists that ana +sed ,-&./inux operating s+stem>s 3erne source code found 8ust (*" $ugs in ".' mi ion ines of code6'. That is 8ust ).1' $ugs per 17))) ines of code. 5nother stud+7 of M+SS/7 found simi ar + ow e1e s of $ugs6*. #+ contrast7 the industr+ a1erage for c osed code is 2) to 3) $ugs for e1er+ 17))) ines. This cou d exp ain wh+ $ugs are found so often in Iindows PP>s !) mi ion ines of c osed source code.
6' www.wired.com.news. inux.)71!11766)227)).htm 6* www.internetnews.com.securit+.artic e.php.3!6(631

16)

0ow on earth can %ree Software e1en exist2 The princip e extends to securit+. #ruce Schneier :www.schneier.com; is the ce e$rated author of se1era text$oo3s on securit+ and the co=founder of Counterpane Internet Securit+7 Inc. 0is $oo3 G#e+ond %earH6( is we worth the read and discusses openness 1ersus secrec+ for securit+. The secrec+ of c osed source software is $ad for securit+. 5s Schneier exp ains the computer securit+ wor d has ong ago G earned that pu$ ishing securit+ 1u nera$i ities is the on + wa+ to get software 1endors to fix them. #efore pu$ ication was the norm7 1endors wou d routine + den+ the existence of 1u nera$i ities and not $other fixing them... The ris37 of course7 is that attac3ers earn a$out the 1u nera$i ities and exp oit them.H In fact secrec+ creates dangerous ignorance for the user. Ta3ing the examp e of door oc3s descri$ed in his $oo3 there was Ga 1u nera$i it+ in a certain t+pe of door oc3 that has existed for a hundred +ears or soH. /oc3smiths and crimina s 3new a$out the 1u nera$i it+7 $ut most customers did not and continued to $u+ the fau t+ oc3s. %urthermore7 the ignorance of users of c osed software means that the+ wi not demand $etter software. %ina +7 of course7 secrec+ in the name of securit+ can $e misused to hide the mista3es and ma practice of companies. %or a these reasons democratic societies $enefit from openness and %ree Software $enefits from open source practices. This exp ains wh+ so man+ go1ernment and commercia securit+ agencies ha1e recommended against using the c osed source Internet Cxp orer and in fa1our of the open
6( Pages 13)=132 of G#e+ond %earH $+ #ruce Schneier. Springer 2))3. IS#- )3*')262)'.

161

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e source %irefox').

*reedom isn+t free

@ust $ecause %ree Software is a1ai a$ e free of charge to users and distri$utors7 it does not mean that it cost nothing to create. Suite the contrar+ D it is the resu t of the a$ours of tens of thousands of software de1e opers around the wor d re?uiring astonishing in1estments of time7 effort and 3now edge. Such in1estments re?uires pa+ment and the on + reason the+ continue7 and indeed increase7 is that the pa+ments continue and increase. There are se1era wa+s in which this happens.

8 3 Programmers are funded b) their institutions

The $eginnings of %ree Software rest with Fichard Sta man :www.sta man.org;7 who created the ,P/ icense and the %ree Software %oundation :www.gnu.org;. 0e wrote software to so 1e a pro$ em as part of his wor3 for his emp o+er. Ior3ing at MIT>s 5rtificia Inte igence /a$orator+ in the 1(')s he and co eagues used a printer that fre?uent + $ro3e down. 0owe1er7 $ecause his team had the source code for the software connecting the printer to the computer the+ were a$ e to write additiona software that a erted them whene1er the printer had $ro3en down. This sa1ed a ot of time for MIT>s emp o+ees so was worth the initia in1estment in writing the software. 5round the wor d thousands of software de1e opers are paid
') %or examp e7 see www.washingtonpost.com.wp= d+n.artic es.5""2!=2))!@un2".htm and www.theregister.co.u3.2))!.)(.13.germanTieT8itters.

162

0ow on earth can %ree Software e1en exist2 $+ their emp o+ers to fix $ugs and add features to %ree Software programs. Such in1estments are good for the emp o+ers $ecause their immediate $usiness pro$ ems are so 1ed7 $ut a so good for the rest of us as the ,P/ icense means that the so ution has to $e shared with other users.

9 3 Software companies reduce their costs b) sharing development with the *ree Software communit)
Other companies sa1e mone+ on de1e opment costs $+ ma3ing their software a1ai a$ e through the ,P/ icense. %or examp e7 in 1((( 5merica On ine $ought -etscape for around <! $i ion. -etscape made we$ $rowser software and 5O/ wanted to ha1e an a ternati1e to Microsoft>s Internet Cxp orer. #+ creating the MoEi a %oundation and gi1ing it the source code for -etscape>s $rowser products 5O/ was a$ e to ensure the continued de1e opment of the software for a re ati1e + sma in1estment of <2 mi ion o1er the first two +ears. MoEi a was then a$ e to recei1e in1estments from Fed 0at and Sun as we as the de1e opment efforts of software de1e opers around the wor d. The resu t has $een the continued de1e opment of the MoEi a suite7 as we as the creation of %irefox7 Thunder$ird and other software pro8ects. 5O/ can now incorporate MoEi a>s $rowser techno og+ into its own products as a 1a id and high + cost=effecti1e a ternati1e to Internet Cxp orer. Sun itse f ma3es mone+ from %ree Software $+ pro1iding technica support ser1ices. In 1((( it $ought the StarOffice software compan+ and then made the source code free + a1ai a$ e in the form of OpenOffice.org. #+ ma3ing the source code a1ai a$ e to the communit+ Sun was a so a$ e to ensure continued high ?ua it+ de1e opment of the software for a minima in1estment of its own resources. On this 163

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e foundation it $ui t and so d StarOffice which is essentia + the OpenOffice.org suite with c ipart i$raries and technica support.

: 3 ,ompanies earn mone) from services

Companies i3e I#M ma3e mone+ $+ pro1iding consu ting and integration ser1ices. In the 1(()s the compan+ made a commitment to ,-&./inux as the operating s+stem it wou d recommend to its c ients $ecause this wou d pro1ide the 1a ue and power demanded $+ its corporate customers. These c ients pa+ I#M to incorporate %ree Software so utions into their computer networ3s and $u+ I#M hardware running this software. The transformation to this $usiness mode was descri$ed $+ its CCO /ouis L. ,erstner in his surprising + en8o+a$ e $oo3 GIho Sa+s C ephants Can>t 4ance2H'1 and he credits it with $i ions of do ars in re1enue streams for the compan+. Fed0at7 another in1estor in the MoEi a %oundation7 is one of the companies that ma3es mone+ from distri$uting %ree Software7 main + the ,-&./inux operating s+stem. It focuses its efforts on arge organisations7 ensuring that s+stem administrators can dep o+ ,-&./inux software as fast and secure + as possi$ e. #+ contrast7 /inspire focuses on consumers7 pro1iding them with a 1ersion of ,-&./inux that is eas+ to use. C ients a so pa+ a +ear + su$scription to ha1e eas+ access to thousands of software app ications which the+ can insta through the internet.

'1 GIho Sa+s C ephants Can>t 4ance2 Inside I#M>s 0istoric TurnaroundH $+ /ouis L. ,erstner7 @r. 0arper#usiness 2))2. IS#- ))6)"23'(!.

16!

