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Linux: What You Want To Know

The following software is all free. Most of it will be included with your Linux distribution. There are many thousands of packages of Linux software. Those noted on this page are examples to show that the functions that most users run most of the time are available for Linux. They include

• Red Carpet, a software installer
• Konqueror, a file manager and web browser for KDE
• Nautilus, a file manager and web browser for GNOME
• Evolution, an e-mail client, calendar, task manager, and contact manager similar to Outlook
• Mozilla, and other browsers
• OpenOffice and StarOffice, office suites
• Pysol, a solitaire card game suite
• XMMS, a multimedia player

Red Carpet

Red Carpet maintains the software on a Linux computer. An integral part of Red Hat Linux is the Red Hat Package Management (RPM) system. A package consists of one or more computer programs and the supporting files. When a package is installed, an entry is made into the RPM database.

If new packages are to be installed or updated, Red Carpet will examine the RPM database to identify any other packages that must be installed or updated to maintain system integrity. It will then list them for the user's OK. When approval is given, Red Carpet automatically downloads, verifies, then installs the packages. It couldn't be easier.

When Red Carpet is used to remove packages, dependent relationships between packages are checked to make certain that the removal of a package will not damage the functionality of a package that is not being removed. Most of the packages that Red Carpet manages are free.   Top of page

Konqueror

Konqueror is a combination file manager, web browser and more for the KDE desktop. Here is a view of Konqueror functioning as a file manager. The file icons show the contents of the file when possible. If the mouse passes over an MP3 file, the file will play until the mouse is moved. Users can configure Konqueror so that a click on other types of files will start an application that will play them.   Top of page

Nautilus

Nautilus is a combination file manager, web browser and more for the GNOME desktop. The file icons show the contents of the file when possible. If the mouse passes over an MP3 file, the file will play until the mouse is moved. Like Konqueror, users can configure Nautilus so that a click on other types of files will start an application that will play them.   Top of page

Evolution

Evolution is a mail-task-address book-calendar that has the same look and feel as Microsoft Outlook. It has most of Outlook's features, too. Two that it lacks is that it will not automatically launch programs (that might be viruses), and it won't automatically forward them to everybody in your addressbook.   Top of page

Mozilla is an open source browser. Netscape 6.x is Mozilla with proprietary extensions. Different versions of Netscape are also available for Linux. Mr. Lake has not confirmed the claim, but is told that Internet Explorer will run on Linux under WINE. While we're on the subject, let us not forget that Konqueror and Nautilus are also web browsers. In addition to browsers, Linux also has several chat programs (including an AIM clone), FTP clients and more...   Top of page

OpenOffice

OpenOffice is an office suite compatible with Microsoft Office. It is able to read and write files in the Microsoft Office format. OpenOffice has its own file format (XML), which requires less disk space than Microsoft Office files. They may be uncompressed and read with any text processor. You'll never again have files that you can't open and read. OpenOffice is open source (free) and may be downloaded.

Some of the technology used in Microsoft Office is only available as closed source. To fully compete with it, Sun Microsystems, the primary sponsor of OpenOffice, has added the closed source technology and professional level support to give us StarOffice.

The price of StarOffice is $75.95 for single user copies. They offer generous discounts for bulk purchases. Each copy of StarOffice, unlike MS Office, is full featured. A subscription to Red Carpet Express from Ximian, which costs less than $10.00 a month includes a copy of StarOffice at no extra charge. Microsoft Office XP, on the other hand, has prices that range from $94.99 (Home Edition upgrade) to $579.99 (Office XP Professional).

There have been objections raised at Microsoft's forcing upgrades to Office XP on their timing, and to Microsoft's linking words entered in Word to sites of Microsoft's choosing. Sun has not include either of these features in OpenOffice or StarOffice.   Top of page

PySol

PySol is a set of solitaire games (137 at last count). Many different card faces and backs are included. Pysol is free and open source. Many games are included with Linux distributions. PySol is not included, but may be downloaded. (PySol will run on Windows machines also.) Pysol is written in the Python programming language, which must be on the user's computer. It, too, is free.   Top of page

XMMS

XMMS is a free multimedia player. It is a WinAmp clone that even uses WinAmp skins for a customized look and feel. XMMS is designed to use plug-ins. This means that users can play their multimedia files without regard for the file format if they download and install the appropriate plug-in.   Top of page