Elementary OS

Another open source Operating System Elementary OS seems promising, it is Ubuntu based with its own shell Pantheon. The project was started back in 2011 with the first version the Jupiter then Luna in 2013 and now they have Freya which is in the first Beta from August 2014.

It is available in different common method and can found in both 32 and 64 bit platforms. It has a dock at the bottom screen as in Mac OS for the common applications.

On installation the Elementary OS is bundled with;

• Midori as the official browser.
• Empathy Instant Messaging Client,
• Shotwell for image view and manipulation
• Geary Email client, and
• Other essential applications like; calculator, document viewer for pdf, music and video player and screenshots application.

Elementary OS just like any other UNIX distributions pre-loads the essential drivers at installation. This saves the hustle of having to find the drivers after installation. 

It is worth to note that Office application are not installed during installation and one  can use the software center application to find and install the required office application. This will also give a whole bunch of applications which the user may require at any given time.

SCREENSHOTS.

Elementary OS desktop showing the Dock

Elementary Application Launch Pad

Elementary OS Software center.

These Screenshots are taken from the 2013 Luna version. Stick around for the review of the stable Freya version review 

Cheers.

Consider Open source this year

You dont have to pay for software, there is Open Source

Over the period of technological advancement in the developing countries, big tech companies have taken this chance to harvest profits from the markets. It is eveident that Big technlogy companies usually make bigger profits in developing countries.This is attributed to the large market and  less risk of their products being compromised.
In kenya for instance, over 98% of the computers run on proprietary software. This ranges from personal computers at homes to the business premises. This has greatly impacted the sale of software in the region as most people opt to buy the proprietary software.
I sought to understand why this is figure is so large and the responses indicated the need for the tech gurus and enthusiasts of Kenya to go out and teach the common people alternatives.
Some of common reasons for reliance to proprietary software are;

• "I dont know if there are alternative to what i use now"
• "What is Linux?"
• "I dont know how to use linux"
• "I think Microsoft is more secure"
• "Everyone is running on Microsoft how will i not use it?"
• "I frequently use Microsoft Office"
• "MAC has its class"
•  "Microsoft is cheaper!"
• "Linux is complicated"

These where the actual responses from the people i talked to. Most of them a laughable and others can not be mentioned in a serious tech talk though i saw it right to mention out here to bring out the point.
In the current "connected" generation very people understand that they can still get the functionality of their computers with totally free software without purchasing a single part or addition of the software. Most people tend to think that its only Microsoft that can make their computer usable, they fail to understand that there are other operatign systems out there which make the systems work better and equally the same.
The reason why people think that Microsoft is cheaper is because it becomes preloaded in the machines they buy, little do they know that they indirectly pay for it and once a new version of the Operating System is available they will have to buy it.
All the normal computer users out there should understand that whatever your computer does on proprietary software, there is a open source free alternative for the same. People need to research and increase their knowledge on the alternatives as this will only be the way to save costs incurred in purchasing software. Tell your IT guy to dual boot your current Microsoft computer with an alternative open source, practice how to use and  with time you will find that their is no beast in knowing how to use Open source software.