Open Source Image Manipulation Program: GIMP

I couldn't forget The GIMP if I'm listing open-source software. For those who don't know, that stands for The GNU Image Manipulation Program.

It's basically Photoshop, but for free. There have even been some people who switched from Photoshop to GIMP because they like it more. I use it for almost all of my image editing. I occasionally still use MSPaint for things like pasting screens, but otherwise, it's the GIMP.

So, what can it do? Even if you don't want to take the time to learn to use it, you can still do a few awesome things as soon as you open it. Even without creating a new image, you can open up some awesome effects. It's got some presets for creating buttons, (like for a website,) it's got about 25-30 presets for creating logos, (for example, I used the neon logo creator to create the logo for "The Blog",) and it's got some other things like pattern generators (like camouflage) and web page themes.

But, of course, GIMP's strength is not in it logo generators, but in it's editing options. As of right now (version 2.4.1) there are 33 different tools for editing images, and far more options available in the menus. Some of my favorite tools:

*Fuzzy Select/Select by Color:
These both let you select parts of the images with similar colors. They each do something slightly different though, and I use both about the same amount.

*Foreground Select:
Using this tool, you can select an item separate from the background. It's a lot like keying in videos, but you don't have to be in front of a green screen or anything (although something like that would help). I've used this for a few things, one being removing my head. :p

*Crop Tool:
You may think "Bah. Every image editor has crop!", but in GIMP, the way they do it is REALLY easy to use.

*Bucket Fill:
Yeah yeah. Everything has bucket fill, also. But I do use it a lot. Also, the colors don't have to be EXACTLY the same, (like in MSPaint,) but you can set the threshold for similar colors.

*Airbrush:
This is really helpful for creating textures that I use in Blender. Unfortunately, I can't make anything good since I'm not using a tablet. :p

*Clone:
Yay for the clone tool! VERY helpful. I use it for removing dates from photos (and stuff like that).

*Smudge:
After fixing some things, it helps to get rid of the sharp edges with the smudge tool. :)

And those are just some of them.
Some of the other awesome things that the GIMP can do? Layers, for one. I LOVE layers. I use to have to do all my editing in MSPaint, and I would have to save a new image for practically every change I made, or to edit in "layers".
Another awesome thing: practically infinite undos. It always annoyed me how MSPaint only had 3 undos, so now I can know that whatever changes I want to make can be reversed.
There's also a ton of different filters and changes you can make to an image, so... yeah.

The only downside I know of: long loading time. It takes like 2 minutes to start up. Other than that, it's amazing!!!

Website
Download
Features

NOTE: I just found this out: Apparently, someone has created a hacked version of GIMP that looks and behaves more like Photoshop, called Gimpshop. So, if you use Photoshop and you want to see what GIMP is like, you might want to consider using Gimpshop.

How to write or type in Malayalam?

These days lots of Malayalam blogs are coming up. For a new comer it’s not easy to type in malayalam. So im listing out some sources here on where you can type in english and get the words converted to malayalam.

English to Malayalam Convertors

• Google Indic - “When it’s from google its good” if you are one such person, this is a pretty nice convertor. You can type in English and accordingly Malayalam will be shown on the screen. Eg: Namaskaram will be shown in Malayalam.
• Malayalam ONline - Similar to Google Indic. Some people find it the best! Give it a try and let me know your view.
• Ilamozhi - Another English to Malayalam Convertor Online.
• Download Varamozhi Offline - Writing your Malayalam Blog might become easy if you have it downloaded.It’s the offline version of Malayalam Online.
  
• Varamozhi
• Mozhi Keymap - How to Guide
• Vishalon Malayalam Type Pad
• Deepika Malayalam

If you have more resources please do drop a comment out here.

Source: justascrap

How to Blog

What is a Blog?

A blog is a web site where you write brief articles about your selected topic on a consistent basis. New articles appear at the top, so your visitors can easily read what's new. Some will comment on your articles or link to them or email you. Blog software makes it easy to frequently add new articles to your blog. Blogs publish information in different formats, including audio, photographs, cartoons, or even video. However, many are simply text pages.

