{"id":4798,"date":"2025-05-25T18:41:17","date_gmt":"2025-05-25T16:41:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/?p=4798"},"modified":"2025-08-28T15:07:51","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T13:07:51","slug":"what-does-going-foss-look-like-for-the-average-user","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/2025\/05\/25\/what-does-going-foss-look-like-for-the-average-user\/","title":{"rendered":"What does \u201cgoing FOSS\u201d look like for the average user?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Haga clic aqu\u00ed para la traducci\u00f3n al espa\u00f1ol (Google Translate)<\/a><\/p>\n

Introduction<\/h3>\n

\u201cGoing FOSS\u201d (using free & open source software) isn\u2019t hypothetical or in the distant future. It\u2019s making practical changes for all of us here & now. You\u2019re definitely already using FOSS whether you\u2019re aware of it or not, e.g. almost all of the internet is built on FOSS, the popular media player VLC is FOSS, & almost all proprietary software contains or is dependent upon it to some degree. There are many advantages to using it & many governments around the world have projects to transition from proprietary software to FOSS.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"In the European Union, the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE https:\/\/fsfe.org\/<\/a>) is a non-profit organisation that promotes & defends the rights of users to use, study, share, & improve software; it works to ensure that technology remains under the control of individuals & communities rather than corporations. This is important to us because it protects our digital freedom, encourages transparency & innovation, & helps create a more fair, inclusive, & sustainable digital society. Here are some of the advantages:<\/p>\n

No licensing fees<\/b>: Unlike proprietary software that often requires expensive per-user or annual licenses, FOSS is free to download, use, & distribute. Schools & universities don\u2019t need to pay for each installation or user, which substantially lowers software acquisition costs. FOSS also eliminates the often convoluted & error prone systems to activate licences & renew them in order to keep the software fully functioning.<\/p>\n

Reuse of existing hardware<\/b>: Many FOSS operating systems & applications are lightweight & can run on older computers that might not support the latest proprietary software. This extends the lifespan of existing hardware, reducing the need for frequent, costly upgrades.<\/p>\n

No vendor lock-in <\/b>or up-selling<\/b>: FOSS avoids the trap of being tied to one vendor’s pricing or upgrade cycles. Institutions & organisations can switch between service providers, developers, or host the software themselves without costly migration, licensing penalties, or the need to convert files from one propriety format to another. FOSS is also much less likely to subject you to marketing campaigns &\/or up-sell software & features to you, e.g. tiered pricing for commonly used functions. It all just works \u201cout of the box.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lower support <\/b>&<\/b> maintenance costs (over time)<\/b>: While there may be initial training or setup costs, FOSS systems often have active communities, detailed documentation, & long-term support. This can reduce the need for expensive vendor-based technical support in the long run.<\/p>\n

Community-driven development<\/b>: Features & tools developed by other institutions or users are often freely available, reducing the need to pay for custom development. Plugins & extensions are commonly shared freely across user communities.<\/p>\n

Shared resources<\/b>: In academic networks, institutions can pool resources to collaboratively support & maintain FOSS tools, thereby sharing costs & expertise across regions or sectors.<\/p>\n

Criteria for choosing software<\/h3>\n

Here are some of the main criteria for choosing software, whether Free & Open Source Software (FOSS) or proprietary, each with an explanation of why it matters & why FOSS often has longer-term advantages over proprietary software:<\/p>\n

Long-term maintenance & support<\/h5>\n

When selecting software, it’s important to consider whether it will be maintained & supported for the foreseeable future. If software becomes unsupported or its licensing terms change, we could lose access to our files, face compatibility issues, &\/or security vulnerabilities may go unpatched. Choosing software that uses open standard formats makes it easier to migrate our data elsewhere, protecting our work & reducing future risks. FOSS typically uses open standard formats, which makes it easier to migrate our data if the software becomes unsupported or abandoned. Even if development slows or stops altogether, communities may fork & maintain it, thereby better ensuring future support.<\/p>\n

