The best new software on the planet

LXFHotPicks Nick Veitch When compiling HotPicks, Nick makes frequent use of Curses. Tell

Ayam Brain Party Clockywock Final Page Fingerprint GUI us your favourite programming KXStitch Omron++ Ping PyInstaller Smb4K Zim language at the usual address.

3D Modeller Ayam 1.17 Version 1.17 Web http://ayam.sourceforge.net

s the saying goes: I think, Ayam might be a better bet if you don’t therefore Ayam. Or something have a spare three years to work out A like that. Yet while we’ve the user interface. covered plenty of 3D tools in the past, this most excellent example has not yet Organic shapes appeared. To be honest, though, there With support for a wide range of object are a lot of simple 3D editing tools formats, Ayam is quite capable of around these days, so what makes editing pre-built 3D files, or you can Ayam worthy of note? create your own using the range of tools Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Well, it goes beyond the normal provided. In addition to the usual tools, boundaries of such tools, which usually Ayam offers Nurb (Non-Uniform Ayam also outputs data in Pixar’s stop short at simple primitives and Rational B-spline) objects and patches, RenderMan format, so you can use any meshes. They’re useful for throwing which use a mathematical technique of the existing RenderMan-compatible together a simple model, but lack some that describes smooth curves and rendering engines in conjunction with it. of the advanced features that can make surfaces. They’re useful for creating We particularly recommend the Blue complex modelling easier. Of course, organic-looking, irregularly shaped Moon Rendering Tools software, there’s always the mighty Blender, but objects that render well. although this is hard to find these days. The same is true of its successor: the Nvidia-sponsored Gelato render Exploring the Ayam interface software. However, there are plenty of GPL render engines that fit the bill, and we can heartily recommend Aqsis (www.aqsis.org), which you’ll find available for collection in your friendly Toolbox neighbourhood distro repository. This includes a range of primitives and modelling tools. Rendered useful Once you’ve chosen a back-end renderer, you can make your life easier by editing the application’s preferences Three-pane view to include the path to the executable, so The standard treble-windowed that then you can render images environment is loaded by default, directly from within Ayam itself. but you can adjust all the windows Building the program from source is to suit your needs. possible, but it’s also fraught with difficulties, so for ease of use you might Edit anywhere want to consider just running the pre- compiled binary. This is statically linked Helpfully, manipulating objects or rendering the scene can be done to the required libraries, so although it from whichever view suits the Hierarchy Properties is a fair bit larger, it should just run with current task best. A tree hierarchy helps keep track of Edit an object’s properties no problems on your box. If you complex objects. and materials here. want to build it yourself, make sure you install Aqsis first.

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Document manager Final Page 0.3.90 Version 0.3.90 Web http://finalpage.sourceforge.net

he word ‘document’ means sizes and so on should really mean different things to different nothing to us these days, we still think T people. If we were to play some in terms of A4 (non-Europeans, please word association, we imagine you, dear adjust your set now) and everything reader, would think of data files on your being neat and uniform. beloved Linux box, or floating in the ether on some website. Others may call Rank and file to mind R.E.M.’s early attempts at Final Page is a multiformat document music or perhaps, thanks to the hurried processing program that attempts to passing of the Digital Economy Act, you help you make sense of the disparate Ayam 1.17 are expecting some other document to data sources you’ve gathered together arrive in the post telling you your free and assist in the task of organising Wi-Fi service is to be shut down. The them into something uniform. word ‘document’ actually stems from Although the software originally What do you make of this? A hat? A plane? A pterodactyl? Latin (via French), where the be-togaed dealt exclusively with PDF files, this has teachers of the day would use it to now been extended to include any type thanks to the Caméléon conversion mean an example or a proof. of document that can be easily tool (from the same author), which will Whatever way you slice it up, though, converted to PDF. This is made possible convert OpenOffice.org files, images in spite of the fact that there are and text documents into PDF on the fly probably more documents that exist “Although paper sizes as they are imported. virtually than in reality these days, we This application is still a little rough probably still think of a document as should mean nothing to around the edges, and to be honest, something that could be printed out, took more than a bit of effort to get even if it never is. So although paper us, we still think in A4.” working, but there is potential here.

