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Why design the Open Source way?
Open Source source is a form of licensing agreement that allows users to freely modify an existing project, generate a new projectone, or even derive a larger project from an existing one by enhancing the original work. Works that use these licenses are often made collaboratively. As Open Source open source has established itself, a culture of practices and norms have developed around the concept. At its best, Open Source open source culture enables the equal exchange of ideas within a community to harness group creativity, ease of use, and flexibility. Open Source Open source software is typically free of charge, and often so too is support, provided on a community-driven and best-effort basis. Using (as opposed to making) Open Source open source software often incurs a lower total cost of ownership than its closed source and proprietary alternatives.
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Open Standards: Introduction and best practises pertaining open standards and file formats for best compatibility across the openIMIS community.
Software & Tools: Various software options for creating and converting design assets and documents while adhering Open Standards.open standards
Licensing: Introducing Creative Commons licenses to cover licensing guidelines for design assets and documents.
Additionally, at the end of this manual we will provide a set of resources for design asset templates that respect guidelines and best practises outlined in this manual
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As more documents go digital, we have to start thinking about how do we to maintain long-term access to that data. This is especially critical for documents that have lasting importance and significance, such as legal contracts and government documents. Choosing the file formats that can be read and supported by multiple software providers can help ensure long-term access to documents. Even if one provider disappears, changes strategy, or dramatically change their prices, the data remains accessible through other providers. The digital format in which information is stored can either be “open” or “closed”. An Open Standard open standard is one that is available for everyone to use, free of charge, and capable of being built upon – for example into new software products, without any limitations. Developers can use these to produce multiple software packages, services, and products by using these formats.
In short: A file’s format – the way that it’s saved and encoded – determines what data it can store, what you can do with it, and which programs can open it. You can read more about the definition of Open Standards open standards on OpenSource.com.
A “closed” file format is one that is proprietary. Usually this means that the technical details of the format, including its specification, are secret and known only to its original creators. It may also mean that the format is protected by copyright, trademarks, or patents, and is therefore only usable by those who have obtained (purchased) the necessary rights – even if the specification has been made public. Using proprietary file formats can create dependence on third-party software or file format license owners. The latter type of closed format can cause significant challenges to reusing the information stored in it. Additional software or licensing may be required tomorrow in order to continue to access data which you create today.
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The openIMIS project will be primarily focused on image and text documentation processes. This includes branding assets, marketing materials, and communication kits. Vector files should always be stored as .svg instead of the proprietary .ai (limited to being used only by Adobe Illustrator). In this case, .svg is the Open Standard open standard that can easily be read and modified without vendor lock-in or being inaccessible due to license losses. As it is basically a subset of another Open Standard open standard called XML, it can be modified in a text editor, without a graphics user interface.
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When selecting file formats for archiving, the format should adhere to a documented Open Standard open standard as described by the Free Software Foundation Europe (which has also been adopted by the European Union):
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There is no standardised process for converting proprietary formats to Open Standardsopen standards. It always depends on the complexity of the format and the files, and varies from format to format. For example, converting a file from .ai to .svg using Adobe Illustrator may be as easy as exporting as .svg from the software, but sometimes something can go wrong in the process, which may go undetected until the results are closely inspected. These edge cases are the hardest ones to work around – usually an error in an .ai to .svg conversation may require rewriting or recreating the assets and then export them as .svg to ensure maximum compatibility.
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There are lots of tools available to create visual assets (graphics) for any need. While the current industry standard is Adobe Creative Cloud, openIMIS tries to keep proprietary software and standards to a minimum. When this was not possible or difficult, the minimum we aim for are Open Standardsopen atandards. In the following, we will go through recommended tools, the various file formats they support, and limitations they pose in different conversion settings.
Recommended project formats are file formats we suggest to use as source files for assets, while recommended export formats are those we suggest for file outputs. For internal usage, please use recommended project formats to maintain a high level of compatibility across projects.
