Here are a couple of cool pieces of software that I have been introduced to in the past couple of days:
Nvu is a complete Web Authoring System for Linux Desktop users as well as Microsoft Windows and Macintosh users to rival programs like FrontPage and Dreamweaver. I’ve had a play with it, even opened up some of my existing HTML pages created with Dreamweaver which I was then able to edit. Nvu 1.0 is now available to download and use for free.
WetPaint is an easy to use piece of Wiki software that is free to download and install on your own server. I found this really useful backgrounder about it written by Robin Good .
Hi Derek
great to see you at TUANZ in Christchurch a couple of days ago. We’ve been using NVU here at Waimate for over 2 years now. While it is not quite as easy to use as Dreamweaver (but is getting better), it does encourage students to think about the code and they do have to plan ahead, prototype and test their pages more thoroughly than if they were using proprietary products. AFAIK few other schools are using NVU. It always amazes me at how schools seem to ignore opensource solutions – ‘if it is worth it why is it free?’ seems to pervade the decision makers mindset. We use The GIMP http://gimp.org ,inkscape http://inkscape.org, python, nvu and openoffice. We also have a moodle instance http://aorakinet.school.nz for our ictpd cluster hosted at more or less cost price by Catalyst in Wellington. The great advantage for us, apart from cost considerations, is that we are able to give students the software to use at home – for which they are very grateful.
Just imagine the opportunities that would arise if the MOE decided to invest in Openoffice as the preferred office suite and used the money saved to develop other opensource projects for schools…
Thanks you for your information .