Setting Up an Open Source Workspace, Part II

Choosing a Linux Distribution

Because anyone can build their own operating system based on the open source Linux operating system, there are many different variations of Linux, or Linux distributions, to choose from. Personally, I recommend the Ubuntu Linux distribution for two reasons:

Ubuntu's GUI is similar to Windows and Mac OS

• Ubuntu’s GUI, or graphical user interface, is similar to Windows and Mac OS, making it simple for Windows and Mac users to learn to use.

• I’m completely biased! Ubuntu is the only desktop Linux distribution I use, so it would be difficult for me to recommend another distribution.

I’ll also be using Ubuntu for any tutorials I include in this blog, so if you’d like to follow along, it might be easier if you use Ubuntu too. However, there are many different Linux distributions to choose from. Other popular distributions include:

• Debian (http://www.debian.org/ )
• Fedora (http://fedoraproject.org/ )
• openSUSE  (http://www.opensuse.org/  )
• Mandriva (http://www.mandriva.com/ )

Live CDs

Ultimately, choosing a Linux distribution is a matter of personal preference. Luckily, it is usually easy to try out a distribution out to see if you like it before you install it on your computer—all you have to do is boot the operating system from a live CD.

For information about booting Ubuntu from a live CD, go to https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD/ .

Installing Linux

For more information on installing Linux on your computer, I recommend starting with the “Learn Linux” section of Linux’s website (https://www.linux.com/learn). A quick Google search for “install Linux” or “Linux beginner’s guide” is a good way to find additional tutorials.  

Also make sure to read the documentation available for whatever Linux distribution you choose. Ubuntu’s documentation can be found at http://www.ubuntu.com/support.

References

1. Distributions. Linux.com. Retrieved October 21, 2011, from https://www.linux.com/directory/Distributions
2. Popular Distributions. Linux.com. Retrieved October 21, 2011, from https://www.linux.com/directory/Distributions/popular-distributions
3. LiveCD. Ubuntu Documentation. Retrieved October 21, 2011, from https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD/
4. Learn Linux. Linux.com Retrieved October 21, 2011, from https://www.linux.com/learn
5. Ubuntu Support. Ubuntu.com. Retrieved October 21, 2011, from http://www.ubuntu.com/support

Setting Up an Open Source Workspace, Part I

Tux, the Linux Mascot
(Public Domain Image)

Why Should I Use Linux?

If you already have a Windows or Mac operating system installed on your computer, it isn’t absolutely necessary to install another operating system on your computer in order to take advantage of open source software. Most open source applications are cross-platform, which means that they are designed to run on more than one operating system. For example, The GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) runs on Mac, Windows and Linux operating systems. However, there are a few reasons you might want to consider using Linux to run your open source applications:

• While most open source applications are cross platform, there are many that seem to work better in Linux. This is usually because they were originally designed to be used in Linux.  

• In some cases, the Linux version of an open source application is updated more frequently than the Windows and Mac OS versions.

• It can also be easier to install some open source applications in Linux. This is usually because there is a package version of the application available to Linux users that is not available to users of other operating systems. A package allows an application to be downloaded and installed as if it was one file instead of being downloaded and installed as multiple files.

“Dual Boot” Configuration

Even if you want to continue using Windows or Mac OS, you might want to consider installing Linux in a dual boot configuration. Installing Linux in a dual boot configuration involves either installing Linux on a partition of your primary hard drive or installing it on a secondary hard drive, which allows you to use both Linux and another operating system on the same computer. We will discuss choosing and installing a Linux distribution in more detail in Setting Up an Open Source Workspace, Part II.

Refereneces 

1. Cross-platform definition. The Linux Information Project. Retrieved from
http://www.linfo.org/cross-platform.html
2. Downloads. GIMP. Retrieved October 21, 2011, from http://www.gimp.org/downloads/
3. Software package. Webopedia.  Retrieved from http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/software_package.html
4. Dual boot. Webopedia. Retrieved from http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/dual_boot.html.
5. Windows Dual Boot. Ubunutu. Retrieved October 21, 2011, from https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot.

A Brief History of Open Source and Graphic Design Software

In general, the history of software used in graphic design is fairly complex. But let’s just say it all began in 1985 with Aldus PageMaker 1.0, the first desktop publishing suite for the Macintosh operating system. Later, PageMaker was also released for the Windows operating system. Thus, the history of graphic design software begins with a commercial desktop publishing suite.*

Open source as we know it had had its beginnings the year before the release of PageMaker, with GNU, a free UNIX like operating system (the acronym GNU is recursive and stands for “GNU’s not Unix”).  This eventually led to the creation of the GNU license in 1989 (basically as a measure to prevent people from using free software code in commercial applications and then claiming copyright on it themselves).

In 1995, ten years after the origins of both design software and open source, a program named GIMP was developed by two California Berkeley students. GIMP was a graphical image manipulation program “akin to photoshop.” Originally standing for “General Image Manipulation Program”, the acronym came to mean “GNU Image Manipulation Program” after it was released under the GNU license.

GIMP 2.6.11 (current release as of October 2011)

Since the release of GIMP, many other open source software packages for graphic design have been developed. These include CinePaint, Open Office Draw, and InkScape, just to name a few.

*Aldus went on to turn down the opportunity to acquire the rights to a new program called Photoshop in 1990, which was licensed by Adobe instead. In 1994, Aldus was bought out by Adobe. Aldus PageMaker became Adobe PageMaker, the current release of which is Adobe PageMaker 7 (at the time of this writing).

References

Apple Macintosh Software - PageMaker 2.0a, 3½" Floppy Disk, 1987. Museum Victoria. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/items/1238704/apple-macintosh-software-pagemaker-2-0a-3-floppy-disk-1987

(August 1, 2011). Adobe PageMaker. Wikipedia. Retrieved October 15, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_PageMaker

West, Angela. (February 2, 2010). 20 Years of Adobe Photoshop. Webdesigner Depot. Retrieved October 15, 2011, from http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010/02/20-years-of-adobe-photoshop/

What is GNU? GNU. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from http://www.gnu.org/

(January 6, 2003). The History of the GPL. Free-Soft. Retrieved October 14, 2011 from http://www.free-soft.org/gpl_history/

Prehistory (How it all started…). GIMP. Retrieved October 14, 2011 from http://www.gimp.org/about/prehistory.html

Introduction

At the time of this writing, I’m an Arts and Technology major at The University of Texas at Dallas, and I’ve started this blog as an assignment for ATEC 3320, Intro to Writing for the World Wide Web.  In the past I’ve also studied fashion design and graphic design at Wade College in Dallas, and I have a certificate in Game Design and Programming from Weatherford College, where I also worked as an assistant to the school’s web designer and as a junior programmer/information systems assistant.

So why did I choose to write a blog about open source software for artists and designers?

When I was growing up, my father worked in software development, and often, he brought his work home. What this means is that there have been computers in my home from the time of my earliest memories. Our home even had an Internet connection in the days before it became commonplace to have one.

 My older sister became a web developer when she was still in high school (at the time of this writing, she is currently the lead web developer for a major retailer). However, while I’ve always been comfortable around computers, being more artistically inclined, I never became a true “tech geek” until college. It was only through my interest in film editing, sound design, graphic design, web design, and game design that I really started to “geek out” over computers.

In my design work I have used commercial software packages such as Adobe Creative Suite, Final Cut and Soundtrack Pro, as well as open source packages such as GIMP and Blender. I have also experimented with various operating systems, including Windows, Mac, and Linux.  I would like to use this blog as an opportunity to further explore the possibilities of working in a completely open source design environment.