12 Open Source software for a better productivity.
Article from : 2019-06-06 14:54:53 - Last update : 2022-09-23 10:49:56
"To do a good job, you need good tools", In order to help you, we have selected several software packages to help you to: write your documents, edit your photos, create images, animations, videos, and much more. All are certified Open source.
According to the Free Software Foundation, a software is said to be "Open Source" when it is provided with its source code and its use, distribution, modification, and distribution of modified versions are permitted. We are talking about copyleft instead of copyright.
Some technical terms may put off. But do not be afraid, these programs are mostly accessible. Then you can try them, you risk nothing ;)
The 12 software we selected for you and your company :
1 - LibreOffice The free Office Suite.
This Office Suite can compete with Microsoft Office. In beginning StarOffice (1985) from Sun Microsystem and Oracle, then OpenOffice (2002), and finally LibreOffice (2011), In 2013 IBM also bring his contribution with Lotus Symphony code. It is therefore a mature software that has proven itself. It has powerful tools available in the toolbar and on his side panel. LibreOffice uses the international ISO/IEC standard OpenDocument file format (ODF), but can manage many more formats. FYI it can also export natively to the PDF format.
It's includes :
- A word processor "Writer" who is compatible with the Microsoft Office Word file format.
- A spreadsheet "Calc" who is compatible with the Microsoft Excel file format.
- A slideshow editor "Impress" compatible with the Microsoft PowerPoint format.
- A vecto draw editor "Draw" who can also open Microsoft Publisher files format.
- A data bases editor "Base" who can communicate and manage many data bases format like MySQL or Microsoft Access for example.
- A mathematical formula editor "Math"
LibreOffice is available in more than 114 languages for Windows, MacOS, Linux and other Unix systems.
2 - GIMP images and photos editor.
Powerful images and photos editor, with GIMP you have a high-end infographic tools to create your images, edit your photos, icons, and any graphic for your web page or your blog. Its tools are similar to what we can find on PhotoShop for example. It will also create animated images of GIF or MPEG type and many other things by adding plugins. It can handle layers and layer folders and can import Photoshop layers (depending on the versions), it manages brushes and it's compatible with Photoshop ABR brush format.
Gimp is born in 1995, it's available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Unix, FreeBSB, AmigaOS with 80 languages available.
3 - Blender for 3D pictures and animations.
Blender, it is an ultra complete software that will allow the 3D realization of professional quality, while remaining accessible to the greatest number. 3D modeling, computer graphics, but also 3D animation, Blender is a powerful and extensible tool. He also knows how to communicate with other tools to further improve his possibilities.
Blender can export in many kinds of formats compatible with the main standards, include : 3DMax (.3ds), Autodesk (.dxf .fbx .xsi), and many more.
Blender was launch in 1998, it is available for Windows, MacOS, Linux and other Unix system.
4 - Freeplane for manage your mind.
Freeplane is a Mind-mapping software, it is a note-taking method that allows you to organize information, even complex ones, and to find them more easily. Mind-mapping keeps track of small details while keeping an overview. This software is from the Freemind project.
Freeplane was launched in 2009, it run on a Java platform available for Windows, MacOS and Linux.
5 - Mozilla Thunderbird for manage yours emails
It is a messaging software. It can help you to manage your emails accounts easier, that these accounts are on your own hosting (if it is an email address with your own domain name and hosted) or on a third party platform (Gmail, Hotmail or other). It also offers several other features such as: calendar management and contacts management. Other functionalities can be added as plug-in.
Thunderbird is available for Windows, MacOS and Linux with 60 languages. This software is developed since 2003.
6 - OpenShot Video Editor
The project started in August 2008 with the aim of providing a stable, free, enjoyable, powerful and easy-to-use video editor. It can manage several formats of videos, and edit it to several tracks. You can insert images, titles, sounds, animations and realize special effects very easily. You can then export your videos in several formats or publish them on your blog, your website or on platforms like Youtube or Dailymotion.
OpenShot is available for Windows, MacOs and Linux. It's available in more than 70 languages.
7 - Inkscape for vectorial draw
Inkscape is a professional vector drawing software just like CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator.It manages files that comply with the XML, SVG and CSS standards that are the official standards on the Internet (W3C). All Inkscape projects can be exported in formats supported by web browsers or commercial print rooms.
Inkscape is available for Windows, MacOs and Linux. His development was started in 2003. Inscape is available in more than 75 languages.
8 - Scribus for print publishing
Scribus is powerful desktop publishing software. It allows to set up your documents (texts, photos, or others) to realize your brochures, leaflets, booklets, books, magazines or any type of documents for the printing or to be visualized numerically. Scribus can exporting files to many formats like RTF, XTG (QuarkXPress), IDML and IDXML (Adobe InDesign), PUB (Microsoft Publisher) and VSD, VXD, VSDX (Microsoft Visio). Scribus can also manage the PDF format.
Scribus is available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Unix and OS/2. It was launch in 2003 and it's available in more than 40 languages.
9 - Task Coach more than only a to do list
Learn to organize yourself with a powerful personal assistant. It allows you to follow multiple complex tasks. You can prioritize tasks, rank them, evaluate them financially and in time. You can import and export tasks in different formats and synchronize them with a smartphone.
Task Coach as launched in 2005. it's available in more than 50 languages for Windows, MacOs and Linux.
10 - Jami / Ring for communicate
It is a communication software compatible with market standards. You can use it with a SIP account (standard telephony, which will allow you to call someone on his phone number for example). They offer very complete features.
Jami is available since 2017 for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
11 - Audacity
This software will allow you to edit your sounds files on several tracks. It is possible to retouch the sounds and create effects. It supports many formats.
Audacity was launched in 2000 for Windows, MacOS, Linux and Unix. it is available in around 50 languages.
12 - FileZilla
FTP file transfer software, it also supports FTP with TLS (FTPS) and SFTP.
FileZilla was launched in 2001 for Windows, MacOS and Linux. it's available in around 50 languages.
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