How can I get a program/feature if I am not a programmer?

[50words]

I have been using Ubuntu for over a year now, and exclusively for a bit over a month.

There are some minor difficulties that I can deal with, but unless someone develops a couple of good applications in particular, my next computer will be a Mac. (Note: if I saw a project going in the right direction, I would stick around.)

So how can a non-developer get a program or feature without hiring a developer of his own?

(I don't want to mention my specific needs, because I don't want to veer off into a discussion of why this or that project will not work for what I need.)

Edit: Fine. What they hey.

I need a good, simple, GUI for editing PDFs. pdftk does everything I need, but from a command line that I will never get a secretary or law clerk to learn. PDFedit is clumsy and clunky, and too hard to use. A nice, simple, easy-to-use GUI for pdftk would be wonderful.

I also need a good, simple video editor. PiTiVi is really great--except that it crashes every time I try to render a project. I have tried it on three different computers, and no go. Avidemux isn't even close to what I need, and the other options in the repos are no better. Cinelerra is overkill. Better webcam support would help, as well. Cheese is great for capture, but it only works 1 out of 5 tries. (Yes, I have a compatible webcam.)

Essentially, I need the basic features of Acrobat Standard as well as something like iMovie.

[SunnyRabbiera]

well it depends on what you are looking for.

[ghindo]

This may not be particularly helpful, but if you are absolutely sure that there are no existing projects with the functionality you are seeking, you could always pick up a programming language and give it a go. It'll definitely take time, but hey - if you want something done right, do it yourself.

However, I am very doubtful that there aren't any projects out there that do what you want.

[50words]

There are projects, they just are not very useful as they are now.

I would love to try to help those projects succeed, but I cannot do the work myself. And feature requests are pretty worthless. My monetary contributions to projects, coupled with a feature request, have had no greater effect.

Assume I am right--do I have to give up, or is there a good way to organize a project or a contribution to an existing project without being able to do the work myself?

[50words]

Added my particular needs to the OP.

[cardinals_fan]

PDF Studio: http://www.qoppa.com/psindex.html

Looks very professional. Try the trial version.

Try Kino for video editing: http://kinodv.org/

[50words]

Kino is no better. And PDF Studio is tolerable, but way overkill.

This is why I didn't want to get into this. I have tried all the options. None of them do what I want them to do, so I want to either get an alternative project going or request the features I want in an existing project.

[lisati]

PDF Studio: http://www.qoppa.com/psindex.html

Looks very professional. Try the trial version.

Try Kino for video editing: http://kinodv.org/

I don't know about other flavours of Ubuntu, but with 7.04 (Feisty) it can be installed through the Applications->Add/Remove menu

[sicofante]

Unless you convince or hire someone...

Linux has good programmers but terrible designers. The good thing is the base system, libraries and command line utilities are great, and can be used to build good applications. The bad thing is the "scratch my own itch" model doesn't take too much care about non-programmers and the "all free" culture doesn't entice too many professionals.

Until Linux reaches critical mass don't expect miracles.

BTW: Would you pay for the apps you need?

[50words]

BTW: Would you pay for the apps you need?

Of course. I contribute to most of the projects I use, anyway. If something you use has value to you, I think you should pay for it, whether you have to or not.

That said, a pimped-out MacBook Pro will run me less than $3,000. I don't think I could get a good pdftk GUI developed for $1,500 (leaving me just enough left over for a well-equipped ThinkPad with Linux pre-installed).

[SunnyRabbiera]

For PDF have you tried pdf edit, dia or scribus?
As for video editing, thats more tricky.

[loell]

try kdenlive for video editing. wait, has this been mentioned already?

[cardinals_fan]

Sounds like you need a few Windows programs. Maybe you should use Windows. It's not that bad if you know what you're doing.

[50words]

For PDF have you tried pdf edit, dia or scribus?
As for video editing, thats more tricky.

PDFedit is ugly and clunky. Dia is a diagramming app, not a PDF editor. Likewise, Scribus is an excellent desktop publishing app. Not so good for basic PDF editing.

I need something a just-competent-with-technology secretary can handle.


try kdenlive for video editing. wait, has this been mentioned already?

Hasn't been mentioned, but I've tried it, and it doesn't work. Trust me, I've been through all the options.


Sounds like you need a few Windows programs. Maybe you should use Windows. It's not that bad if you know what you're doing.

I do know what I am doing, and I currently use Windows for these tasks. I just would rather not. Macs have a number of advantages over Windows PCs for me, and I am ready to switch to Apple for my laptop if I have to leave Linux behind.

