Deciding Between Open Source and Proprietary Software?

Posted by: Admin  :  Category: Open Source News

Is open source the right option for your online training, teaching, or learning efforts? This articles compares the difference between open source and proprietary software. Open source software has become mainstream. Applications such as the Firefox Web browser and Linux operating system are available to aid in all areas of operation, including teaching and learning.

Open source software has become a strong contender in online training and e-learning sectors. As technology continues to evolve, more open source offerings will continue to emerge in the area of e-learning, continuously changing the landscape of online teaching and learning both in academia and business fields.

Open source software has grown to include:

Learning management systems (LMS)

Learning content management systems (LCMS)

Course authoring tools

Tools to create media elements such as animations, audio, and video

Browsers and players to present content

Courseware libraries

These resources has some important benefits:

Open source software is free to download therefore lower in cost.

Flexibility and customizability

Extensive active builder and user communities that forms a good technical support base.

Many open source applications run on multiple platforms including Windows and Linux.

Adherence to established standards, which is a high priority for open source software development.

Ability to use and link to other open source software

Most proprietary software comes without the source code, which is the code originally written by the programmer. Without this code you do not have right to change the way the software is developed. When you buy proprietary software you are essentially buying the right to use the software in a specific way, and in many cases the company that developed it owns the software, and you just purchase rights to use it.

The main difference between commercial support for proprietary software and commercial support for open source software is that the proprietary software is obligatory and the open source software is optional. If you opt out of paying for support for proprietary software, you lose the right to use it in most cases. The costs incidentally tend to be quite high for proprietary software.

Perceived advantages of proprietary software include: 1) Reliable, professional support and training available; 2) Packaged, comprehensive, modular formats; and 3) Regularly and easily updated. The downside however is that it is: 1) Costly, and 2) has closed standards that hinder further development.

Open sources software has the advantage of: 1) Low cost and no license fees; 2) Open standards that facilitate integration with other systems; and 3) it is easily customizable. The down side is: 1) Lack of professional support; 2) Evolving developer communities; 3) Lack of release co-ordination; and 4) Erratic updates. However, with such a large development and user-base, many discussion forums and help sites are available for users.

So what is the right solution for you and your organization? Generally, for smaller organizations and projects, Open source solutions seem to suffice. The difference in cost more than makes up for the perceived disadvantages mentioned above. Larger organizations seem to require more robust, high-quality product with high levels of service and support.

They want responsibility, reliable assistance, and support from their suppliers. With rapid developments in technology, chances are you can find tools to meet your training needs in either the open source or commercial sector. But open source provides unique advantages which include filling the low-cost high-control niche that are difficult, if not impossible, to achieve through commercial, proprietary avenues.

Sophia Peters is the author of a About e-Learning, a comprehensive information resource on e-learning. Theoretical and practical information, online distance education, resources that includes colleges and universities, books, software and tools.

Updating Linux Device Drivers

Posted by: Admin  :  Category: Linux News

Almost everyone is familiar with Microsoft Windows, as it is installed on the computers of many home-based users. While it is certainly the most popular, Windows isn?t the only operating system available. There are several other choices, including Mac OS X, Solaris and Linux.

The Linux operating system comes in many different variations. Some of the most popular versionsinclude Debian, Fedora and Redhat among others. Just like any other operating system, Linux comes with a number of device drivers. This means that there may be a time when hardware devices on your computer stop working properly and require driver updates. Although a device could experience problems for various reasons, an outdated or dysfunctional driver is usually the culprit.

Where to Begin Updating Linux Device Drivers

In order to update the drivers for your Linux hardware, you must find out what type of device it is. Once you have these details, go online and head to the manufacturer?s website. Although mainly used in the network setting, Linux is becoming more popular as a desktop system, making it easier to find device drivers. Most hardware device manufacturers allow you to download device drivers from the support section of their websites. Regardless of the manufacturer, it is important to download drivers that are specific to the Linux operating system. If you download and install Windows drivers, your hardware will not work on your Linux system.

Because Linux is an open-source system, many of its device drivers are available in open-source variations. The open-source nature allows any developer to create device drivers and freely distribute them. These drivers can typically be downloaded from various open-source communities online. With proprietary software and hardware components, you are required to download the device drivers from the manufacturer.

How to Install Linux Device Drivers

Device drivers for the Linux operating system are usually distributed as source code in zip archives. This calls for you to unzip the compressed archive to access the appropriate files. In order to accomplish this, you must use a compatible unzip application and manually compile the source code. While Linux is generally more complex, this task can be easily completed by basic computer users.

