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=Note= This Wiki is really about the software that we want pre-installed on the netbooks, not about cool web-sites/tools that we can use. If we get too far into the website thing, we'll lose focus, and not get this job done in time for the tight deadline.

However, we definitely want to have the website discussion, and I'm sure it will be a long-term, on-going discussion. I'll start a new page for it, and move the website stuff there.

I'll leave behind all those sites where they are a direct alternative to a piece of locally installed software.

=Netbook software= Look here [] for ideas. Just found another interesting list here [] Anyone got a log-on to the e-potential website?


 * Mathematics**
 * Geogebra []
 * Google Earth
 * Google SketchUp
 * Scratch - introductory programming language []
 * Tux Maths - []
 * Graph - []


 * English**
 * Photostory 3 - [] Not sure whether you want this, but Andrew Kirk has previously asked for it to be installed in the school?
 * celtx [] Open source software for scriptwriting, storyboarding, audioplays, comics, filmmaking etc. I haven't had a chance to download and play around with it, but if it does everything it says it does, it could be lots of fun.
 * Would also use Pixton and Picasa for visual language.
 * Veoh media player (www.veoh.com) - is blocked at school, but I often refer students to veoh sites for homework and they need to download the player to view full-length films (mostly useful for documentaries and "classics").

[|Camtasia] would be ideal, but a single license is $413. Here's some alternatives.
 * Screen Capture**
 * Screen Jelly (online software) - [] a cool app for recording what's on your screen which doesn't actually need a download! you just do it right off the web!
 * Screenr - [|http://screenr.com]is an alternative to screenjelly. But it does 5 minutes (instead of 3), and can do windows as well as full screen.
 * Jing - [] Made by the Camtasia people.
 * Debut - []

The assumption is that students will use Google Applications (or similar). This has two major advantages - collaboration is built-in, and students won't have to think about backing up their work. However, it may be sensible to have a more full-featured suite on board. There are two reasonable options
 * Document creation**
 * Open Office - []
 * IBM Lotus Symphony - []


 * Typing**
 * RapidTyping - Nice typing tutor [] agree that there are some good games on this one, but not sure I would be happy promoting a website where the homework game gives 'I got AIDS' as an excuse to type... sorry, but that really put me off!
 * [|www.typing.co.uk] (I can't get this to open - brz)
 * []
 * [|www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing] ... though aimed more at primary school age, it's still a nice site to learning typing. Good flash animation to step students through good finger placement.
 * [|Typer Shark] is a good one. The free download doesn't have a time limit if I remember rightly, it just means you can't save progress...


 * Image editing**
 * Paint.net - [|http://www.getpaint.net] - Photoshop substitute. Does Layers and some filters, but without the bloat and complication of Gimp
 * Picasa - For organising photos, plus basic crop/fix stuff.


 * Audio editing**
 * Audacity - [] - Standard audio package. Top quality.


 * Other**
 * iTalc [|www.iTalc.sourceforge.net] I hear that this this is a really good site for monitoring computers, communicating with all or some desktops etc. (see pg 38 - Interface magazine - March 2009) - //[I've started a discussion on this one... Charlie]//
 * MonkeyJam - [] for animations [I note this does not seem to be under active development. Maybe there is an alternative? I think we definitely do need an animation program] I had a play tonight and thought it was awesome for "claymation" type animations... I had loads of fun playing with my tuatara!
 * SamAnimation - [] Different, not better (annoying install process), but one thing I did like was it gives you a "shadow" of the previous image you took when using the webcam, which makes positioning super-easy.
 * VLC Player - [] As an alternative to hateful, naggy, bloated QuickTime //[although iTunes forces you to install Quicktime as well. Yuck]//
 * iTunes - bloated and inflexible, but if we intend podcasts to become a standard pedagogical tool, then I guess we have to have it.
 * FreeMind - [] Free Inspiration alternative. Took me a while to get it working (right version of Java), but works pretty well, considering. (I like this one - nice and easy and can be adapted with priorities, etc brz)
 * Windows MovieMaker - interesting discussion about Codecs here [] May be wise to install [] as well

This isn't really about software, but about how the default image should be configured. I have the following, but please add your own.
 * Configuration**


 * No book marks bar in IE8 (maximise available screen area)
 * Check that Google is default search engine (think they are defaulting to Bing these days)
 * Taskbar set to auto-hide (?) - Task Bar allows us to easily monitor what applications students have running which I think is important. True, but Windows 7 taskbar is a different kettle of monkeys altogether. Much harder to glance over a shoulder and see what is running.
 * Ensure plug-ins are installed for:
 * Java
 * Silverlight
 * Flash
 * Quicktime
 * Desktop shortcuts to all applications
 * Decide which applications need to be "pinned" to the taskbar. This is a new Windows 7 thing, which is kinda har dto explain. Suffice to say on my copy of Windows 7, I have the standard productivity apps pinned down there, plus any other application that I use on a daily basis. Not too many, or it becomes like an over-cluttered Start Menu
 * Start Menu given a sensible arrangement of folders
 * Acrobat reader installed (or Foxit, as it starts quicker and doesn't nag you to upgrade when a new version comes out.
 * Maybe put Google Chrome on? Can be handy to have an alternative if a site isn't working well in IE8
 * Shortcut to swap proxy settings for home/school (just like on staff laptops)
 * Full Japanese and Chinese language support (what about macrons etc for Maori?)
 * .Net Framework 3.5 SP1