PDF annotators, reference managers, and VPN and chat clients for Software Boutique

Development Discussion
#1

The software boutique is the concept that has finally convinced me to change from Windows and Mac to Ubuntu Mate. The ability to install and update programs with a single click is especially helpful for newcomers to Linux. Is it possible to include the following programs to the software boutique?

Reference Managers:

PDF annotators:

  • pdf-tools:
  • Evince:
  • Xournal:
  • MuPDF:

VPNs:

  • OpenVPN:
  • AirVPN:
  • Cisco Anyconnect:

Chat Clients:

  • Jitsi:
  • Tox:

Security:

  • Comodo Antivirus:
  • Smoothwall:
  • ClamAV:
2 Likes
#2

For software to be enabled in the Software Boutique they need to have PPA’s, so Zotero, JabRef and Docear cannot be enabled as they do not have a PPA.

1 Like
#3

I see. The following website mentions that there is a PPA available for the Zotero Standalone version: http://linuxg.net/how-to-install-zotero-standalone-app-4-0-26-on-ubuntu-14-10-ubuntu-14-04-ubuntu-12-04-and-derivative-systems/
Is this an unofficial and unsupported PPA? What about the LibreOffice plugin for Zotero? See: https://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_plugin_installation

#4

We will add all the VPN client supported by Network Manager shortly after the 16.04 release. Make sure you’ve subscribed Welcome to updates :slight_smile:

I think ClamAV is the only antivirus we can include since it is installable via a repository. It is on the list for inclusion, it is not very intuitive but the best we have available?

We do need a PDF annotation tool, it won’t be Evince but we’ll look at the other options.

1 Like
#5

Hallo

Okular is the best PDF annotation tool that I know of.

It is important that users understand that in order to “send” their annotations to non-okular users they must print/save to PDF their annotated document, as Okular stores the annotations in a seperate file. If you put Okular in the “Boutique” it might be a good idea to add this warning in the “description” of the software.

That’s my thrupence worth… :grin: Hope it helps.

1 Like
#6

I am not familiar with Okular. Does it work flawlessly in a MATE environment when it was primarily developed for KDE? How much would it slow down the system?

Ubuntu Mate really needs a good free PDF annotator, not just a document viewer. Especially for academic work one cannot do without it. Under Windows I was using Foxit Reader, PDF-XChange Viewer and Mendeley. They are proprietary but very powerful tools that should work in Ubuntu Mate and could serve as an alternative in the meantime? Mendeley is very easy to use but it sadly requires an online login. Foxit Reader does not have any Libre Office intergration as far as I know and PDF-XChange Viewer would require Wine? This pretty much disqualifies all three of them for long-term use.

Does Zathura have any annotation features planned?
Maybe qpdfview is a good, lightweight yet powerful solution? See: https://launchpad.net/qpdfview and http://askubuntu.com/a/181820