Join the community and share an article

Open source software is everywhere, and really has changed the world. With open source operating systems like Linux, BSD, FreeDOS, and others – and with open source applications like LibreOffice, Firefox, GIMP, Inkscape, and an endless list of applications for every use case – everyone has the freedom to create and do their work the way they want to do it.

Our community at Both.org celebrates open source software in all its forms. And we’re an open community – that means we welcome you to share your open source experience with our community by writing an article. The door is open to anyone who wants to contribute an article. We’re volunteers at Both.org, and we want you to join us.

There are many ways to write about open source software. If you’re looking for a place to start, consider these ideas for your first article:

Show how to do something in an open source application. For example, if you like to use LibreOffice Impress to make presentations, share an article about how you create a slide template, or how you add images to slides, or how you design a new slide.

Share your love for open source. If you have a favorite open source tool that you like to use, write about why you love it. An article with five things you like about using an open source app is a great way to share your love for open source.

Write about your first open source experience. What was it like the first time you used an open source application, or the first time you booted a Linux live distribution and used it? Share your experience with open source, what your first time was like, and a few things you learned.

Highlight similar open source applications. One great thing about open source software is the choice it gives the user. We aren’t stuck with one application, with a “walled garden” where we have limited choice. Instead, you can find many open source applications to help you with your work. Share an article where you highlight different open source applications and discuss what you like about each.

Explain how to use the Linux command line. The command line has a lot of “power tools” that you can use to get work done. But the command line can seem like an obstacle if you haven’t used it before. If you’re comfortable with the command line, help someone use the command line for the first time by exploring how to use a command line tool, such as how to use cp to copy files.

And don’t worry if the topic has been covered before, either on Both.org or another website; our community wants to read about your experience and how you use your favorite open source application. We welcome new contributors – and we want to hear from you. If you’d like to share an article, email us at open@both.org