0ow on earth can %ree Software e1en exist2

; 3 ,ompanies earn mone) from software development

Of course software de1e opment itse f can $e profita$ e. The most popu ar open source data$ase7 MBSS/ :www.m+s? .com;7 is made $+ a Swedish start=up of the same name. The software is free + a1ai a$ e through the ,P/ icense $ut the compan+ ma3es its mone+ from customers who want to $e a$ e to customise the software without ma3ing those customisations a1ai a$ e to others. The compan+>s c ients inc ude the 5ssociated Press7 ,oog e7 -5S57 Sa$re 0o dings and SuEu3i. Man+ such %ree Software start=ups are arising around the wor d. %or examp e7 Pennington %irm ma3es the OpenCMF :www.openemr.net; medica records software and se s insta ation and technica support. Octance Securit+ :www.octane=securit+.com; extends existing %ree Software i3e Mai Scanner :www.mai scanner.info; and Spam5ssasin :http6..spamassassin.apache.org; which it se s as securit+ so utions. The $est of these companies wi increase re1enues and profits and their siEe ma+ come to ri1a that of software giants i3e Microsoft7 Orac e and 5do$e.

< 3 Mone) is not alwa)s necessar)

It is worth pointing out the non=monetar+ methods of compensation. %or man+ programmers7 contri$uting to %ree Software pro8ects is a a$our of o1e. The on + pa+ment that the+ as3 for is attri$ution as the+ ta3e pride in their name $eing attached to great software. Others use it as a wa+ of $ui ding their s3i s and expertise. The+ can then use these for future emp o+ment and higher sa aries.

16"

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

= 3 Governments support *ree Software for national securit)

,o1ernments ha1e their own agendas on $eha f of their citiEens. %or examp e7 in the name of nationa securit+7 the go1ernments of China7 South 9orea and @apan announced that the+ wou d de1e op 5sian ,-&./inux. This 1ersion of the ,-&./inux operating s+stem wou d assuage concerns o1er the use of the Microsoft Iindows operating s+stem $ecause the source wou d $e open and transparent. Critica go1ernment computing infrastructure wou d not $e in the hands of a sing e 5merican software compan+. 5 so in the interests of transparenc+ the go1ernment of #raEi is considering de1e oping %ree Software in its e ectronic 1oting machines. #ritain>s taxpa+er=funded ##C created 4irac 1ideo compression software to faci itate its pu$ ic ser1ice mission of ma3ing its programmes free + a1ai a$ e to the pu$ ic. In the &S57 funding for the go1ernment>s -ationa Institutes of 0ea th :-I0; now inc udes the de1e opment of open source software to support $iomedica research. There are p ent+ of other reasons that in1estments in %ree Software are made7 $ut the resu t is the same6 we a $enefit from the ad1ancement and a1ai a$i it+ of these too s.

*urther resources

GCramming more components into integrated circuitsH7 ,ordon C Moore. C ectronics7 Lo ume 3*7 -um$er *7 5pri 1(7 1(6". ftp6..down oad.inte .com.research.si icon.moorespaper.pd f G#e+ond %earH $+ #ruce Schneier. Springer 2))3. IS#-

166

0ow on earth can %ree Software e1en exist2 )3*')262)'.

#ruce Schneier D www.schneier.com Fichard Sta man D www.sta man.org %ree Software %oundation D www.gnu.org GIho Sa+s C ephants Can>t 4ance2 Inside I#M>s 0istoric TurnaroundH $+ /ouis L. ,erstner7 @r. 0arper#usiness 2))2. IS#- ))6)"23'(!. M+SS/ D www.m+s? .com OpenCMF D www.openemr.net Octane Securit+ D www.octane=securit+.com Mai Scanner D www.mai scanner.info Spam5ssasin D http6..spamassassin.apache.org

16'

Giving bac% to the *ree Software communit)

GThe genera tendenc+ of monopo ies is to ma3e things dear7 to ma3e them scarce7 and to ma3e them $ad.H K Thomas #a$ington Macau a+'2 I wrote this $oo3 for two reasons. %irst7 $ecause I ta3e great p easure and pride in teaching others how to $enefit from techno og+. In writing G0andhe d Computers for 4octorsH I was a$ e to teach c inicians how to ma3e use of an afforda$ e techno og+ D handhe d computers D to impro1e patient care. Iith this $oo3 I am a$ e to teach an e1en wider audience a$out an e1en more afforda$ e techno og+. This chapter is a$out the second reason for writing this $oo3. I want to exp ain to +ou wh+ +ou shou d care a$out the hea th and de1e opment of the %ree Software mo1ement. Bes7 for man+ around the wor d7 it is a mo1ement. It is one with simi ar mora imperati1es to mo1ements to impro1e the en1ironment7 tac3 e po1ert+ and upho d ci1i i$erties. 5nd it is one with po itica dimensions and cha enges. I hope that the pre1ious chapters ha1e con1inced +ou of how much +ou can $enefit from %ree Software. The rest of this chapter wi exp ain what +ou can do in return.

&s% what )ou can do

Of course7 the method of he ping that is easiest to
'2 http6..www. aw.du3e.edu.$o+ esite.experiment.htm

,i1ing $ac3 to the %ree Software communit+ understand is gi1ing mone+. 5 most a %ree Software sites accept donations and the+ use this mone+ to in1est in further de1e opment of the software. %or man+ 1o unteers wor3ing on such pro8ects the donations act as reassurance that their wor3 is appreciated and moti1ation to wor3 e1en more. So the next time that +ou particu ar + appreciate the ?ua it+ of some %ree Software7 consider donating. If +ou wor3 for a $usiness that uses %ree Software ta 3 to +our $oss a$out ma3ing a donation from the compan+>s $udget. Bour compan+ wi ha1e a read+ sa1ed great sums $+ switching to %ree Software and faster de1e opment and impro1ement of this software wi ma3e a measura$ e contri$ution to +our compan+>s profit margins. Man+ of these donations are tax=deducti$ e. %or examp e7 the MoEi a %oundation :www.moEi a.org;7 the Open Source 5pp ications %oundation :www.osafoundation.org; and the %ree Software %oundation :www.gnu.org; are a section ")1:c;3 comp iant which means that donations can $e deducted from &S tax pa+ments. 5na ogous deductions are possi$ e for other countries> tax s+stems as we . #ut mone+ is not the on + contri$ution7 nor necessari + the most important.

8 3 Give feedbac%
%or examp e7 +ou ha1e an important contri$ution to ma3e simp + $+ reporting pro$ ems in the software. Some groups7 such as the MoEi a %oundation7 ma3e this particu ar + eas+ for +ou $+ inc uding the Sua it+ %eed$ac3 5gent'3 :S%5;. The S%5 appears when the software crashes and as3s +ou to fi out a report of what +ou were doing when it happened. This report is sent $ac3 to the de1e opers who can then
'3 www.moEi a.org.?ua it+.?fa.htm

16(

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e inc ude fixing this $ug in their de1e opment schedu e. &sing the S%5 ta3es itt e of +our time $ut pro1ides 1a ua$ e data to the software de1e opers. Through recei1ing thousands of reports from around the wor d the+ can ?uic3 + identif+ new $ugs. The+ can a so assess the impact of a $ug from the num$er of reports the+ recei1e a$out it. Ie a $enefit as the de1e opers are rapid + a erted and can focus their efforts on the most important $ugs.

