CHS Life Technology Training Programming

Skype

Skype is an audio/video conferencing application that allows you to communicate for free with your instructors over the Internet. You can also text chat, call a land-line or cell phone, play games with internet friends, send files, white board, and application share.
OpenOffice

OpenOffice is a Free Open Source Software (FOSS) equivalent to Microsoft Office. It is cross-platform, i.e., works the same under Macintosh OS-X and Windows/Vista.
iTunes + QuickTime

A number of tutorial videos and PodCasts are embedded as online content in websites for courses you will take at the University.

Make certain you have iTunes and QuickTime installed to take advantage of these resources.
GIMP

GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is the FOSS equivalent of PhotoShop; a freely distributed program for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring.

It has many capabilities. It can be used as a simple paint program, an expert quality photo retouching program, an online batch processing system, a mass production image renderer, an image format converter, etc.

GIMP is expandable and extensible. It is designed to be augmented with plug-ins and extensions to do just about anything. The advanced scripting interface allows everything from the simplest task to the most complex image manipulation procedures to be easily scripted.
CutePDF (Writer)

Portable Document Format (PDF) is the de facto standard for the secure and reliable distribution and exchange of electronic documents and forms around the world. CutePDF Writer (formerly CutePDF Printer) is the free version of commercial PDF creation software. CutePDF Writer installs itself as a "printer subsystem". This enables virtually any Windows applications (must be able to print) to create professional quality PDF documents - with just a push of a button!

FREE for commercial and non-commercial use! No watermarks! No Popup Web Ads!
FoxIt (PDF Reader)

Foxit Reader is a free PDF document viewer, with incredible small size (only 2.55 M download size), breezing-fast launch speed and rich feature set. Foxit Reader supports Windows Me/2000/XP/2003/Vista. Its core function is compatible with PDF Standard 1.7.

In the past, you've had to download a huge PDF reader from another software company, go through a lengthy installation process and wait for an annoying splash window to disappear just to open a PDF document. Moreover, if you want to annotate a PDF document, you have to pay US$299 to buy certain software.

Now with Foxit Reader, you don't have to endure such pain any more. The following is a list of compelling advantages of Foxit Reader:

Incredibly small: The download size of Foxit Reader is only 2.55 M which is a fraction of Acrobat Reader 20 M size.
Breezing-fast: When you run Foxit Reader, it launches instantly without any delay. You are not forced to view an annoying splash window displaying company logo, author names, etc.
Annotation tool: Have you ever wished to annotate (or comment on) a PDF document when you are reading it? Foxit Reader allows you to draw graphics, highlight text, type text and make notes on a PDF document and then print out or save the annotated document.
Text converter: You may convert the whole PDF document into a simple text file.

SecondLife

Second Life^® is a 3-D virtual world created by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by millions of Residents from around the globe.

SecondLife is a free cross-platform product. Sometimes, however, it is not supported by your laptop's video hardware. In such cases, Windows/Vista users will have the option to use ActiveWorlds (below), instead.
ActiveWorlds

Activeworlds offers a comprehensive platform for efficiently delivering real-time interactive 3D content over the web.

Activeworlds' 3D content is dynamic, visually compelling and most importantly provides users a richer, more exciting online experience.

ActiveWorlds preview video.
CoreFTP

This free, secure FTP client gives you a fast, easy, reliable way to update and maintain your website via FTP. It also provides a secure method (via SSL, TLS, or SFTP) to upload / download files to and from FTP servers.
.EDU's and schools are now eligible for a free Core FTP LE site license.

The site license brands Core FTP client to your organization and removes the splash screen.

Get your license today! Core FTP is quickly becoming the SFTP client of choice - it's easy to
use while providing top security for all your FTP needs...
MicroWorldsEX

MicroWorlds EX is an environment in which students can explore and test their ideas as they create science simulations, mathematical experiments, interactive multimedia stories, whatever they can imagine!
CMap

IHMC CMap Tools software empowers users to construct, navigate, share and criticize knowledge models represented as concept maps. CMap is a FOSS alternative to Inspiration.
Audacity

Audacity is a free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux and other operating systems. You can use Audacity to record live audio, convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs, edit Ogg Vorbis, MP3, WAV or AIFF sound files, cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together, change the speed or pitch of a recording.
Scribus

Scribus is an open-source program that brings award-winning professional page layout to Linux/Unix, MacOS X, OS/2 and Windows desktops with a combination of "press-ready" output and new approaches to page layout. Underneath the modern and user friendly interface, Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as CMYK color, separations, ICC color management and versatile PDF creation.
RegistryFix

Registryfix will scan your system registry and hard drive for invalid file and system references.

These invalid references may cause system instability, PC errors, constant crashes, and general system slowdowns.
HP Universal Print Driver

This is a wonderful utility that allows your Windows/Vista computer to send output to any printer on a network. It will "find" the printer and painlessly connect without requiring you to download and install specific print drivers.

HP Universal Print Driver video.
CanoScan Scanner Driver

The School of Education uses plug 'n play CanoScan Lide 30 scanners.

In the event you need one for a quick scan while at school, it is a good idea to have the driver installed and ever ready on your laptop.
SecureW2 (Windows/Vista ONLY: N O T for Macintosh Users ! ! !)

A FOSS solution that enables your Windows/Vista computer to log onto secure wireless networks.

Note: SecureW2 is built into the Macintosh OS-X system, so Mac users can skip the download and install process.