GIMP
Software Code | Open Source |
Platform | Linux, Windows, macOS |
Recommended Project Formats |
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Recommended Export Formats |
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LibreOffice Draw is a free and Open Source open source vector graphics editor. Draw lets you produce anything from a quick sketch to a complex plan and gives you the means to communicate with graphics or diagrams, flowcharts, and even technical drawings. It supports Open Standards open standards that allow you to use documents from other programs so you don't have to isolate yourself or your workflow into a LibreOffice world. LibreOffice Draw uses Open Document Format for Office Applications (ODF) (.odg graphics extension) as its default output format as an international standard file format.
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Diagrams.net (formerly draw.io) is an Open Source open source online platform created to help you design flowcharts, process diagrammes, organigrammes, UML, ER diagrammes, network diagrammes, and much more. You can create your own custom shape libraries or use their large collection of shape libraries. These offer hundreds of visual elements, making it simple and easy working with metadata to pack more useful information into your diagrammes. With numerous shape libraries offering hundreds of visual elements, Diagrams.net covers every use case you can think of for creating diagrammes by embedding them within Atlassian Confluence and Jira software.
Draw.io lets you import and export files into Open Standards open standards such as .svg, .png, .jpeg, .pdf, and .xml.
We recommend using diagrams.net together with its native Confluence integration. Especially in situations where you might be unable to install software on your device. It can be used from the web browser and store files on the cloud or your device. While designed as a flowchart and diagrams application, it can also replace the need for a vector editor as Inkscape, especially for basic communication design tasks.
Publishing Documents
Open Standards standards are not exclusive to design. Text documents are a crucial part of openIMIS work processes and are often required there are times when they have to be compatible with design tools. These formats often overlap, and we will go through the most important types of document formats, which can impact the design. While these formats are often overlappingIn this guide, we will cover the primary types of documents that have an impact on design processes.
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LibreOffice Writer is part of the Open Source open source LibreOffice suite and can export files to HTML, XHTML, XML, Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), and several versions of Microsoft Word files.
The key difference between LibreOffice and Microsoft is that LibreOffice is an Open Source open source and free suite of office products, while Microsoft Office is a proprietary office suite that requires users to purchase a license. Both will run on multiple platforms, and both offer similar functionality – with the exception that Microsoft Office will not run natively on Linux.
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Impress provides common multimedia presentation features, such as including special effects, animations, and drawing tools.
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LibreOffice Impress can be also used to insert vector graphics into presentation slides. Having vector graphics instead of raster graphics allows you to change colorscolours, effects, and sizes right within the presentation file. This is not possible natively in Microsoft Office Powerpoint. An external tutorial shows you how to do exactly that. |
Confluence
Software Code | Open Source |
Platform | Linux, Windows, macOS |
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Software Code | Open Source |
Platform | Linux, Windows, macOS |
Recommended Project Formats |
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Cryptpad is an online Open Source open source platform that helps you create quick collaborative documentsset up documents and that allow for collaboration. It offers a sheet pad and a presentation pad equivalent to LibreOffice Impress where you can export the file in an .md format.
If your project is more advanced, you can also use their pad for creating code files, a smart board where you can design your ideas, polls, or even a task manager that helps you keep track of your To Do to-do list. Everything is compatible with Open Standards if , so you want to can export and include them and attach into different projects to , share them with your team, or even using an embedded code by attaching it in your file.
Cryptpad offers a drive where every record is stored, encrypted, and you can see all the projects you have been working on and as well as other projects your teammates have shared with you.
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Software Code | Open Source |
Platform | Linux, Windows, macOS |
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Scribus is free and open - source desktop publishing software available for most desktop operating systems. It is designed for layout, typesetting, and preparation of files for professional-quality image-setting equipment. Scribus can also create animated and interactive PDF presentations and forms. Example uses include writing newspapers, brochures, newsletters, posters, and books. It is released under the GNU General Public License.
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While mentioned as an alternative to Adobe InDesign, Scribus is often criticized for a limited and buggy feature set. If you are working on design deliverables for digital mediums (RGB) you might want to use Inkscape if possible. If needed for print you will need to use Scribus as the only open source option out there. |
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There are many downloadable tools and online platforms which that can help you to convert Open Standardsopen standards. In this section, we will present some ways to convert Open Standards do that in desktop software, online platforms, and finally as well as in a command line.