Adherence to open standards & interoperability<\/h5>\n

Software that supports open standards, file formats, & communication protocols is more interoperable with other tools & systems. This flexibility allows users to collaborate more easily, exchange data without issues, & avoid vendor lock-in, which can limit future choices & increase costs. FOSS tends to follow open standards, making it more interoperable with a variety of tools. This allows easier data exchange, collaboration, & integration into different environments, thereby reducing compatibility issues.<\/p>\n

Community support & troubleshooting resources<\/h5>\n

A large, active user community often means better informal support through forums, blogs, & Q&A sites. This is especially valuable when issues arise, as we can often solve problems quickly with a simple web search. Strong community support can significantly reduce downtime & reliance on expensive technical support. While vendors often offer professional customer support, it may be slow or expensive. Troubleshooting relies more heavily on official channels, & community help may be limited or discouraged. Popular FOSS projects usually have active communities that provide free support via forums, GitHub, Stack Overflow, etc.. This means issues can often be resolved quickly without paid support, & solutions are widely shared.<\/p>\n

Availability of documentation & learning resources<\/h5>\n

Comprehensive documentation, tutorials, blogs, & video guides make it easier for new users to learn the software & for experienced users to master advanced features. Well-documented tools accelerate onboarding & help institutions or teams use the software effectively & efficiently. Proprietary tools may have detailed documentation & training resources, but these are sometimes paywalled. Learning opportunities can be limited by the vendor\u2019s control over content. Many successful FOSS projects offer rich documentation, wikis, tutorials, & user-generated content. The open nature encourages widespread sharing of educational material, making self-learning cheaper & more accessible.<\/p>\n

Suitability for specific needs & extensibility<\/h5>\n

Good software should match our specific use case. Furthermore, the ability to extend its functionality through plugins, extensions, or templates ensures it can grow with our needs. Extensibility means we won\u2019t need to replace the software as our requirements evolve, saving time & resources. Proprietary software may offer powerful features, but customisation is usually restricted. Extensions are limited to what the vendor permits, & modifying the software is rarely possible. FOSS is often highly customisable & extensible through plugins, templates, & open codebases. If a feature doesn\u2019t exist, it can often be added by the community or our own developers.<\/p>\n

Access to content creation communities & open content<\/h5>\n

If the software is used for producing content, it\u2019s beneficial to have an active community of content creators. These communities often share templates, tools, & resources based on the 5 R’s (retain, reuse, revise, remix, & redistribute), which can enhance our own projects & promote collaborative learning & creativity. Some proprietary platforms do support content sharing, but often within controlled environments or marketplaces intended to generate further revenue. Content may be locked by licensing or difficult to repurpose outside the platform. FOSS ecosystems frequently include communities of creators who share content freely under open licenses.<\/p>\n

Efficiency, automation, & workflow integration<\/h5>\n

Well-designed software integrates smoothly into your existing workflows & automates repetitive tasks. Fewer steps & streamlined processes mean we save time; an important factor in productivity & cost-effectiveness. Tools that improve efficiency give us a competitive edge & reduce fatigue & frustration. Proprietary tools often emphasize user-friendly design & streamlined workflows, which can improve productivity. However, they may lack flexibility in automation unless premium features are purchased. FOSS tools often support automation, scripting, & integration into broader workflows. Though interfaces may be less polished, they can be customised to save time in repetitive tasks.<\/p>\n

What do I use?<\/h3>\n

With all this in mind, here\u2019s some examples of what I\u2019m currently using to illustrate what \u201cgoing FOSS\u201d might look like:<\/p>\n

Operating system (OS)<\/h5>\n

This is the fundamental level of software that our PCs run on, e.g. Linux, ChromeOS (Chromebooks), Microsoft Windows, & Apple MacOS. I recommend installing & getting used to free & open source software applications (apps) on your current proprietary OS, i.e. installing the FOSS apps listed below, for a smoother, gentler transition into a fully FOSS environment.<\/p>\n

