martes, 17 de enero de 2012

Open Office

Open Office is an open-source software that includes all types of programs, like word processors, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and even more. It is available in different languages and it is multi-platform so you can work in all the operating systems. Apart from these features, you can open, read, create, and save your work in other common files such as .doc or .ppt. Probably the best characteristic is that it is completely free of chrage.

The word processor included in the Open Office Package is Writer. It has everything that you would expect from a modern, fully equipped word processor and desktop publisher.It has applications such as AutoCorrect, AutoComplete, AutoFormat and all the fonts and styles you want.


The spreadsheet software is called Calc. It is easy to use for newcomers, and experienced users appreciate features like AdvancedDataPilot technology or an Intelligent Sum Button.

The presentations porgram is called Impress. Its name describes perfectly the application sicne it has all kinds of special effects, a multi-pane view, and has 2D and 3D clip art.


The graphics software is called Draw. In this program you can do everything form a simple sketch to a complex plan. You can manipulate everythign yuo do, rotating it and creating photrealistic images. Due to its smart connectors, it is also easy to create a flow chart, organisation charts, and network diagrams.

The base program offered in the Open Officce Packet is called Base. With this program you can create and modify tables, forms, queries, and reports. It offers a choice of using Wizards, Design Views, or SQL Views for beginners, intermediate and advanced users.


martes, 10 de enero de 2012

Open Source Initiative (OSI)

The Open Source Initiative (OSI) is a non-profit global corporation that intends to build bridges among different constituencies in the open source community and promote the use of open source software.


But first of all, what is open source software? The open source software are programs that are free to the public and that can be used by anyone. In other words, they do not have a private license, therefore they are perfectly legal because they are public and free. The definition used in the web Webopedia is the following: Open source refers to a program or software in which the source code (the form of the program when a programmer writes a program in a particular programming language) is available to the general public for use and/or modification from its original design free of charge.


There are open source programs of all kinds: text editors, for creating presentations, for calculations, desktop publishers, to draw, and even to being able to create animated images.


There is an incredibly extended list of open source programs but among this list we can find the most commonly known and used: Open Office, Google Sketch Up, Scribus, Scratch, and many more.


Design of a football field in Google Sketch Up


The multiple programs Open Office offers



Scribus, an open source desktop publisher
A game created in Scratch