LibreOffice
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While using LibreOffice, you can convert files manually by using the Save As option and choosing the format. You can also convert files directly in the command line.
You can run LibreOffice from use the command line to quickly convert one or more files. For example, to transform a LibreOffice Impress slide deck to PDF, you'd type the following:
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soffice --headless --convert-to pdf mySlides.odp |
Replace You can pdfwith the file extension of the format that you want to convert your file to, if something other than PDF is desired. if you need a different file format. The --headless option means LibreOffice will run only on the command line and exit after completing the requested task.
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The conversion takes far less time than opening all files in LibreOffice Writer and doing the a manula file format conversion manually.
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This section focuses on the conversion feature of the LibreOffice suite in general. In the following chapters, LibreOffice Draw, Writer, and Impress are specifically mentioned for the relevant document file formats they are commonly used for. |
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You're not just limited to straight conversions. You can , for example, also add a table of contents, typographic quotes, custom headers, and/or syntax highlighting to the resulting file. Take a look at Pandoc's documentation for details and the Open Standards it allows you to convert.
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Zamzar is an online file conversion platform that lets you convert documents, images, videos, sound, and many more to Open Standards. As you are not required to install it, you can use it from any browser, even mobile.
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After uploading an image, BatchPhoto lets you choose another format to convert it into, resize, crop, and rotate it, as well as add special effects like gray grey scale conversion and swirl, overlay text, and adjust brightness, contrast, and sharpness, among other basic edits.
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When you create a piece of software, in most countries, it's automatically protected by copyright. This means that all rights to your work are protected by copright, copyright and nobody else may reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from your work intellectual property without permission from the copyright holder (you).
This disables others stops other people from using your work, and may lead to nobody using your work, which may defeat the purpose of sharing it. If you want to share your work, but also want to retain some degree of control, then it's important to choose a suitable license which grants certain rights but not othersthe right license that controls how it may be used or shared.
Creative Commons Licenses
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Creative Commons licenses are standardised, easy-to-understand, copyright licenses which that allow creators of content to communicate which rights they reserve and which rights they give away for the benefit of others. Creative Commons licenses build upon, rather than replace, copyright. They mean you don't have to negotiate individually over specific rights for works you produce, and have been tested in courtheld up in courts of law. Crucially, the licenses were designed specifically to work over the internetfor the digital space, so that content that is offered under the terms of the Creative Commons is easy to search for, discover, and use. Around 500 million works have been licensed under Creative Commons since it launched.
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This lets other people distribute, remix, edit, and build upon your work – even commercially – as long as they credit you and license their new creations under the same terms. All new works based on yours will therefore have the same license. This is the license used by Wikipedia.
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This license allows for redistribution, commercial, and non-commercial, as long as it is not changed and is credited to you.
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This lets other people distribute, remix, and build upon your work as long as they credit you and don't use it for commercial projects – this means it cannot be sold or used for profit. The creator has to attribute credit you to with the original work, but they don't have to license the works that they created based on yours with the same terms.
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This lets other people distribute, remix, and build upon your work as long as they credit you and don't use it for commercial projects. They also have to license their new creations under identical terms.
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This license is the most restrictive, only allowing others to download your works and share them with others as long as they credit you, but they can't change them in any way or use them commercially.
Best licensing
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practises for openIMIS content
For content (including graphics, video, audio, and similar creative assets) we use the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. That ensures openIMIS assets can be remixed by other users and creators, yet openIMIS is credited and work that is based on our assets need to have the same license (so that others may benefit from the same freedoms in future).
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For greatest compatibility, we suggest using openly-licensed fonts. These are usually under a SIL Open Font license or an Apache license. |
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The League of Moveable Type is a community of font designers and creators who license their collection of fonts under the SIL Open Font License and host their source files on GitHub.
FontSpace is a font download website where you can filter fonts that fit your needs which download fonts. A filter helps you find the right one for your needs and can help you find the ones that are available under an open license.