Proprietary software: Microsoft Windows, Apple MacOS, & Google ChromeOS. All are based in the USA.<\/p>\n

\"Ubuntu\"I use a version of Linux called Ubuntu, developed & maintained by the UK\u2019s Canonical. https:\/\/ubuntu.com\/desktop<\/a><\/p>\n

N.B. The vast majority of web servers already run on FOSS operating systems, typically a version of Linux, e.g. Debian, Ubuntu, or CentOS. In fact, just about everything we typically find on web servers, including database software & programming languages, is FOSS.<\/p>\n

Web browser<\/h5>\n

Probably the app that most of us use most of the time for everything from checking emails & searching for information to participating in online courses & attending online meetings\/webinars.<\/p>\n

Proprietary software: Google Chrome, Apple Safari, & Microsoft Edge (Edge actually has the same underlying software as Google Chrome).<\/p>\n

\"\"I use Firefox, developed & maintained by Mozilla, a non-profit foundation based in the USA. https:\/\/www.mozilla.org\/en-US\/firefox\/new\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Office software<\/h5>\n

What many of us use for producing tangible \u201coffice work\u201d, i.e. word processor, spreadsheets, slide presentations, & databases, often referred to as productivity software.<\/p>\n

Proprietary software: Microsoft Office 360 & Google Docs.<\/p>\n

\"\"I use LibreOffice, developed & maintained by The Document Foundation, based in Germany. LibreOffice supports the Open Document Format (ODF), which has been adopted as the default standard for the European Union. It is also less problematic to use for authoring content intended for the web, i.e. fewer formatting issues that \u201cbreak\u201d web pages & database files. https:\/\/www.libreoffice.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Slide show presentation software<\/h5>\n

Most people use the slide show presentation apps that come with their office software. However, their file formats require the correspondingly compatible software to be installed & presentations cannot be shown or viewed online.<\/p>\n

Proprietary software: Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, Apple Keynote, & web only; Prezi, Canva, etc..<\/p>\n

\"\"Honestly, I don\u2019t use slide show software very often, except when giving presentations for CPD & in public forum s (There are better ways to present information to students in the classroom & online). When a slide show is appropriate, I use RevealJS, which is an app that runs within standard web browsers (written in HTML, Javascript, & CSS; standard web browser code), i.e. no need to download & run a file locally on specialised software. I even developed a plugin for Moodle so that presentations can be integrated & viewed directly online. Since it\u2019s web standard code, it can also display anything that a web browser can; text, images, animations, audio, & video, all tightly integrated & sequenced for smooth-flowing, unproblematic presentations. https:\/\/revealjs.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

N.B. I write my presentations directly in HTML, which requires some basic knowledge of writing web code, so it\u2019s not for the uninitiated. However, there is a paid service, supported by AI that provides a less expert user experience: https:\/\/slides.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

If you want a straightforward replacement for PowerPoint, then LibreOffice Impress can handle both PowerPoint & ODF file formats https:\/\/www.libreoffice.org\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Text editor<\/h5>\n

Along with a word processor, it\u2019s typically useful to have a plain text editor, i.e. doesn\u2019t apply any text formatting such as fonts, headings, bold, italic, or other styles. Text produced or \u201ccleaned\u201d in this way is useful for copying & pasting into web interfaces & for creating & editing files of bulk data for uploading & importing learning content & user data into web-based systems more quickly & efficiently. In other words, they can save us a lot of time & effort.<\/p>\n

The best known is Microsoft\u2019s Notepad (which isn\u2019t strictly a plain text editor & can apply some formatting which can produce unexpected results with web interfaces & disrupt the data in uploaded files) & Apple\u2019s TextEdit.<\/p>\n

\"\"I use Gnome Text Editor, the default text editor that comes with Ubuntu Linux, developed by a globally distributed tea m & the FOSS repository is hosted by The Gnome Foundation in the USA. https:\/\/apps.gnome.org\/en-GB\/TextEditor\/<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"Software developers use specialised text editors for writing code. They range from very simple, minimal editors, to full-blown integrated development environments (IDEs). For this, I use<\/b> NetBeans: https:\/\/netbeans.apache.org\/front\/main\/index.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Email client<\/h5>\n

