Archive for August, 2007

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Ubuntu Forums: Top 100 Open Source Linux Apps

Friday, August 31st, 2007

Knowing how long it usually takes to discover Linux / Open Source Applications especially for those just starting to use Linux, the author of this thread in Ubuntu Forum hopes it would be helpful to someone new to Linux or for those looking for programs they have never used.

The thread also contains links to the listed applications’ website / download page. Some even contains installation instructions. The listing is divided into:  BitTorrent Clients, EyeCandy, File Browser/Search, Games, Graphics and Text Viewers/Editors, Music and Video Players, Network Programs, Programming IDEs, Sound/Video Editors and Disc Burning Utilities, Web Browsers, Other Programs.

Yet another nice listing of Open Source / Linux applications: Top 100 Open Source Linux Apps

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For Review: Social Networking on the Linux Desktop!

Friday, August 31st, 2007

For you FOSS friends out there into social networking:

An open source social networking company that develops social networking products have developed a new social platform for the Linux desktop called Hiitch (http://hiitch.com). They are inviting Linux users to join them in their effort to provide Linux users with a unified desktop social network. In the same spirit of the FOSS communities, we need to review this social platform.

On top of the default network that they say they provide for free, “Hiitch also allows you to hack on it to develop features that you desire so as to stay connected to your family, friends, company or organization. Check them at http://hiitch.com .

Of course this posting does not yet mean an endorsement. Need to review/check them out first.

Source: Linux.com Newsvac – Social Networking on the Linux Desktop!

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100 Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Developed in the University of the Philippines (UP)

Wednesday, August 29th, 2007

On the 100th (2008) year of the Premier State University in the Philippines

— The only University that has declared the use of Free and Open Source Software as a policy, providing continuously both organizational and budgetary support to an ongoing program towards migration to FOSS (that includes training and development of training materials, faculty grant and student thesis grant for FOSS related research projects and FOSS helpdesk) for the entire UP System that includes 7 constituent universities in 7 campuses all over the Philippines —

I will try to gather and list Free and Open Source Software developed in the UP and hopefully approximate a total of 100. This will be a continuous and evolving list that’s why I will devote a separate permanent page for this (see link below).

As the list grows, I will try to provide some details like description, the name of the unit or people behind the development and the design architecture / requirement. Will also try to provide links for downloading if possible.

Hopefully, others will contribute to this list or even give suggestions or corrections if ever I wrongly listed softwares that are not supposed to be in this list.

The List: 100 FOSS in UP

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Open Access Journal: Electronic Journal of Health Informatics, Vol 2, No 2 (2007) Special Issue on HIC 2006 now online

Tuesday, August 28th, 2007

The electronic Journal of Health Informatics has just published its latest issue at http://www.ejhi.net

The issue is a special issue on HIC 2006, the Australian Health Informatics Conference that took place in Sydney last year. This year, this conference was incorporated in the international Medinfo conference, which took place in Brisbane last week.

The special issue as been guest-edited by Joanne Callen and Johanna Westbrook.

The authors of the Top 10 papers from the conference were asked to submit extended versions of their research to this journal and 5 papers were accepted after full peer-review.

In addition, this issue also features two unsolicited fully peer-reviewed papers.

The Table of Contents and the papers are at:
http://ejhi.net/ojs/index.php/ejhi/issue/view/4

The electronic Journal of Health Informatics is an international journal committed to scholarly excellence and dedicated to the advancement of Health Informatics and information technology in healthcare. It is a journal for all health professions and informaticians of all levels.

eJHI is a truly open access journal – it provides open access both for authors (i.e. no publication fee or page charges) and for readers (i.e. free access to all papers).

