An up-to-date overview of free software and its makers
Projects on the Move

© Ilja Ma¨ík, Fotolia
Graphics can facilitate research into chemical compounds. The chemistry software, Avogadro, has no trouble handling the third dimension and has an intuitive interface that offers more than its share of functionality.
Chemistry is a science that imposes particularly exacting requirements on IT: Before researchers can start investigating complex molecular structures, they first need sophisticated software to visualize them. Without a three-dimensional view, it is easy to lose track of changes made to molecules. The free Avogadro [1] program (Figure 1) meets the challenge effectively and without any compromises to available features.
Famous Namesake
The chemistry program's name is a tribute to the Italian physicist and chemist Amedeo Avogadro, who created Avogadro's law in the 19th century; it states that equal volumes of perfect gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. Avogadro also invented the constant that bears his name and that defines the number of elementary entities (usually atoms or molecules) in a physical quantity.
The developers, led by the project's initiator, Marcus D. Hanwell [2], are thus walking in the footsteps of a famous historical character. However, the main developer does have a PhD in physics from the University of Sheffield. He is also a KDE developer; no points for guessing that the Avogadro interface is based on Qt. Just like the underlying programming language, Python, the program not only runs on Linux, but also on Windows and Mac OS X. Version 0.9 now sees the project entering the beta phase.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.