Infanview

I had reason to download and install Infraview last week and it is so much more than I though. A aprt from being a really good image viewer it does have all the editing facilities one would expect from a full graphics package whilst it still maintains a simplicity which will please first time graphics package users.

I whole heartedly recommend this programme, it Free for personal use so give it a go, if you don't like it you can always uninstall it again :-)

Infraview

Tux Paint

It annoys me that my children's school wastes so much money on software. Not only that but it makes it almost impossible for most parents to load the same software at home and help their kids. I looked up the graphics package which my children are using at school and they wanted £80 for an individual copy, and to be honest, its a pretty poor programme, certainly nothing special. Now if they were to use open source software not only would the schools save money but parents would be free to install the same software at home.

Here is a graphics programme for children which is totally free:

Tux Paint

This us a great little programme with all the bells and whistlers you would expect to find of a graphics programme at this level but all laid out in a very accessible way.

There is also a "stamp" pack which gives you 100s of small images which can be incorporated into the larger pictures. I can't recommend this programme highly enough, especially for the 3 - 10 age group, Its certainly kept my children quiet for hours even if it has cost me a bit in printer ink :-)

Free Software Dirctory

I am gradually building up a list of my favourite free software at www.software.forfree.org.uk. Its not meant to be a definative list but I am trying to make sure all the software is completely free with not time limitation and no spyware.

If you have any suggestions of software you woulod like to see added to the directory just leave a message here or go to the directory and submit a link.

So far I have sections for Graphics, Fun and Games, Audio and Video, Internet, Website Building, Kids Educational, Office Work and Utilities.

Scratch (for kids and adults)

I can not enthuse enough about this programme. I'm NOT a computer programmer by any stretch of the imagination but both myself and my son have enjoyed working together, and learning together, with this software. It really is the lego of computing, you just drag the programming "blocks" together, if you use the wrong one you just drag it off and replace it with another. The blocks let you do lots of "different" to your "sprites". Move them, let them interact with keyboard or mouse inputs or interact with other "sprites". You can use this to build simple games or short cartoons.

Computers skills are becoming increasingly important and this is a great fun way to learn. Scratch is completely FREE and is being developed at MIT


This is the first game we made which lets Matthew throw pies at his younger brother!

Visit the Scratch Site and you will be able to see hundreds of other examples of games and presentations people have made. You can also download the programme and see plenty of help (forum and help docs). Even better, once you have installed the programme, you can download the "code" for any of the games you see on there so you can see how other people made their games, alter them and/ or improve them for yourself.

http://scratch.mit.edu/