9 3 Teach in )our communit)

One thing we can a do is teach. In m+ case I fe t so strong + a$out this that I wrote a who e $oo37 $ut a 3inds of teaching are necessar+. If +ou ha1e a we$site7 write artic es a$out the software that +ou find usefu . In fact7 8ust $+ posting a in3 to the we$sites of %ree Software pro8ects +ou he p peop e oo3ing for the software. This is $ecause search engines i3e ,oog e constant + ana +se the in3s. The more in3s that a site recei1es the more importance it assigns to that site and the more fre?uent + it disp a+s the site to searchers. Consider writing a etter to +our newspaper7 an artic e in +our 8ourna or a tutoria for +our schoo news etter. %or man+ peop e the decisions that the+ ma3e a$out computer techno og+ are determined $+ the ad1ice of their friends and co eagues. The $iggest $arrier to adopting %ree Software is often the uncertaint+ that comes with no1e t+. Bou can reassure them $ecause +ou use and $enefit from the software and +ou can educate them a$out properties of %ree Software that de i1er ?ua it+ with 1a ue. Ihen +our friends do decide to ma3e the switch the+ wi need a itt e support to get them going. Consider insta ing the software onto their machine and spending the first hour 1')

,i1ing $ac3 to the %ree Software communit+ with them. Bou can show them how to do the things with the new software that the+ were used to doing with the o d software. 5nd +ou can show them how to do new things of which the+ had not e1en thought.

: 3 Teach )our boss

If +ou wor3 for an organisation7 con1ince the decision ma3ers to ma3e the switch. ,oing through this exercise wi do wonders for +our career. %irst7 +ou wi ha1e to write a forma proposa ma3ing a strong $usiness case for the switch. This is a usefu exercise and good expertise to mention on +our CL. It is a so an opportunit+ to come to the attention of +our organisation>s eaders. Tr+ to send +our proposa to the highest e1e of management in +our organisation $ecause this is a strategic switch that re?uires their attention. Once this wor3s +ou wi $ecome associated with a successfu pro8ect that sa1ed mone+ and impro1ed ?ua it+. Then of course there is the $iggest organisation of them a D +our go1ernment.

&s% what )our countr) can do

,o1ernments ha1e an important ro e to p a+ in %ree Software. %irst7 there is the financia support the+ gi1e %ree Software pro8ects. Second7 go1ernments can insist on open standards for storing the important data for which the+ are responsi$ e. %ina +7 the+ must a1oid passing harmfu aws.

8 3 Governments can fund *ree Software

Ihen the oca go1ernments of Paris7 Munich and 0aar em in Curope made the switch the+ sa1ed mone+ without 1'1

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e sacrificing ?ua it+. 5s taxpa+ers we shou d a care a$out such trends and ensure that the+ continue. Ma3e sure +our oca go1ernment representati1e 3nows that +ou expect them to consider %ree Software as a wa+ to spend +our mone+ inte igent +. 5t oca town ha meetings +ou can teach the audience a$out the $enefits of this software.

9 3 Governments can demand open data standards

5 $igger ro e comes from the go1ernment>s a$i it+ to set standards. Ta3e the examp e of data standards. C1en with expensi1e commercia software and top specification hardware the most expensi1e component of computing is data. The sa ar+ for the hours that +ou ma+ spend creating Microsoft Iord documents is far more than the cost of Microsoft Iord itse f. %or e1er+ organisation data is far more expensi1e than the computers on which it resides or the software used to manage it. ,i1en this importance7 open data standards are crucia . Most proprietar+ software too s use proprietar+ data formats. This means that on + the compan+ which wrote the software tru + understands the data format and in man+ cases the compan+ ta3es significant efforts to o$scure the detai s of the format. Proprietar+ software $usiness mode s depend on this7 guarding data format as a commercia secret7 $ecause it oc3s their customers into depending on the software compan+ for the safet+ of their data. On + the software compan+ $enefits from this. The customers do not7 starting with the high costs that the compan+ can charge $ecause customers are dependent on the compan+ for the safet+ of their data. %urthermore7 if the compan+ were to go $an3rupt7 or simp + 1'2

,i1ing $ac3 to the %ree Software communit+ decide that supporting the software is no onger worth the in1estment7 the customers are eft in a terri$ e position. The data that the+ depend on is on + accessi$ e through software that wi neither impro1e in features nor decrease in $ugs. 5nd $ecause the format is proprietar+ it ma+ pro1e impossi$ e to transfer the data into another format for use with other software. #ecause go1ernments 3eep trac3 of crucia data7 the+ must ensure that the formats the+ use are open. This is one of the reasons wh+ the 4epartment of Leterans 5ffairs :L5; in the &S5 chose the open source method for its e ectronic medica records software. The 4epartment is responsi$ e for the hea thcare of 26 mi ion 1eterans as we another !! mi ion 5mericans who are the fami ies and sur1i1ing dependants of 1eterans. 4ea ing with so much important data means that the L5 cou d not afford the ris3 of using proprietar+ formats. In fact7 the histor+ of medica software is ittered with fai ed software pro8ects'! and the su$se?uent fai ure of the companies that owned the software. So the L5 decided to de1e op the software itse f7 open + and o1er time7 to reduce the ris3s and ensure de i1er+ of the exact features that it needed. #ecause it is funded $+ &S taxpa+ers the software that it created is made free + a1ai a$ e in the pu$ ic domain for an+one to use. The pro8ect $egan in the 1(*)s as 4ecentra iEed 0ospita Computer Program :40CP; and was aunched as the Leterans 0ea th Information S+stems and Techno og+ 5rchitecture :List5 D www.wor d1ista.org; in 1((6. O1er 2) +ears the software has pro1ed its sta$i it+ and ?ua it+. #ecause it is a1ai a$ e free of charge7 users around the wor d are dep o+ing it. 5nd the open data format means that data
'! http6..www.pu$medcentra .go1.artic erender.fcgi2artidU12(66"

1'3

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e can $e exchanged $etween different hea thcare pro1iders. This ma3es it a so ution to a pro$ em that p agues the &S hea thcare s+stem and those of other countries around the wor d. The proprietar+ data formats in use in each practice7 a$orator+ and hospita around the countr+ are incompati$ e. Cach +ear these hea thcare pro1iders spend mi ions tr+ing to con1ert data from one proprietar+ format to another as the+ tr+ to share data a$out patients under their care. Often the+ end up with the owest common denominator D printing out tons of paper in medica records which recipients must then t+pe into their own medica records software. This is wh+ the software is under consideration as the $ui ding $ oc3 of President #ush>s p an for a nationwide e ectronic hea th record s+stem. In the -ether ands the go1ernment has ta3en the princip e of open data formats e1en further. In 2))2 the 4utch /ower Cham$er unanimous + carried a motion re?uiring that $+ 2))6 a go1ernment IT purchases wou d $e of software that was $ased on open standards. -ot on + do such purchases ensure that go1ernment data is safe7 the+ a so a ow %ree Software to compete on a fair footing in the mar3etp ace. One of the $iggest $arriers to adoption of OpenOffice.org was that most $usinesses had $een oc3ed into using Microsoft Office. The creators of OpenOffice.org o1ercame the technica $arrier $+ ensuring that their software was compati$ e with Microsoft>s proprietar+ fi e format. 0owe1er7 go1ernment aws and purchases that are friend + to %ree Software o1ercome the ps+cho ogica $arrier and ha1e spurred the 1irtuous c+c e of OpenOffice.org>s adoption around the wor d.

1'!

