OST [Open Source Technology]

Open Source advantages
What does Open Source mean and why is it so important to so many others ? We discuss this matter here, especially the advantages for businesses as yours.

``Open Source promotes software reliability and quality by supporting independent peer review and rapid evolution of source code. '' - opensource.org

Openness
All advantages of Open Source are a result of (ta-ta) its openness. Having the code makes it easy to resolve problems (by yourself or the next guy) which means that you don't have to rely on only one vendor for fixing potential problems. This is very important to understand everything that follows.

Stability
Since you can rely on anyone and since the license states that any modification shipped elsewhere should be equally open, this means that after a period of time Open Source software is more stable then most commercially distributed software. (beware: Open Source doesn't necessarily mean you don't have to pay for it, though it usually is a result of its freedom.)

Adaptability
Open Source software means Open Standards, thus it is easy to adapt software to work closely with other Open Source software and even closed protocols and proprietary applications. This solves vendor lock-in situations which ties your hands and knees to one and only one vendor if you choose one's products.

Quality
Not only does software evolve onto a stable product, a large userbase also supplies new possibilities, making it a feature-rich solution. More new features, less bugs and a broader (testing) audience (peer-review) are significant to the quality of a product.

Innovation
Competition is what drives innovation and Open Source keeps competition alive. As noone has any unfair advantages, everybody has the possibility to add value and provide services. Information wants to be free.

Security:
It is widely known that security by obscurity is not a secure practice in the long run. By opening the code and by wide adoption of Open Source software, it grows more secure. Generally, new Open Source projects tend to be insecure, but once a project matures and becomes production-ready, it is more reliable and more secure than most available commercial software.

Zero-price tag ?
Although Open Source doesn't necessarily mean that it doesn't cost a dime. Most Open Source software is freely available and doesn't cost any additional licenses per user/year. This allows us to cut down in price and spend more time to create more secure and adapted solutions than commercial consultancy firms.

Linux

What is Linux ?
Linux is an open operating system available under the GPL. This means the source code is freely available.

Anyone distributing machine executable versions of this code, should also be able to provide the source code. Also any changes to the source code should be available under the same licensing conditions.

Linux is mainly developed by volunteers all over the world, although the IT industry starts contributing as well.

Linux runs on widely differing hardware platforms ranging from small embedded systems over commodity personal computers to huge clusters for processor intensive jobs like scientific calculations or 3D rendering.

CPU architectures supported include IA32 (Intel, AMD, Cyrix,...), IA64 (Intel), m68k (Motorola), PowerPC(IBM/Motorola), Sparc (Sun), Sparc64 (Sun), MIPS, ARM, Alpha (Compaq/Digital).

Technically the term 'Linux' denotes only the kernel of the operating system. Various companies and groups of volunteers have build Linux distributions around this kernel.

A Linux distribution contains all necessary tools and programs to install and maintain the system, perform basic operations and develop software. In addition to this a number of applications are also included such as a web browser, MUA, news reader, bitmap editor, audio manipulation tools,... Almost all of these application programs carry a similar open license as the Linux kernel.

Key advantages of Linux
Linux source code is freely distributed- Tens of thousands of programmers have reviewed the source code to improve performance, eliminate bugs, and strengthen security. No other operating system has ever undergone this level of review. This Open Source design has created most of the advantages listed below.

Linux has the best technical support available- Linux is supported by commercial distributors, consultants, and by a very active community of users and developers. In 1997, the Linux community was awarded InfoWorld's Product of the Year Award for Best Technical Support over all commercial software vendors.

Linux has no vendor lock-in.- The availability of source code means that every user and support provider is empowered to get to the root of technical problems quickly and effectively. This contrasts sharply with proprietary operating systems, where even top-tier support providers must rely on the OS vendor for technical information and bug fixes.

Linux runs on a wide range of hardware-Most Linux systems are based on standard PC hardware, and Linux supports a very wide range of PC devices. However, it also supports a wide range of other computer types, including Alpha, Power PC, 680x0, SPARC, and Strong Arm processors, and system sizes ranging from PDAs (such as the PalmPilot) to supercomputers constructed from clusters of systems (Beowulf clusters).

Linux is exceptionally stable- Properly configured, Linux systems will generally run until the hardware fails or the system is shut down. Continuous up-times of hundreds of days (up to a year or more) are not uncommon.

Linux has the tools and applications you need- Programs ranging from the market-dominating Apache web server to the powerful GIMP graphics editor are included in most Linux distributions. Free and commercial applications meet are available to meet most application needs.

Linux interoperates with many other types of computer systems- Linux communicates using the native networking protocols of Unix, Microsoft Windows 95/NT, IBM OS/2, Netware, and Macintosh systems and can also read and write disks and partitions from these and other operating systems.

Linux has a low total cost of ownership-Although the Linux learning curve is significant, the stability, design, and breadth of tools available for Linux result in very low ongoing operating costs.

Linux: ``all for one and one for all?? All changes one makes in Open Source software will benefit each and everyone, all over the world. Without exceptions or constraints.

Linux is fun!