Free Download Manager

Free Download Manager is a free open-source download program. This download manager also comes with a lite version. It's also suitable for downloading flash movie. You can also install the following plugins: video conversion plugin, bittorrent plugin, uploads plugin and language pack for your lite version. This is to save the space you need for the installation. For example: if you don't need to use upload feature, then don't install it. This program also comes with a scheduler that means you can manage when to start the download. If you need to convert your downloaded media file, you can also click Convert Media file from the Downloads menu. Click here to download.

Damn Small Linux 4.4.4

Damn Small Linux (DSL) is a free light-weight, fast boot loading and live desktop Linux distro. It is fast because the distro is only 50MB. Of course, it's small and can run very fast. And that makes it suitable for use with old PC like 486 with 16 MB RAM. Give life to your old PC!

If you want a diskless workstation computer for your networking, this one is suitable because you can run it right from the LiveCD or from a USB flash disk. It's also suitable for those computer of which mainboard IDE slot has become out of order. But of course, you mainboard still needs to be able to boot from flash disk.

If you're looking for a fast distro that doesn't need to have beautiful desktop appearance like SUSE, you can rely on this distro. It's also quite useful to use as a simple operating system for your networking.

If you're running a net-cafe business, perhaps this one is suitable because it also comes with internet browser. With some basic applications, you can do wordprocessing and simple image editing using this distro. You can also use it for multimedia like playing CD, MP3 and Mpg files.
This is also a very fast distro when shutting down the PC.

Click here to visit the homepage or click here to download from an alternative download site.

Linux Live CD List

I've been busy searching for Linux these few days (or maybe these few weeks). I found some linux distros which seem quite useful to a certain aspect. For example, for a very fast Linux that take up very short boot up time, we can use Puppy Linux. For beautiful desktop, probably we can use Suse or SAM Linux. For Windows-like linux, we can also use ReactOS or PCLinuxOS.

Actually, I think everything depends on everyone personal needs. And maybe the reason why there are so many Linux distros is that everyone wants a different Linux that suits their needs. I really hope that there's a linux that makes printer installation easier. Until now, I just found that SAM Linux has better interface in installing hardware rather than other linux distros. But the drivers are still very limited.

There's another factor that influences a linux distro drivers. That's the region where the person who create the new distro lives. For example, as we know that certain types of printers, like Epson, are only sold in certain countries. When I was searching for Epson C87 driver, I could find it in SAM Linux 2007. But I found Epson C86 and C88. Maybe using the driver which has a close series to C87 will probably work. It seems that C87 is an Asian type printer that Epson produced.

After trying many different distros (mostly liveCD), I found that Linux is very suitable for networking. Like Puppy Linux, it's very fast working as client (from my experience). Then uBuntu when I tried it to run on ADSL connection for surfing the internet, it's faster than running on Windows. That time, I used uBuntu liveCD.

Actually, Linux is also quite easy when the distro comes with enough applications. We don't have to install from many different discs. And one of all the advantages is that it's free. Some come with addon, like uBuntu to enrich the applications. I am still new to Linux. But I will still keep an eye on the growth of Linux and hope that there will be a Linux that's really suitable for daily use with great hardware support, networking and has lots of games in the distro. Does anyone know about it? By the way, if you're looking for Linux for different use, you can also visit the following website:

I've been busy searching for Linux these few days (or maybe these few weeks). I found some linux distros which seem quite useful to a certain aspect. For example, for a very fast Linux that take up very short boot up time, we can use Puppy Linux. For beautiful desktop, probably we can use Suse or SAM Linux. For Windows-like linux, we can also use ReactOS or PCLinuxOS.

Actually, I think everything depends on everyone personal needs. And maybe the reason why there are so many Linux distros is that everyone wants a different Linux that suits their needs. I really hope that there's a linux that makes printer installation easier. Until now, I just found that SAM Linux has better interface in installing hardware rather than other linux distros. But the drivers are still very limited.

There's another factor that influences a linux distro drivers. That's the region where the person who create the new distro lives. For example, as we know that certain types of printers, like Epson, are only sold in certain countries. When I was searching for Epson C87 driver, I could find it in SAM Linux 2007. But I found Epson C86 and C88. Maybe using the driver which has a close series to C87 will probably work. It seems that C87 is an Asian type printer that Epson produced.

After trying many different distros (mostly liveCD), I found that Linux is very suitable for networking. Like Puppy Linux, it's very fast working as client (from my experience). Then uBuntu when I tried it to run on ADSL connection for surfing the internet, it's faster than running on Windows. That time, I used uBuntu liveCD.

Actually, Linux is also quite easy when the distro comes with enough applications. We don't have to install from many different discs. And one of all the advantages is that it's free. Some come with addon, like uBuntu to enrich the applications. I am still new to Linux. But I will still keep an eye on the growth of Linux and hope that there will be a Linux that's really suitable for daily use with great hardware support, networking and has lots of games in the distro. Does anyone know about it?

