Linux Alliance

Archive for the ‘Software Systems’ Category

Smartphones appear to be the wave of future computing, communicating, and portable devices. As prices drop and more people can afford to purchase a smartphone, older phones with simple communication functionality will probably cease to exist. This makes one wonder about the extent to which cellular communication will change. Will cell phones die out as social status symbols, being replaced by miniature computers with global networking and information access? Information and its availability already played a significant part in defining the twenty-first century, so what impact will the smartphone have?

While smartphone comparison has become exponentially more complex, some juicy tidbits can be gleaned from a basic review of device specifications—for example, actual vocal communication appears to be taking a sideline to other features. The focus has shifted to media such as music, video, and storage capacity. The new smartphones even have GPS software for mapping capabilities and routing. Mechanisms have also been installed to make the phones sensitive to physical shifts, which is applicable for gaming.

Speaking of gaming, the new smartphones have high-resolution screens and fast processors. It is apparent that the manufacturers are aiming for younger audiences that are hooked on media and gaming. With a number of these phones reasonably priced at $99, parents may opt to buy a smartphone for their child instead of a new bicycle. The parents can feel secure in the knowledge that they can reach their children wherever they may be, and with the built-in GPS, should an emergency situation arise, the parent will be able to find the children quickly.

The recently released iPad is not technically a phone, and it lacks a camera, but it might as well be considered a phone. As smartphones are redefining what a phone is, the iPad differs only in scale. By simply adding an ear attachment, it can in fact be used for communication.

It’s no secret that people spend big bucks on software. Whether it’s for business or pleasure, consumers aren’t shy about popping open their wallets for something they want. So, why would a software developer spend months creating a piece of important software, only to give it away for free?

It takes time to develop quality software. A program like Filezilla, for example, is a useful tool. It is extremely sophisticated, and can perform most activities that a paid peer software can do. Yet Filezilla is completely free. The person who developed this software is no ordinary programmer. If he or she had used the time spent developing Filezilla to make money, that would translate into a lot of money. Also, frankly speaking, Filezilla is so good that regular users would not balk at having to pay a few dollars for it. Yet, it is completely free.

What might be the reason for this bounty?

Conspiracy theories abound. Some say that these developers insert trojans and viruses meant to steal data from your system. They argue that these free computer programs are developed by companies that are out to destroy their competition. These conjectures are untrue.

Some talented programmers actually develop software to help people. These programmers are so good that they can make a great product in very little time. Often, they develop a product for their own use, and then let people share it for free, thus creating freeware.

Sometimes this software is developed with a marketing concept in mind; usually, there will be an upgraded version of the free package available for a fee. If people find the free version useful, the hope is that they will gladly pay for more features.

Sometimes, free software is made to advertise a website and get some paid advertisements. This is a good way to make money for someone who is a smart programmer.

Approaches to saving or backing up data differ from user to user–some relying on external hard drives to safeguard everything and some just saving a file once. The issue most users opposed to storing all of their data is the relatively tedious nature of the task. Sorting data, deciding what files need to be backed up and which you can risk losing , plus what technology to do it all with, used to take time and patience. As proprietary technology has made advances to run tasks easier and more efficient, the same holds true for open source. Below is one easy way to back up your data in Linux.

A fast and basic tool to use is Backerupper; don’t let the name fool you, it’s legit. This open source software can readily be found online, downloaded and uncompressed onto your hard drive. After running the install script, which takes no time at all, enter the command sudo ./install.sh into the directory and you’ll be ready to store some data.

Start the program by using the command “backer” in your terminal window. The menu will pop up and don’t worry, navigating is straightforward. Begin by creating a profile by choosing what directories you need backed up and where you would like to place the corresponding files. All of the data will be saved as a compressed file to where you directed it. You can also designate a back up time–when you want it to be backed up–as well as the number of copies you would like to have stored. Feel free to make multiple profiles for individual directories.

Another great asset is its easy retrieval system. By selecting a profile it will quickly locate the archive. You can then direct it to restore the files wherever you would like. It may not be the most advanced, but it’s certainly that easy.

Open source projects, which create and develop things like open source software, generally receive their submissions from their members in the form of a software patch. It can have different purposes such as repairing a bug, implementing a brand new feature or contributing to the project’s documentation. Most patches are made by employing the output of the ‘diff’ tool offered from popular systems like Linux and Unix. The patch is then submitted to a project by a contributor and reviewed by one of the project leaders. Software patches are useful to developing a project and the community following it.

By accessing files in the project’s version control system that documents the history of changes to the source code, a contributor can enact changes to the project’s output. It’s imperative that the patch to be thoroughly tested, in accordance with the project’s requirements and contain details on its use and purpose. There are many tools available for the creation of a software patch. With any program, the result is an archive of files, which essentially is the patch, that is to be provided to the project. If the leader finds the patch to be acceptable, it will be committed to the public version control system–available for the community to see and scrutinize.

It’s highly important for the contributor to create and introduce their software patch towards the most current version of the project. This eliminates the risk of duplicating previous changes, as well as the time needed for the project leader to review and insert it, plus, increases the chances of its acceptance. This makes it equally important for projects to put out their new material as soon as possible. And for the material to properly develop, it will need these software patches from contributors, which will ultimately dictate the viability of the community and the project.

As the use of Linux has diverged from generally the realm of computer enthusiasts to the desktops of general users, the advantages of open source software has become more apparent. For one, its free and eliminates the need for software licensing fees. It is also resistant to malware and can be used with a variety of file configurations and media. Lastly, it won’t eat up your hardware space and since a lot of users are actively invested in its use, there are numerous places to find support. But what isn’t apparent to a lot of users–since it is an evolving and growing entity–is all the varying Linux distributions out there that cater to styles, preferences and uses.

Here is a run down of some of the best Linux distributions available:

Ubuntu is considered the most popular option out there. It is easy to both obtain and use. Downloadable online or on CD from Canonical free in the mail, Ubuntu stresses usability and a user-friendly work space. It’s a great option for new users.

As mentioned, the choice of distribution will come down to preference, and some users prefer using KDE instead of Gnome, which Ubuntu is based. KDE’s greatest perk is its aptitude towards customization. However, there is now a fusion of the two in the form of the aptly named, Kubuntu. When in doubt try both styles.

Suse Linux, while not free, is a very advanced and enhanced commercial distribution. It is arguably the best option for those needing sound integration with a Windows environment. Another distribution that adequately meshes the systems of Windows and Linux worth looking into is Xandros. It comes in two versions: one for home and one for business users.

A blessing for Linux desktop users is Mandriva, Europe’s popular distribution. This option is easy to install and configure, plus maintains great hardware support. It also supports a dearth of commercial software. Yet, the chief operator of mainstream software is the Linspire distribution. With the replacement of Windows in mind, it supports major multimedia and applications for Windows with the Linux desktop. Windows fans could fall in love.