,i1ing $ac3 to the %ree Software communit+

: 3 Governments should avoid passing bad laws

The fina and perhaps most important ro e of go1ernment is that of doing no harm. %or examp e7 one of the most harmfu aws adopted in &S5 is that for software patents. In 1((6 the &S Patent and Trademar3 Office adopted its %ina Computer Fe ated Cxamination ,uide ines. These a owed the patenting of software processes. It is important to rea ise that $efore 1((6 the software industr+ was ma3ing tremendous strides in inno1ation and software companies were in1esting mi ions of do ars in de1e opment. In other words7 aws to a ow software patents ha1e ne1er $een necessar+ to support software inno1ation and in1estment. /awrence /essig is Professor of /aw at Stanford &ni1ersit+ :www. essig.org; and author of se1era $oo3s7 inc uding G%ree Cu tureH'" :www.free=cu ture.cc;. This $oo3 descri$es the harm that software patents wi cause to the software industr+>s de1e opment. In fact on page 1!) he inc udes a memo written in 1((1 $+ #i ,ates7 chairman of Microsoft7 criticising software patents $ecause Gesta$ ished companies ha1e an interest in exc uding future competitorsH. Software patent aws gi1e them the too s to do that. The threat is particu ar + significant for %ree Software $ecause proprietar+ software companies can sue new %ree Software pro8ects c aiming infringement on their patents. #ecause man+ of these pro8ects are started $+ 1o unteers7 the+ ha1e no re1enue stream et a one a ega $udget. /arge commercia enterprises understand this and wi $e a$ e to
'" G%ree Cu ture6 0ow #ig Media &ses Techno og+ and the /aw to /oc3 4own Cu ture and Contro Creati1it+H $+ /awrence /essig. The Penguin Press 2))!. IS#- 1"(!2)))6*.

1'"

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e start fri1o ous awsuits in the 3now edge that the mere threat of itigation wi shut down a %ree Software pro8ect that ac3s a ega department. This wi ha1e a chi ing effect on inno1ation and ma+ we cost the &S5 its ead in software de1e opment in the future. %or now7 %ree Software de1e opers do ha1e some a ies. Ihen the ##C $egan de1e oping the 4irac 1ideo software the+ made a ega team part of their contri$ution to the pro8ect. Its aw+ers are ensuring that no patents exist on the software techni?ues that 4irac uses7 as we as patenting those new techni?ues that 4irac creates. It wi then p ace the patents in the pu$ ic domain so that the+ are a1ai a$ e for others to use without fear of itigation. %or ,-&./inux itigation7 I#M7 -o1e and other companies are ma3ing their aw+ers a1ai a$ e to defend the operating s+stem in the courts. 0owe1er7 it is a sad da+ when the inno1ation that comes from sma teams starting up depends on the patronage of arge companies for ega defence. That is where go1ernments such as that of Po and come in. In 4ecem$er 2))! it successfu + campaigned to remo1e the GSoftware Patent 4irecti1eH from the Curopean &nion>s egis ati1e agenda. In other words7 citiEens and companies of the Curopean &nion were spared the dangers of software patents and the+ ha1e Po and to than3 for this :www.than3po and.info;. Of course7 the Po ish go1ernment did not ma3e this decision $+ itse f. It was ad1ised $+ acti1ists7 citiEens and companies that this wou d $e the $est course of action for Po and>s interest. -or was Po and>s the on + go1ernment that was of this opinion. In the Curopean &nion and around the wor d7 go1ernments are ma3ing the necessar+ in1estments. The 1'6

,i1ing $ac3 to the %ree Software communit+ nationa go1ernments of LeneEu a7 #raEi 7 India7 China7 South 9orea7 @apan and others are a responding to their citiEens> needs and supporting %ree Software.

The end of the beginning or the beginning of the end7

5 of these de1e opments a ow me to end on a happ+ note. I hope that +ou ha1e en8o+ed this $oo3 and that +ou found it usefu . 5s I mentioned in the introduction6 i$ reading thi &ook can ave enough "one# to e"!lo# one "ore nur e or one "ore teacher, or to allow one "ore tart9u! to ucceed $inanciall#, then "# ,o& i done. 5$o1e a 7 I hope that +ou earnt enough a$out %ree Software to demand more freedom in how +ou use computer techno og+ in +our ife. 5nd I hope that +ou wi share what +ou earnt with +our fami +7 friends and co eagues. Ie wi a $e winners when the princip es and practice of %ree Software spread through societ+.

*urther resources

MoEi a %oundation D www.moEi a.org Open Source 5pp ications %oundation D www.osafoundation.org %ree Software %oundation D www.gnu.org Leterans 0ea th Information S+stems and Techno og+ 5rchitecture :List5; D www.wor d1ista.org /awrence /essig D www. essig.org G%ree Cu ture6 0ow #ig Media &ses Techno og+ and the /aw to /oc3 4own Cu ture and Contro Creati1it+H $+ 1''

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e /awrence /essig. The Penguin Press 2))!. IS#1"(!2)))6*.

%ree Cu ture we$site D www.free=cu ture.cc Than3 Po and D www.than3po and.info

1'*

GNU *ree $ocumentation !icense

Lersion 1.27 -o1em$er 2))2
Copyright (C) 2000,2001,2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc. 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, o!ton, "# 02110$1%01 &S# '(eryone i! per)itted to copy and di!tri*ute (er*ati) copie! of thi! licen!e docu)ent, *ut changing it i! not allowed.

5. !6*)$B4* The purpose of this /icense is to ma3e a manua 7 text$oo37 or other functiona and usefu document WfreeW in the sense of freedom6 to assure e1er+one the effecti1e freedom to cop+ and redistri$ute it7 with or without modif+ing it7 either commercia + or noncommercia +. Secondari +7 this /icense preser1es for the author and pu$ isher a wa+ to get credit for their wor37 whi e not $eing considered responsi$ e for modifications made $+ others. This /icense is a 3ind of Wcop+ eftW7 which means that deri1ati1e wor3s of the document must themse 1es $e free in the same sense. It comp ements the ,-& ,enera Pu$ ic /icense7 which is a cop+ eft icense designed for free software. Ie ha1e designed this /icense in order to use it for manua s for free software7 $ecause free software needs free documentation6 a free program shou d come with manua s pro1iding the same freedoms that the software does. #ut this /icense is not imited to software manua sJ it can $e used for an+ textua wor37 regard ess of su$8ect matter or whether it is pu$ ished as a printed $oo3. Ie recommend this /icense principa + for wor3s whose purpose is instruction or reference. 7. )!!4I")BI4I#0 )18 8*9I1I#I%1, This /icense app ies to an+ manua or other wor37 in an+ medium7 that contains a notice p aced $+ the cop+right ho der sa+ing it can $e distri$uted under the terms of this /icense. Such a notice grants a wor d=wide7 ro+a t+=free icense7 un imited in duration7 to use that wor3 under the conditions stated herein. The W4ocumentW7 $e ow7 refers to an+ such manua or wor3. 5n+ mem$er of the pu$ ic is a icensee7 and is addressed as W+ouW. Bou accept the icense if +ou cop+7 modif+ or distri$ute the wor3 in a wa+ re?uiring permission

