Recommended Softwares
Open Source software is created and maintained by a community of people looking to improve on the designs currently available. These programs are released under a license that guarantees the rights to read, modify, and redistribute the software freely.
Open source does not mean unsupported, many programmer’s make a living creating add-ons and templates for open source projects, or maintaining projects at corporate levels developing new add-ons and functionality.
Using these programs can save you potentially hundreds of dollars per computer, and come loaded on all new computers from McMaster Technical Services.
Mozilla Firefox
The front runner in Web Browser, this is a Free alternative to Internet Explorer. Including enhanced security and privacy features, this browser can also be expanded with many useful free and available extensions.
Mozilla Thunderbird
From the makers of Firefox an Email client of exceptional quality. This Free alternative to Outlook operates exactly like other email client so there is very little learning curve.
Mozilla Sunbird
An excellent calendar program, this program lets you keep schedules, maintain records, and has many integrated functions from outlook. An excellent low cost flexable calendar application.
Open Office Suite
Developed as proprietary competition for Microsoft Office this software is now an open source project. Fully compatible with Office 2007 documents, includes Word, Excel, Power Point, and more.
GIMP (Graphical Image Manipulation Program)
This graphics and photo editing software developed as a Linux alternative to Adobe Photoshop. Now on Windows it includes all of the necessary functions for photo and picture editing.
VLC Media Player
Quite honestly the most compatible movie playing software available, this will pickup and play virtually any video file without the need for installing coddec or patches.
