OStatic

The season is nigh where many cultures across the globe observe some type of holiday that aims, in part, to reunite friends and family. If someone in the family is interested in genealogy, these gatherings are usually a prime opportunity to pull out any research, and coax some almost forgotten stories out of relatives.

Genealogists are always researching. Having had a tour of duty as a local history librarian, I've seen my share of dedicated, well-organized researchers. Most file away their information in spreadsheets or lightweight database programs. A few used programs specific to genealogical work, but I found they were few and far between, thanks to the high cost of applications that didn't necessarily offer more than a well organized spreadsheet.

I often wish I'd had the opportunity to show them GRAMPS, the open, cross platform, genealogical research software.

The UK-based charity AbilityNet announced today that it has bundled a number of open source tools to help people with a variety of disabilities more effectively use their computers.

The bundled applications are available for ?16.99 including VAT (to cover costs of testing and distribution), and appear to be Windows only (though it's difficult to root out system requirements). The included software is designed to help those with a number of different needs, including dyslexia, visual impairments, and some physical disabilities.

The disk, called AccessAT, has been tested in a number of settings (home, work, and educational institutions). Some of the included open source tools are the NVDA screen reader and the Virtual Magnifying Glass.

After many years of being an Amarok fan, I was introduced to Banshee. Banshee fast became my media player of choice, due to its ability to handle video and audio files, as well as stream internet radio and podcasts.

Until now, Banshee was only available for Linux. Developer Aaron Bockover explained recently a bit about cross platform development challenges, how to get Banshee for your Mac now, and why the Windows version will be Banshee at heart, but could look very different.

The Audacity audio editor is a great program. Take that as you will: It's truly functional software. It's a great illustration of the power and versatility of open source. Audacity has been an active project for some time. But because it provides an esoteric service, it was only recently I had reason to sit down and use it.

Due to microphone-support issues in Linux, and a Windows machine that has trouble with its own weight, never mind throwing sizable files in the mix, I've used Audacity 1.3.5 on two of the three supported platforms. There are differences in feature set-up, not function. After a learning curve of two hours came weeks of declaring my undying love for the project to anyone who'd listen.

The situation at One Laptop Per Child (OLPC), the organization behind the $100 laptop, looks like it's going from bad to worse. As we've reported before, key personnel have recently walked out on the project.

At the center of the conflict appears to be the issue of how deep the laptop's open source roots should be.