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

under cop+right aw. 5 WModified LersionW of the 4ocument means an+ wor3 containing the 4ocument or a portion of it7 either copied 1er$atim7 or with modifications and.or trans ated into another anguage. 5 WSecondar+ SectionW is a named appendix or a front=matter section of the 4ocument that dea s exc usi1e + with the re ationship of the pu$ ishers or authors of the 4ocument to the 4ocument>s o1era su$8ect :or to re ated matters; and contains nothing that cou d fa direct + within that o1era su$8ect. :Thus7 if the 4ocument is in part a text$oo3 of mathematics7 a Secondar+ Section ma+ not exp ain an+ mathematics.; The re ationship cou d $e a matter of historica connection with the su$8ect or with re ated matters7 or of ega 7 commercia 7 phi osophica 7 ethica or po itica position regarding them. The WIn1ariant SectionsW are certain Secondar+ Sections whose tit es are designated7 as $eing those of In1ariant Sections7 in the notice that sa+s that the 4ocument is re eased under this /icense. If a section does not fit the a$o1e definition of Secondar+ then it is not a owed to $e designated as In1ariant. The 4ocument ma+ contain Eero In1ariant Sections. If the 4ocument does not identif+ an+ In1ariant Sections then there are none. The WCo1er TextsW are certain short passages of text that are isted7 as %ront=Co1er Texts or #ac3=Co1er Texts7 in the notice that sa+s that the 4ocument is re eased under this /icense. 5 %ront=Co1er Text ma+ $e at most " words7 and a #ac3=Co1er Text ma+ $e at most 2" words. 5 WTransparentW cop+ of the 4ocument means a machine=reada$ e cop+7 represented in a format whose specification is a1ai a$ e to the genera pu$ ic7 that is suita$ e for re1ising the document straightforward + with generic text editors or :for images composed of pixe s; generic paint programs or :for drawings; some wide + a1ai a$ e drawing editor7 and that is suita$ e for input to text formatters or for automatic trans ation to a 1ariet+ of formats suita$ e for input to text formatters. 5 cop+ made in an otherwise Transparent fi e format whose mar3up7 or a$sence of mar3up7 has $een arranged to thwart or discourage su$se?uent modification $+ readers is not Transparent. 5n image format is not Transparent if used for an+ su$stantia amount of text. 5 cop+ that is not WTransparentW is ca ed WOpa?ueW. Cxamp es of suita$ e formats for Transparent copies inc ude p ain 5SCII without mar3up7 Texinfo input format7 /aTeP input format7 S,M/ or PM/ using a pu$ ic + a1ai a$ e 4T47 and standard=conforming simp e 0TM/7 PostScript or P4% designed for human modification. Cxamp es of

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,-& %ree 4ocumentation /icense

transparent image formats inc ude P-,7 PC% and @P,. Opa?ue formats inc ude proprietar+ formats that can $e read and edited on + $+ proprietar+ word processors7 S,M/ or PM/ for which the 4T4 and.or processing too s are not genera + a1ai a$ e7 and the machine=generated 0TM/7 PostScript or P4% produced $+ some word processors for output purposes on +. The WTit e PageW means7 for a printed $oo37 the tit e page itse f7 p us such fo owing pages as are needed to ho d7 egi$ +7 the materia this /icense re?uires to appear in the tit e page. %or wor3s in formats which do not ha1e an+ tit e page as such7 WTit e PageW means the text near the most prominent appearance of the wor3>s tit e7 preceding the $eginning of the $od+ of the text. 5 section WCntit ed PBVW means a named su$unit of the 4ocument whose tit e either is precise + PBV or contains PBV in parentheses fo owing text that trans ates PBV in another anguage. :0ere PBV stands for a specific section name mentioned $e ow7 such as W5c3now edgementsW7 W4edicationsW7 WCndorsementsW7 or W0istor+W.; To WPreser1e the Tit eW of such a section when +ou modif+ the 4ocument means that it remains a section WCntit ed PBVW according to this definition. The 4ocument ma+ inc ude Iarrant+ 4isc aimers next to the notice which states that this /icense app ies to the 4ocument. These Iarrant+ 4isc aimers are considered to $e inc uded $+ reference in this /icense7 $ut on + as regards disc aiming warranties6 an+ other imp ication that these Iarrant+ 4isc aimers ma+ ha1e is 1oid and has no effect on the meaning of this /icense. :. ;*6B)#I$ "%!0I1( Bou ma+ cop+ and distri$ute the 4ocument in an+ medium7 either commercia + or noncommercia +7 pro1ided that this /icense7 the cop+right notices7 and the icense notice sa+ing this /icense app ies to the 4ocument are reproduced in a copies7 and that +ou add no other conditions whatsoe1er to those of this /icense. Bou ma+ not use technica measures to o$struct or contro the reading or further cop+ing of the copies +ou ma3e or distri$ute. 0owe1er7 +ou ma+ accept compensation in exchange for copies. If +ou distri$ute a arge enough num$er of copies +ou must a so fo ow the conditions in section 3. Bou ma+ a so end copies7 under the same conditions stated a$o1e7 and +ou ma+ pu$ ic + disp a+ copies. <. "%!0I1( I1 =2)1#I#0

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

If +ou pu$ ish printed copies :or copies in media that common + ha1e printed co1ers; of the 4ocument7 num$ering more than 1))7 and the 4ocument>s icense notice re?uires Co1er Texts7 +ou must enc ose the copies in co1ers that carr+7 c ear + and egi$ +7 a these Co1er Texts6 %ront=Co1er Texts on the front co1er7 and #ac3=Co1er Texts on the $ac3 co1er. #oth co1ers must a so c ear + and egi$ + identif+ +ou as the pu$ isher of these copies. The front co1er must present the fu tit e with a words of the tit e e?ua + prominent and 1isi$ e. Bou ma+ add other materia on the co1ers in addition. Cop+ing with changes imited to the co1ers7 as ong as the+ preser1e the tit e of the 4ocument and satisf+ these conditions7 can $e treated as 1er$atim cop+ing in other respects. If the re?uired texts for either co1er are too 1o uminous to fit egi$ +7 +ou shou d put the first ones isted :as man+ as fit reasona$ +; on the actua co1er7 and continue the rest onto ad8acent pages. If +ou pu$ ish or distri$ute Opa?ue copies of the 4ocument num$ering more than 1))7 +ou must either inc ude a machine=reada$ e Transparent cop+ a ong with each Opa?ue cop+7 or state in or with each Opa?ue cop+ a computer=networ3 ocation from which the genera networ3=using pu$ ic has access to down oad using pu$ ic=standard networ3 protoco s a comp ete Transparent cop+ of the 4ocument7 free of added materia . If +ou use the atter option7 +ou must ta3e reasona$ + prudent steps7 when +ou $egin distri$ution of Opa?ue copies in ?uantit+7 to ensure that this Transparent cop+ wi remain thus accessi$ e at the stated ocation unti at east one +ear after the ast time +ou distri$ute an Opa?ue cop+ :direct + or through +our agents or retai ers; of that edition to the pu$ ic. It is re?uested7 $ut not re?uired7 that +ou contact the authors of the 4ocument we $efore redistri$uting an+ arge num$er of copies7 to gi1e them a chance to pro1ide +ou with an updated 1ersion of the 4ocument. >. $%8I9I")#I%1, Bou ma+ cop+ and distri$ute a Modified Lersion of the 4ocument under the conditions of sections 2 and 3 a$o1e7 pro1ided that +ou re ease the Modified Lersion under precise + this /icense7 with the Modified Lersion fi ing the ro e of the 4ocument7 thus icensing distri$ution and modification of the Modified Lersion to whoe1er possesses a cop+ of it. In addition7 +ou must do these things in the Modified Lersion6 ` 5. &se in the Tit e Page :and on the co1ers7 if an+; a tit e distinct from that of the 4ocument7 and from those of pre1ious 1ersions :which shou d7 if there were an+7 $e isted in the 0istor+ section of the 4ocument;. Bou ma+ use the same tit e as a pre1ious 1ersion if the origina pu$ isher of