[cardinals_fan]

I need something a just-competent-with-technology secretary can handle.

I do know what I am doing, and I currently use Windows for these tasks. I just would rather not. Macs have a number of advantages over Windows PCs for me, and I am ready to switch to Apple for my laptop if I have to leave Linux behind.
1. PDF Studio looks rather easy. You're sure it won't work?

2. Good luck with OS X. It drives me mad, but it might work for you.

[50words]

1. PDF Studio looks rather easy. You're sure it won't work?

It might, but this thread is not about finding software that might work, it is about how I can get software that works the way I want it to. After all, that is (part of) the point of open source, but I want to find out how to take advantage as a non-programmer.

[Lostincyberspace]

get to know the devs of a project then ween your ideas into them.

[Phenax]

I, as a programmer (hobbyist), have my own agenda as what I should implement or improve. If a user suggests something that interests me and I have the time available to do it, it usually goes into my queue of things to do.

[crispinb]

It might, but this thread is not about finding software that might work, it is about how I can get software that works the way I want it to. After all, that is (part of) the point of open source, but I want to find out how to take advantage as a non-programmer.

If you're well-off, pay someone, or offer a bounty.

If not, you're (like me) an good argument for microbounties. But then to set up a good microbounty system you'd need a programmer ...

Another suggestion if you have time but not money: there are lots of good programmers out there. If you really think that current projects don't suit your needs, then sketch out very carefully what you want. Spend weeks over it, ie. do it properly. Then set up a project on sourceforge or google or something, and spruik it, offering to take care of all the coordination, specs, admin, etc. Programming is only part of any project, and in truth it's usually the easiest bit to get done properly. If you can do much of the other stuff well, you've a chance of making a good enough project to attract programmers.

If you have neither time nor money, then you'll probably just have to wait.

[23meg]

Another suggestion if you have time but not money: there are lots of good programmers out there. If you really think that current projects don't suit your needs, then sketch out very carefully what you want. Spend weeks over it, ie. do it properly. Then set up a project on sourceforge or google or something, and spruik it, offering to take care of all the coordination, specs, admin, etc. Programming is only part of any project, and in truth it's usually the easiest bit to get done properly. If you can do much of the other stuff well, you've a chance of making a good enough project to attract programmers.

Related recent blog post from Ubuntu and Inkscape developer Bryce Harrington: "Pay bounties in time, not money" (http://www.bryceharrington.org/drupal/node/52)

[shadylookin]

you could request someone working on a similar project to offer the feature that you want.

You could find someone working on a similar project and offer him a bounty

that's about your only 2 options that i can see

[madjr]

I also need a good, simple video editor. PiTiVi is really great--except that it crashes every time I try to render a project. I have tried it on three different computers, and no go. Avidemux isn't even close to what I need, and the other options in the repos are no better. Cinelerra is overkill. Better webcam support would help, as well. Cheese is great for capture, but it only works 1 out of 5 tries. (Yes, I have a compatible webcam.)



openmovieeditor? (new one in intrepid repos or compile it)

lives?

jahshaka?

stopmotion?


http://www.pitivi.org/wiki/Feedback_Features

Record /Save

Various settings produce various results. From not saving at all to crashing the client. Due to this fact I think it would be wise if users are forced to save the project before exporting in a certain video format especially whilst PiTiVi is in development.

* bilboed: most of these issues are bugs at the GStreamer plugin level. I was thinking about doing a small script that would test encoding 5s of audio/video in all possible combinations of codecs/container formats supported by GStreamer to quickly figure out those issues.

[regomodo]

i swear there was a K app that you could edit pdf's with. I used it a few months back but can't think of its name.

[NovaAesa]

When you want something done right, sometimes you have to do it yourself. While this might not be too helpful to you, when I think of an app that I need that isn't around, I start coding!

[madjr]

for pdf

i think adobe has a new online service:

http://www.adobe.com/acom/

[madjr]

hmmm, you could try the "Secretary CLI" experiment Muahaha.

no seriously, what's so difficult about showing the secretary to make pdfs using the CLI ? you're doing it she can too.

she just needs to learn once, and you pay her to do it.

the CLI won't kill her, is not like she's going to repair your TV or go under the hood of your Car.

Before windows 95, secretaries needed to learn to use a computer too and the command line was the only option...

or maybe her contract says "No CLI work.."

i actually find some "GUI's" to actually be more difficult, confusing and slower than using a few straight-forward commands on some programs.

on the gui thing, i think a simple gui could be done with some bash scripts and zenity?

[50words]

If you're well-off, pay someone, or offer a bounty.