If you want to manage your email accounts more efficiently as well as integrating them into office software, for example for mail merge functions, or you just don\u2019t want to be distracted by advertising inserted into your browser\u2019s webmail interface, a desktop email client is a useful option. In other words, you can check your emails & respond to them more efficiently, which can save you a lot of valuable time.<\/p>\n

Proprietary apps are Microsoft\u2019s Outlook & Apple Mail.<\/p>\n

\"\"I use Thunderbird, developed & maintained by Mozilla. https:\/\/www.thunderbird.net\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Vector graphics<\/h5>\n

If we produce educational content, we need to draw diagrams, illustrations, charts, etc., as vector graphics, i.e. graphics that remain easily editable & can be enlarged infinitely without losing quality (suitable for both small mobile devices & large presentation screens). The worldwide standard format for vector graphics is SVG, which is supported by most office\/productivity software & can be viewed directly on webpages.<\/p>\n

Proprietary software includes Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Office Visio. Their proprietary file formats are poorly supported & must therefore be converted\/exported to standard image formats to be used with office\/productivity software & for viewing on the internet, e.g. in web pages & learning management systems.<\/p>\n

\"\"I use Inkscape, developed by a globally distributed team & the FOSS repository is hosted by GitLab, a Dutch -Ukrainian company, in the USA. https:\/\/inkscape.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Bitmap graphics<\/h5>\n

In addition to diagrams, illustrations, charts, etc., we often need to create &\/or edit bitmap graphics (sometimes referred to as \u201craster graphics\u201d), e.g. photos, screenshots, & scanned images.<\/p>\n

Adobe Photoshop & Corel Painter are examples of bitmap graphics editors.<\/p>\n

\"\"I use the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), developed by a globally distributed team & the FOSS repository is hosted by The Gnome Foundation in the USA. https:\/\/www.gimp.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Audio editor<\/h5>\n

If we produce educational content for language learning, we need to record & edit audio, i.e. speech, & then export it into web & media player compatible file formats, e.g. MP3.<\/p>\n

Proprietary apps include Adobe Audition & Soundbooth & Apple Logic Pro.<\/p>\n

\"\"I use Audacity, developed & maintained by Muse Group, based in Cyprus. https:\/\/www.audacityteam.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Video editor<\/h5>\n

We may need to produce video content for language learning, i.e. people in conversation or presenting, including visual cues such as facial expressions & body language, &\/or for showing places & manners of articulation (pronunciation).<\/p>\n

Apple Final Cut Pro & Adobe Premiere Pro are well-known examples of proprietary video editors though there are also many specialist apps made for education such as screen recorders, e.g. Techsmith Camtasia.<\/p>\n

\"\"I use Kdenlive which does both non-linear video editing (for producing documentary-type video productions ) & screen recording. It\u2019s developed & maintained by KDE, which is a member of the Free Software Foundation Europe (https:\/\/fsfe.org\/<\/a>) & develops several other apps for education. https:\/\/kdenlive.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Video conferencing<\/h5>\n

For live, synchronous, interactive sessions with students, we typically use a video conferencing service. These used to require expensive specialised media servers but with the advent of the WebRTC protocol, almost all of this is now managed by users\u2019 web browsers, i.e. Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, or Microsoft Edge. This means that video conferencing is more stable & particularly easy & cheap to provide, & there are many services to choose from, many of them free.<\/p>\n

The most famous proprietary service is Zoom & the main providers in educational contexts have been Blackboard Collaborate, Adobe Connect, Cisco WebEx, Google Meet, & Microsoft Teams.<\/p>\n

\"\"I use BigBlueButton for which Moodle has standardised integration but there are other video conferencing services that offer Moodle integration plugins, including for Zoom if you wish. Integrating video conferencing into courses on an LMS dramatically reduces administration & management task workload & makes it easier & more reliable for students & teachers to connect to the right conferences at the right times. https:\/\/bigbluebutton.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Learning management system (LMS)<\/h5>\n

