Open Source Software for Windows

Why use Open Source software? The most obvious reason is the fact that it usually doesn't cost anything to acquire it. Open Source advocates tend to downplay this as most people figure they get what they pay for and that free software must not be worth anything. While this is often true of freeware, it's not the case with Open Source software.

The source code of Open Source software is freely distributed, and this makes it better than freeware. Because the development process is open, anyone can make bug fixes and improvements. These fixes are incorporated into the main distribution. Studies have determined that around three billion dollars worth of hours have gone into this constant upgrade process for the heart of the Linux operating system. And this figure doesn't even take into account the millions of hours that have gone into the thousands of applications that run on Linux.

If you're reading this article, you may already have some interest in trying Open Source applications. But maybe you're reading this article from a Microsoft Windows machine and don't have the time or expertise required to install Linux. This doesn't mean Open Source is out of your reach. The quickest and easiest way to start using Open Source applications is to run them on your current operating system. Once you've found the applications you like, you can freely install them throughout your organization.

Before embarking on a full-scale Open Source deployment, you should heed some warnings. Because Open Source software is mostly developed by nonprofit organizations or individuals, there is usually no official support or guarantee provided. But this may not be a problem. Often, commercial support falls short or is too expensive. With Open Source, it is relatively easy to find a mailing list for the software you're using. Although there are no guarantees, you can usually find solutions to most problems online.

Another common problem with Open Source software is document compatability. Open Source developers always try to follow public standards, but many other companies insist on using proprietry document formats -- and critics say they do this in order to dominate the market. Although Open Source software can usually translate these proprietary formats, sometimes the formatting will be a little off when you open, for example, an Excel document in Open Source programs like Calc or Gnumeric. While formatting problems may stymy some, others will see this problem as all the more reason to move away from proprietary formats. Governmental institutions around the world have embraced Open Source for this, among other reasons.

Finding Open Source Software for Windows

There are several excellent places to find Open Source software for Windows. The most popular directory is FreshMeat.net . FreshMeat is so comprehesive that it can be intimidating. We've also included quite a few links to Open Source applications in the e  section.

The best place to find software for Windows are the two main Windows-based Open Source distributions, TheOpenCD and GNUWINII . Each provides a comprehensive selection of applications that can be downloaded for free individually or as a collection. Even if you can't download the programs, you can order them and have them sent via regular mail.

The OpenCD

TheOpenCD includes 15 Open Source programs for Windows. The programs are divided into six categories: office, Internet, multimedia, utilities, games, and education.

The office software includes OpenOffice , which is made up of a spreadsheet (Calc), word processor (Writer), HTML editor, and other essential office tools, including a presentation program (Impress) and a graphics program (Draw). OpenOffice is a very popular and useful suite of applications.

The multimedia, games, and educational categories all have some fun programs, but nothing that likely to increase your office productivity. That leaves us with the following useful programs in Internet and Utilties categories:

Beonex Communicator

The Beonex Commuicator is a Web browser and e-mail client based on the Mozilla project. In case you haven't kept up with the browser wars, Mozilla is what Netscape turned into after it became Open Source about five years ago. Mozilla has come a long way in those years and has been hailed by many Internet-savvy Web addicts as the best browser available.

Filezilla

FileZilla is an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client. FTP is a language that allows two computers to transfer and manipulate files across the Internet. FTP clients allow you to upload, download, move, and delete files that are stored on an Internet server. Web designers and site managers use FTP to upload and download files manually from their sites. FTP is a good way of downloading files from Web sites because it allows you to select whole groups of files at once and download them automatically in batches. So if, for example, you're working off-site, you can connect to your organization's FTP server and upload an entire folder of documents at once.

FileZilla is a great FTP client, and you may find it more intuitive to use than the popular shareware client WSFTP. It allows users to view server and client files in a directory tree similar to Windows explorer. Files can be highlighted on the client side and then dragged-and-dropped onto the server for automated uploading. I've tested FileZilla quite extensively and have found it very stable and reliable. This one is a must-install.

WinVNC and Putty

Putty is an SSH and telnet client for Windows. Telnet and SSH protocols allow you to access and use a computer over the Internet using a command line.

WinVNC is a graphical telnet. It allows you to access your entire desktop via the Internet. If your organization has a VNC server, you might have used a proprietary program like Norton's PCAnywhere in order to log into your desktop remotely. WinVNC is a Open Source program that uses the VNC protocol. In order to make use of these programs your organization must have some sort of C, telnet, or SSH server.

7Zip

File compression and archiving are probably the most well-known file utilities. If you've ever seen a file that ends in .zip, you've dealt with file compression. One of the most popular file compression utilities is WinZip. WinZip is shareware, meaning you can download and try the software but have to pay if you want a full version. Although you theoretically never have to pay for WinZip, you do have to put up with a screen that reminds you to register the software (which is why some users have nicknamed shareware "nagware"). 7Zip provides all the same functionality as WinZip without the nag. 7Zip integrates itself into Windows, so you can access its functions by right-clicking on files from the standard explorer file manager. If you're not comfortable with right-clicking on files, 7Zip also has a sparse GUI interface that is fairly straightforward.

WinPT

Windows Privacy Tray is a program that simplifies the process of encrypting and dycrypting files and messages. It is based on GPG, the Gnu Privacy Guard encryption engine. GPG by itself can be a fairly complicated commandline-based application, but WinPT adds a graphical front-end that simplifies things somewhat. You still have to set up an encryption key and understand the basics of two-key file encryption, but WinPT is the easiest way to enter the world of encryption. See our article file encryption to learn more about cryptography.

Net Time

Net Time is one of my favorite applications on the CD. It allows you to easily synchronize your computer with NTP (Network Time Protocol) servers. There are many NTP servers that broadcast the exact atomic time. Using Net Time, you can have your computer automatically connect to a public NTP server and sychronize your computer's time. This can really come in handy if the clock battery in your computer dies. Every time you start up your computer, it will query an NTP server and fix your clock's time.

GNUWinII

GNUWINII is very similar to TheOpenCD. It includes pretty much everything that you'll find on TheOpenCD (except Net Time), but also has more games, math, database, and server software. Although it offers more applications, the installation interface isn't quite as polished as TheOpenCD. Consider browsing the GNUWinII software index and downloading only the programs that you find interesting.

Some compelling programs from GNUWinII include The Gimp (an advanced Open Source graphical editing tool that is similar to Photoshop), Eraser (a file shredding programs that completely deletes files from your computer so they can never be retrieved), and MySQL (an advanced SQL database that is popular choice for running the back-end of Web site).

In Conclusion

GNUWinII and TheOpenCD are great ways to get your feet wet in the Open Source world. GNUWinII is filled with a wide array of software and TheOpenCD has a well-edited selection of useful applications.

Of course, these aren't all the Open Source applications out there. Others, such as MySQL, an Open Source database, are well known and lauded for their reliability and speed. Again, sites like FreshMeat.net are an excellent source for more information.

If you actually want to try out the Linux operating system itself, there are several distributions that allow you to run Linux off a CD without actually installing it. Knoppix and Morphix are the two most popular versions of these CD boot disks. You simply put one of these CDs into your computer and reboot it.

If you decide you like Linux and want to install it, Morphix will walk you through it. Otherwise, these CDs should have no effect on your machine. When you shut down, remove the CD, restart, and your computer will be back to its original Windows state.

Although these CDs are a great way to get a feel for Linux, it's probably more realistic to install Open Source applications on Windows so that you can try them and work with them over a period of time wihout changing your system significantly.