The GNOME Desktop and Developer Platform, a graphical user interface developed by the GNOME Foundation, includes an open source file manager called Nautilus and dozens of utilities, applications, and games. K Desktop Environment, or KDE, is another open source GUI for Linux and other Unix operating systems.
The K12 Linux Terminal Server Project's free server software, based on Red Hat Linux, enables users to build a network of thin-client computers and includes a choice of either KDE or GNOME open source desktop applications. In addition, K12LTSP offers a desktop product that provides access to applications running on Windows 2000 or Windows NT servers. k12ltsp.org Lindows, a Linux-based desktop operating system sold for a base price of $129, provides a simplified user interface for Linux and tools to make it easier for the average PC user to install and run a variety of open source applications, some of which can read files created in common Windows applications.
MandrakeSoft, based in Paris, sells Mandrake Linux version 9.0, which comes with several educational applications, including math and word games, typing tutor programs, and a desktop planetarium. Prices start at $30.
Red Hat can help schools adopt Linux while eliminating the risks associated with going it alone. The software maker sells both server-side and desktop versions of Linux and the technical support needed to build an open source computer network. Red Hat 8.0, the latest version of the company's OS, has a desktop edition starting at $39.95 and a server edition starting at $149.95.
Samba allows a Linux server to be used as a file server to Windows desktops. The free application can be used with any modern PC or other hardware, including old 486 machines.
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Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