Package creator PyInstaller 1.4 Version 1.4 Web www.pyinstaller.org

f you have been following the series of officially maintained or supported of Python tutorials in this illustrious modules isn’t extensive, and is limited I mag, you will know how great it is to some oft-used, usually interface- for putting apps together. Letting other related modules, such as the GUI people use those apps can be fraught toolkits wxPython and PyQt, the with difficulty, though. First, it usually graphics extensions PyOpenGL and PIL, requires them to download third-party and a dozen or so others (head over to modules, and then there’s always cause www.pyinstaller.org/wiki/Supported for concern about the version of the Packages for the full list). language they run, especially if they use For platform compatibility, currently a different platform. (OS X is a prime you have to build your software on the offender, and there are often a few intended deployment platform (Linux minor versions kicking about). apps must be run on Linux, Mac apps There are easier ways to build packages, but when this PyInstaller is the solution to these on OS X), though that’s being looked at. works, it works well. You do need the instructions, though. multifaceted woes. Well, at least in part. Fortunately, there is ample Not only does it take care of bundling documentation available online, which all the standard modules, and many of is necessary. There are only two steps to building a package, but unless your the third-party ones if they are needed, environment is set up right, something it also compresses the whole into a will go wrong, so check here first. There single executable if required, so you can “There’s ample are perhaps more open-source friendly immediately start distributing software documentation online, and pythonic ways of building packages, to all and sundry, even if they are a but for a simple fire-and-forget solution stranger to the PY file extension. The list which is necessary.” this has a lot going for it.

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Biometrics Fingerprint GUI 0.13 Version 0.13 Web www.n-view.net/Appliance/fingerprint

ry to do anything on a computer whole experience falls down is the these days and you’ll wind up integration of this tech into tasks such T triple-authenticating everything as logging on, or even setting the device and being forced to remember a up in the first place. 12-digit password that includes at least one number, one capital letter, one Touchy feely piece of punctuation and the maiden Fingerprint GUI is a friendly way to name of your favourite pet’s first school. hand your biometric data to a heartless Oh, and you will need a different computer. It’s actually a set of password for absolutely everything. applications that perform different Fingerprint scanners, lifted into reality tasks depending on the situation – for direct from science fiction, promised to example, there’s a helper app for give us a world where poking your unlocking the Gnome screensaver computer would make it submit. For (which otherwise won’t allow windows You might forget a password, but not your hand. various reasons, in spite of enjoying a to pop up), and there’s a GUI for setting brief flurry of popularity, they’ve fallen up the fingerprint data in the first place. test it on a wide range of different out of the mainstream. Maybe because The software is pretty stable, but the hardware, or in the complete gamut of they didn’t have good drivers? author has not had the opportunity to usage scenarios. Give it a go, and if it FingerPrint GUI is an attempt to put doesn’t work for you, contribute to the the proddable back on the map, or at “A friendly way to hand project or at least let the developers least make it easier to integrate into a know of your trials. Hardware can be desktop Linux environment. Libraries biometric data to a had for about £10 from eBay, so maybe do exist for managing various USB now really is a good time to lock the cat fingerprint readers, but where the heartless computer.” out of your laptop.

Stitch designer KXStitch 0.8.4 Version 0.8.4 Web http://kxstitch.sourceforge.net

ou can fool some of the people all inspiration, you can always load an of the time, but to really stitch image in the background to trace over Y them up, you need to be able (all usual formats are supported), and render them in cotton. Whether you just there are drawing tools that render want to design your own sampler, or various shapes in proper stitchy style. render a favourite uncle or tricky pet in Colours can be chosen from a their own immortal tapestry, you need carefully configured palette – which more than a piece of squared paper calls ‘orange’ something like “warm and a pencil... No, wait – what if you mauvey russet” – so you can keep tabs don’t have a piece of paper handy? Or on your inventory easily enough. That’s maybe you can’t read your own writing? actually a good tip for the developers: In any case, this far from pointless app the software would be even more useful is here to help. if it calculated how many metres of Behold what happens when crafters and geeks collide… Essentially, what you have is a sort each colour thread you need. of graphics package, but instead of For an application that is, in concept, the KDE 3 headers available for your pixels, you’re drawing stitches. In spite very simple, it takes a really long time to system, which may be a bit tricky to of the name, not all stitches in KXStitch compile. To do so, you will need to have track down, given that most distros are actually crosses – some of them have moved on to KDE 4. Look for are just lines going in one direction or kdelibs3 packages, you’ll want the another, so you won’t be surprised that “KXStitch’s toolbar has development version as usual, as this KXStitch’s toolbar has all the possible all the possible stitches contains the all-important header files. stitches for you to draw with. But what We don’t think this is a threaded to draw? Well, if you are stuck for for you to draw with.” application though (sorry).

