Tired of the strangle-hold Microsoft has on the software world? There is a viable alternative that people are turning to: open source software. What do open source applications look like? Download this CD-ROM and install some of the applications on your Windows computer to see. The idea behind the CD-ROM is that all the applications are open source, and they also exist to run on Linux computers. Linux is a ubiquitous operating system that can be found in everything from home electronics to personal computers to some of the world's largest and most powerful computers. Much of the Internet runs on Linux servers. I believe that sooner or later, Linux and open source applications will gain a firmer foothold in North America, leading to a multi-billion dollar industry. All the major hardware players offer Linux and open source software, and we're talking about big, established companies like IBM, Novell, Sun, and HP.
Richard Houston has created a CD-ROM of open source software for Windows you can download for free. What's the purpose of offering up the CD? Ultimately, it's to educate people about the phenomenon of open source software as an alternative to "closed source" software. That is, software that you can't download to improve the code yourself. E-mail Rich with your feedback.
According to Wikipedia, "Open source software refers to computer software available with its source code and under an open source license to study, change, and improve its design." I personally love the concept of companies being able to improve upon the software if they want to, and then sharing their improvements for the rest of the community to benefit. Most open source applications are free but that isn't always the case with everything. Red Hat is possibly the best known Linux company around, and they offer up products that you must pay for with subscriptions for upgrades and support: Red Hat Enterprise Edition, versions AS, ES, WS, and Red Hat Desktop. In Red Hat's FAQ, they discuss the ability to download the source code for their Enterprise Editions, which are licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL).
In fact you can download the source code from our FTP servers at any time. However, Red Hat does not provide free access to the binaries of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and these, combined with an annual subscription to Red Hat Network, access to upgrades, and a selected support service, are the components that comprise an Enterprise Linux subscription.
Article comments
1 - Lindsey Rockwell
Excellent article!
There is no substitute for Linux, but if you are tied up with your arms and legs to MS-lock-in this is the second best choice!
Regards:
Lindsey
2 - Decibel
I'm glad you included PostgreSQL in this, but perhaps it would be best if you used the PostgreSQL logo instead of the MySQL one? :)
3 - Ecacofonix
Nice, useful article and introduction to open source software...I think it is a good idea to have this CD give all the details on Windows, since that will enable lots of folks enslaved by Microsoft to know linux and open source better
At eIT.in, we also have a page that provides lots of web resources for free & open source sofware . Hope this link is of help too
[Edited]
4 - Triniman
Two months since this article came out and it still shows up once in a while in the Most Popular article listing. Clearly, people are interested in alternatives to MS, especially when they are at no cost.
5 - PedroAlberto Sanchez
Eye-opener! Thanks for the update,must needed info to be had. Once again there is HOPE.