Ensuring Compatibility Before a New Purchase

If you plan to add a new hardware device to your Linux computer, it is important to make sure it is compatible with the operating system before making a purchase. This can be done in two ways: you can either check with the manufacturer or visit the KeyLabs website. KeyLabs is an organization that tests numerous applications and devices to determine their compatibility with various systems, Linux included. This company has tested so many hardware devices that gathering information from KeyLabs is often easier than getting it from the manufacturer?s website.

Even though Linux is becoming more accepted as a desktop system, finding the right device drivers can still be a tedious undertaking. This is especially true if you are trying to integrate hardware devices that were previously used on an older Linux system. As you would expect, the process is much easier when dealing with new hardware devices, as they typically come included with installation discs that contain the appropriate drivers.

Adam K Smith is an eminent author on Device Drivers for all types of Computers. To Safely Update All Your Drivers and Fix Your Drivers Problem Instantly Visit: http://www.fixyourdrivers.com/

Do Some Computer Training Courses and Get Better Position in Your Life

Posted by: Admin  :  Category: Linux News

There are several types of computer training course available to the person seeking to learn about computers today. Generally the term computer training comprises everything related to the computer as a whole. This training consists of lessons on the various parts of the computer, their functions and necessities and then the manner to compute or run the computer. Also the content of this kind of computer trainings are based on the term or duration of the training procedure.

To start, it would be a good course of action to look at classes teaching the basics of how to operate a computer. It is a good idea in the computer training course to also learn some basics about the internal operation of the computer (i.e., what makes it tick, how it works). Student self-respect is also important. A good trainer must develop the feeling that it’s okay to be wrong and that being wrong does not imply that a student is ignorant. The importance of computer is nowadays felt in each and every sphere. Right from the beginners of the primary schools to the big industrialists, everyone comes in touch with the computers. This immense importance of the computers has led to the necessity of computer training to a great extent. Therefore it will be worthwhile to know about the several types of computer training and its impact and usefulness in our life.

Moving on from the basics, a computer training course should teach more advanced concepts as well. Some of these concepts would include back-up procedures, file maintenance, and data recovery. In the short term computer training classes, the emphasis is put on making the student aware of the general and basic computer term and a basic learning is provided with which the primary computer functions can be done. We prepare students by delivering hands-on job oriented training which teaches them how to apply the knowledge that they gain in classes along with preparing them to pass the vendor based certification exams. We have partnered with Microsoft, Oracle, Linux , Cisco Systems, Prometric testing center and as such offer wide variety of computer training that include but are not limited to Microsoft Certification, A+ training, CISCO Certification Course, Oracle Certification Course, Internet and Microsoft Office 2003.

The importance of the computer training is rapidly increasing as it is required in each and every field in this fast growing world. Even the housewives too need to know the basics of the computer if they want to be an efficient home manager. Shopping, cooking, cleaning everything has become computerized nowadays. Even for guiding the little one in their school homework, the mother should have the primary computer knowledge. Keeping in mind this vital role of the computers numerous computer training institutions have opened up where any class and any age group can get admitted and take lessons. Also, the online computer training courses have made this procedure far more easy and accessible for the learners. Those who are very busy and find it tough to manage time for rushing to the institutes have been helped to a great extent by this online computer learning system.

ABCO Technology specializes in providing Computer Training and Consulting for the Information Technology Industry. Computer Training is provided by experienced, certified industry experts that have years of seasoning in their respective field of Information Technology.

Please feel free to visit www.abcotechnology.com for more information about Computer Courses, Computer Training, Computer Training Courses or call us (310)237-5517.

An Online Network Administration Training Course Will Boost Your Pay Big Time

Posted by: Admin  :  Category: Linux News

What will you learn whilst doing a network administration training course?

It should include the basics; identifying components of a local area network such as the router, repeater, bridge and gateway.

There will also be sections on terminology, protocols, the internet and bandwidth. You will learn about the equipment, the methods of access, the Ethernet, managing users and creating accounts.

Each operating program (UNIX, Windows, Linux, Cisco, etc) requires different certifications. You may prefer certification in one or more systems, depending on the job that you wish to get.

You may want to start with a computer science degree and then follow up with certification. You’ll be well on your way to making yourself indispensable.

If you are interested in this type of career, here, in this article, you can learn about the jobs that are available, the costs involved and your options for distance learning.

Most people that seek network administration training do so because they realize that the job market is “good”. These days, almost every company needs an administrator.

Of course, the requirements necessary to get these jobs vary greatly. The more certifications that an administrator has, the easier it will be for him or her to get the best jobs.

As I mentioned above, you may want to start with a basic computer science degree. However, jobs are available for those without a degree, who are familiar with some of the more complicated operating programs, such as Linux.

