Open Source Software

You can also add some personal touches to make your design more original. Make your design your identity. It will then become a unique template because it is an expression of your personality. No one will ever ignore a website that has a great and unique design. Who knows? Advertisers might be asking you for a space on your website and pay you for it. You'd enjoy designing especially when there's money involved, won't you?

PDF files suck! This is my reaction everytime I encounter PDF files on the internet. And it is not only me who hate downloading PDF files. Even my officemates become pissed off, too. One of them describes it as "pain in the ass." I agree with him because downloading these kinds of files is annoying and irritating. It is very slow to load and I have to wait for three to five minutes before I can read the article. Worst, I cannot take a section and paste it to Word. I prefer files in HTML format so that I can easily copy the information that I need.

Use of PDF in websites is a big crime. Readers have to wait for the a special reader to start before they can see its content. Downloading also takes a longer time because PDF files tend to be stuffed with more fluff than plain web pages. Most readers find it hard to return to the website once they have opened a file in PDF format. PDF files, unlike websites, do not have standard navigation bars to operate. Also, these files' texts fit the printed page and not the computer screen. The layout is often optimized for a sheet of paper; unfortunately it rarely matches the size of the user's browser window. Therefore, goodbye smooth scrolling and hello to tiny fonts.

PDF is a great approach to present your files for printing. However, its usefulness only applies to that particular situation. It is a big no-no when it comes to websites. Or else, your website usability will have an estimate of 300% worse relative to HTML pages. This is just a rough estimate but regardless of statistics, one thing is for sure: PDF will not help your site. Therefore, do not ever use this format in your website.

Microsoft software company is already changing its views towards open software. Executives from the firm already recognized the advantages of the alternative software and that they are now trying to apply the technology to their products. I think this is a great and at the same time a weird change for the software industry. As we all know, Microsoft is loathing the alternative software and they'd even tried to sue users of the OpenOffice.Org.

Speaking of the issue on the OpenOffice.Org and Microsoft, reports said that the firm was threatened by the growing consumer support that the OpenOffice.Org was receiving. Personally, I think that the alternative operating system or office application is better than Microsoft Office. Well, the Writer is much easier to use than Word and Impress is more Impressive than PowerPoint. Microsoft admitted that open software developers do not violate intellectual property rights.

Microsoft already teamed up with popular alternative developers like SugarCRM, XenSource, and JBoss. The company admitted that it is trying to open some of its license and protocol formats, like the Windows Office. People from the company also claimed that Microsoft's roots are also open software. Would this mean they are claiming that they are the real benchmark of open products? Well, that can possibly happen now that the firm is turning its back to its proprietary ways.

Linux is becoming the biggest and the most popular open source software in the digital world. Actually, the software produced by Red Hat has influenced other companies either computer-based or not. Linux is widely used not only in office applications, but also as an operating system in other industries like movies and gaming. I think you already know that the software was used to create Lightning McQueen for Cars and the evil Gollum for the Lord of The Rings.

Another company has jumped into the bandwagon of the alternative software. Texas Instruments (TI) joined the mobile edition of Linux along with two foreign companies. The Linux mobile is aiming to create personal digital assistants, and smartphones that are based on the open software. If I'm not mistaken, Samsung and Motorola will also be a part of this project. Would these phones be equipped with Bluetooth or wireless technology? Well, I think they should, you know!

I think people from Linux must start looking for a carrier. I just hope its Verizon. With Linux on mobile phones, I think these phone units will be the most user-friendly. I think PalmSource will also be a part of the said project. Is PalmSource the same company that gave us PalmOne? I'm not really sure about this, really. I'm not sure because I don't have a PalmOne or due to my pitiful lack of research, whichever you prefer.

Open source software products are best known as programs wherein the source codes aren't owned by a single company or a single person. These codes are available to every computer user and software developer. Even a semi-illiterate computer user can modify the software because it's easy-to-understand and modification is for free. This type of software is the complete alternative to privately-owned products like those of Microsoft and McAfee.

McAfee, a software developer company, recently announced that hackers are employing the tricks of open software geniuses in developing malware and adware that are becoming criminal in nature. The company said that hackers and spyware authors are improving their malicious source codes through an open software like those of Linux and Red Hat. Hackers are employing the alternative applications to make the malware and adware easier to manipulate and upgrade.

The researchers from McAfee said that they will be publishing the study on a technology magazine named Sage to keep users informed about the techniques that computer abusers employ. They denied the issue circulating in the digital world that the research is a step to discrediting the alternative software and make users stick to McAfee products. The company said they love open software and they're only disclosing the tricks of hackers for the users' own protection.

