[AktiviX] The Open CD (Free/Libre Open Source Software to run on MSWindows)

[Space Bunny]

To let you know TheOpenCD has recently issued a new iso version 1.2 as 
well as
with latest versions of leading free/libre open source programs to run 
under
MS Windows; Its autorun pop up menu for installers has been vastly improved
and looks very slick, with screenshots, tutorials and demos plus advocacy
texts. All copylefted.
 
It includes:
Office & Design
OpenOffice.org, AbiWord, GIMP

Internet & Communication
Mozilla, FileZilla, TightVNC, WinHTTrack, PuTTY

Multimedia & Games
Audacity, CDex, Crack Attack!, Sokoban YASC,
Celestia, Really Slick Screensavers

Utilities & Other
7-Zip, SciTE, WinPT, NetTime

http://theopencd.org
 
http://theopencd.sunsite.dk/mirrors.php

I will hopefully be getting some properly press copies of this cdrom in 
a few weeks, which one can also one may be able to get  via OOSWatch
http://www.oss-watch.ac.uk/

They will have this cover printed on them:

http://www.theopencd.net/~henrik/CDcovers/TheOpenCD-lab_LO-REZ.png

In meantime one can get copies from the:
http://www.thelinuxemporium.co.uk/

or for same price from me on CDR.
I do a version which includes an extra folder with no slick pop menu of 
additional free software  not included in TheOpenCD which have strict 
guidelines for what included.

What I include varies but here is some of what I added on recent mix:

Some Vorbis tools including ogg drop
Bittorrent
Dasher ( writing without keyboard typing )
eMovix ISO creator
exodus IM jabber client ( which I have used myself but I heard good 
things of GAIM which should try)
Gnucleus file sharing
Freenet ( to make a statement though it has to be updated to latest 
version to be anyuse and freenet is pretty crippled at mo but idea is 
for it to be a deterant to those that seek to control the net )
MozillaFirebird (the unoffical installer version)
putty that can run of cdrom not installer
Plone installer ( web app sever and cms in one click package )
tuxpaint ( not as good as linux version as win version has some bugs )
winLAME ( I know people can grab DLL from cdex for use with audacity but 
I included this as well )
xchat  (irc client)
Zinf Audio Player which record streams
qnx boot floppy image (which does not seem to be on their web site any 
more)
Dammsmalllinux iso

and I do another version which includes loads of political audio and 
video files.

After all that although I have got into helping and supporting theopencd 
project as it collectivised similar things I was doing anyway myself, eg 
testing, with giving people free software to run under windows; I have 
my doubts as to if promoting free software to run under windows is a 
good stop gap to encouraging people to move to a whole free OS. Does it 
further lock people into there MS Windows set up. Does it do free 
software a disservice as it can never have hooks in MS Windows non free 
software esp that of MS can have, so Free Software can not be compared. 
Being a big KDE fan I have no problem with apps really hooking into 
desktop in open way. Giving support for free software under MSwindows 
often has a proportion of giving support for MSwindows itself and 
support for proprietary system will increase lockin, mindshare to that 
system.

I still find myself often giving free support for MS windows eg help 
removing viruses, configuration.

Xchat developers said when asked they thought there windows version 
should not be on cdrom, as they only do windows version as side thing 
and do not offer as much support as they feel is required for it. But I 
think it is a great IRC client under windows myself.

Anyway I am working on another email to someone else about free software 
under MSWindows, focused on future for particular apps and will post 
some it to OpenCD forum at a later date. It seems the place to debate 
this sort of thing.

Also TheOpenCD by beinmg called the opencd places itself in the Open 
Source movement rather than Free Software movement.
I guess there is the part of the tatic alliance that sums up whole 
practical side of how people work within both movements.

The cdrom does include a copy of Free as in Freedom amounst other texts 
though. But I had hoped to put togeather some briefer general free 
software advocacy intro text that emphasis the sharing and building 
community aspects to offer to put in texts section of the opencd. I 
would of course lift much from texts at gnu.org anyway this is still on 
my todo list.

cheers,

Space Bunny
http://j12.org/sb/freesoft.htm