Your blog is whatever you want it to be and there are no formal rules about what you write about on your blog. Some blogs are personal diaries, while others are a daily pulpit. Still others can be collaborative spaces, political soapboxs, breaking-news outlets or a collection of links. Click here to see some examples of blogs.

How is a blog different from a traditional Website?

A blog is more interactive than a traditional website because it constantly updates information, may allow comments and is part of a larger blog community (sometimes called "Blogosphere" - where bloggers (people who have blogs) link and/or talk to each other.

Should I consider starting my own blog?

Anyone with access to an internet connection and something to say can blog. You should definitely consider starting your own blog if you want to communicate with others on a public platform, and the thought of engaging in a dynamic and ever-changing discourse excites you. The best part about blogging is that it is your blog, and it often is a reflection of your interests. So if you like music, your blog could be music based. If you are worried about the changing nature of politics in your country, your blog could write about it.

Publishing a blog takes time and patience. If you don't have the time, energy or can't commit, don't get scared or put off. Stick to it for a while, and see how it works. It gets easier after a while once you're comfortable with the basics and feels less and less like work. By the time you've published your first five posts, it'll be a breeze.

What makes a blog successful?

• A Clear Message
• An Obvious Need
• A Clear Goal
• A Strong Commitment
• An Audience

What are the different parts of a blog?

Most blogs have these elements:

1. Posts: Each blog is broken into a series of posts or articles. Think of them as pages in a book. Each post has it own unique web address.

2. Title: Each post has a title.

3. Category: Some blogs include categories so that articles on similiar topics can be grouped together. Think of it like index in a book.

4. Comments: Most blogs have a form at the end the post where readers can write a comment or engage in a dialogue with you, as the author, about the post.

5. Lists of Links: Some blogs includes a list of links to other blogs on the right or left side of the page, sometimes organized in different categories. This is a called a "Blogroll." Typically these blogs have some connection in terms of the content.

6. Syndication: Many blogs have the ability to easily distribute their content. This makes it easy for readers to read new content without having to visit the blog to check for updates.

7. Trackback: A trackback is a way to notify a website when you publish any entry that references it. When you send it a trackback, a link with a short excerpt of your entry will appear on the referenced website.

I'm ready to start my blog, what do I need to think about before set up the software?

Here are some questions you need to think about:

• What do I want to write about?
• What topics will my blog cover?
• Who am I writing for?
• What should I name my blog?

What if my country does not have a good environment for freedom of expression? Is there a safe way for me to blog my opinions?

You should definitely read this post then.

Is the stuff that I write or put up on my blog - mine? Isn't it possible that someone can copy it and claim it to be theirs?

There are various ways of owning the material that you publish on your blog. One way is to set up a license, and depending on the kind of persmission you wish a user to seek - you can set up various filters in the license. See: Creative Commons.

Where can I get myself a Blog?

There are quite a few free services available for blogging. There are two services that fairly easy to use: blogger.com and wordpress.com.

How do I set it up?

Will think in terms of examples - and provide a running commentary to the screenshots..

Wordpress: How to set it your blog How to post

Blogger How to set up your blog How to post

What are some good resources for me to read after I master the basics?

This post titledEverything you wanted to know about Blogging but were afraid to ask has a good list of guides and specific how-tos that you can look for online. A brief list here

1. Some basics of blogging explained at the Education section of the Guardian. Brief article followed by some links. Brief and easy to understand for beginners.
2. An excellent short article on How to set up and run your nonprofit's own digital soapbox at Techsoup. Topics covered: Starting a blog, naming it, turning comments on, personalizing, interacting with other blogs and archives.
3. Diego's Weblog has an excellent step-by-step guide to blogs in two parts. Part 1 includes basic on blogs, how to get one, blogging on a free platform, blogging on one's own server, comments, linking etc. Part 2 deals mostly with syndication.
4. How to build an audience for your blog.
5. A Blogging 101 in Q

Source: Global Voices