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HotGames Entertainment apps

Brain game Brain Party 0.61 Version 0.61 Web https://launchpad.net/brainparty

here’s a party going on that’s sequences and matching hypnotic- going to change the way you looking tiles. Practise at the games, T think, but how do you know take a test and find out just how smart you’ve been invited? Well, consider you are. this your burnished aluminium There is a great variety of games in summons to the launch of what here, so even if you’re flummoxed by might be the game of the century. some of them, you won’t have to face You must be familiar with the them every time you take the test general idea now. Your computer (which chooses five of the available We would Originally developed as an tries to humiliate and belittle you by games at random). The end-of-test have scored iPhone app, this Linux version has suggesting that you are not smart score gives you something to boast more, obviously, been GPLified and ported to a but I lost time enough to complete some tests, about, and the game will keep track of proper platform through extensive due to taking which are mini games that involve your progress so you can see if you are use of the SDL libraries. To build it, screenshots… some amount of cerebral effort. In getting smarter or stupider over time. you just need to unpack the this case, there are 36 of these weighty archive and just type devilish games, which combine such make. And that’s it! It’s like a party mental feats as counting objects as “Practise at the games, in your brain – remember to clear they bounce around the screen, take a test and find out up afterwards. Brain Party was pattern-matching, untangling brought to you by Paul Hudson knotted nodes, remembering how smart you are.” and the letter B.

Life simulation Omron++ Version 0.5.0 Web http://bit.ly/cWiaOG

t’s life, but not as you know it. ground square. This retreating action Omron++ is a kind of weird, more can be a useful tactical ploy, as it lures I violent variation on the standard the enemy into your territory, by which Game of Life automaton. Unleashed time they are a little more dispersed into a screen-sized arena, coloured and easy prey for your concentrated pixel warriors band together and forces of pixel cannibals. All the while, a then wander around their world read-out in the bottom-left corner of looking for others not quite of their the screen gives you information on the ilk to subjugate and destroy. current population and a percentage of There are several parameters that the original forces remaining. may be manipulated at the beginning of the game, including the number of Dead pixels pixels in the army, the size of a ‘mob’, The game ships from the website as a how far apart they start and other pre-built binary, but you will be minutiae of the sort that you may fortunate to get it to run straight off, as One day, all want to fiddle with. Two or four teams it seems to have been built against wars will be cycles to compile, providing you have can compete in the digital arena, and some outdated libraries. Never worry fought this way. the devel packages for SDL and SDL_ after the initial muster they’re pretty though, because it takes but a few clock gfx. The code itself is pretty sensible, much on their own to seek out and so if you want to delve in and fiddle destroy at will. “Pixel warriors band with the mechanics a bit, that Interaction is provided by a shouldn’t be too difficult. hotkey that causes the pixels of a together and look for And remember, the only good particular faction to attempt to pixel is a dead pixel. No, that doesn’t reform in their original parade- others to subjugate.” sound right…

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Network tool Smb4K 0.10.7 Version 0.10.7 Web http://smb4k.berlios.de

t’s good to share. And really, it’s also when installed, it does exist at an OS nice to know what you have shared. level. But while you can fiddle around IAnd to be honest, it is even better to on the command line trying to find stuff know what everyone else is sharing too. out, it isn’t the same as a nice friendly In mixed environments, and even Linux- and convenient browser. only networks, the default method of Smb4k attempts to address that filesharing is usually managed with situation by enabling you to browse Windows filesharing software. Well, workgroups and services that are actually, usually it’s done using the available on your local network. There Windows-like protocols, but often are a mass of configuration options to actually on a Linux box. Samba is with should you feel the need, probably one of the best-known and though to be honest the only really If you can’t most used cross-platform network important one is how the app performs see anything, workgroup name or specify a server protocols in use anywhere – it its network discovery. The automatic make sure the from which to fetch the list of machines. facilitates shared folders and mode may work for most, but workgroup name While you’re browsing, you can reasonably secure access with little depending on the exact nature of your is set correctly. easily connect to any shares you network overhead, so it’s even the network, you might need to set up a discover and even save them as default choice on Linux-only networks. bookmarks. The only issue here is that The Samba tools for Linux are by default the system uses a different exceptional, except where it comes to “Smb4K lets you browse mountpoint to the Gnome desktop letting the user know what’s going on. workgroups available when mounting shares, so if you want Many desktops have integrated Samba everything neat and tidy you may want functionality into filemanagers, and on your local network.” to fiddle with the settings a bit more.

