WinPenPack
Encyclopedia
winPenPack is an open source
software application suite for Windows.
It is a collection of open source applications
that have been modified to be executed directly from a USB flash drive
(or any other removable storage device) without prior installation.
WinPenPack programs are distributed as a free software
, and can be downloaded individually or grouped into suites.
portable
applications
. Now the project is well known in Italy
and also abroad. It is hosted on SourceForge
and the collections are regularly distributed also in bundle with PC magazines, the most popular in Italy and foreign too. A thriving community of users is growing up over the years and is actively contributing to the growth of the wholeproject. The site currently hosts various projects created and suggested also by his forum members, and is also used for bug
reporting and suggestions.
Portable Applications:
A few examples of X-Software include X-Firefox (counterpart to Mozilla
Firefox), X-Thunderbird (Mozilla Thunderbird
), X-Gimp (The Gimp), and others.
New programs can be added to the menu either manually (by means of the "Add" options or by drag-and-dropping them onto the menu) or automatically (please note that automatic installation is only available for X-Software, as opposed to portable applications).
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
software application suite for Windows.
It is a collection of open source applications
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
that have been modified to be executed directly from a USB flash drive
USB flash drive
A flash drive is a data storage device that consists of flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus interface. flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than a floppy disk. Most weigh less than 30 g...
(or any other removable storage device) without prior installation.
WinPenPack programs are distributed as a free software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
, and can be downloaded individually or grouped into suites.
History
On 23 November 2005 winPenPack.com was officially online for the first time on His site. The creator, Danilo Leggieri, expanded the project and the community grew quickly. Since that date were issued as many as 15 new releases and hundreds of Open SourceOpen source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
portable
Portable
Portable may refer to:* Portable building, a manufactured structure that is built off site and moved in upon completion of site and utility work...
applications
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
. Now the project is well known in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and also abroad. It is hosted on SourceForge
SourceForge
SourceForge Enterprise Edition is a collaborative revision control and software development management system. It provides a front-end to a range of software development lifecycle services and integrates with a number of free software / open source software applications .While originally itself...
and the collections are regularly distributed also in bundle with PC magazines, the most popular in Italy and foreign too. A thriving community of users is growing up over the years and is actively contributing to the growth of the wholeproject. The site currently hosts various projects created and suggested also by his forum members, and is also used for bug
Software bug
A software bug is the common term used to describe an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways. Most bugs arise from mistakes and errors made by people in either a program's...
reporting and suggestions.
Portable Software
All the applications available in the winPenPack suites are classified as Portable Applications.Portable Applications:
- do not require installation
- can be executed from any USB flash drive, and from any PC hard disk drive (internal or external)
- leaves no traces of its use in the Windows applications registry or any other user folder in the host PC hard drive
- does not conflict with the programs installed in the host PC hard drive (for example, X-Firefox executed from a USB flash drive does not modify (or conflict with) the counterpart Firefox program installed on the host PC)
X-Software
X-Software are software that have been modified with X-Launcher to be executed as if they were Portable Applications. X-Launcher is a specific application which executes other applications in "portable mode" by means of recreating their original operating environment.A few examples of X-Software include X-Firefox (counterpart to Mozilla
Mozilla
Mozilla is a term used in a number of ways in relation to the Mozilla.org project and the Mozilla Foundation, their defunct commercial predecessor Netscape Communications Corporation, and their related application software....
Firefox), X-Thunderbird (Mozilla Thunderbird
Thunderbird
-Creatures:* Thunderbird , a legendary creature in Native American culture* Dromornithidae, an extinct Australian family of birds* Thunderbird , a term used in cryptozoology to describe large, bird-like creatures-Computing:...
), X-Gimp (The Gimp), and others.
Main menu functions
The winPenPack main menu can be executed from any removable storage device (including, and especially, from USB flash drives). In each different winPenPack suite, the main menu is pre-configured to list all programs available (including programs belonging to other suites), and can be edited at any time.New programs can be added to the menu either manually (by means of the "Add" options or by drag-and-dropping them onto the menu) or automatically (please note that automatic installation is only available for X-Software, as opposed to portable applications).