Free / Open Source Software (F/OSS)
NB This page provides content intended to be informative to school communities, and has been put together from a range of authoritative sources. Whilst every care is taken to ensure its accuracy and validity, this cannot be guaranteed, and readers are advised to seek advice if unsure, or leave a comment.
News
261007 - Mozilla turns web apps into desktop software
260307 - National Open Centre National Policy Think Tank for Open Source.
080307 - Tories want to open source whitehall The Government could save more than £600 million a year if it used more open source software, the shadow chancellor has estimated.
Open Schools Alliance web site
What is Open Source?
Open Source software is covered by the GNU General Public License (GPL). This gives developers the freedom to use and adapt the software code provided they don’t sell it on. With Open Source, "free" doesn’t refer to price, even though it has a zero price tag; rather it refers to freedom to use, adapt, change, share and develop. Open Source welcomes businesses built on their code though, so whilst you don’t pay for the software, you can expect to pay the people who install, operate and manage it.
Moodle calls itself a ‘course management system’. Moodle is designed to help educators create online learning communities, and can be downloaded without charge, used on any computer, and can support anything from a single teacher to a 50,000 student University!
Operating Systems
Beginners Guide to running Linux on a windows computer
Why is it different?
It’s free! … But that is just the start of your e-learning journey. Should you want someone to set it up or run it for you they usually charge! Moodle is supported by its users, who pool and share their knowledge. If you get stuck, you ask a question in the online forums, and someone who has ‘been there before’ will invariably offer advice. This is the spirit of what is called Open Source.
Because it's open source, Moodle can be adapted and changed by anyone, so there are numerous add-ins, and new features are constantly being developed. When you visit a Moodle based web site it can look very different to the version you download!
What is its future?
Moodle is popular, and many schools and institutions use it very effectively. Although Becta are unlikely to accredit Moodle they can’t ignore it.
What is the future of Open Source?
Sun's Project Looking Glass A free/Open Source desktop that exceeds Vista!
Moodle can be adapted and changed by anyone, so there are numerous add-ins, and new features are constantly being developed. When you visit a Moodle based web site it can look very different to the version you download!
Open Office the free office software.
03 Spaces The open source equivalent to Sharepoint?
Rosegarden
"the closest native equivalent to Cubase® for Linux" – Sound on Sound Rosegarden is a professional audio and MIDI sequencer, score editor, and general-purpose music composition and editing environment.
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