Computer club discussion

The market for open source and free software is surging high with its appreciation in mainstream segment also. The free software products like Linux or others are moving from the walled boundaries of servers to desktops and laptops. Recently, launched Ultra low cost laptops were supported on Linux and that came as a major breakthrough for it to garner some spotlight from tech analysts.

But still the concept of free software and open source software is not clear with many of us. We are confused at the basic level and interchanging the terms for each other. We use the terms Free Source and Open Source interchangeably and get them confused with the concept that they are available for free.

To some extent the concept gels with what we consider “available for free” but not in complete sense. The word “free” is basically the misnomer. We confuse it with “free burgers” but it should be considered for “free speech”. No doubt that some softwares from both the communities are available for free of cost and are offered as free downloads but not all utilities.

The two communities working with the aim of offering freedom to developers are working in the same direction but are literally and fundamentally different in their approaches. Till 1998, they were more or less same but after that the two movements separated with a different prospective, a different philosophy, and different motives.

The commonality in both the approaches is the open availability of source code to developers but the aim backing this approach is different with both the communities.

Where Free Software Community lays stress on providing source code to developers with the aim that user is free to do what he wish with the software’s source code. It is more philosophical in nature.

However, Open Source believes in offering source code to users with the aim that collaborative efforts can bring more subtle results. It has motivation that users can freely provide their suggestions for the source code and can append it to the existing one if results provided are efficient enough.

Both the communities lay stress on redistribution of code with no restrictions but the principles and motivations are different.

Where one seeks the liberty provided to users; the other targets the development of more efficient software programs with collaborative approach. Against the philosophical methodology of Free Software Community, the Open Source Community is driven by more practical reasons.

To some years the movements were working as a common alliance and Open Source was used as a marketing term for free software to reduce the ambiguity; but to worst it added more problems. So finally the two movements parted and started their own way.

Where the software developed by open source are more or less fits to zero-cost category, nothing like that can be defined for free software. To define it better, nothing which is free of cost can be a tailored fit for both the communities but cannot be turned off even.

Open Source is opposite to original context of Free Software. Free Software aims the freedom of users but Open Source aims the collaborative approach. The former stresses that users can freely see, modify and redistribute the code but latter has the approach that users can see the code but cannot modify it to suit its needs. In OSS, the liberty availed is in accordance of specific licensing agreements allowing one to fiddle with the code.

Free Software values freedom offered to users but Open Source believes in team development of software. Where one can be attached to social movement, the other is a development methodology. Both are against the patents and proprietary software, but cannot go hand in hand due to disagreement on certain principles.

To ask you, is GNU/ Linux is a free software or open source software? Cannot answer surely; Linux is not an open source software but a product of free software community (as you are free to make modifications).

At crux, it can be said that both are different movements with differing principles but are fighting against the common objective “Proprietary Software”.

Black Friday 2009 Shopping Tips and Deals

Black Friday is the time when people are already starting their Christmas shopping problem.  However, they find this day very stressful and rather frustrating even if their purpose is to share happiness with gifts.  This is because there are a number of people going to malls and gift shops and also getting things at a much expensive price regardless of the bargain sale.

Because of this, here are some Black Friday 2009 shopping tips that every consumer can use whether they will buy digital cameras, laptops and other gifts and find the best deals that will keep them from any shopping problems.

1. There may be a lot of on sale digital cameras and even Black Berry phones on this shopping day but they will also run out of supply once many people discovers them.
2. If you are looking for gadgets like laptops and digital cameras, it is better if you will compare their prices in order to stumble on the most affordable one for your budget.
3. This tip is not only a good financial saver but also a time saver because you know what to buy next.

4.Bring the ads you found.  These ads are very important as they will give you the chance to have a Black Friday coupon that you can use for getting discounts.  This will give you the best deals that you can find for any gadgets that you want.

