Software

Discussions, theses, theories and memes abound around Linux's inability to gain traction in the desktop marketplace. Some think the Linux Desktop is too hard to learn. Others say Linux Desktop is deficient. Linux elite say Linux wasn't really meant for the general users anyway. Microsoft says Lin...

The drawback with using most note-taking applications on any platform is that they are limited in the type of data you can put into them. For instance, simple text editors ignore Internet and content links. Plus, you cannot import graphics. Even word-processing programs, which overcome the links and...

Regardless of your take on the iPad as a do-everything replacement device for laptops and netbooks, other e-book readers are gaining a substantial foothold. Devices such as the Kindle and the Nook provide access to volumes of literature and documents without having to lug a fully-functional computer...

Nokia will use the Linux MeeGo operating system in its flagship N-series platform in a bid to remain competitive against the iPhone and Android smartphones. However, the company will continue to use its Symbian operating system for its lower-end smartphones. The move might be seen as a bid to restor...

If you are on the hunt for a do-everything photo management app, check out Album Shaper. Considering its solid, user-friendly design, Album Shaper is packed with a hefty toolset of features that newcomers to image manipulation programs will appreciate. That does not mean more experienced digital shu...

Dell reportedly is talking with Google about the possibility of using the search giant's Chrome OS on its laptop computers. Dell wants to be a "leader" when it comes to implementing Chrome and Android, said Amit Midha, Dell's president for Greater China and South Asia, who confirmed that talks betwe...

Diary writing apps are nothing more than glorified text editors with a narrow focus. Keeping a daily diary for personal life commentary is a task that many people restrict to traditional paper-and-pen entries. Keeping a daily journal of work-related entries is more suited to electronic entries. Rega...

A growing recognition of the business benefits predictive analysis provides is positioning newcomer Revolution Analytics into a key role to help adopters of the R programing language migrate from legacy offerings. Until a recent funding infusion and a refocus of marketing goals, the startup did busi...

Note to those avoiding Linux: Yes, you can do desktop publishing. You can do it with Scribus. One of the most frequently recurring comments I hear about why somebody -- especially in a small-business environment -- will not migrate to Linux is the alleged absence of a desktop publishing application...

A group of high-tech firms, led by ARM, Freescale Semiconductor, IBM, Samsung, ST-Ericsson and Texas Instruments, have formed a nonprofit organization to promote the use of Linux software on smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. To that end, the organization, called "Linaro," will develop t...

When it comes to designing Linux apps, one program's look and feel often is too much like others' in a particular category. So app developers often rely on feature sets and ease-of-use tricks to distinguish their programs from others in the field. The GnomeBaker CD/DVD Writer is a good example. Gnom...