By the way, if you're looking for Linux for different use, you can also visit the following website which enables you to search for distro according to functions and it has good filter, so that you will find a distro that meets your need. Starting to try a Linux from Live CD will save your time from installing it.

http://www.livecdlist.com
http://www.livedistro.org

Puppy Linux - small but great distro

Puppy Linux is a light weight distro which runs very fast on a computer with Pentium 4 processor. Imagine how fast it could be on a new Core2 Duo computer. Because of its small size, it can be used for old PC like Pentium 2.

At first, I tried the Gnumeric spreadsheet program. I was amazed at the speed of loading . It seemed as if it took less than one second. So fast... Then I tried setting the IP to let the computer able to surf the internet through LAN. It's also very fast. The browser that comes with Puppy Linux is SeaMonkey. It's a browser that looks more like Firefox rather than Internet Explorer, with some shortcut keys similar to Firefox.

The boot time and shut down time are also very fast. It took about 10 seconds to shut down the PC on my Pentium 4 computer. Really fast compared to Windows. It can run quite fast even with Pentium I - 200Mhz. I think it's very suitable to use as the operating system for client computer in a LAN. This operating system is not only light and fast, but also comes with a good desktop appearance. The programs that come with it are also quite complete for everyday use.

If you have memory above 512 MB, then you take out the live CD after it finishes booting. Everything runs smoothly. So, in this way, you can use your client computer to surf the internet without harddisk, flash disk, or the live CD if you do have 512 MB memory or more.

Download Puppy Linux now!

Edubuntu - Educational Ubuntu

Linux users have increased day by day. It's not surprising when you hear children at very young age start to have a PC, even a laptop. Linux, an open source operating system, has developed into a new distro called Edubuntu.

The word "Ubuntu" is actually an ancient African word, which meaning is "humanity to others". Edubuntu is one kind of Ubuntu. Nowadays, Edubuntu is specially developed for educational use. It helps classroom learning, studying at university or home learning more fun and easier.

What makes it more special is that it's an open source which means that you can use it for free. You don't have to spend any money for your operating system. And this Linux Distro comes with many useful applications that can be used by students, teachers and parents even children at very young age.

Click here to go to the download page.
Click here to see the screenshot page.

Where to download Linux applications?

Linux distros mostly come with quite enough applications. But what if we want more applications for Linux or application with special usage? Well, this is probably one of the questions Linux user will ask. An operating without supporting applications is like a kitchen without any cooking utensils.

If your Linux distro comes with limited applications, you may want to add the application yourself. You probably want to search and download the applications specially made for Linux. Now, no more worries, just visit http://www.sourceforge.net to download various applications you want.

PeaZip free archiver

PeaZip free archiver is an open source small program you can rely on zipping or unzipping compressed files. It can handle common compressed files like ZIP, CAB, LHA, etc. It supports many archive formats.After visiting Peazip website, you can download the program, the help and documentation for Peazip. You'll also find some related terms provide by Wikipedia.

Big Buck Bunny - open source movie

Big Buck Bunny is a movie created with Blender. It's a great movie with stunning 3D effect and animation. You can click here to go to the download page. Available on 4 different video formats and 3 different resolution of the movie.

"Big Buck Bunny tells the story of a giant rabbit with a heart bigger than himself. When one sunny day three rodents rudely harass him, something snaps... and the rabbit ain't no bunny anymore! In the typical cartoon tradition he prepares the nasty rodents a comical revenge." ~ this is a review what I found using Creative Commons.

You can also click here to watch this 3D cartoon at Vimeo.
These are some pictures of the original frames of Big Buck Bunny.
Or you can click here to watch at YouTube

Blender 2.46

Blender is the open source 3D animation program your can rely on to make 3D animation. It has all the tools you need from modelling, animation, and rendering until post-production. You can use it to create 3D animation for games or movies. It also comes with real-time shadow, cloth and fur simulation and particle simulation. Learn by doing from the tutorials provided on the site.
Click here to download the program.
Also visit: Blender movie gallery. The pictures shown here is the snapshot taken from the movie gallery.

Inkscape - Open Source Vector Graphics Editor

If you know how to use CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator, I think learning Inkscape will be easier for you. But if you don't, I would still recommend Inkscape 4.06.

Inkscape is an open source vector graphics editor which has many vector editing features, like what you can find in CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator.

Whether you are using it for making covers, brochure designs, name card designs, or any desktop publishing work, Inkscape is still the ideal free program you can rely on. Click here to download!

Paint.NET - A powerful photo editing program

I believe you know Adobe PhotoShop. It's a very famous and complete software for photo editing. But do you know Paint.NET? It's also a photo editing software. But it's free. It's open-source. Now, the latest version is Paint.NET 3.31

If you're looking for a photo editing open-source program with special effects, layers support and an easy-to-use one, you should use Paint.NET.

I recommend this because you can get it for free. You can use it to complete most of your photo-editing works. It can edit most of image files. Click here to download. It's only 1.5 MB, but it's powerful.

Looking for Open Source?

No money to buy commercial software? Start using Open Source Alternative Software. If you don't know where to start and what open source software can be used to replace the one you are good at, visit this site:
http://www.osalt.com/
This site will give you good recommendations for open source (free software). So, you will know what software to use for your job. For example, you can use OpenOffice as an alternative to Microsoft Office.
If you see many open source software listed, you can read reviews to let you decide what to download.