Software used by the Math Center

The following software is most easily used on a Linux system (see "Ubuntu on Windows via Wubi" or "Ubuntu on a Mac" for installation help). Install software using the Software Center.

Each application has icons indicating which platforms the software will run on, Linux Linux, Windows Windows, or MacOSX Mac OS X.

KTurtle icon KTurtle

About
Linux KTurtle is an educational programming environment. It aims to make programming as easy and touchable as possible, and therefore can be used to teach kids the basics of math, geometry and... programming. The programming language used is loosely based on Logo. Other features include: intuitive syntax highlighting, simple error messages, integrated canvas to make drawings on, integrated help function, slow-motion or step execution, and more.
Installing in Ubuntu
Install "KTurtle" via Ubuntu Software Center.

TuxMath icon TuxMath

About
Linux Windows MacOS X Tux, of Math Command, AKA TuxMath, is based on the classic arcade game "Missile Command." Tux must defend his cities. In this case, though, he must do it by solving math problems.
Installing in Ubuntu
Install "Tux Math" via Ubuntu Software Center.

Kdenlive icon Kdenlive

About
Linux MacOS X Kdenlive is a non-linear video editing suite, which supports DV, HDC and many more formats. Its main features are:

  • Guides and marker for organizing timelines
  • Copy and paste support for clips, effects and transitions
  • Real time changes
  • Firewire and Video4Linux capture
  • Screen grabbing
  • Exporting to any by FFMPEG supported format

Installing in Ubuntu
Install "Kdenlive" via Ubuntu Software Center.

LibreOffice icon LibreOffice

About
Linux Windows MacOS X LibreOffice is a full-featured office productivity suite that provides a near drop-in replacement for Microsoft(R) Office.

  • Word processor
  • Spreadsheet
  • Presentation
  • Database
  • Equation editor

LibreOffice is a community cleanup and improvement of the former OpenOffice from Sun/Oracle.

Installing in Ubuntu
Installed by default.

Next Byte Codes and Not eXactly C icon Next Byte Codes and Not eXactly C

About
Linux Windows MacOS X Next Byte Codes (NBC) is a simple language with an assembly language syntax that can be used to program LEGO's NXT programmable brick (from the new LEGO Mindstorms NXT set). Not eXactly C (NXC) is a high level language, similar to C, built on top of the NBC compiler. It can also be used to program the NXT brick. To compile NXC programs just use the NBC compiler with source code files that have a .nxc file extension. Windows users will probably also want to download the test release of Bricx Command Center.
Installing in Ubuntu
Unfortunately, NBC is one of the rare applications not available as an Ubuntu package and there is no equivalent package available in the package manager. Therefore, we must install it manually.
Visit http://bricxcc.sourceforge.net/nbc/ and click on "Beta Releases". Download the most recent executable for "Linux (ia32)" if you are instlling on Ubuntu. Open the downloaded file and save just the "nbc" program to your path, for instance /usr/local/bin/ — Drag the "nbc" file to your desktop, then open a Terminal and type: sudo cp ~/Desktop/nbc /usr/local/bin/

Greenfoot icon Greenfoot

About
Linux Windows MacOS X Greenfoot is a Java framework and IDE for creating two-dimensional grid assignments suitable for novice programmers. While greenfoot supports the full Java language, it is especially useful for programming exercises that has a visual element. In greenfoot object visualisation and object interaction are the key elements.
Installing in Ubuntu
Unfortunately, Greenfoot is an application that is not available as an Ubuntu package. Therefore, we must install it manually.
Visit http://www.greenfoot.org/download/ and download and save the "executable jar file", for instance to your Desktop. Then open a terminal and run the following commands to set-up greenfoot (make sure the version is correct in the third and fourth commands):
sudo aptitude install openjdk-6-jdk
cd Desktop
java -jar Greenfoot-generic-153.jar
rm Greenfoot-generic-153.jar
You can now run greenfoot from the command line or by double-clicking on the greenfoot program (select "Run" when prompted).

Maxima icon Maxima

About
Linux Windows MacOS X Maxima is a system for the manipulation of symbolic and numerical expressions, including differentiation, integration, Taylor series, Laplace transforms, ordinary differential equations, systems of linear equations, polynomials, and sets, lists, vectors, matrices, and tensors. Maxima yields high precision numeric results by using exact fractions, arbitrary precision integers, and variable precision floating point numbers. Maxima can plot functions and data in two and three dimensions.

