Old FLOSS Directory

From Schoolforge-UK

The purpose of this page is to SHOW how Windows-based educational software can be replaced with Free, Libre Open Source Software. It is also intended as a jumping-off point to any further detailed information you may be able to add, which will guide others in making the transition.

Linux for Education describes the best Linux systems and distributions for use in schools and colleges.

Case Studies show how individual schools have used FLOSS software to great effect.

ICT Curriculum lists FLOSS programs that can be used to deliver most of the QCA model schemes of work for ICT use at Key Stages 1 to 3.

Wikipedia has a general List of open-source software packages.

OpenCurriculum lists sources of open content.

Mac OS X in Education details free and open source software available for OS X and the software supplied by Apple

Please create links to other wiki pages, such as product reviews and comments, how-to guides, case studies, external links etc., to avoid this page becoming unwieldy! Please also take care when editing the HTML tables.

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Administration 3 Careers 4 Collaborative and e-Learning 5 Collections 6 General 7 Graphics 8 ICT Support 9 Maths 10 Media 11 Music 12 Networking and Infrastructure 13 Science 14 Special Education 15 Technology

Introduction

This information is organised under headings by subject area and/or common tasks. You may also find educational Windows packages for which there do not appear to be any free software solutions (yet!). If you know of a solution for such packages, please add your information in the TABLE below.

For each Windows package the equivalent free software solution is categorised according to five different approaches to replacing Windows-based systems with free software:

FSFW - i.e. Free software for Windows. There is a growing body of free software available for Windows, such as the Mozilla web browser, and OpenOffice.org office suite, among many other examples. You can download a free CD full of such software FROM TheOpenCD Project and find much more listed on The OSSwin project.

Linux - i.e. Runs on Linux. We concentrate on the most popular educational Linux free software packages that are equivalent or similar to Windows systems, but LinuxShop (Russia) have compiled a very comprehensive TABLE of equivalents. Included in this category are some educational packages that may not have any Windows equivalent.

Wine - i.e. Runs on Wine. "Wine" stands for "Wine is not an emulator", and is the name of a FLOSS package that enables many Windows-based systems to run directly on Linux. Wine HQ maintains a comprehensive database of Windows software that runs on Wine. Of course, you need the appropriate licence for each instance of a package running on Wine, but you don't need the Windows operating system. There is a proprietary version of Wine produced by Codeweavers, Inc.

Web - i.e. Web-based. Web-based systems are operated via any suitable web browser, regardless of the platform the browser is running on. Provided the web pages conform to well-established standards, it doesn't matter whether users are working on Windows, Linux, Macintosh, Solaris PCs or thin client workstations. Typical solutions of this type are web-based email (or webmail), and server-based calendars and addressbooks.

Java These systems should run on any system that has Java installed.

MacX some FLOSS applications run on the Max OS X (which is BSD Unix based).

Mobile Mobile devices including Pocket PCs.

A number of US based packages can be found listed in the Seul/Edu/ Educational Application Index.

Administration
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
Resource booking		OpenBooking MRBS
MIS	SIMS	"FreeMIS(Web) SchoolTool(FSFW/Linux/Web)(beta) Centre(Web) ClaSS (ClaSS Student System)(Web) Wegister(web) OpenBooking(web) MRBS(web)r>
On-line testing		Exam Builder(Java/Web) Moodle VLE (Web) Boddington VLE(Web)
Library		Koha Library System (Linux) OpenBiblio (Linux/Web)

Careers
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
	Veryan Workview (Access database for assignment of work placements). Keyclips (Selection of careers leaflets). Kudos (CASCAiD program for career selection).

</td>

<tr valign="top"> <td>Activity management</td> <td></td> <td>LAMS (Web)</td> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>Wiki</td> <td></td> <td>MediaWiki (LAMP+Web)</td> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td>ePortfolio and Social Software(?)</td> <td></td> <td>wLGG (Web)</td> </td> </tr> </table>

Collaborative and e-Learning
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
Virtual Learning Environment	Blackboard	Moodle VLE (Web) Boddington VLE(Web)

Collections

The KDE Edutainment Project

General
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
Web browser	Internet Explorer	Mozilla (FSFW/Linux/MacX) Mozilla Firefox (FSFW/Linux/MacX) Galeon (Linux) Epiphany (Linux) Konqueror (Linux) Opera (FSFW/Linux/MacX/Mobile)
Content Management Systems		Site at School (Web)
Web page editor	FrontPage Dreamweaver	Mozilla Composer (FSFW/Linux) OpenOffice.org Writer(FSFW/Linux/MacX) Bluefish (Linux) Quanta Plus (Linux) Nvu(FSFW/Linux) Dreamweaver(Wine)
Email client	Outlook Outlook Express Eudora The Bat	Ximian Evolution(Linux) Mozilla Mail (FSFW/Linux) Mozilla Thunderbird (FSFW/Linux/MacX) Kmail (Linux) Webmail(Web) - see Networking below
Word processing	Word	OpenOffice.org Writer(FSFW/Linux/MacX) Abiword (Linux/MacX) Kword (Linux) Lyx(FSWF/Linux/MacX)
Spreadsheet	Excel	OpenOffice.org Calc(FSFW/Linux/MacX) Gnumeric (Linux) Kspread (Linux) Siag (Linux)
Presentation	Powerpoint	OpenOffice.org Impress(FSFW/Linux/MacX) Kpresenter (Linux) S5 (Web)
Desktop Publishing	MS Publisher	OpenOffice.org Draw(FSFW/Linux/MacX) Scribus (Linux)
Database	Access SQL Server	OpenOffice.org DATA sources (FSFW/Linux/Web/MacX) StarOffice with Adabas(FSFW/Linux, free for schools) Rekall(Linux) Knoda(Linux) PHPMyAdmin with MySQL(Web) MySQL (Linux/FSFW/MacX) PostgreSQL (Linux/FSFW/MacX) Firebird (FSFW/Linux/MacX) Complete Enterprise RDMS Melati(Java/Web) works with most known databases.
Mind Mapping		MindGenius(FSFW - Bought with E-learning credits not free!) FreeMind(Java) View Your Mind(Linux)
PDF creation		PDFCreator(FSFW) Built in to Mac OS X
File Archiving	PKZIP, WinZip	7-Zip(FSFW/Wine) Built in to Mac OS X
FTP client	FTP cmnd, IE and many more	FileZilla(FSFW)
Text Editing	notepad	SciTE(FSFW/Linux) notepad2 (SciTE based)(FSFW) TextWrangler (MacX)
PDF and other Document viewer	Acrobat reader	AFPL/GNU GSView(FSFW Linux) xpdf(Linux) kpdf(Linux with KDE) Evince(Linux with Gnome)