Doing network administration training at a school of computing may be the correct course of action if you don’t want to do a degree.

Self-taught persons can get fairly decent jobs but they may not pay as well as those available to skilled individuals.

If you choose the self-taught route, you can buy training guides and seek certification when you feel confident enough to take the exams. Recognize however that most of the top firms require formal computing classes as well as certified network administration training.

In other words, companies are willing to pay more for an employee that has a strong academic and practical foundation in operating systems.

With respect to the cost of doing a network administration course, this varies according to the college, the duration of the course and the materials required.

Learning a system on your own is, obviously, the least expensive option but you will still need to buy training manuals, the cost of which depends on the program.

For example, a training guide for Solaris 8 can be purchased for around $60. The certification that you receive could land you a low-paying job, which could give you the funds necessary to complete a “true” network administration course in the future.

A fantastic way to take a network administration training course is to enroll at a distance learning college online. This way of learning has become very popular for adult learners.

Employers consider online distance learning courses and degrees equivalent to those that you would receive from a traditional college.

Online distance learning tuition fees are about the same or less than those charged by conventional colleges but you have the added benefit of doing the course at your own pace.

This is the beauty of doing courses online; anywhere you have an internet connection, at hours that are convenient for you, you can log on and do your studies.

In other words, online network administration training puts you in charge of your own education. It’s something worth considering.

Computing science careers are always in high demand. Get more pay by doing a network administration degree or any other hot computer courses online Free information available.

Content Management: In the phase of Open Source models

Posted by: Admin  :  Category: Open Source News

In recent years, numerous pre-built open source content management systems have emerged as viable alternatives to costly proprietary products or custom-built solutions.


Simple-to-install, easy-to-use alternative, convenience, scalability and very low cost are perhaps some of the advantages of open source content management.


To understand the open source content management systems, knowledge of the Enterprise Content Management is a first criterion, since it is consistently a top-ten initiative of CIO’s in the Fortune 1000 and open source content management system is very much related to this ECM.


ECM (Enterprise content management) is a broad term and it implies the acquisition and management of both structured and unstructured content that is dispersed across a number of different repositories, often described as “information silos”.


It is a widely-recognized IT-industry term for software technology that enables organizations to create/capture, manage/secure, store/retain/destroy, publish/distribute, search, personalize, and present/view/print any digital content (e.g. pictures/images, text, reports, video, audio, transactional data, catalog, code).


Many Enterprise Content Management (ECM) systems include WCM capabilities.


WCM (web content management) in turn is the management of both structure and unstructured content that is delivered over the Internet, typically via a web site. Web Content Management includes content creation, site management, workflow, access control, and delivery.


With the advent of the new content architectures, the need for replication, federation and decentralized authority has become of utmost necessity. They are allowing each department of the organization to plan for their own needs and to utilize existing hardware at a fraction of the costs.


For this we need to have a proper content management system which is nothing but a system used to manage the content of a Web site.


The content management system is sometimes a web application used for managing websites and web content though in many cases, content management systems require special client software for editing and constructing articles.


The market for content management systems remains fragmented, with many open-source and proprietary solutions available.


Typically, a CMS consists of two elements: the content management application (CMA) and the content delivery application (CDA).


CMA deals with creation, modification, and removal of content from a Web site without needing the expertise in the relevant fields by the content manager or author.


Our interest lies on this content management application (CMA) part which is the other name of open source web content management or opencms which helps to create and manage complex websites easily without knowledge of html.


It refers to a range of technologies and techniques, including portal systems and web-based groupware.


Complex Intranet, Extranet and Internet sites can be quickly and cost-effectively created, maintained and managed by these effective technologies.


Also, complete websites with highly customized layouts and interactive functionality based on Java, JSP, XML and other technology can be created by open source web content management software available in the market.


There are so many organizations that offer true Open Source Enterprise Content Management services- Open Source Document Management, Collaboration, Records Management, Knowledge Management, Web Content Management and Imaging.


Using the open source model those organizations make enterprise content management affordable for many applications that were not possible before.


Web Application Platform, Software License, Stability and Development Activity, User Community, Documentation and Source Code, Web Standards and Accessibility and Suitability and Usability are some of the reasons why you should have open source content management systems for the growth of the company itself.


If you choose wisely, an open source CMS can provide a stable, flexible and cost-effective system that is well-suited for your content management needs.


Finally it gives you the liberty to stay in control of your content management solution.

Robin Nixon is a freelance Writer who researches every article with full consideration of the target audience and for more information regarding the Content management, Content management system, open source web content management and Enterprise content management he advocates this site http://www.alfresco.com/ .