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glossary

Table of Contents

The Glossary aims to define words that are unique to the world of Libre Graphics. It is a list valuable information about tools, licenses, and other terms mentioned in the Libre Graphics magazine.

A

Alchemy
A F/LOSS canvas drawing program, meant to encourage play and exploration. Available for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Windows.
Aptana Studio
An IDE for creating web applications. Available for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
ArgyllCMS
A colour management system with ICC profile compatibility for a variety of display and capture devices. Available for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
Audacity
A F/LOSS sound editing application for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.

B

bash
A freely licensed Unix shell. See command line.
Bitstream Vera
A typeface released under a permissive license, allowing modification.
Blender
A powerful F/LOSS 3D animation application for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.

C

Chiplotle
A Python API for pen plotters. Implements HPGL. Available as a Python library.
colord
A tool for installing, managing and creating colour profiles. For GNU/Linux.
command line/console
A text only user interface, allowing users to input commands without the intervention of cursors and graphical user interfaces.
copyleft
A style of licensing in which those redistributing the work are required to do so under its original (or a compatible) license.
Constant
An arts organization based in Brussels, Belgium. The parent organization of Open Source Publishing (OSP).
CMS
Stands for Content Management System. Software installed on a webserver in order to provide a simple framework for editing webpages. WordPress and Drupal are examples of content management systems.
cmyktool
A small tool for converting between RGB and CMYK using ICC profiles. It can save to TIFF and JPEG.
Creative Commons
A suite of licenses designed to allow creators and users of works flexibility beyond that offered in traditional copyright.

D

desktop environment
A collection of tools and interface elements which style the visual and functional aspects of an operating system in a certain way.
Distro/Distribution
A specific configuration or “flavour” on GNU/Linux, often designed with a particular purpose in mind.
Digital Rights Management (DRM)
Technologies (of whatever sort) which prevent users from making certain uses of the larger technologies to which the DRM is applied.

F

flavour
Similar in meaning to distro/distribution, but more general. Simply means a specific version (normally of GNU/Linux).
Fedora
A popular distribution of GNU/Linux, sponsored by Red Hat, Inc.
firmware
Software designed to be permanently installed on a computer/device.
FontForge
A F/LOSS font editor for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
Fontmatrix
A F/LOSS font management and selection tool for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
Free
As in freedom, or often, that which is or is of Free Software.
Free/Libre Open Source Software (F/LOSS)
Software which has a viewable, modifiable source and a permissive license (such as the GNU GPL). It can be modified and redistributed.
Free Culture
A general term for activities and artistic works which fall under a similar ideological banner to the Free Software movement.
Free Software
A term describing software which is made available under licenses permitting users to not only run it, but to examine its code, redistribute it and modify it.
freedesktop.org
A F/LOSS project which focuses on creating interoperable tools for GNU/Linux and other Unix-type systems.

G

GIMP
A raster based image editor for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
Git
A popular version control system, originally created to manage development of the Linux kernel.
GNOME
A popular desktop environment for GNU/Linux.
GNU General Public License (GPL)
A license originally intended for use with software, but now used for other applications. Made famous the principle of Copyleft, requiring those using GPL licensed work to license derivatives similarly.

H

hacktivism
A movement or school of belief based around the ideas of networked activism, aided by technical knowledge.
hexadecimal code
A six-character code prefaced by a hash symbol (#), used to define colour, especially for web applications. Eg. #000000 for black.
Hugin
Panoramic photo stitching software for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.

I

ICC profile
An ICC profile is a set of data that characterizes a colour input or output device, or a colour space, according to standards.
implement
The act of integrating a feature or standard into a piece of software, rendering that software able to (for example) perform a task or use a specific file format.
Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
A popular form of internet-based real-time chat. Has a long history of use and is still popular among groups of developers and users.
Inkscape
A vector graphics editor for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.

J

JavaScript
A scripting language commonly used on websites.

K

KDE
A community project which produces various F/LOSS applications, best known as a popular desktop environment for GNU/Linux.
Krita
A drawing application supporting both vector and raster images. Available for GNU/Linux, FreeBSD and Microsoft Windows.