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,-& %ree 4ocumentation /icense

that 1ersion gi1es permission. ` #. /ist on the Tit e Page7 as authors7 one or more persons or entities responsi$ e for authorship of the modifications in the Modified Lersion7 together with at east fi1e of the principa authors of the 4ocument :a of its principa authors7 if it has fewer than fi1e;7 un ess the+ re ease +ou from this re?uirement. ` C. State on the Tit e page the name of the pu$ isher of the Modified Lersion7 as the pu$ isher. ` 4. Preser1e a the cop+right notices of the 4ocument. ` C. 5dd an appropriate cop+right notice for +our modifications ad8acent to the other cop+right notices. ` %. Inc ude7 immediate + after the cop+right notices7 a icense notice gi1ing the pu$ ic permission to use the Modified Lersion under the terms of this /icense7 in the form shown in the 5ddendum $e ow. ` ,. Preser1e in that icense notice the fu ists of In1ariant Sections and re?uired Co1er Texts gi1en in the 4ocument>s icense notice. ` 0. Inc ude an una tered cop+ of this /icense. ` I. Preser1e the section Cntit ed W0istor+W7 Preser1e its Tit e7 and add to it an item stating at east the tit e7 +ear7 new authors7 and pu$ isher of the Modified Lersion as gi1en on the Tit e Page. If there is no section Cntit ed W0istor+W in the 4ocument7 create one stating the tit e7 +ear7 authors7 and pu$ isher of the 4ocument as gi1en on its Tit e Page7 then add an item descri$ing the Modified Lersion as stated in the pre1ious sentence. ` @. Preser1e the networ3 ocation7 if an+7 gi1en in the 4ocument for pu$ ic access to a Transparent cop+ of the 4ocument7 and i3ewise the networ3 ocations gi1en in the 4ocument for pre1ious 1ersions it was $ased on. These ma+ $e p aced in the W0istor+W section. Bou ma+ omit a networ3 ocation for a wor3 that was pu$ ished at east four +ears $efore the 4ocument itse f7 or if the origina pu$ isher of the 1ersion it refers to gi1es permission. ` 9. %or an+ section Cntit ed W5c3now edgementsW or W4edicationsW7 Preser1e the Tit e of the section7 and preser1e in the section a the su$stance and tone of each of the contri$utor ac3now edgements and.or dedications gi1en therein. ` /. Preser1e a the In1ariant Sections of the 4ocument7 una tered in

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

their text and in their tit es. Section num$ers or the e?ui1a ent are not considered part of the section tit es. ` M. 4e ete an+ section Cntit ed WCndorsementsW. Such a section ma+ not $e inc uded in the Modified Lersion. ` -. 4o not retit e an+ existing section to $e Cntit ed WCndorsementsW or to conf ict in tit e with an+ In1ariant Section. ` O. Preser1e an+ Iarrant+ 4isc aimers. If the Modified Lersion inc udes new front=matter sections or appendices that ?ua if+ as Secondar+ Sections and contain no materia copied from the 4ocument7 +ou ma+ at +our option designate some or a of these sections as in1ariant. To do this7 add their tit es to the ist of In1ariant Sections in the Modified Lersion>s icense notice. These tit es must $e distinct from an+ other section tit es. Bou ma+ add a section Cntit ed WCndorsementsW7 pro1ided it contains nothing $ut endorsements of +our Modified Lersion $+ 1arious parties== for examp e7 statements of peer re1iew or that the text has $een appro1ed $+ an organiEation as the authoritati1e definition of a standard. Bou ma+ add a passage of up to fi1e words as a %ront=Co1er Text7 and a passage of up to 2" words as a #ac3=Co1er Text7 to the end of the ist of Co1er Texts in the Modified Lersion. On + one passage of %ront=Co1er Text and one of #ac3=Co1er Text ma+ $e added $+ :or through arrangements made $+; an+ one entit+. If the 4ocument a read+ inc udes a co1er text for the same co1er7 pre1ious + added $+ +ou or $+ arrangement made $+ the same entit+ +ou are acting on $eha f of7 +ou ma+ not add anotherJ $ut +ou ma+ rep ace the o d one7 on exp icit permission from the pre1ious pu$ isher that added the o d one. The author:s; and pu$ isher:s; of the 4ocument do not $+ this /icense gi1e permission to use their names for pu$ icit+ for or to assert or imp + endorsement of an+ Modified Lersion. ?. "%$BI1I1( 8%"2$*1#, Bou ma+ com$ine the 4ocument with other documents re eased under this /icense7 under the terms defined in section ! a$o1e for modified 1ersions7 pro1ided that +ou inc ude in the com$ination a of the In1ariant Sections of a of the origina documents7 unmodified7 and ist them a as In1ariant Sections of +our com$ined wor3 in its icense notice7 and that +ou preser1e a their Iarrant+ 4isc aimers. The com$ined wor3 need on + contain one cop+ of this /icense7 and

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,-& %ree 4ocumentation /icense

mu tip e identica In1ariant Sections ma+ $e rep aced with a sing e cop+. If there are mu tip e In1ariant Sections with the same name $ut different contents7 ma3e the tit e of each such section uni?ue $+ adding at the end of it7 in parentheses7 the name of the origina author or pu$ isher of that section if 3nown7 or e se a uni?ue num$er. Ma3e the same ad8ustment to the section tit es in the ist of In1ariant Sections in the icense notice of the com$ined wor3. In the com$ination7 +ou must com$ine an+ sections Cntit ed W0istor+W in the 1arious origina documents7 forming one section Cntit ed W0istor+WJ i3ewise com$ine an+ sections Cntit ed W5c3now edgementsW7 and an+ sections Cntit ed W4edicationsW. Bou must de ete a sections Cntit ed WCndorsements.W @. "%44*"#I%1, %9 8%"2$*1#, Bou ma+ ma3e a co ection consisting of the 4ocument and other documents re eased under this /icense7 and rep ace the indi1idua copies of this /icense in the 1arious documents with a sing e cop+ that is inc uded in the co ection7 pro1ided that +ou fo ow the ru es of this /icense for 1er$atim cop+ing of each of the documents in a other respects. Bou ma+ extract a sing e document from such a co ection7 and distri$ute it indi1idua + under this /icense7 pro1ided +ou insert a cop+ of this /icense into the extracted document7 and fo ow this /icense in a other respects regarding 1er$atim cop+ing of that document. A. )((6*()#I%1 'I#+ I18*!*18*1# '%6B, 5 compi ation of the 4ocument or its deri1ati1es with other separate and independent documents or wor3s7 in or on a 1o ume of a storage or distri$ution medium7 is ca ed an WaggregateW if the cop+right resu ting from the compi ation is not used to imit the ega rights of the compi ation>s users $e+ond what the indi1idua wor3s permit. Ihen the 4ocument is inc uded in an aggregate7 this /icense does not app + to the other wor3s in the aggregate which are not themse 1es deri1ati1e wor3s of the 4ocument. If the Co1er Text re?uirement of section 3 is app ica$ e to these copies of the 4ocument7 then if the 4ocument is ess than one ha f of the entire aggregate7 the 4ocument>s Co1er Texts ma+ $e p aced on co1ers that $rac3et the 4ocument within the aggregate7 or the e ectronic e?ui1a ent of co1ers if the 4ocument is in e ectronic form. Otherwise the+ must appear on printed co1ers that $rac3et the who e aggregate.