This announcement came from:
Dr Sebastian Garde
Managing Editor - electronic Journal of Health Informatics
Faculty of Business and Informatics, Central Queensland University
Austin Centre for Applied Clinical Informatics

Reference: http://www.ejhi.net
http://healthinformatics.cqu.edu.au

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The Power of Democratized Mass Communication thru ICT

Sunday, August 26th, 2007

One thing is sure: the development of information and communications technology have democratized the way we communicate. Filipinos abroad though away from the home country and separated geographically from each other can muster their own power through ICT. A case in point is how overseas Filipinos “forced a columnist who maligned overseas Filipino workers to make a public apology and to resign from work” through the use of email and blogs.

From GMAnews.tv: Group: Victory vs rude writer shows OFW power

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Linux (FOSS) and Everything, Part 2: World Happiness Scale and FOSS

Sunday, August 26th, 2007

Bhutan has long ago gave up the idea of the Gross National Product as measurement of development. Instead the Bhutan King decreed that they use Gross National Happiness instead. This kind of Buddhist wisdom has started influencing international policy and development models, seeking to establish scientific methods of finding what makes people happy.

What is striking is that money or material wealth are not the main cause of happiness.

“Icelanders are just as happy as Swedes yet their country spends half what Sweden does (per capita) on social welfare,” according to Ruut Veenhoven, creator of the World Database of Happiness in 1999.

“Education, nutrition, freedom from fear and violence, gender equality, and perhaps most importantly, having choices” are as much as relevant to happiness as per capita income. “People’s ability to be an agent, to act on behalf of what matters to them is fundamental,” said Sabina Alkire of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Institute.

This just proves what FOSS advocates have already known (implicit or explicit), the freedoms guranteed by Free and Open Source Software should be protected and promoted as it can contribute to what really matters: Happiness.

No wonder FOSS people are a happy lot. :-)

Reference : tulsaworld.com – World happiness-scale: U.S. in top 15

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OOPs Wrong DENR

Sunday, August 26th, 2007

“Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza is setting a ‘dangerous anti-environment precedent’ by attempting to talk Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn out of his plan to ban mining in the city, an environmental group said Friday.”

from inquirer.net: Green group scores Atienza for opposing mining ban

President GMA should not have appointed Joselito Atienza as Secretary of the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) but of the Department of EXPLOITATION of Natural Resources.

(The last of the few remaining virgin forest in the Philippines is in Palawan whose capital is Puerto Prinsesa. It also has the most varied species of plants and animals in the country)

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DesktopLinux.com survey out: Desktop Linux users more than doubled in the past year

Thursday, August 23rd, 2007

DesktopLinux.com’s just completed a survey saying the number of Desktop Linux users has more than doubled compared to the 2006 survey.
Way to go Linux! For world domination not only in the servers but on to the desktop. This means a continuing popularity not only among sysadmins but also desktop users.

Excerpts: Based on our survey results, we think that everyone should be taking a closer look at desktop Linux. What we see here is a quickly maturing line of desktops that are capable of replacing Windows desktops for both home and business uses.

The Linux desktop is gaining quickly in popularity, and it’s not because of technology-happy fans. It’s gaining users because it’s an inexpensive, secure, and efficient alternative to today’s mainstream desktop operating systems. After all, 38,000 plus users and two major PC companies can’t be wrong.

(more…)

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LPI certification exams reached 150K, getting growing recognition from notable companies

Thursday, August 23rd, 2007

LPI certification exams reached 150,000 and continues to get recognition from known companies. A proof of growing international recognition of its contribution to Linux education and professionalism. This augurs well for the promotion and advocacy of FOSS worldwide. Kudos to the Linux Professional Institute (LPI)!

Read more: LPI Certification Exams Top 150,000 Worldwide

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Localization, Standardization and FOSS in Laos: A good example, the way to go …

Tuesday, August 21st, 2007

Localization is really the way to go to provide access to information technology and lessen the gap of the digital divide. This is what Laos is doing coupled with standardizing content and promoting FOSS. According to our friend Anousak (Anthony) Souphavanh, a leading FOSS advocate in Laos, the government have started to embarked on standardization with a recent activity that includes the policy of “official standard for communication and information exchange in local computer systems” attended by both government and business sector.

(more…)

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