Open Source

Are you familiar with the term Open Source? Here is a quick explanation: Open source has been around for a few years now. It has become quite popular among techies because it operates under the very democratic philosophy that no one is as smart as all of us together. This means that the  “programing code” of these programs are open to anyone who wants to use it, modify it (with the goal of making it better, of course) or distribute them. Think of it as the opposite of Microsoft. The funny thing is that Open Source software such as Linux and open office are amazingly good. They are safe, many times they take up less space on your computer and they are work exactly (or better) than the stuff we pay for. So, if you find that some sites are blocked by network filters or, budget constraints keep your students from using certain software/applications then check out our very cool open source resources bellow.

One of the most popular open source search engines out there is Firefox. Check it out.

Don’t have money for MS Office? Don’t worry about it. Open Office works just as well (some say even better). And the best part is that it is free.

Do you dream of owning the very expensive Photoshop? Don’t stress open source has an equivalent called GIMP.  And again, its free.

Below are more resources:

Teachers: Follow the teacher links (in the teacher page) for more Open Source resources with a teacher focus.