I need information, advice, or general knowledge on the GNU OS! Can it use AIM (or AIM-accessible programs)?

Question

I'm very enticed by by the entire free-software movement, and I find myself heavily sympathising with it, and wanting to escape from the web of funding monopolies such as Windows and Mac, but I admissibly know incredibly little about it. there are two basic functions that I need a computer to serve - use of IM services, like AIM is my chief concern, along with other things such as web browsing, because my computer is mostly recreational. Also, can it be used for word processing? Is it compatible with MS-Word? Any advice on these questions, or any other tips, concerns, advice, or encouragement on my GNU-transfer would be greatly appreciated. :D

Answer 1

Firstly GNU isn't really an operating system (OS). The operating system is Linux. Never the less, everything you want to do with the exception of AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) is available on a Linux system. I use Ubuntu. AIM is proprietary and works only on windows and possibly OS X systems. There are instant messaging programs available for Linux, however, most don't yet work seamlessly with AIM or Windows Live or Yahoo IM since they are based on either Windows (DOS) or OS X.

Open Office is a suite of programs that work as well as or possibly even better than the equivalent Microsoft suite. Email and web browsing can be done with open source programs, Firefox (web browser) and either Thunderbird or Evolution for email.

While I use Linux (Ubuntu) for everything except personal finance (Quicken, which doesn't have an open source equivelant) and Voice Instant Messaging. I keep a Windows system installed on my computer for those. Such a dual boot system isn't difficult with a user friendly system such as Ubuntu.

Answer 2

well the way i think of knowledge [and you it seems] is the understanding of information, whether that information be freely available (like how many planets are in the solar system) or something within ourselves (like justice.)So in my opinion, knowledge i freely accessible, if you are open to it that is. Another thought that just occured is that so information is determined by knowledge. I mean who gets to decide which information is correct and which is wrong, if it wasn't for a common (amongst humans ~common sense~ type thing) knowledge of what the information is about. If you understand that all living things are able to eat, reproduce, produce wastes, breathe..etc then you have the knowledge of what a living thing is and the information can easily be obtained... the information would proabably be more like the fact that an animal is a living thing. I hope this makes sense...what i'm trying to say is that i think all this openly accesible information comes FROM knowledge and knowledge is a very common thing; if you bother to try to understand the information u obtain then you will have knowledge on that topic. Knowledge is already freely accessible, we just have to take the time to cultivate it, the same as we have to take the time to gather information

Answer 3

Everything you said you need is in most Linux distributions.

AIM is certainly available
http://www.aim.com/get_aim/linux/latest_linux.adp
as are several web browsers

openoffice is certainly capable of reading and even writing word compatible documents, spread sheets, and presenations so yes all is available with open source software!

Check Ubuntu - easy to install, has a live CD so you can run it without installing and see how it works.
Several other good distributions are available.

Answer 4

Yes, and Definitely! Several included Office products read/write all word processing file formats, plus, power point, .pdf, and even wps (Word perfect) files!

There are more IM programs, FREE, than ever!
You'll love having al lof them on one small window, for all the Buddy list, plus ICQ, plus AIM!
Built in to http://www.mepis.org and http://pclinuxos.com and most of the 315 FREE distros, at http://livecdlist.com

Run them live and see for yourself! After that, if you like it, click on the INSTALL button. In 15 to 20 minutes, it is done!

Answer 5

Yes you can use aim and the internet and there is a program called open-office that is compatible with word. Visit www.freespire.org and openoffice.org for details.