There's no doubt the country's predicament in the clutches of the open software mania. Two huge corporate-focused computer firms joined together to provide a more marketable and usable open source suite. Jitterbit Inc recently tied-up with Salesforce.com to help commercialize the former's open software suite. This project will let Jitterbit users and software developers to transfer a wide collection of files and data through Salesforce. Plus, they will be able to have the service for free.

Like other non-proprietary software, Jitterbit promises a quick and affordable data-transfer service. The community of the Jitterbit suite is among the open office applications designed by Salesforce that targets small and medium businesses. Proprietary software like Microsoft also provides the same kind of service. However, a user needs to have computer expertise to enjoy the service. The said integrated software is available for download at the Salesforce website.

Personally, I don't think users need another open software suite in the market. I'm highly-satisfied with my Linux operating system and OpenOffice programs. On the other hand, having companies such as Salesforce and Jitterbit help users learn more about the alternative software. The new development in the open software world means people are starting to consider the other software for their computers.

I thought open software are only for office applications like word processors, spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations. But I recently came across with a new software, alternative to those produced by the software giant company. OpenSTA is an open source product that allows users to test the performance of their web applications. The product, just like other open software, has its limitations. OpenSTA doesn't possess desirable interface for testing some applications, and the options for its reports are kind of weak.

Firstly, configuring the test scenario is time-wasting. A user needs to follow several steps to achieve the deep-level testing. This is the only open product that is not user-friendly. Another gripe is that it runs only in Microsoft Windows Systems instead of running in Linux operating system. As we all know, Linux is the leading operating system to run in open software.

Like other web application testers, OpenSTA provides a recorder that users can launch a browser to make a test script. I must admit that I don't like this product that much because I find it lousy unlike other alternative softwares. The only interesting thing about it is that it's for free. For companies that use applications in their businesses, I think it wouldn't hurt to drop by the OpenSTA website to know more about it.

I thought Microsoft will never meddle with things that are out of their borders. But I was astounded when I came across the news stating that the software giant will be creating a project dealing with open source software. The OpenDocument Format thing that MS has been planning to make for years was mentioned by the new MS president.

As usual, it is natural in the digital industry that when news like this arises, technology writers will sensationalize the issue until all computer users vomit due to perplexity. Personally, I think the company's decision to come up with ODF projects will benefit more computer users from the business and personal sector.

Consider this: Microsoft is a credible and reputable company that has dominated the digital world for a very long time. We users can't help but love MS products despite the flaws and patches that they made and the growth of open software. Now, the fact that MS is engaging to the alternative software, which everyone's been raving about, fans the fuel of having more efficient and user-friendly programs and applications from the company. I also heard that the company will be putting some changes in the 2007 version of MS Office. So would this mean that the new Office will sport the ODF programs?

Open source software is the root of all these evil. The software alternative to proprietary software is causing turmoil among software companies for the last five months. Now, the war already reach several countries that it has fanned a raging flame of software battle between the European and North American continent.

According to the article, Open Source Business Conference organizers plead on software developers in Europe not to relocate over the United State. The call was made to reinstate the ownership of the said software in Europe. Personally, I don't think that the unclosed software started in Europe. Because Linux and Red Hat started in the very streets of New York. If the Europeans have a valid proof of their claim about the ownership of the software, show it.

Actually, I don't a damn about who owns it and where it came from. The important thing here is how are we going to develop the software into new heights so that it can reach the masses who cannot afford to use a competitive operating system. Linux is the number alternative operating system today. It has been used by so many companies from different industries including the movie industry to be specific. If you Europe doesn't want to share their expertise with the U.S, fine!

Red Hat wants to become more powerful than it is now. After long years of silence, the company is back with a vengeance; now acquiring more companies, technologies, and consumers. The company is like Lord Voldemort, the evil villain (which is exactly the same thing!) in the Harry Potter series wherein he returned after 14 years of inactivity to finish his wicked plans. I'm not saying that the open-source company is wicked nor it remained inactive for 14 years. As you can see, I'd rather write about Harry Potter, which is more sensible stuff than crappy software.

Anyway, the New York-based company is a popular distributor of the Linux software. But the popularity did not stop the company from expanding their business enterprise and acquiring more firms like JBoss. JBoss, by the way, is an application server base in Java. The acquisition of the middleware cost almost $500 million. According to computer rumors, the company will be paying JBoss another $70-80 million depending on its future performance. Oracle, another computer company was rumored to give a higher price to buy the middleware. Jboss is now a component of the Linux-provider that will serve customers a worldwide production assistance to all Linux users from the business and personal area.

