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In our formative years, we master the basics of spoken and written language. However, the vast majority of us do not progress past some basic processing rules when we learn how to handle text in our applications. Yet unstructured software comprises the majority of the data we see. NLP is the technology for dealing with our all-pervasive product: human language, as it appears in social media, emails, web pages, tweets, product descriptions, newspaper stories, and scientific articles, in thousands of languages and variants.

Last week Imagination Technologies announced that the CI20 microcomputer is getting an update to Debian 8, with a modern Linux kernel 3.18, and major driver updates to the PowerVR graphics and Wi-Fi firmware, along with changes to the NAND memory driver. The announcement piqued my interest in the CI20 again.

Programming is often perceived as having a steep learning curve. This is, in part, because coding can be quite unforgiving with lots of information to remember. It is not a simple activity such as surfing the net, or formatting paragraph text. But programming something fun does not have to be difficult. With the right software, kids can build anything they imagine, and create something amazing.

This is the first in a series of brief articles looking at one of my favourite applications, Vim (a contraction of VI IMproved). Just in case you don’t know, Vim is an advanced, cross-platform, free and open source text editor designed for use both from a command-line interface and as a standalone application in a graphical user interface.

To provide an insight into the quality of software that is available, we have compiled a list of 8 excellent web based project management software. Hopefully, there will be something of interest for anyone who wishes to organise their projects.

Board games have seen a resurgence in recent years, and Linux has a good range of board games to choose from. There is a credible implementation of Catan called Pioneers. But for my favourite implementations of classic board games to play online, check out the recommendations below.

Here is my take on the finest open source collaborative editors which help you focus on writing without interruption, yet work mutually with others.

The OCaml system is the main implementation of the Caml language. It has an advanced type system, offers a powerful module system, automatic memory management, and adds full-fledged object-oriented layer.

Lua is a lightweight, compact, and fast programming language designed as an embeddable scripting language. It is cross-platform, and has a simple syntax with powerful data description constructs. Lua aims for simplicity, small size, performance and portability. Lua has automatic memory management and incremental garbage collection, making it ideal for configuration, scripting, and rapid prototyping.

Clojure is a dialect of the Lisp programming language. It is a dynamic functional general purpose programming language that uses the Java Virtual Runtime as its platform, combining the approachability and interactive development of a scripting language with an efficient and robust infrastructure for multithreaded programming.

This article offers a roundup of my favorite free audio programming languages. They are all released under an open source license, and run on multiple platforms.

Linux is an attractive platform for professional audio production. It is an extremely stable operating system that has good support for audio hardware. Using a Linux machine as the focus of your recording setup opens a world of possibilities for an affordable price.

Batch image processors are often underrated and don't get the attention they deserve. But this type of software is worth getting familiar with. With batch image processing, a user can select a size or file type, and then convert all the selected images. This way, hundreds or thousands of images can be processed with just a few clicks. Unfortunately, there are not that many tools that do batch conversion really well. But these four tools save loads of time and effort.

My favorite three responsive web design frameworks are Bootstrap, Foundation and Gumby, in that order. But sadly, development of Gumby has recently ceased. And these frameworks aren't necessarily the right solution for every project. For example, if you want to rapidly create a responsive design in the shortest possible time, you should consider a lightweight framework.

This article provides a quick roundup of 6 deduplicating encryption backup tools.

Linux has a good selection of open source dedicated screenshot programs, both graphical and console based. For a feature-rich dedicated screenshot utility, look no further than Shutter. This tool is a superb example of a small open source tool. But there are some great alternatives too.

The desktop is full of eye candy. It enhances the visual experience and, in some cases, can also increase functionality of software. But it also makes software fun. Working on the command-line does not have to be always serious. If you want some fun on the command-line, there are lots of commands to raise a smile.

SourceForge is a long established web-based service that offers source code repository, downloads mirrors, bug tracker and other features. It acts as a centralized location for software developers to control and manage free and open-source software development.

Synergy works really well, it's simple to use, and is an essential utility if you want to control local computers with a single mouse and keyboard.

Python is a very useful and popular computer language. One of the benefits of using an interpreted language such as Python is exploratory programming with its interactive shell.