Posts Tagged ‘free software’
Web design software
Our curriculum team is beginning a revision of our Web Design course, and we’re considering possible software. Our existing course uses KompoZer, a free WYSIWYG program.
KompoZer has worked pretty well for us, but like most free software, it has its share of bugs and quirks.
As we research software for the new course, we’re considering Amaya, a strong contender developed by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium).
Amaya has some features that KompoZer doesn’t, such as a split view that shows both the design view and the code.
Like KompoZer, Amaya is free, open source, and cross-platform.
Do you have experience with KompoZer or Amaya? Let us know what you think!
Free drawing and image editing software
Our Digital Photography and Graphics course uses a great free image editing program called GIMP.
GIMP is an excellent way for students to get image editing experience without buying expensive software.
The range of things GIMP can do is huge, and after learning the basics in the course, students can combine their techniques and skills to make all sorts of things!
Below are examples of some cool projects that students in our Digital Photography and Graphics course learn how to make with GIMP.
However, GIMP does have some limitations. Since it’s free, it is more likely that students will encounter interface bugs and crashes.
GIMP’s interface is somewhat unusual and not intuitive to most new users. It has a few separate windows instead of a single window, which takes a little getting used to.
As we are developing a new Digital Arts course this year, we are considering which software to use in the course. We will likely use two or more programs for drawing and image editing.
GIMP and Inkscape are a couple of strong contenders, but we are currently exploring all sorts of free drawing and image editing programs. What free programs do you like best or want to learn?