If this year is not the year for Linux, then when is it going to be? I really believe that the open source software really made it big this year, and will still continue to get bigger since the year hasn't ended yet. Nowadays, big-time companies from different industries are switching to the alternative operating system leaving behind their ancient OS. For the full details about the companies having a go with Linux, please see my other entries.

Surfing the net, I've read some nasty reports about Linux saying that it's not safe from computer abusers and it's as vulnerable as Windows when it comes to attacks. I quite agree with that statement, but I feel that it would be better if they change the phrase to: no OS is safe from determined attackers! Well, if a hacker has decided to ruin your system, he'll do everything he can to the best of his ability. This is so true if he especially has hatred for his country to wreak havoc and distress. And security is never a product; it's a process, you know. Comparing these OS to wounds, Linux is much easier to cure when it's infected. It is unlike Windows that has earned itself blisters and wounds so many times. No matter how you clean Microsoft's OS, pus and other signs of infection will still crop up after a couple of days.

I was in a computer shop last Sunday when I heard two business enthusiasts talking about the latest events in the digital world. I can't help myself but eavesdrop, so I followed them wherever they went and chronicled their conversation in today's entry. Computer user A asked computer user B if Microsoft really hates Linux because it's cheaper, easier to manipulate, and it attracts more users than MS products. B said that he doesn't think so, because Microsoft is still rich enough so they won't worry about losing customers. And besides, their new products like Microsoft Windows Vista and Xbox 360 gaming consoles are still selling like buttered hotcakes in the market.

A asked again if the software giant is not threatened with the report stating that Bell Microproducts Inc. made a project with Red Hat to produce programs and software based on the extremely popular Linux, making Bell Micro the latest service distributor of open source products. B said that he thinks MS does not care because Linux is for those users who can't afford to buy a genuine and branded closed software products like theirs. But he also thinks that there's really no collision between Linux and MS since they have different target markets and they have varied functionality as far as their features are concerned.

Hewlett-Packard is among the most developed companies when it comes to providing modern gadgets and computer peripherals. The issue that they are switching to Linux is as confusing as president Bill Gates' departure from Microsoft. According to the latest technology reports that I've read awhile ago, HP will have Linux as one of their leading OS for their desktops, laptops, and even personal digital assistants or Pocket PCs. So would this mean that we'll soon be having the cute little penguin in our iPaqs?

Definitely, but HP still did not divulge what particular products Linux will be part of. But personally, as a computer user and an audience of this topsy-turvy circus of the digital world, I think HP should not miss the opportunity to integrate Linux in their ultra portable laptops. For sure, with Linux and HP combined, users will be able to enjoy the convenience of having a super easy-to-use interface on their mobile gadgets. I just hope that since Linux will be a part of HP in some of its products, the price Linux-based laptops and PDAs are much affordable than those that run in Windows mobile, XP, or Media Center OS.

I thought the software giant Microsoft is the only company that is threatened by the development of the open-source community. However, I was wrong. Upon reading the headlines in the Internet this week, the growth of the said alternative community is also affecting another multi-billion computer company. The firm I'm talking about manufactures not only hardware computer peripherals, but as well as various operating systems -- Apple Computer Inc.

Based on the report, Mac users will be switching to the alternative software because it is easier to use. Not to mention that it is cheap. Security is also not a problem. This is because they can quickly fix any flaw in the operating system since it's not proprietary or owned by a particular company. The Mac OS according to some users is becoming similar to that of Microsoft's.

They now both share the same characteristic: too restrictive. Unlike Mac, open-sourcing software products allow computer users to have quicker access to whatever computer need that they have and fixed patches in their system without the worry of paying something that is higher than their electric bill. Nowadays, Apple software is also a bit expensive. This triggers other users to choose the cheap and alternative OS than the branded ones.

Linux is definitely gearing towards helping movie spinners create top-quality films that will surely become blockbuster hits. More than that, there's no doubt Linux is becoming the first choice of movie makers when it comes to operating systems for developing and creating characters that need the aid of computers. After its successful performance in the backstage of the Peter Jackson movie, I was surprised when I learned that this open source software was also used for making the zooming cute characters of the recent animated movie of Disney/Pixar's.

Linux made it into the runway of helping Pixar's make race cars and other automobiles in the hit kiddie flick Cars as shiny and as realistic as possible. You know, Lightning McQueen, Sally, Doc Hudson, and Mater... yeah, they are all sassy because of the software. If you'll remember in my previous blogs, I've mentioned that Gollum, the ugly hobbit-turned-monster with a crazy split personality of the Lord of the Rings was designed by incorporating software applications running through Linux. With this constant development with Linux, I hope there'll be more movies that will be created with the aid of the software. Well, it's cheaper and easier to use than proprietary software so I guess movie execs might want to save cash while doing big-budgeted flicks.