If not, you're (like me) an good argument for microbounties. But then to set up a good microbounty system you'd need a programmer ...

Another suggestion if you have time but not money: there are lots of good programmers out there. If you really think that current projects don't suit your needs, then sketch out very carefully what you want. Spend weeks over it, ie. do it properly. Then set up a project on sourceforge or google or something, and spruik it, offering to take care of all the coordination, specs, admin, etc. Programming is only part of any project, and in truth it's usually the easiest bit to get done properly. If you can do much of the other stuff well, you've a chance of making a good enough project to attract programmers.

If you have neither time nor money, then you'll probably just have to wait.

Thanks. This is really helpful. For the PDF editor, at least, which I think it probably a more simple project. For the video editor, I think there are already good projects out there, they are just moving too slowly.

Have others had any luck with offering a bounty? How have you gone about doing it?

For others, please stop recommending software. I have tried all the things you have recommended, and none of them work for me.

As for using the CLI, there are great GUI options out there--just not on Linux--I want to use one. This thread is not about what works for you, it is about how to find something that works for me.

[ShodanjoDM]

I think PDF editing capability is planned for OpenOffice 3. Not sure if it's already in the current beta version, though.

[crispinb]

Have others had any luck with offering a bounty? How have you gone about doing it?



I haven't tried, not having been able to offer enough not to be an insult. You could have a look around https://www.bountysource.com/. Perhaps see if there are people there you could contact. (Not an endorsement; just a bookmark I had stashed away).

It's a pity micro-bounties haven't got started up. It seems to make more sense to have users pool affordable amounts than wait for wealthy patrons.
Then again, the open source ethos does seem geared more towards self-help.

[sicofante]

I was about to suggest to create a bounty pool, but it seems that www.bountysource.com (http://www.bountysource.com) is just about that, isn't it? Great idea indeed.

I'll second any bounties for simple video editors (Linux is in bare need for them).


BTW: PDF Edit looks terrible. Those vertical tabs should be just banned from whatever APIs that promote them.

[KingTermite]

The "Ubuntu Idea Pool" sub-forum (Programming & Development) is a good place to put in these requests. Sometimes, perhaps a developer wants to do something but is just waiting for "inspirtation" or a good idea. Sometimes you can post an idea and 20 people will quickly say, "yeah...that's a great idea, I'd like that tool to".

http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=306

That being said...I'm one of those developers who just came over to Linux and "may" be interested in something like that to get my feet wet in Linux software development.

[hessiess]

from reading through this thread you seem to be hard set on getting a mac, so why not do that?

Blender has a good video editor (strip and node based), but it takes time to get uset to it.

[50words]

from reading through this thread you seem to be hard set on getting a mac, so why not do that?

Not at all. I would much rather support an open source project and stick with Linux.

But my computer is my livelihood, not just a hobby. And I am not a programmer, so I need my computer to do what I want smoothly, which, at least in two areas, it doesn't.

I posted this thread to get ideas for ways I can move things forward.

To me, the most promising video editor looks like PiTiVi. And if the Evince devs would be open to adding editing features, that would probably satisfy my needs.

[Stefanie]

i know you said you already tried every option for pdf-editing, so sorry if you know about this one already: gui for pdftk : http://www.paehl.de/pdf/gui_pdftk.html

i tried it and it's really great! (the site is written in weird english because the developer is german, but you can trust it).
i downloaded the binary package for linux; after extracting i got 2 files. i just copied those to /usr/bin and now i can run the gui by running guipdftk from the command line. if you really don't like the command line, you can always make a shortcut ;-)

(the site says something about lazarus. i installed from the repos because i first tried to compile it from source, but i don't think lazarus is required if you use the binary package)

[ubuntu27]

I need a good, simple, GUI for editing PDFs. pdftk does everything I need, but from a command line that I will never get a secretary or law clerk to learn. PDFedit is clumsy and clunky, and too hard to use. A nice, simple, easy-to-use GUI for pdftk would be wonderful.




Hello Words. You say that you tried everything (at least infamous apps), but have you tried installing PDFTK AND "GUI for PDFTK (http://www.paehl.de/pdf/gui_pdftk.html)" yet?

I've read that you like PDFFTK, bu tyou are afraid that your secretary won't be able to learn without a GUI.

Give it a change to GUI for PDFTK :)

here is the link:

http://www.paehl.de/pdf/gui_pdftk.html

[50words]

I had not tried GUI for pdftx, but blech. It's awful. More importantly, I need to see the document as I am putting it together.

It is not just about my secretary. I am not interested in using the CLI, either.