Multimedia software
Another piece of software that I’ve shared in this column is Audacity. You can download it at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. Audacity is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It’s available for Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems. With this easy-to-use software, users can record live audio and convert tapes and records into digital formats such as mp3s or CDs.
This software also gives you the ability to edit sound files. If you’re considering converting some old recordings or thinking about recording some new ones directly to digital, Audacity shouldn’t be overlooked.
Tired of Windows Media Player, Real, or iTunes? Then Video LAN-VLC media player may be something to look into. VLC is a free cross-platform media player that supports a large number of multimedia formats without the need for additional codecs. A codec is a device or program capable of performing encoding and decoding on a digital data stream or signal. VLC can also be used as a streaming server, with extended features like video on demand, and on-thefly transcoding. One of the things I like to use it for is multi-format playlists. I often run video demos and VLC allows me to have a playlist consisting of Windows Media, QuickTime, and other video formats—all in one package without the need to switch between multiple applications.
Image editing
So if your thing isn’t creating documents or music, and you’re into photography, then Picasa is for you. Picasa is a way to easily publish and share your images— it’s also great for organizing your photos. Instead of just displaying cryptic files names like DSC4105.jpg, which is what you’d typically see from a digital camera, Picasa attempts to make the process of organizing your files easier by showing you thumbnail-sized images of your photos. It also allows you to add descriptions and keywords to the file’s metadata so you can easily search and retrieve images later.
In addition to the productivity features, Picasa has some great built-in photo-editing capabilities that will help you make the most out of your digital images. There are functions for improving color balance, contrast, red eye reduction, and my favorite, “I’m Feeling Lucky”—one click of the button and all of the work is done for you.
Picasa also has some artistic features like instant collages and filter effects. You can adjust lighting on a specific portion of an image, add black-and-white filter effects, and straighten images.
Best of all it’s not overly complicated for beginners. The interface is well laid out and very intuitive. To get your copy go to http://www.picasa.com or get it in the Google Pack I mentioned above.