Curses clock Clockywock 0.2.3E Version 0.2.3E Web www.soomka.com

etro-appreciation is not a thing character designation, while you can of the past. Not any more hold down the Shift key and do the Ranyway. Just as one might want same to make the hands move in the to sometimes eschew the glitz and opposite direction. One can even, glamour of a 3D desktop for the power should it be so desired, set an alarm. and convenience of the command line, The full bandwidth of configurational so too might you want to forego the changes are opened up to you should fifth-decimal-place accuracy of a digital you press a key on the terminal within timekeeping system for the more which Clockywock is running, or you friendly, round-faced and instantaneous could peruse the short but generous nature of the analogue clock. If you documentation files. want to do both, then my friend, you have struck enriched uranium with this Quaaludes and red wine little utility. Amazingly, this application has been in Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day… Open up a terminal and simply run continuous development for over 10 the clockywock executable, then sit years, so there’s no wonder it’s so try to build it, make sure you have the back and soak up the excellence of the robust. The latest version is supplied as devel package for the Ncurses library quirky yet brilliant timekeeping. There is source code with a Makefile. Before you (which provides the ncurses.h header no need to wonder which hand is which, file) – you should have everything else for they are cunningly composed you need already. Now all you need is to entirely of the relevant character “Sit back and soak up run it in full-screen terminal mode, designation, though this can be the excellence of the connect it up to the largest plasma changed should you so wish. Pressing screen display you have, and watch the the 1, 2 or 3 keys will advance the quirky timekeeping.” seconds tick away.

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Partition imaging distro Also released

New and updated software that Ping also deserves a look... Brutal Squirrel 0.3 Version 3.00.04 Web http://bit.ly/cnK7tX Translate everything into hex and back again on standard outputs. http://saahriktu.org e last looked at Ping back in otherwise arduous task. As it is a live Childsplay 1.0.5 LXF110 . In the usual but distro, you don’t even need to bother Educational software that runs W potentially tedious acronym about building it – just burn the ISO to a without Gnome. stylee, Ping stands for Partimage is Not disk and you’re done. www.schoolsplay.org Ghost. It isn’t, but that doesn’t really This version has seen a few updates explain what Ping actually is. to take account of changes to Linux in Partimage is an excellent partition- general. As well as a more up-to-date imaging application. It will read a disk kernel (giving you a better chance of partition, optionally compress it, and getting it to run on a newer machine), it save it somewhere safe in case you also includes updates to the Samba should ever need it again. Uses abound system, and new-found capability for from simple backups to rapid handling ext4 partitions, which is, provisioning of desktops or servers with frankly, essential. The interface is still all the requisite gubbins already the old fashioned Curses fare, but it Erm… is it a mouse? I like mice. installed. Of course, to do that you does work fantastically well. DocFetcher 1.0.3 would want to run the software from Why is ‘Go get If doesn’t do it for you, try this some sort of live distro, which is where a beer’ never an tool. Ping comes in. option? http://docfetcher.sourceforge.net Boot from this self-contained distro Gecode 3.3.0 and you’ll be at once in the world of If you know what generic constraints Partimage, from where you can back up programming is, this is for you. or restore a partition. Networking, www.gecode.org Samba and other such niceties are Instantbird 0.2 included, making short work of an instant messaging gets a XUL makeover, but gosh it’s big. www.instantbird.com desktop wiki Neformal 4.3.0 Gnome-based file manager/audio player symbiosis. http://freshmeat.net/projects/ Zim 0.46 neformal VirtualBox 3.1.6 Version 0.46 Web http://zim-wiki.org/ Great virtual machine, easy to configure, comes in two flavours. www.virtualbox.org here must be a text editor project and start writing. For extra cool points, on SourceForge for every you can also include checkboxes just by Wireshark 1.2.7 T bearded person in the western putting in an open and close square snoop on network traffic before your ISP does. hemisphere. Fortunately, Zim is not one bracket []. Zim will recognise this as a www.wireshark.org of those. Well, in a way we suppose it is, checkbox, and draw a checkable box on but in a different way, the way we are the screen – you can even use this going to look at it, it isn’t. feature to keep track of all your tasks Zim is an effort to bring wiki-style using one of the Zim plugins. In fact, editing to the desktop. The documents you can pretty much process any of the you create by merrily tapping in text, to pages any way you want, as Zim has a what might look very much like some neat interface for adding custom sort of text editor, are in fact hypertext scripts and commands. LXF documents in a wiki style. Just like with You should have seen the size of If you use the the packet that got away... an online wiki, you can include local and version from online links to other resources, images WriteOnly 1.0.5 the DVD, you and even mathematical equations using Quirky text editor aimed at fiction can install it latex notation. Almost all the common writers. by extracting www.gam3.org/writeonly.html web/wiki features are included, and the archive and practically all of them are easily simply typing achievable without having to choose python setup.py things from menus or even enter any install. tricky characters. For example, to start a bulleted list, you just need to enter *

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