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

C. #6)1,4)#I%1 Trans ation is considered a 3ind of modification7 so +ou ma+ distri$ute trans ations of the 4ocument under the terms of section !. Fep acing In1ariant Sections with trans ations re?uires specia permission from their cop+right ho ders7 $ut +ou ma+ inc ude trans ations of some or a In1ariant Sections in addition to the origina 1ersions of these In1ariant Sections. Bou ma+ inc ude a trans ation of this /icense7 and a the icense notices in the 4ocument7 and an+ Iarrant+ 4isc aimers7 pro1ided that +ou a so inc ude the origina Cng ish 1ersion of this /icense and the origina 1ersions of those notices and disc aimers. In case of a disagreement $etween the trans ation and the origina 1ersion of this /icense or a notice or disc aimer7 the origina 1ersion wi pre1ai . If a section in the 4ocument is Cntit ed W5c3now edgementsW7 W4edicationsW7 or W0istor+W7 the re?uirement :section !; to Preser1e its Tit e :section 1; wi t+pica + re?uire changing the actua tit e. D. #*6$I1)#I%1 Bou ma+ not cop+7 modif+7 su$ icense7 or distri$ute the 4ocument except as express + pro1ided for under this /icense. 5n+ other attempt to cop+7 modif+7 su$ icense or distri$ute the 4ocument is 1oid7 and wi automatica + terminate +our rights under this /icense. 0owe1er7 parties who ha1e recei1ed copies7 or rights7 from +ou under this /icense wi not ha1e their icenses terminated so ong as such parties remain in fu comp iance. 75. 92#26* 6*;I,I%1, %9 #+I, 4I"*1,* The %ree Software %oundation ma+ pu$ ish new7 re1ised 1ersions of the ,-& %ree 4ocumentation /icense from time to time. Such new 1ersions wi $e simi ar in spirit to the present 1ersion7 $ut ma+ differ in detai to address new pro$ ems or concerns. See http6..www.gnu.org.cop+ eft.. Cach 1ersion of the /icense is gi1en a distinguishing 1ersion num$er. If the 4ocument specifies that a particu ar num$ered 1ersion of this /icense Wor an+ ater 1ersionW app ies to it7 +ou ha1e the option of fo owing the terms and conditions either of that specified 1ersion or of an+ ater 1ersion that has $een pu$ ished :not as a draft; $+ the %ree Software %oundation. If the 4ocument does not specif+ a 1ersion num$er of this /icense7 +ou ma+ choose an+ 1ersion e1er pu$ ished :not as a draft; $+ the %ree Software %oundation.

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Inde"
5do$e 5cro$at............... 31 5do$e Photoshop......... 12' 5do$e Feader...............1)) 5do$e Feader1).............32 5 =9hawariEmi.............. 3) 5 pha............................ 12* 5maEon...... 627 (67 ((7 1)* 5merica On ine............ 163 5pache................... 627 11* 5ra$ic.............................1* 5ssociated Press...........16" 5udacit+....................... 126 5ustra ia............... 1227 12* #ahrain........... 137 11"7 16) ##C................*37 1667 1'6 #eowu f........................ 1"1 #ergen............................ 1" #erners=/ee7 Tim..... 6!7 (! #eta.............................. 12* #ig7 Mr........................... 13 dotPro8ect................ 12) %irefox...................... '3 ,antt Pro8ect........... 136 OpenOffice.org......... 1( OpenOffice.org Ca c.!3 OpenOffice.org Impress..................... "2 OpenOffice.org Iriter .................................. 33 Fed 0at................... 1"" Thunder$ird.............. ** IordPress...............1)! # ogging software.............. Ci1icSpace.............. 1)2 IordPress.......1)37 1)! # ogs.............................. *! #oing#oing...............(1 9ing Sihanou3.......... (1 Margot Ia strXm.....*! Sa am Pax................. (1 #oing#oing.................... (1 #rai e7 Mr...................... 13 C aro ine................. 11* %irefox...................... '2 ,-& Image Manipu ation Program ................................ 13" OpenOffice.org......... 16 OpenOffice.org Ca c.3* OpenOffice.org Impress..................... !' Thunder$ird.............. *" t+ping........................ 26 &$untu.................... 1") we$ pa+ments........... (( #raEi ............ 1227 12*7 166 #ri3 in7 4an....................(3 #S4 &nix....................... 62 #ugs............................. 16) #u etin $oards............. 11) #uEan7 Ton+................. 131 Canada......................... 12( Census...................... 237 36 Chand er......................... ** China...................... 1"7 166 CI5 Ior d %act$oo3....13* Ci1icSpace........... 1)27 11' C aro ine.......................11*

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

C--................................... *3 Compression..................... 12( Content management s+stem .......................................... 113 Creati1e Commons........... 12) Credit card pa+ments.......... (( 4ata$ase................................. OpenOffice.org #ase....."( we$site........................ 1)* 4ean7 0oward...................1)2 4epartment of Leterans 5ffairs.......................1337 1'3 4iffie7 Ihitfie d................. !6 4igita is7 4r........................ 13 %irefox........................... ') /+coris........................ 1"3 OpenCMF................... 133 OpenOffice.org............. 1' OpenOffice.org Ca c..... !1 OpenOffice.org Impress !( OpenOffice.org Iriter.. 31 php$$...........................11) Thunder$ird...................'( IordPress................... 1)3 4irac................................. 1'6 4iscussion $oard.............. 11) 4o3uIi3i......................... 116 4otPro8ect.................12)7 136 4own oads........................ 12* C#a+................................... 62 Cg+pt................................ 133 Cmai .................................. '' Cmu ator software............ 1!" C1o ution.................... **7 1!! %antastico..........................1)3 %edora............................... 1"6 %irefox................................ 6! $oo3mar3s..................... '! #oo3she f...................... '1 dia =up........................... 6( dictionaries.................... ') enc+c opaedias.............. ') extensions...................... '3 home page..................... '3 pop=up windows............ 6( Pu$Med......................... ') Pu$Med Centra ............ '1 sa1e............................... (* search engines............... 6( searching....................... 6* SpiderEi a..................... '3 ta$s................................ 6( themes........................... '! Ii3ipedia...................... '2 %rance........... 1!7 '17 11(7 1'1 %ree Cu ture...................... 1'" %ree mar3ets..................... 1"* %ree Software......................... finding......................... 12" freedoms.................. '7 126 %ree Software %oundation 162 %ree speech....................... 16) %reeCi1............................. 13( %reeMind.................. 1317 136 ,ames......................... 267 13( ,antt chart........................ 121 ,antt Pro8ect..................... 136 ,ates7 #i ................. 1!37 1'" ,erman+. 1"7 6"7 '17 1337 1'1 ,erstner7 /ouis................. 16! ,hana........................... 137 16 ,IMP................................ 13"

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Index
,-& %ree 4ocumentation /icense............................... '2 ,-& ,enera Pu$ ic /icense .................................. 12"7 162 ,-& Image Manipu ation Program............................ 13" ,-&./inux1!7 627 *(7 1!37 16)7 1'6 ,-&./inux............................. i1e C4........................ 1!6 &ser ,roup.... 167 11*7 12' Lersions...................... 1!" ,nuCash........................... 1!3 ,odadd+.com..............('7 1)3 ,oog e..... 627 6*7 6(7 *17 1127 1137 12"7 1"27 16" ,P/.................................. 12" 0aar em............................ 1'1 0andhe d computer...13'7 1"! 0andhe d computers......... 16* 0andhe d Computers for 4octors................. "'7 (37 16* 0IP55.............................. 13! 0one+net Pro8ect.............. 1!! 0+per in3.................... ("7 1)) 0+perText Mar3up /anguage .................................... (!7 132 I#M.......................... 16!7 1'6 IM5P.................................. *1 Internationa Open Source -etwor3.............................. 16 Internet Cxp orer..................... securit+.......................... 6" @apan..................... 1"7 '17 166 @a1a................................... 132 9err+7 @ohn....................... 1)2 9ing Sihanou3.................... (1 9noppix............................ 1!6 /45P............................... 122 /essig7 /awrence.............. 1'" /inspire.....................1!'7 16! /i1e C4............................ 1!6 /+coris.............................. 1"3 Mai Scanner......................16" Mam$o......................1137 122 Marcomedia % ash.............. "! Medica records........ 1337 1'3 Microsoft............................ 6" Microsoft 5ccess................ "( Microsoft Ca c.................... 1) Microsoft Cxce ............ 1)7 !! Microsoft Cxchange....*(7 1!! Microsoft Internet Cxp orer 6! Microsoft Office................. 1) documents..................... 1' Lisua #asic.................. 33 Microsoft Out oo3............ 1!! Microsoft PowerPoint...1)7 !6 Microsoft Pro8ect...... 12)7 136 Microsoft Iindows............ 1" Microsoft Iindows -T !.1"" Microsoft Iord............ 1)7 2! Mind maps........................ 131 Monopo ies................. 6!7 16* Moore7 ,ordon................. 1"( Moreo1er............................ *3 Moss$erg7 Ia t.................. 6! MoEi a................667 1637 16! MoEi a suite....................... ** Munich........................1!7 1'1 Music........................ 1267 1!( M+SS/............. 11*7 1"17 16)