Maxima is a descendant of Macsyma, the legendary computer algebra system developed in the late 1960s at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is the only system based on that effort still publicly available and with an active user community, thanks to its open source nature. Macsyma was revolutionary in its day, and many later systems, such as Maple and Mathematica, were inspired by it.

Installing in Ubuntu
Install "wxMaxima" via Ubuntu Software Center.

GNU Octave icon GNU Octave

About
Linux Windows MacOS X GNU Octave is a high-level language, primarily intended for numerical computations. It provides a convenient command line interface for solving linear and nonlinear problems numerically, and for performing other numerical experiments using a language that is mostly compatible with MATLAB. It may also be used as a batch-oriented language.
Installing in Ubuntu
Install "QtOctave" via Ubuntu Software Center.

Qalculate icon Qalculate

About
Linux Qalculate! is a multi-purpose desktop calculator. It is small and simple to use but with much power and versatility underneath. Features include customizable functions, units, arbitrary precision, and plotting.
Installing in Ubuntu
Install "Qalculate!" via Ubuntu Software Center.

TkGate icon TkGate

About
Linux TkGate is a event driven digital circuit simulator with a graphical editor. TkGate supports a wide range of primitive circuit elements as well as user-defined modules for hierarchical design. The distribution comes with a number of tutorial and example circuits which can be loaded through the "Help" menu. The example circuits include a simple CPU, programmed to run the Animals game.
Installing in Ubuntu
Install "tkgate" via Ubuntu Software Center.

XaoS icon XaoS

About
Linux Windows MacOS X XaoS is an interactive fractal zoomer. It allows the user to continuously to zoom in or out of a fractal in a fluid, continuous motion. This capability makes XaoS great for exploring fractals, and it’s fun!
Installing in Ubuntu
Install "Xaos" via Ubuntu Software Center.

TuxPaint icon TuxPaint

About
Linux Windows MacOS X Tux Paint is a drawing program for children ages 3 to 12. It combines an easy-to-use interface, fun sound effects, and an encouraging cartoon mascot who guides children as they use the program.
Installing in Ubuntu
Install "Tux Paint" via Ubuntu Software Center.

XFig icon XFig

About
Linux XFig is an interactive vector-based drawing tool. In XFig, figures may be drawn using objects such as circles, boxes, lines, spline curves, text, etc. Those objects can be created, deleted, moved or modified. Attributes such as colors or line styles can be selected in various ways.
Installing in Ubuntu
Install "Xfig" via Ubuntu Software Center.

GNU Emacs icon GNU Emacs

About
Linux Windows MacOS X GNU Emacs is the original "everything and the kitchen sink" text editor. It is the editor we use for all of our programming needs. Mac users should probably install the Aquamacs version.
Installing in Ubuntu
Install "GNU Emacs" via Ubuntu Software Center.

LaTeX icon LaTeX

About
Linux Windows MacOS X LaTeX is a high-quality typesetting system; it includes features designed for the production of technical and scientific documentation. LaTeX is the de facto standard for the communication and publication of scientific documents. Windows users should probably install the MiKTeX distribution. Mac users should probably install the MacTeX distribution.
Installing in Ubuntu
Install "Tex Live" and "Texmaker" packages via Ubuntu Software Center.

Installing Software

Software for Linux systems are rarely installed by downloading the program directly from a webpage. Instead, programs are installed directly from the Linux distributor via a "package manager".

Ubuntu Software Center

You can install packages by visiting the "Ubuntu Software Center" (on your computer's application bar or else search for it by clicking on your ubuntu button). The Ubuntu repository includes over 10,000 packages! The packages are organized by type so that you can browse the list of available applications or get a feel for what is available. If you know the specific name of an application, type it into the search box in the software center.

Once you find an apoplication you want to install, click the "Install" button - if the install button is not present, click "More info" then "Use This Source" and type your password then the "Install" button should be available.

Riverbend Community Math Center
hello@riverbendmath.org
http://riverbendmath.org
(574) 339-9111
This work placed into the public domain by the Riverbend Community Math Center.