If you’ve ever used a program like Microsoft Visio, you know how easy it is to create flow-charts, process flows and other decision trees. But, the problem with programs like Visio, is the hefty price tag and constant updates that require expensive software maintenance agreements. Thanks to a really great Open Source program called FreeMind, you can ditch Microsoft Visio and accomplish the same tasks in a nicer interface.

FreeMind is a very flexible mind-map tool that lets you create process flows, decision trees, outlines, processes, workflows and other visually related task lists. The interface is clean and simple to use. The program starts with a blank slate and you create a parent task. From that one parent, you can then add sub-tasks or other related tasks. FreeMind also comes with a large assortment of colorful icons and descriptive images that can be easily inserted into your mind-map project. Once you create and establish the links between layers, it is very easy to manipulate and move the items around the screen. FreeMind is flexible and works extensively on the drag and drop principles of other outrageously expensive software solutions. Since FreeMind is free and part of an Open Source project, you will never worry about software subscription fees or the need to license each and every computer in your environment.

Whether you need to work on a home project or a very complicated enterprise diagram and workflow, FreeMind is up to the challenge. The programs is used by all types of users looking to map out a process or decision tree. Once you try FreeMind and start using the program, you will instantly understand why so many trust it for their most important projects. Freemind will also correspond with Filezilla and Putty allowing users to have a secure connection between work and home computers. The Open Source community supporting FreeMind is also very helpful and they have created extensive documentation and are quick to respond to forum posts when there are issues with the software. Check it out today and you’ll be glad you did.

If you have an eBook reader or know someone that has an eBook reader, must download and check out an amazing, Open Source program called Calibre. This helpful utility works on Linux, Apple iOS and all current versions of Microsoft Windows. So, what does this amazing utility do for you? Calibre enables any eBook user to share books and convert them to any popular format for cross-platform sharing. So, if you download a book for your Kindle and want to copy it to a Nook eBook reader, Calibre will convert the Kindle file and encode it for use on the Nook!

Whether you have a Nook, a Kindle or the Sony eReader, Calibre is a program you can’t live without. The problem with all of these eBook platforms and devices has always been that it was impossible to share content between the devices. If a friend had a Nook and you had a Sony eReader, you could not swap books like you can do with traditional paper and ink texts. The amazing Open Source programmers surrounding the Calibre program have figured out the platforms and unlocked the mysteries between the proprietary devices. In addition, they have now enabled anyone to publish and convert any electronic text to your favorite eBook reader platform. So, if you have a manuscript or other document you want to put on your Kindle, open the file on Calibre, save it to the preferred format and then sync your eBook reader. Your own content is now on your device. The program couldn’t be simpler to use and the price is absolutely perfect; yes it is free. Many have struggled with which eBook reader to buy. Now, armed with Calibre, the device and platform don’t matter. You can save and copy eBooks between devices and platforms anytime you desire. This is one program eBook owners can’t live without.

You have upgraded your computer system to enhance your computing experience. You made sure to upgrade this system with the inclusion of the fastest internet connection and modem. This speed is important to anyone who uses his or her computer for surfing the web.

Now you are ready to truly experience what the Internet can offer — including sharing large files via peer-to-peer networks. Consider using a program called Cabos that can enhance this computing capability.

You’ve already spent plenty on your new computer platform and you probably don’t want to spend more. Great news! Cabos is a free Open Source, free piece of software. And don’t worry about Cabos coming with spyware, adware or malware that may in turn wreck your new computer. Part of its Open Source platform ensures that the program is free of any of these kinds of malicious code.

Based on the Acquisition and LimeWire peer-to-peer networks you will find the features to be plentiful and easy to use. You’ll be downloading those giant files with ease.

Cabos features a user-friendly tool bar, proxy and firewall-to-firewall transfers (for enhanced security). You’ll also find iPod and iTunes integration capabilities so you won’t be frustrated by transferring your downloads to your iPod.

Other great features of Cabos includes

-Support for universal plug and play capabilities
-IP2 country support
-Information about the network you are connecting to
-Information about individual searches
-Information about download and upload speeds and file information
-Minimal memory usage — about 7000k.