L

Laidout
A layout and desktop publishing application for GNU/Linux.
Libre
A less ambiguous adaptation of the word Free. Implies liberty of use, modification and distribution.
Luciole
A stop motion animation program for GNU/Linux.

M

mailing list
An email based forum through which subscribers may receive announcements, view or participate in discussion.
Mandrake
A distribution of GNU/Linux. Now known as Mandriva.
Movable Type
A F/LOSS blogging platform released under the GNU GPL.
MyPaint
A digital painting application with a focus on fluid workflow. Available for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.

N

Node.js
A JavaScript-based system for creating internet applications.

O

open hardware
Hardware which follows the same principles as F/LOSS, including publicly available, freely licensed schematics.
open license
A license which allows and encourages re-use and appropriation of creative works, in contrast to the all rights restricted norm provided by traditional copyright. Examples include the GNU GPL, the SIL OFL and the Creative Commons family of licenses.
Open Source
See Free/Libre Open Source Software.
open standards
A standard which is available for viewing and implementation by any party, often at no monetary cost.
OSP (Open Source Publishing)
A graphic design collective which is dedicated to producing high quality work using F/LOSS tools.
Oxygen
A project meant to develop a coherent and attractive visual identity for KDE.

P

PANOSE
A typeface classification system first developed in the 1980s.
Paper.js
A web-friendly JavaScript version of Scriptographer.
PCB
A printed circuit board, the base of most electronics, generally consisting of a number of electronic components linked together to form certain types of circuits.
Pencil
2D animation software with support for both vectors and rasters. Available for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
Perl
A popular programming language, often used for writing web applications.
PHP
A popular scripting language, used for web development.
Processing
A programming language and development environment predominantly used for visually-oriented or media-rich projects. Available for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
proprietary
A piece of software or other work which does not make available its source, which is not allowed or intended to be modified or redistributed without permission.
public domain
The legal status of a creative work for which the copyright (or other rights restriction) has expired. A work in the public domain can be used by anyone, for any purpose, without restriction. Licenses such as the Creative Commons CC0 license emulate public domain.
Python
A popular programming language, known for its readability.

Q

Qt
Pronounced “cute.” A F/LOSS development framework which functions across platforms and provides a common set of visual elements.

R

repository
A stored collection of software packages, from which those packages may be downloaded and installed.

S

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)
An open standard for vector graphics, developed by the W3C.
“scratching an itch”
A term used in many F/LOSS communities to mean that a developer has created a program primarily to meet his/her own needs, instead of the needs of others.
Scribus
A desktop publishing program for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
script
A small program, often used to control a larger program or block of code.
Scriptographer
A scripting plugin for Adobe Illustrator which gives the user the possibility to extend Illustratorʼs functionality by the use of the JavaScript language. http://www.scriptographer.org. Scriptographer is a GPL-licensed plugin for proprietary software.
SIL Open Font License (OFL)
A license intended for use with fonts and font related software. Dictates terms which allow modification and redistribution of fonts.
sK1
An open-source illustration program for GNU/Linux with tabbed multidocument interface and colour management.
source code
The human readable code on which software is based. Software distributed with its source code can be modified far more easily than software distributed without.
Subversion
A F/LOSS version control system for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.

T

Telnet
A protocol for networked communication.
terminal
A program which allows users to perform actions on the command line.
Toonloop
A F/LOSS stop motion animation program.
Torvalds
Linus Torvalds, the originator of Linux.

U

Ubuntu
A particularly popular distribution of GNU/Linux, produced by Canonical Ltd.

V

version control
A means of managing changes (and allowing reversion) to a commonly held body of work, most often a software project.
Version Control System (VCS)
An application/collection of tools designed to facilitate version control. Tracks changes to files and allows a group of collaborators to share their changes as they are made.
vi
A F/LOSS text editor developed in the 1970s and still in use. Available for GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.

W

W3C
The organization responsible for setting web standards, such as HTML5 and SVG.W3C

X

Xfce
A fast and lightweight, while still being visually appealing and easy to use, desktop environment mostly for GNU/Linux.

Z

Zotero
A reference management application with extensions for browsers and word processors. Available GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.Zotero
glossary.txt · Last modified: 2015/02/23 06:54 (external edit)