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%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

MBSS/............................ 16" -5S5............................... 16" -ationa 0ea th Ser1ice......1' -ationa Institutes of 0ea th .......................................... 166 -ether ands...............1'17 1'! -etscape..................... 6!7 163 -ew Bor3 Times7 The........ *3 -ews%orge........................12' -ie son7 @a3o$.................... (3 -orwa+............................... 1" -o1e ............................... 1'6 -L&........................... ('7 1)) we$sites....................... 1)* Octance Securit+...............16" OOoSwitch......................... 2! Open data..........................1'2 Open source...................... 126 Open Source 5pp ications %oundation........................ 16( OpenChess........................ 13( OpenCMF.................1337 16" OpenOffice.org........... 1)7 163 OpenOffice.org....................... 5ra$ic............................ 1* #asic.............................. 33 he p................................21 integration............... !27 ") macros..................... 217 33 switch...................... 1!7 2! temp ates....................... 2" trac3 changes................. 2) we$sites................. (!7 1)* PM/.............................. "* OpenOffice.org #ase.... !!7 "( OpenOffice.org Ca c.....1)7 36 auto%ormat chart .......... !1 a1erage.......................... !) #ase............................... !! ca cu ations....................36 census............................ !! conditiona formatting...!3 CSL format................... !! data import.................... !! fi ing............................. 3* formatting...................... 3( functions........................!) goa see3........................!3 graphs...................... 3'7 !1 Microsoft Cxce fi es..... !! scenario p anning.......... !3 securit+.......................... 3( sheets............................. 3( sort................................ !) sum................................ !) ta$ es....................... 367 3* OpenOffice.org 4raw......... "( OpenOffice.org Impress.... 1)7 !6 animations..................... ") changes7 trac3ing.........122 ga er+........................... !( handouts........................ ") 0TM/........................... "! a+outs........................... !' Microsoft PowerPoint... "! P4%............................... "! shapes...................... ")7 "( s ide master................... "2 s ide sorter..................... !' s ides............................. !' temp ates................. !*7 "3

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Index
OpenOffice.org Macros Cxp ained............................ 3! OpenOffice.org Iriter.1)7 237 1)) $i$ iograph+ manager...."* $u et points...................2" changes7 trac3ing.........122 charts............................. !3 co umns......................... 2" formu ae........................ "* index.............................. "6 macros........................... 33 mai merge.....................26 master document........... "6 ordered ists................... 26 P4%......................... 317 "' pictures.......................... 2" printing.................... 267 3! spe chec3..................... 2* spe ing chec3er.............2* ta$ e of contents............ "6 temp ates....................... 2" trac3 changes................. 2* white space.................... 2! Opera.................................. 66 Out oo3............................... '' Out oo3 Cxpress................. '' Oxford #usiness ,roup...... *! Pa m Powered handhe d computers........................... ** Paris.................................. 1'1 Patent and Trademar3 Office .......................................... 1'" Patents.............................. 1'" Pa+Pa ................................. (( P4%.........................317 "!7 "' $oo3mar3s..................... "* emai ing.........................32 P0P...................................1"1 Php$$................................ 11) P uc3er.............................. 13' Po and............................... 1'6 POP.....................................*1 Porta$ e 4ocument %ormat.31 Post Office Protoco ........... *1 Pro8ect ,uten$erg............. 13* Pro8ect management......... 136 Pro8ect management............... dotPro8ect.................... 12) Microsoft Pro8ect.........12) Pu$Med.............................. ') Fea + Simp e S+ndication. *3 Fed 0at..................... 1""7 163 Fed0at.............................. 16! Fis3...................................13( Sa$re 0o dings................. 16" Sa ah 5 =4in7 Mr................ 13 %irefox........................... 6( games.......................... 13( 9noppix.......................1!6 OpenOffice.org............. 1* OpenOffice.org Ca c..... !) OpenOffice.org Impress "! OpenOffice.org we$site (! OpenOffice.org Iriter.. 2* Thunder$ird...................*1 Ii3i.............................11" Sa am Pax........................... (1 Schneier7 #ruce................ 161 Scri$us.............................. 1!! Section ")1:c;3.................16( securit+...................................

1(1

%ree Software for #us+ Peop e

,-&./inux................. 1!! Securit+...................6"7 667 '3 cr+ptograph+................. !6 nationa ........................ 166 OpenOffice.org Ca c..... 3( php$$...........................111 Shru$7 Mrs.......................... 12 #eowu f....................... 1"1 Ci1icSpace.......... 1)27 11' %reeMind..................... 131 OpenOffice.org............. 1! OpenOffice.org Ca c..... !! OpenOffice.org Impress ") OpenOffice.org Iriter.. 2! Thunder$ird...................*2 Singapore............................ 1! Site,round..................('7 1)3 %antastico.... 1)37 11)7 113 South 9orea................ 1"7 166 Spam5ssasin.................... 16" Spreadsheet.........................36 Sta man7 Fichard............. 162 StarOffice..1(7 2)7 2"7 !*7 163 SugarCFM........................ 122 Sun.................................... 163 SurfSafe............................ 1!( SuSC................................. 1"2 SuEu3i............................... 16" Swahi i.............................. 1") Sweden............................. 16" The Cogniti1e St+ e of PowerPoint......................... !( Thunder$ird........................ '' $ac3 up messages.......... *) ca endar......................... ** extensions...................... *' fi ters............................. *6 IM5P.............................*1 imports.......................... '( iTunes............................*' 8un3 mai ....................... *" music p a+ers.................*' Pa mS+nc...................... ** POP............................... *1 Fea + Simp e S+ndication .................................... 1)" FSS....................... *27 1)" searching....................... '( spam.............................. *" TrueTip............................. 1"3 Tufte7 Cdware..................... !( Tux T+ping................. 2'7 13( Tux!9ids.................... 2'7 13( &$untu.............................. 1") &9.................... 37 1'7 '17 166 &nited -ations....................16 &nEipping......................... 13) &S5....... 37 6"7 1)27 1337 1667 16(7 1'37 1'" &S5........................................ charit+......................... 1)1 Lersion num$er................ 12' Leterans 0ea th Information S+stems and Techno og+ 5rchitecture.............. 1337 1'3 List5................................ 133 Ia Street @ourna ............. 6! Ia strXm7 Margot............. *! Ie$ address................. (17 (' Ie$ $rowser.......................6! Ie$ writing........................ (3 Ie$host.............................. ('

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Index
Ie$page............................. (1 Ie$ser1er...........................(1 Ie$site................................... credit card pa+ments..... (( data$ase=dri1en........... 1)* Ii3i.................................. 11" Ii3ipedia................... ')7 11" Ii3tionar+.......................... ') Iine................................. 1!" IordPress.........1)37 1)!7 1)( IordPress.............................. FSS............................. 1)" BahooA.......................... 627 *1 Bates7 Ms............................ 13 %irefox........................... 6* /inspire....................... 1!' Mam$o........................ 113 -L&.............................. (' OpenOffice.org Ca c..... !2 OpenOffice.org Impress !* OpenOffice.org Iriter.. 2" P uc3er........................ 13' StarOffice...................... 1( Thunder$ird...................*' Vinf..................................... *' Vipping............................. 13) V urp................................. 126 '=Eip.................................. 13)

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