5 Open-Source Learning Software Projects to Donate Via Kivach

by ObyteJune 6th, 2024

Too Long; Didn't Read

Some of the most popular free learning tools are available for everyone to use. From languages to planets, it’s possible to access these learning tools just by downloading them for mobile or desktop. If you enjoyed your experience and found it useful, you can consider donating some coins to their developers.

featured image - 5 Open-Source Learning Software Projects to Donate Via Kivach

There are a ton of paid courses about anything and everything swarming the Internet these days. They could be good or bad, but there are also totally free options for learning new things. Some of them are in the format of funny and interesting open-source software applications, available for everyone.

From languages to planets, it’s possible to access these learning tools just by downloading them for mobile or desktop. Afterward, if you enjoyed your experience and found it useful, you can consider donating some coins to their developers via Kivach. This is an Obyte-based platform to make cascading donations to open-source developers on GitHub. With it, if they wish, the developers can automatically share their received donations with other open-source projects.

For now, let’s check some convenient free learning software developed by volunteers and available for immediate and free use.

Alpheios

If you’re interested in ancient cultures and literature, the set of tools provided by the Alpheios Project could fit your needs. This open-source initiative offers free-to-use software to support the study of classical languages, particularly Latin and ancient Greek, but also Arabic and Chinese. They’re also planning to include Persian, Syriac, and Hebrew next.

Alpheios started with a focus on providing comprehensive reading support through web-based tools, including dictionaries, grammars, and inflection tables accessible as browser add-ons. Over time, in collaboration with the Perseus Digital Library (a free-access digital library), the project expanded its scope to include language learning features and annotation tools, enabling users to contribute to the enhancement of resources like syntactically annotated texts.

One of the key features of Alpheios is its modular design, which allows for the integration of additional languages with the necessary digital resources, such as morphological analyzers and dictionaries. Established in 2007 by Mark Nelson, the Alpheios Project initially received funding from his company, Ovid Technologies. However, it quickly became a non-profit by itself, and now relies on donations to keep running and improving. You can find them on Kivach as alpheios-project/alpheios-core.

Celestia Project

There’s a universe full of wonders outside Earth, and Celestia was developed to show it to everyone. This is a space simulation software that allows users to explore the universe in three dimensions. Released in 2001 by Chris Laurel, Celestia offers a detailed and accurate representation of the solar system, stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects. Users can navigate freely through space, zoom in on planets, moons, and asteroids, and even travel to distant galaxies.

Celestia has an extensive database of cataloged celestial objects, which includes over 118,000 stars, planets, moons, asteroids, and spacecraft. Users can also add custom objects and spacecraft to the simulation, expanding its scope and versatility. Celestia's realistic rendering engine provides stunning visuals, with high-resolution textures and detailed models of celestial bodies. Audio playing and trajectory features are also available.

Laurel initially developed Celestia as a hobby project, but it quickly gained popularity among space enthusiasts and educators. The software is currently supported by a community of developers and contributors who continue to enhance its features and expand its database. You can donate to the team via Kivach, where they appear as celestiaproject/celestia.

Kiwix

Offline digital knowledge is likely something you’ve craved more than once, and Kiwix can provide this exactly. This is a program designed to provide offline access to web content, including Wikipedia and any other library added by users in over 100 languages. Developed by Emmanuel Engelhart and Renaud Gaudin, Kiwix was first released in 2007. It can download and store compressed web content locally, allowing users to access it without an Internet connection later, at any time.

Kiwix offers a user-friendly interface that enables easy navigation and search within downloaded content. Users can get entire libraries of articles, images, and multimedia files, making it a valuable resource for educators, students, and anyone with limited, censored, or unreliable Internet access. The software is compatible with multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.

Funding for Kiwix's development primarily comes from grants, donations, and contributions from organizations and individuals passionate about increasing access to knowledge worldwide. Kiwix has partnered with organizations like the Wikimedia Foundation to provide offline access to Wikipedia, furthering its mission to make knowledge accessible to all, regardless of Internet connectivity. They accept donations in fiat money (USD, EUR, CHF), but you can choose to send them cryptocurrencies as well via Kivach, to their GitHub profile.

The Mnemosyne Project

There’s a thing called spaced repetition learning: a method scientifically proven to enhance long-term memorization. It’s often done with simple flashcards, where the new ones and the most difficult to learn are shown more frequently than the ones already memorized. The Mnemosyne Project does exactly that for its users, helping them to retain more information efficiently.

Initiated by Peter Bienstman, the project was first released in 2006. Its main feature is the implementation of spaced repetition algorithms, which optimize the timing of reviewing flashcards based on the user's performance, ensuring efficient memorization over time. It also offers stats, plugins, and a user-friendly interface for creating, organizing, and reviewing flashcards, making it an invaluable tool for students, language learners, and anyone seeking to memorize large amounts of information.

Funding for the Mnemosyne Project primarily comes from donations and contributions from its user community. You can send them some coins via Kivach, just by looking up mnemosyne-proj/mnemosyne on the platform.

Tux4Kids

In case you don’t know, “Tux” is the famous Linux mascot penguin. He’s the image and protagonist of Tux4Kids, a collection of free and open-source educational software aimed at children —but also enjoyable by adults. The project was founded by Bill Kendrick and began in 2001 with the release of Tux Typing, a typing tutor game featuring the penguin.

It has since expanded its offerings to include several other applications, such as Tux Paint, a drawing program; Tux Math Command, a fast-paced math arcade game; and TuxRacing, a game to answer questions and problems quickly. These applications are designed to be easy to use and accessible to children of all ages, making them popular choices in schools and homes around the world.

Beyond Linux, Tux4Kids it’s also available for other operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Android. Funding for the project primarily comes from donations and grants, as well as contributions from volunteers and supporters. The project is registered within the NGO Software for Public Interest (SPI), where it’s possible to donate with fiat money. To send them cryptocurrencies, you can find them on Kivach.

Claiming donations on Kivach

First of all, the recipients must know that they received something here, so they can download a light Obyte wallet app to claim it. All donations in Kivach are sent to the GitHub profile in control of the repository, so, the recipients will also need to complete a fast and free verification of their profile through the same wallet, using the integrated chatbot for that (GitHub Attestation Chatbot).

After this, developers only need to add their repository to withdraw the funds or establish distribution rules. And that’s it! Also, don’t forget to check our previous articles in this series to discover more interesting and free-to-use software.