1. This will keep you from spending on things that you do not need or those that are not included in your shopping list.
2. Knowing these will prevent you from any frustrations caused by shopping.
3. Searching online is the best way for you to check and know the gift trend this year.
4. You will just end up frustrated once you learned that your gift to a person got broken immediately.
5. And by searching multiple stores online, you will find out at least one of them giving out rebates on items that you need to buy.

By doing these tips, you will save yourself from a very stressful shopping experience and simultaneously save you money.  This will certainly give you an enjoyable gift buying experience while making your loved ones happy on the holidays.

About Author: Merry is an expert that contributes to http://www.onewayshopping.com/blog, a fashion and beauty blog. The shopping blog provides buying tips and top lists.

A dedicated server is something you need if you are to earn a substantial amount of money through the internet via internet traffic. When you choose a dedicated server, like any other business choice you need to know the specifics of what you are choosing and why you need to choose that.

Dedicated servers have a number of different hardware components. The CPU may differ and so may the available memory, the hard disk capacity and the bandwidth the server can handle. Much like your computers CPU, the CPU on your server decides the computing power of the server. A powerful CPU can execute commands faster as well as execute multiple commands.

The processor could be a Dual Core Intel Pentium or a Xeon Quad Core, for instance. The more powerful Xeon processor is more expensive. Determine the needs of your website and decide which processor is best for you. Memory is another crucial part of the hardware mix. A server with larger memory can store more database and web queries and is quicker. At least 1 GB of memory is advised. Some advanced users go for 4 GB of memory or more.

The size of the Hard Disk decides how much data you can store and depends on the kind of website you own. If you are offering software downloads for a number of different software, then you need a lot of space. Typically storage sizes range from 80 GB to 500 GB. Some servers run RAID 1 for additional protection.

The Bandwidth you need depends on the number of visitors to your site and the amount of data they download. Dedicated Servers come with thousands of GB in bandwidth to unmetered bandwidth.

Understanding the hardware requirements of your website enable you to get the backend infrastructure right which in turn enhances the use experience of the visitors.

Laptop computers are small personal computers designed for using on the move. They usually have all the functions of a desktop computer but are portable space-savers. Today there are more laptops sold in the general PC market than desktop computers so they must have their advantages over traditional PCs. There are many benefits to using a lap top computer – check out just a few of them below.

A laptop computer is completely portable

Portability is often the main advantage of choosing a laptop over a desktop computer. Portability means that a laptop can be used virtually anywhere, not only at home and the office, but also during commuting, in lecture halls, coffee shops, libraries or in meeting rooms to assist with presentations.

You can use your time more efficiently with a laptop

A laptop can be used in places where a desktop PC can’t which means you can use your time more productively. For example, office workers can tackle emails during the commute to the office with a laptop at hand and students can work on coursework at the university coffee shop during a break between lectures. If you work from home then a laptop computer allows you to move your office outside on sunny days.

You can gain immediate access to information

Carrying a laptop means having instant access to information, whether it’s from saved files or from the Internet. Immediacy allows better collaboration between co-workers or students, as a laptop computer can be flipped open to find a solution anytime, anywhere. If you are in a meeting and have forgotten an important document you can simply access it from your laptop computer.

Laptops are a manageable size

Laptop computers are smaller than standard PCs which is great when space is at a minimum. When not in use, a laptop can be closed and put away in a small space unlike standard PCs that tend to dominate a large proportion of a room.

Low power consumption

A laptop computer is more power-efficient than a desktop. This is beneficial for businesses (which run hundreds of personal computers, multiplying the potential savings) and homes where there is a computer running constantly. You could even save money on your electricity bill if you choose a laptop computer over a desktop PC.

Peace and quiet

It can be distracting to work at a computer with a droning fan or one that sounds like it’s taking off every time you open a file. A laptop computer is often quieter than a desktop PC, due to better components and less heat production. This means cooling fans can be run at a slower speed and less often, giving you a quieter working environment.

Battery power

A fully charged laptop computer can run for several hours off its internal battery. This is useful for journeys but is also handy if there’s a power cut and you still need to get work done.

A laptop computer is a great investment whether you require a computer for work or for pleasure.