An LMS is an online platform for hosting courses, learning resources, & assessments, virtual classrooms, & managing students\u2019 & teachers\u2019 accounts, enrolments, & learning records\/records of participation. It\u2019s an indispensable tool for providing online & distance education in efficient, manageable, & sustainable ways.<\/p>\n

Proprietary LMS\u2019 for language learning are offered by ELT coursebook publishers, e.g. Cambridge, Oxford, Pearson, & Macmillan along with their own copyright content. The platforms are narrow, rigid digital presentations of their printed coursebook content. They cannot be adapted, supplemented, or changed in any way. They also do not track students\u2019 participation or progress in practical, feasible ways that would be useful to a language learning department or organisation, e.g. little or no integration with student information systems & few or no options for bulk uploading of student accounts & data.<\/p>\n

\"\"I use Moodle, the world\u2019s most popular & widely used LMS, developed & maintained by Mood le Pty and the Moodle Foundation, both based in Australia. It integrates seamlessly with student information systems, digital portfolio systems, & single sign-on protocols. Its excellent multimedia support & flexible learning activities make it a particularly useful platform for language learning. https:\/\/moodle.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Bibliography manager<\/h5>\n

A bibliography manager stores & organises documents, e.g. articles, research papers, presentations, books, & book chapters. It also indexes documents\u2019 bibliography information (AKA \u201cmetadata\u201d), i.e. title, author, date, place, journal\/source, publisher, abstract, etc., to make them easily searchable. They also typically integrate with word processing software & web browsers (via plugins) which makes retrieving documents & their metadata as simple as a mouse click, & can also automatically manage inline citations & the references section when writing scientific\/academic articles, papers, & chapters. A good bibliography manager will save hundreds of hours if you do any kind of writing that requires that you cite\/reference sources to support your claims.<\/p>\n

Elsevier Mendeley & EndNote are the best known & most widely used proprietary bibliography managers.<\/p>\n

\"\"I use Zotero, which is developed & maintained by the Corporation for Digital Scholarship,<\/strong> a non-profit organisation that builds open-source software for researchers & cultural heritage institutions. It\u2019s supported by Institutional partnerships & sponsorships from universities & libraries. https:\/\/www.zotero.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Student information system (SIS)<\/h5>\n

As the name suggests, a student information system (SIS) is for managing students\u2019 information, i.e. personal profile information, contact information, courses currently & previously enrolled on, attendance, grades, special needs, grants\/payments\/funds, qualifications\/certificates awarded, term-time calendars & holidays, etc.. Not unlike client relationship management (CRM) systems, they make keeping track & maintaining clear, effective, consistent communications with students, parents, & other stakeholders more manageable. These are mainly of use to medium sized & larger educational organisations. I have little knowledge or experience with using them as I\u2019m mostly involved in the teaching & curriculum side of things. Here, I\u2019ll simply list the best known SIS\u2019.<\/p>\n

Proprietary software: PowerSchool, Infinite Campus, Skyward, Blackbaud Education Management, & FACTS SIS (formerly RenWeb) Of course, there\u2019s a plethora of other smaller companies in various regions, offering proprietary SIS services.<\/p>\n

FOSS: Fedena (Community Edition), openSIS, SchoolTool, Gibbon, & TS School (Time Software School)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Haga clic aqu\u00ed para la traducci\u00f3n al espa\u00f1ol (Google Translate) Introduction \u201cGoing FOSS\u201d (using free & open source software) isn\u2019t hypothetical or in the distant future. It\u2019s making practical changes for all of us here & now. You\u2019re definitely already using FOSS whether you\u2019re aware of it or not, e.g. almost all of the internet… Continue reading What does \u201cgoing FOSS\u201d look like for the average user?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4813,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[125,8,9,114,126,11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4798"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4798"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4798\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4935,"href":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4798\/revisions\/4935"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4813"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matbury.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}