Build a PC (software) without spending a penny - what would you do?

[GREED]

Perhaps been done before, we've all thought about it, what would you do, what software would you use, include? Like it to do as much as possible.

[El_Nombre]

You could set up an 'everyday' PC with all the usual suspects here.

 

Am I allowed Windows though? I am, right?

 

I'd build an audio production PC. Assuming I'm cheating by buying dedicated DSP cards (PCI cards which cost the earth new but which emulate studio hardware or effects) I'd download Reaper for a sequencer from here and browse KVR for all my plugins. Decent soundcard and boom, instant freebie software-only music studio.

[GREED]

No windows, nothing. Imagin building this for a charity shop (that needs everything imaginable, not just a WP!). Cannot spend anything other than for the hardware

 

Edit: Shop is an example, this is for fun only!

Edited December 16, 2010 by GREED

[LosOjos]

My home PC is the result of just such an experiment

 

On it I have:

- Debian OS

- GIMP

- Open Office

- Firefox

 

That covers me for pretty much everything I do on my home PC, but for those additional tasks, the Debian software repo's are chock full of fantastic free (and often open source) software.

 

It baffles me that businesses automatically go out and buy a load of Windows and Office licenses when they can get Debian and Open Office for free that would be more than enough for the majority of staff.

[GREED]

Debian, don't know that...

[Tyiell]

No windows, nothing. Imagin building this for a charity shop (that needs everything imaginable, not just a WP!). Cannot spend anything other than for the hardware

 

Linux is your only option. For ease of use in a shop I'd recommend Ubuntu - comes with almost anything you could ask for, plus the Software Centre that is laid out similar to the cool website that @El_Nombre mentioned.

[LiamH]

Ubuntu Linux

GIMP for Photoshop replacement

Open Office for desktop publishing

VLC Media player for Audio/visual

Open Movie for any video editing

 

Cant think of anything else you would need at the moment

[danbuntu]

Ubuntu and google apps plus GIMp and scribus

[tech_guy]

I once built a pc without spending a penny - amazsing reallly connsidering I drank six piints ddfuring the procxess of psutting it alls togethers.....

[GREED]

I once built a pc without spending a penny - amazsing reallly connsidering I drank six piints ddfuring the procxess of psutting it alls togethers.....

 

Waiting for that!

[LosOjos]

Debian, don't know that...

 

Very good OS, it's not as 'bleeding edge' as Ubuntu in it's main releases, but that's because it receives heavier testing and is thus a lot more stable. Ubuntu is in fact based on Debian. @powdarrmonkey is your man to talk to about Debian though, he is after all now one of the developers

[teejay]

Perhaps been done before, we've all thought about it, what would you do, what software would you use, include? Like it to do as much as possible.

 

Brick through PC Worlds window, then you'll get the hardware free as well.......

 

Mind you, it'll be rubbish hardware, so don't bother.

[LosOjos]

Brick through PC Worlds window, then you'll get the hardware free as well.......

 

Mind you, it'll be rubbish hardware, so don't bother.

 

And they'd still try and sell you a 3 year care package.

[GREED]

Will it have the PC World equivilant of GeekSquad mits all over it I wonder?

[Pete10141748]

It baffles me that businesses automatically go out and buy a load of Windows and Office licenses when they can get Debian and Open Office for free that would be more than enough for the majority of staff.

 

But that would mean ordinary users actually learning something new [gasp!] and new things are scary!

[MkII]

Kubuntu

Chrome

Pidgin

Open Office

Gimp

 

- my home setup. Built to work pretty much identically to Windows.

[featured_spectre]

Debian based system - Operating System

Chrome / firefox - Browser

Pidgin - Mail Client

Open Office - Self explanatory

Gimp - Photo editor

[mac_shinobi]

I would use a look a windows look a like version of linux ( Lindows or the sorts ) with open source software ie open office, firefox etc etc - with it being for a charity I am guessing people who are used to windows will be using them so needs to look or feel like windows, am sure the same thing is possible through other versions of linux though through the graphics manager or the sorts

[Guest salan]

Now don't get me wrong, I use Linux (or OS's like it as much as pos. But the one area I have had problems is anything that needs activeX.

Then I have to go back to windows and IE (****spit***).

So how do you gat around that?

A good example is our Remote access. It only works in IE. In FF you just get the background but no icons.

THe macs can't use it either as there is no gateway for macs yet I believe.

Alan

[TwoZeroAlpha]

Linux Mint (all the major propriatary stuff preinstalled and a windows-ish look and feel) or Zorin

Firefox

OpenOffice

Wine

Gimp

Inkscape

 

Should do the trick mostly.

There's a good article in this month's Linux Format about alternate OSs, some that may be worth testing out.