by Don Singleton Tulsa Computer Society
From the November, 2005 issue of the I/O Port Newsletter
Richard Hall spoke to the 16 members present about a project to build a computer
based on free software. He said that after the September TCS meeting discussion
on Helping Tulsa that it appeared that the members were interested in freeware.
He said that he had assembled an older computer and installed Windows XP on it.
He said that the project would consist of picking only freeware to install on
the computer that had been picked by the TCS members. The software programs
would be demoed by the individual members that had picked it. The project would
continue until the software had been demoed or until the members get bored with
it. At the end of the project, a CD containing all the freeware would be
distributed to the members.
Richard read a list of requirements that the software must meet to be included
on the computer which he had named Free Willie:
Software must be Free - free as in Free Speech, not free beer
No spyware/adware/spybots/rootkits/trojans/worms/viruses or other malicious add-ons
No demos
No nagware, if possible
Not programs with crippled in features, if possible
Not trial or timed software, if possible
No file sharing software such as BitTorrent, eDonkey, LimeWire, etc
No vile sharing (raunchy) software
No commercial-borrowed-from-friend software, that is, it must not be commercially copyrighted or shared software
Preferably, the software should be Open Source ported from Linux.
Richard explained the definitions of
Freeware
GNU (Acronym for 'GNU's Not Unix!')
GNU Public License
GPL (General Public License)
Open Source and
Shareware
Richard then asked the group to develop a list of freeware programs that could
be downloaded and installed on Free Willie. The group offered the following:
Communication
Firefox browser
Mozilla (Netscape) browser/e-mail/web page editor
Thunderbird e-mail client
GMail (actually not a software)
Pegasus e-mail client
NVU web page editor
Opera browser
Google Earth
FileZilla or other FTP client
Internet Radio program
Office
Open Office
Database program
Java
Cryptainer encryption program
File manager program
Graphics
GIMP 1.2 or compatible that would work with Windows ME
Picasa 2
IrfanView
Image resizing program
Sound
Audacity
Cdex
Security
Anti virus program
Firewall program
Anti-adware program
Anti-spam program
Utilities
Registry Mechanic
Orb wireless program
Primo PDF program
7 Zip (zip - unzip utility)
Power Toys for tweaking Windows
Stickies
Process Explorer
Belarc
CD Burning program
Calendar program
Reference
Bible program
Copernicus
Audio books (actually not a program)
Games
Tetris
Mahjong
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