Updating student software for back-to-school
Our kids need a lot more than a pencil and a notebook
The internet is a mighty big subject and every week I get comments, suggestions, and questions about columns I’ve written, as well as topics I haven’t written about. Here’s a sampling of some of the interesting items that have landed in my inbox lately.
I recently wrote a column about how to outfit a new student computer or tablet. I got several emails letting me know about applications a student might need which I didn’t include.
Obviously audio and video editing programs are essential for a modern student, which is a detail I overlooked. It’s pretty hard to record a class presentation or creative production in one take and editing will be necessary. The software needs to be intuitive with an easy learning curve while still able to do sophisticated edits and overlays, and preferably it will be free. Luckily these programs do exist.
For audio editing the standard free tool for any computer system is Audacity (www.audacityteam.org). I have used it with high school students and they needed time to experiment and get the hang of it but it’s capable of doing very professional recordings and edits and has good help files. The only downside is that to export MP3 files, which is a necessity, you’ll need to install the free Lame plug in (https:// lame.buanzo.org/#lamewindl).
Windows Movie Maker used to be a very functional editor included in Windows, but it was discontinued. However, the Fall Creators Update, which was installed on your Win 10 system as an update, came with a very simple editor appropriately called Video Editor. Click on the Start icon and scroll through the alphabetical list of programs until you reach it. If it seems too simple, browse through the list of free video editor alternatives at the TechRadar website (https:// tinyurl.com/yaznwm9p).
You should be aware that video editors, such as the highly rated DaVinci Resolve 15 (www.blackmagicdesign.com) can be very complex and it will take effort and time to develop your skills. If you want to attempt video editing on a mobile device check out Artisto (https://artisto.my.com) at the Google Play or Apple App store.
Some other suggestions for student software were a bit more specialized. To create, play and print sheet music you’ll need notation software and, according to the creators, Musescore (https://musescore.org/en) is the most popular program of its kind in the world. It’s also free.
Another reader suggested a free accounting program called Manager (https://www.manager.io). Balancing my chequebook has always been a challenge to me, so I can’t evaluate Manager, but since it’s free you can use it and simply uninstall it if you find it lacking compared to retail programs such as Quickbooks.
Although not related to software directly, another question from a reader set me on the path to an unexpected discovery. The writer wanted to know how to get some specific fonts for his computer.
I have never given much thought to fonts and usually use the standard ones such as Times New Roman. I searched and found plenty of commercial websites that were selling fonts at what I thought were pretty high prices. Then I came across a font site that’s offering tons of fonts for free, has plenty of instructions, and is operated by Google (https://fonts.google.com). I don’t know why Google is offering free fonts but the selection is huge and the fonts come in multiple languages and can be fully customized in terms of colour and size.
You can try out each font by typing directly into the text box below the name. If you like it then click the red cross and your selection will be added to a tray at the bottom of the screen. Click on the tray to see your selections, delete any you don’t want, or customize each font. Click on the red arrow to download your selections to the computer or website. The files are compressed in the .zip format and when you click on the file it will extract and install itself on your computer.
Thanks to everyone who emailed their suggestions and comments.