Mobile office on Linux. part 2

The second article of the cycle "Mobile Office on Linux", the first here
Content

• Software selection and selection criteria, part I

Main selection criteria

1. preferably open source
2. Native not ported to avoid compatibility issues.
3. Do not use shells like Wine. - I think this is not ethical with respect to the program and I admit it only in the form of public torture against 33 simultaneously running XP in windows under Linux
4. Minimum addiction time
5. Version stability
6. Non-closeness of projects (programs for which support was discontinued and obsolete were dismissed immediately)

Office

GoogleDocs (word, excel, calendar)

Why:

I have long been familiar with almost all Google services and are pleased with their quality and philosophy of the company's products. Since the main task is to create a Mobile Office, then one of the main conditions is the availability of work with business documents, of various types, in any place and at any time. With the current level of Internet development, I think the need for “stationary” / offline office solutions has disappeared. Google services are tightly integrated with each other, which allows you to forget about compatibility issues.

Pros:

A single publicly accessible (if desired at different levels) data storage, which allows for example to avoid the problem of multiple copies of one document, which sometimes can cause errors in working with them due to version confusion, of course there are software packages for version control, but here we are not insured against human factor.
Google’s calendar has a handy feature for sending free SMS with reminders.

Minuses:

Unfortunately, applications do not yet have all the functionality of desktop office applications. A potential problem with the protection of data from third parties.
Universality and relatively low level of costatization for specific tasks without resorting to programming.

Summary:

If you have gmail, connect additional services and by spending relatively little time getting used to setting up services, you will get an excellent office environment, and with some programming skills and desire you can build your personal account in which you will feel “at home” if This wording applies to the workroom.

Graphic

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Gimp

Why:

It is considered a native linux alternative to photoshop. Nothing like this is not an analogue, but a self-sufficient application for working with which you hardly need experience with photoshop except that knowledge of the general principles of modern graphic applications, such as working with layers, channels, effects. Of course, like almost any open source application, you can rewrite it and make, for example, a copy of photoshop, and similar attempts have long existed, for example, gimpShop.
But may some linux users forgive me - this is not an option for a graphic designer rolling into linux, even if he can hire a company of developers for professional “refinement” of Gimp - this is not a cost-effective waste of time despite the fact that GIMP doesn’t need this (!) When starting work in GIMP, forget about photoshop, and I recommend putting another alternative graphical theme to Kai so that nothing reminds of photoshop. Work, learn to work in GIMP, and in no case do not try to associate it with photoshop - it will help you to adapt and get used to its “special” philosophy very much, and it will reward you with excellent features of a modern graphic package in which you can potentially create everything what pleases the heart is the presence of talent and the desire to learn new things.

Pros:

He is different, completely different ... © I don’t remember who . A good powerful editor that potentially allows you to solve any tasks of a graphic or web designer (if necessary, an artist, but this is a little different).

Minuses:

The complexity of development and habituation due to too much external similarity with photoshop, having avoided that the developers, excuse me, but many would make life easier.

Summary:

It is worth switching to it without really good alternatives on the linux platform at the moment.

I am silent about vector editors since I didn’t stop at one.

3d graphics

Blender3d

Why:

I met this 3d editor about 4 years ago. Then I found it as a unique application that combines a game engine (for some reason, almost no one in Russia suspects or, for example, does not perceive it as a serious branch of this product, but only as an appendage it is probably connected with a strange attitude towards it developers) and a powerful somewhat unusual 3d editor. I just want to make a reservation, I mostly use it just for gaming prototyping, and as a 3d editor it's only about a quarter of its real, constantly evolving capabilities. All modern technologies including “sculpting” in it are implemented at a high level, and since its development is potentially accelerated due to the “openness” new technologies appear in it faster than in commercial products.

Pros:

The presence of a built-in engine in which the modules of physics (Bullet / ODE), logic, and graphics (support for GLSL and Shaders 3 versions) are already implemented. Realized all modern technologies of 3d modeling. Own render engine and the possibility of modular connection of third-party render engines.

Minuses:

Unusual interface and its own little on that similar product philosophy caused by the desire for full versatility provokes a lot of difficulties in development.

Summary:

A good alternative to any of the modern commercial solutions, which keeps pace with the times and is even ahead of them.

Softimage | XSI

Why:

I have been working in this program for about 5-6 years, I was very pleased to find that there is a linux version that is not inferior to the windows version, develops in parallel and comes out simultaneously with it. It can be said that the presence of XSI under linux was the decisive factor in the transition to Linux. So historically, Softimage | XSI compared to similar products such as 3d studio Max and Maya is not so popular in Russia. Although, in turn, it is no less than its less well-known and, accordingly, its competitor, and in what is even superior. The interface that distinguishes it from analogs has become its hallmark. There is even a bike that when it was created under the shoulders of programmers there were artists who constantly led the process and as a result an interface was created that is optimally designed for “creativity” in the process of which you do not get distracted by “HOW” to do, but you think “WHAT” to do.

Pros:

Modern editor standing in one line of world leaders in this industry. The built-in native render engine of MentalRay, the built-in composing tools and the rather unusual possibility of directly connecting the game engine directly to the editor. A set of unique technologies that have no analogues GATOR and MOTOR.

Minuses:

Paid, for windows, there is a free modification of ModTools , a special product requiring separate consideration.

Summary:

Great product that I do not intend to change nothing.

Programming

Aptana

Why:

One of the applications with which I migrate from Windows. Convenient IDE is customizable, relatively fast and stable (from personal experience: eclipse applications with each additional module are becoming increasingly shaky, so you should not go too far and try to assemble your assembly from the necessary). I chose him in search of an open-source alternative to Dreamwever , in which he lived for a long time, with the appearance of Aptana, he completely refused. One of the important criteria was cross-platform inherent in all of the Eclipse IDE because at that time I always wanted to work in the same environment without having to relearn each time.

Pros:

The modular structure of the application allows you to modify it, if necessary, and create an “own assembly”.

Mnius:

A relatively heavy application due to the fact that it works on the java platform. With each new module it becomes generally no longer stable and heavy, solved for example by creating (downloading ready) several assemblies for a narrow range of tasks.

Summary:

Excellent IDE with all the advantages of a commercial application and the advantages of a cross-platform free application.

Kate

Why:

Sometimes it is necessary to quickly make changes to the file and view the code, for these purposes I usually use small editors, so to speak, advanced versions of Notepad, the basic requirements for them, download speed and a large set of supported file formats for syntax highlighting. Simple preinstalled editor with syntax highlighting and session manager.

Pros:

The presence of contributions, converter encodings, the ability to customize "for themselves"

Minuses:

Search in a separate window and not in the “on the go” line of entering a query.

Summary:

Not an obsessive, simple solution that does not burden you and doesn’t even ask you to remember his name, um Kate ...

In custody:

Actually, the entire toolkit for work is my working environment, which is now at the stage of becoming and setting. what is worth telling more detailed. Write your suggestions and questions in the comments.

UPD: I apologize for the obvious spelling errors in the text, it seems everything corrected, relied on spellchecking.