Graphics
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
	Paint Paintshop Pro Photoshop CorelDraw	OpenOffice.org Draw(FSFW/Linux) The GIMP(FSFW/Linux/MacX) Sodipodi Inkscape (Linux/MacX) Tux Paint (FSFW/Linux/MacX)

ICT Support
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
Help desk		HelpMeICT RequestTracker
Help Desk / Network Management		School Tools
RM		Karoshi(Linux) Cutter
Installation/deployment	InstallSheild	Inno setup(FSFW)

</tr>
</tr>

</tr>

</tr>

</tr>

Maths
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
Logo programming	(See Teaching Programming Languages)	MSWLogo(FSFW) Ucblogo(Linux) Kturtle(Linux) XLOGO(Java)
Basic simulation		Squeak(FSFW)
Graphing	Omnigraph Geomat	Kgeo (Linux) KmPlot (Linux)
Geometry	Cabri Geometry Geometer's Sketchpad	KIG - KDE Interactive Geometry (Linux - KDE) Dr Geo (Linux - Gnome)
Maths games	MicroSMILE	MicroSMILE(Java)	Statistical Analysis	S-Plus	R(Linux/Mac/MacX/Windows)	Computer Algebra Systems	Mathematica Maple MathCad	Maxima(Linux/Windows)

Media
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
Wave editor (Audio)	Sound Forge	Audacity(FSFW/Linux) Wave Forge ardour
Video editing	Pinnacle Studio	Kino(Linux) cinelerra(linux}
CD/DVD burning	Nero, Roxio	k3b(Linux)
CD Importing	Many	Sound Juicer(Linux with Gnome)
Media players	Loads...	MPlayer(Linux/MacX) Totem(Linux with Gnome) VLC (Linux/FSFW/MacX)
Photo album		Gallery(Web) Flickr (Web)

Music
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
Sequencing, scoring, composing	Harmony Music Works	Rosegarden beast lilypond Finale Notepad (MacX)
Eartraining		GNU solfege (FSFW/Linux)
Drum Machine		Hydrogen (Linux)

</tr>

</tr>

Networking and Infrastructure
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
Firewall/Filtering		IPCop(Linux) SME Server(Linux) ClarkConnect(Linux) Smoothwall(Linux) Censornet(Linux) Firestarter(Linux) Squid(Linux)
VPN	Windows 2000/3 Server	IPCop(Linux) Smoothwall(Linux) PoPToP(Linux with encryption + others) FreeSWAN OpenVPN
Thin client server	Windows Terminal Services Citrix	K12LTSP(Linux) Nymph(Linux) FreeNX Cutter rdesktop client (Linux)
Webmail		Open Webmail(Web) Squirrelmail(Web)
Groupware	Outlook/Exchange, Notes	OpenGroupware(Linux) eGroupWare(Web) Zimbra(web)
RM		Karoshi(Linux) Cutter
Fax	MS Exchange	HylaFAX(Linux)
Virtual Machine Monitor see [1] below		Xen VMM(Linux) bochs(Linux/FSFW) User-mode Linux kernel(Linux)
Disk management, backup and imaging	Norton Ghost, Partition Magic	g4L(Linux) qtParted(Linux)
Network identity and deployment management	Active directory	Mike Peterson(Linux)

Science
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
Control systems
Food chain	FSS Creatures
Forensic techniques	Human Torch
Periodic Table	FSS Periodic Table	Gperiodic(Linux) Kalzium(Linux)

Special Education
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
Spelling	SpellStar	KHangMan(Linux)
Games	Wellington Square
Speech		Emacspeak(Linux) PowerTalk{FSFW}
Text Entry		Dasher(Linux,FSFW,MacX,Mobile)
Switch access		Morse All(Linux)

Technology
Subject/Task	Windows software	FLOSS alternative
2D Drawing	Modela	Modela(Wine) QCad
3D design	AutoCad ProDesktop	Blender Art of Illusion
Cake decoration	Eat Me(FSFW)
Control system simulation	Interactive Control
Diagrams	Visio	Dia(FSFW/Linux) Kivio(Linux+KDE)
Electrical circuits	Crocodile Clips	Crocodile Clips(Wine)
Embroidery design	Poem Embroider
PCB Design	Electronic Design Studio	pcb geda
PIC Programming	PICAXE(FSFW)

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1: A VMM allows you to run several virtual machines, each with a separate OS. Useful for multi-user and training as virtual machine can easily be reset from an image.