As with any download you should take the time to scan any file you download from the Internet. While Cabos is free of bad code, other download files may not be as safe unless they are also part of the Open Source community.

If you enjoy watching movies with the media player on your computer, you probably want to keep your system in tip-top shape. What, then, do you do if you start having quality issues? You may need to replace the video card, but, before you do that, you’ll want to check a couple other things.

1. Check your media player.

Sometimes issues occur because you are using a media player that has a limited codecs library. You’ll usually know this is the problem because you won’t be able to play a file you’ve downloaded, or you may get an error message from your media player.

Using an open source media player, such as Xvid, can correct this issue because it comes with nearly every codec in use today. If you aren’t using a program with an extensive codecs library, consider switching media players like VLC player or BS player.

2. Troubleshoot Your System

Sometimes, quality issues are a result of other programs interfering with your media player. You can begin by defragging your computer to repair programs. Perhaps the problem is a bad download. If so, you can use a program to check the download to determine whether it’s complete or missing pieces. You can also run optimization programs to see whether you can increase the efficiency of your operating system. Additionally, check your Internet connection speed if you are streaming videos.

3. Upgrade Your Video Card

If you try these things and still encounter problems, you may need a new video card. Check how much RAM you need to work with the card to ensure you get one that is compatible with your operating system. Once you install the card, you should notice an improvement in your video quality.

Upgrading your video card can be a good solution to improve quality, if it is in fact the problem. By checking your media player and system, you can make the right choice.

Professional photographers know the value of touching up a photo, and, in recent years, consumers have begun to catch on to the appeal. Part of this has to do with the accessibility and popularity of photo-editing software, like Adobe Photoshop. With a photo-editing program, it’s easy to correct color, remove wrinkles, whiten teeth, and do additional cosmetic touch ups.

However, not everyone can afford Adobe’s cost. Fortunately, individuals have an alternative to Photoshop: GIMP. This free and open source program has photo-editing features that rival Adobe’s. Since the first release of the program in 1996, GIMP has continued to expand its project, making the program available to a variety of operating systems, including Linux, Mac, and Windows. The program is so popular with Linux users that it often comes as a standard program on the operating system.

Here are a few advantages of using GIMP:

-The program supports a variety of file formats, including its own format, XCF.

-Users can modify the source code as they see fit, customizing the application to perform better.

-GIMP comes with a variety of plug-ins designed to expand its basic set of features.

-Beginners can find a wide selection of tutorials from GIMP and other sites to learn how to use the program.

While GIMP provides a variety of features in and of itself, you may enjoy the open source program so much that you want to combine it with other open source projects. If you need to create 3D animation, you can use Blender. You can send several photos at once by using a free zip utility, like 7-Zip, to compress your files into one attachment.

No matter what level of photo editing you want to explore, you can achieve your goals with open source software. GIMP makes it easy to turn your amateur photos into professional-looking pictures, as well as working well with other open source programs like Xvid when putting together presentations and new additions to websites.

Even though open source software has no direct effect on your systems, its common to have to configure a download or two to make it easy for use later on. Configuring PuTTY for optimal usage is as easy as following a few simple commands.

Session Options

Open the configuration options and select the Session tab. Enter the name of the computer you wish to connect to in the Host Name [Or IP Address] area. This is also the area you can specify a certain IP address if that is the host information provided to you.

Under protocol select the SSH option. This will automatically change the above port number to 22, which is the common port that SSH servers listen on.

Save the session name for convenience in opening the same SSH server later.

Windows Options

If you are planning to use the session for character-based editing, it will be helpful to set the default size of the terminal window by specifying the number of character columns and rows under the first set of options here.

Expand your session scroll back option by increasing the number here to around 2000. This will give you the ability to read back and cut and paste any previously entered commands that may need frequent repetition.

SSH Options

Be sure to enable the compression option if you are connecting on a fast network. Change the preferred SSH protocol to version 2. This format is supported by most servers that are up to date.

Under the Tunnels tab, if you are going to use Port Forwarding, you will need to enter the source port as well as the destination. Once added press the Add button which will then add to the forwarded ports in the box above.

Head back to the session tab and click the save button to save this session, it will now be added to the option under the Default Settings. From now on you can double-click the save session you would like to initiate a new session on that SSH server.