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Google Fonts has an extensive catalogue designed for use with their API service, where you can integrate open fonts into your own projects. Each font comes in 135 different languages. Please note that embedding Google Fonts in your website has privacy implications. You should consider not using the Google Fonts Content Delivery Network, and instead host the fonts which you need yourselfyou use on your own system.
Broble is also another open source font collection, where you can find open fonts to use for your projects. You can also submit your fonts and become part of the community.
Illustrations
unDraw is a sizable sizeable collection of free vector illustrations. You can colour manage directly from the website or you can download them in copyright-free SVG files for your customized customised design.
IRA Design is a hosting site where you can create illustrations by using hand-drawn sketch components. IRA Design helps you scale your final illustrations by using .ai, .svg, or .png formats to bring your illustrations to life.
Many Pixels is an illustrations provider where you can download in a .png, or .svg format file , and use them for free in a commercial or non-commercial work for your landing pages, blog posts, newsletters, and many other projects. If you want customized customised illustrations, Many Pixels offers a team of designers to assist you in any private projects you want to developproject.
Vivid.js is focused on software developers. Vivid.js is a dynamic SVG icons library that is designed to give life to website designs by using html5 data attributes. Vivid.js SVG Icons icons can be download and customized customised as per needs needed in different designing software like Photoshop and even Sketch as well. They provide clear documentation on their GitHub page and you can follow their guide step-by-step guide.
Delesign is a provider with illustrations, logos, icons, and many more designs, where you can search and customize design elements. The search is useful and you can customise images to suit your brand.
Logobridge is a collection of unused logos all under Public Domain, so you are free to use them for your projects, commercially and non-commercially too. Logobridge also offers a customized logo design service, unique to your project.
Paper Illustrations is an illustration hosting site under Creative Commons license and it is also compatible in Sketch, Adobe, Office, and G Suite tools using the Icondrop plugin giving to give you access to a range of illustrations to choose from.
404 Illustrations is a website with different and funny illustrations and ideas for your 404 page. Every case is saved in a Google Drive folder, giving so you the possibility to can download illustrations presented there.
Vector Graphics
Vector Creator is made for everyone who is new to the design world and wants to learn how to create customed custom illustrations, including with a helpful and supportive community.
Publicdomainvectors.org offers copyright-free vector images accessible in .eps, .svg, .ai, and .cdr formats. There are around 65,000 Public Domain vector images are available to choose from , and they are free to edit, distribute and , as well as use for unlimited commercial purposes. You can also generate your own customized customised vectors in their own svg SVG generator.
Synfig is a free and Open Source vector creation software. Synfig lets you transform any vector shape into another by giving you tools to have full control over your artwork. It also lets you generate 2D animation without having the need to animate frame by frame. Synfig is cross-platform , and works on Windows, OS X, Mac, and Linux. It is licensed under GNU GPL v3.
Vectr lets you quickly and intuitively create vector graphics. It is used to create 2D graphics and graphics for business cards, greeting cards, websites, illustrations, resumes, brochures, posters, presentations, and icons. It imports and edits SVGs and bitmaps that can be used as a background. It imports in AI .ai, EPS .eps, PNG .png, and JPEG .jpeg file formats.
Photography
Unsplash is one of the best hosting sites to get Open Source images. All images are free for any type of use. It provides an API for developers that allows them to access the uploaded images programmaticallythrough an API, which is well documented and maintained.
Pexels allows you to download images in many predefined sizes, or the original image size, or even a custom sizes size of your choice.
Flickr community is one of the biggest hosting sites for open images. While searching, you can also filter by license type or rights.
Smithsonian Open Access is the best hosting site if your project needs some 2D and 3D digital modelingmodelling. You can download, share, and reuse this collection of images and data from 19 Smithsonian's Museums, research centres, and archives.
Open Source Design Community
Open Source Design is a community of designers and developers who improve open design processes , and as well as improve the user experience of Open Source open source software. This community writes articles, lists jobs, runs events, and presents talks targeted at developers and designers interested in working on and designing in Open Source. They have open source. This is an active and supportive community forum and is a great resource for learning more about Open Source.