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The Ur-Quan Masters Publish Date: Aug. 11, 2005
Star Control II is one of the most beloved space exploration games. When its original developers released a version of the source code under the GPL, members of the fan community began to port it to modern operating systems. Howard Wen recently interviewed the developers about their goals, their progress, and how open source works for them.
The Irrlicht Engine Publish Date: Jun. 2, 2005
One of the most complicated pieces of software in the world is a 3-D engine, right? Not according to Nikolaus Gebhardt. He's almost single-handedly created his own open source-capable 3-D engine, Irrlicht. Howard Wen talks with him about the design, implementation, and goals of the project.
MusE: MIDI Sequencing for Linux Publish Date: May. 12, 2005
Think Linux lacks for good multimedia creation and editing applications? Think again. Another application making ears perk up is MusE, a MIDI and audio sequencer intended to be a complete multitrack virtual studio. Howard Wen looks at the current and future development of the project.
Professional Sound Editing with Audacity Publish Date: Apr. 14, 2005
Think Linux lacks for good multimedia creation and editing applications? Think again. In the world of sound editing, Audacity is powerful and easy to use, and it's free software. Howard Wen explores the design, features, and future of Audacity.
Miguel de Icaza Explains How to "Get" Mono Publish Date: Mar. 21, 2005
It's perhaps the most controversial project in the open source world, but this mostly stems from misunderstanding: Mono, the open source development platform based upon Microsoft's .NET framework. Immediate reactions from many dubious Linux developers have ranged from confusion over its connection with .NET to wondering what the benefits of developing under it are. Throughout the course of its four years of intense development, sponsored by Novell, Mono founder Miguel de Icaza has had to frequently clarify the .NET issue and sell the community on it. In this new interview, Howard Wen asks Miguel to explain himself one more time.
Inside GnomeMeeting Publish Date: Mar. 17, 2005
As bandwidth and processor power increase, so do the compelling reasons to consider voice and video over IP. Damien Sandras' polished GnomeMeeting application is a good example. Howard Wen recently interviewed Sandras about the project's successes, goals, and plans.
Inside the Multiple Emulator Super System Publish Date: Feb. 24, 2005
Building an emulator for a classic machine is tricky. Now consider building over 150 of them. That's what the MESS team has done since 1988. Chances are, MESS supports your favorite classic computer or video game console. Howard Wen profiles the project.
Freevo: Freedom For Your TV Publish Date: Jan. 27, 2005
PVRs may be the next big thing in home entertainment, but relying on a closed box leaves you few options for customization. The Freevo project is building a platform for developing television-aware applications, whether recording, timeshifting, or general-purpose mayhem. Howard Wen explains the Freevo project and interviews its developers.
Linux Music Blossoms with Rosegarden Publish Date: Dec. 16, 2004
No kidding: many software geeks are also music geeks. It should be no surprise that free software music programs have started to rival their commercial counterparts. Howard Wen walks through Rosegarden, a Linux-based music sequencer and scoring package.
PearPC: Mac-In-Box Publish Date: Dec. 3, 2004
Earlier in the week we looked at running Linux on the Mac. In this article Howard Wen interviews the developers who have enabled us to run Mac OS X on Linux or Windows computers. Here's the inside scoop on PearPC.
Juggle Your Java with JDistro Publish Date: Nov. 24, 2004
Typically, one Java application will live in its own virtual machine, but this is neither required nor necessarily desirable. JDistro, a multitasking Java application, makes it possible to run applications, applets, and more, all inside of one process. Howard Wen interviewed creators Guillaume Desnoix and Gérard Collin to find out how it works.
Devil Whiskey: From Fan-Made to Self-Made Publish Date: Sep. 30, 2004
The golden age of computer RPGs saw classic 2D, party-based dungeon crawls in series such as Wizardry, Might and Magic, and The Bard's Tale. The recent open-source-friendly Devil Whiskey tries to pay homage to those days and find a way to compensate its developers at the same time. Howard Wen explores a modern classic in the making.
Scribus: Open Source Desktop Publishing Publish Date: Sep. 2, 2004
Desktop publishing came of age in the '80s, but open source options concentrated mostly on TeX and LaTeX. For users who want a friendlier interface, Scribus aims squarely at PageMaker and QuarkXPress. Howard Wen explores the features of Scribus and talks to its developers.
Anonymous, Open Source P2P with MUTE Publish Date: Aug. 12, 2004
It's clear that the current generation of peer-to-peer applications has one strong drawback -- users aren't anonymous enough. Jason Rohrer's MUTE is different. It eschews direct downloads in favor of routing all requests through the network of peers. Howard Wen interviews Rohrer about his inspiration and goals.
Stratagus: Open Source Strategy Games Publish Date: Jul. 15, 2004
When would an expression of appreciation land you in legal trouble? When you try to appreciate Blizzard software's strategy games! Fortunately, the legally threatened FreeCraft has taken on new life with a new name: Stratagus. Howard Wen explores how this customizable RTS engine may spur the development of new open source strategy games.
