** Continued From: Open Source Already Did It! - Part #1

This is the perfect time to explore the wonderful world of Open Source Software. A few years ago, trying to go newb with Open Source was hell. I remember trying to use GIMP a couple of years back and was like, "Compile what? I'm just a damned porn webmaster!"

"Today, most Open Source projects install out-of-the-box, just like their Win/MAC counterparts. You don't have to be a super Linux geek to figure them out."

Today, most Open Source projects install out-of-the-box, just like their Win/MAC counterparts. You don't have to be a super Linux geek to figure them out. Once installed, they operate like any other program, all menus and toolbars and other familiar interfaces. Every once in a while you'll run into an Open Source program that comes in a tarball or is dependent on some other OS engine. That's why I'll go ahead and make this caveat:

Open Source Software works best on an Open Source Operating System. It's easier to find the software, download the software and install the software if you do it while running Ubuntu or Mandriva or openSUSE. As well, it's simpler to get updates for your Open Source software when you're running an OS OS. The software I'm about to list may or may not install easily on a Windows or MAC box. The Operating System versions are usually displayed on their download pages.

So, now for a humble list of other Open Source software programs. Remember, this list is scratching the surface. A proper list would fill a book. These programs are alternate versions of oft-used software that I depend on as an adult webmaster:

Firefox - Yes. Firefox is Open Source. The Mozilla Project was one of the agreements between Netscape and AOL, when AOL bought Netscape. You know all those awesome plugins and add-ons for Firefox? Those are the result of open source code. Programmers took/take that code and create all those nifty goodies that make Firefox a superior browser. Get Firefox here

Foxit - I kind of hate .pdf files. In fact, I have a rather useless habit of uninstalling Adobe Reader just to make me feel better. But then, eventually, I'm forced to re-install it because I have to open some stupid government form or something. I guess, it's because Adobe Reader brings my system to a literal crawl. Whatever. The point is, Foxit opens .pdf files and saves .pdf files and that's pretty much what most of us need. Foxit is small and not nearly the resource hog. Get Foxit here

LICQ - Ha! An Open Source version of ICQ! Q: How can you tell a real adult webmaster from a poser? A: By their Instant Message Software! For some reason, we Internet pornographers cannot give up our ICQ. Keep in mind, LICQ only works on Linux/Unix machines. Get LICQ here.

FileZilla - Personally, I've never tried FileZilla but it looks easy enough. FileZilla is an ftp client. I use gtkftp myself but it, also, only works on a Linux machine. In fact, FileZilla looks pretty sweet. I may just try it out myself! Get FileZilla here

Thunderbird - If you haven't tried Mozilla Thunderbird yet, then you're a silly, silly person. Best email client EVAR! And that's right kids, totally Open Source. Thunderbird has this magic junk filter that learns. Spam problems disappear. Like its sister Firefox, Thunderbird features add-ons galore. Get Thunderbird here

VLC Media Player - Ugh! Why can't someone make a player that will just open the damned video no matter what the format? Cross-platform performance is the mission of VideoLan's VLC Player. MPEG, WMV, Real, DVD - VLC plays almost all the popular movie/video-type formats. Works on Windows, MAC and Linux computers. Get VLC here

MYSQL - The chances are very good that your web host already offers MYSQL database capabilities. If you want to run any sort of server-side applications, you're going to need a database and this Open Source version is one of the most popular. If you're shopping for a webhost, look for one that offers MYSQL. For more info on MYSQL go here

Joomla! & Drupal - If your site has gotten rather large or you're interested in building a community/portal, you'll want CMS (Content Management System) software. CSM software is kind of like blog software except better and more feature rich. Both Joomla! And Drupal are great and your choice depends on your needs. Get Joomla! here. Get Drupal here. Study comparisons between the two here

Open Office - Microsoft was none too thrilled when the Star Office Suite changed its name and went Open Source. Aside from and alternative to Outlook, Open Office features all the programs one would find in the MS Office suite - word processor, spreadsheet, database and presentation programs. The best part is that Open Office will open and save files in other formats such a doc, xls, ppt and mdb. Get Open Office here.

As I said, this list is just a tiny selection of the vast treasure that is Open Source software. I've been playing with a nice vector-based illustration program called Inkscape. When I am running in the Unbuntu environment, there are all sorts of codecs, libraries and plugins that allow my system to operate as if Windows never existed.

In a Ubuntu/Linux environment, all I have to do is open Synaptic Package manager, type some search terms, and instantly find free, downloadable software that fits my needs. If you missed Part I of this article, go back and read it and review the basic programs I mentioned. If you're sold on the idea of Open Source, a really good site for browsing OS programs/projects is SourceForge, located here.

Like the Southpark episode, Microsoft already did it. Adobe already did it. Sun already did it. The fact that it's already been done doesn't mean it can't be done better, easier and free.