| |
| |
|
Personal Technology Information |
|
|
|
The Benefits of Open Source
If you are a building a website or a forum, chances are you are using a web editor or paying for message board services. The costs of using these "out of the box" products can add up, especially if you are trying to grow your business. Let's look at some good "open source" options for you to consider. You may be surprised at how much money open source can save you. What is open source? The webopedia describes it as follows:Generically, open source refers to a program in which the source code is available to the general public for use and/or modification from its original design free of charge, i.e., open. Open source code is typically created as a collaborative effort in which programmers improve upon the code and share the changes within the community. Open source sprouted in the technological community as a response to proprietary software owned by corporations. Not all open source programs are worth downloading, but there are a few that merit further attention, including: 1. PHP Originally called Personal Home Page, PHP is the backbone of many message boards. Yes, you can use proprietary software such as vBulletin, but you will pay a licensing fee and fees for updates. For one site, the cost may not be prohibitive, but if you run several sites your costs can easily become a significant part of your budget. Search the internet for a free PHP provider such as PHPBB2. 2. Web Templates Finding decent templates does not have to cost you dearly. There are sites offering some very well made templates that would cost you as much as $100 if purchased separately. Naturally, "everyone" downloads the copies, but you can modify it accordingly to give it your own look. The best ones are CSS derived and web standard compliant. 3. Web Browsers Internet Explorer isn't the only name in town when talking about web browsers. Yes, they are dominant, but so many web savvy folks have tired of Microsoft's dominance and are switching to Netscape, Firefox, Opera, and Safari to name a few. 4. Email Client Thunderbird is the name of another project developed by the people who brought to you Firefox. With Thunderbird you can send and receive email, stop SPAM, and add plugins to design the program the way you want it to look. 5. Office Software MS Office rules as WordPerfect barely hangs on. Still, there are options to these two productivity suites in the form of OpenOffice.org. A big freebie associated with this site is the *pdf maker, saving you lots of money over purchasing Adobe Acrobat. Certainly OpenOffice isn't as snazzy as MS Office, but for the price -- F-R-E-E -- it is worth a look. Are all open source products great? No, absolutely not. Some proprietary software developed by corporations are far superior and worth it to you if you do not have the time or inclination to make a move to open source. Still, open source provides a wonderful alternative to cash strapped and Microsoft weary web developers. In a day when corporations throw their considerable influence around, it is nice to see developers donating their talents to the worldwide web. Become a part of the growing open source movement today! Matt Keegan is an article writer and web designer who enjoys using various open source programs. Please visit The Article Writer at http://www.thearticlewriter.com for samples of some of his work.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Selecting a Personal Digital Assistant A Computer in Your HandCarrying around an address book and planner is becoming a thing of the past. With new PDA developments, you can manage your contacts and schedule, use e-mail, and even listen to music. Is Online DVD Rental or Pay-Per-View the Best Way to Get Your Movies? With renting methods such as online DVD rental and pay-per-view, it seems almost old-fashioned to go to the rental store. But with all the different ways to get the latest movies, which way is the best? Well, that depends on what is important to you. The Newbies Guide to Personal Computer Maintenance When you turn on your computer, does it act like it needs a coffee to wake up? When you surf around the Internet, are you bombarded with pop-up windows? Does your computer freeze up or turn off for no apparent reason?Before you decide to throw your monitor out of the nearest window, there may be a number of solutions to fix these problems that won't require you having a degree in computer technology.There are two primary ways to maintain your computer's performance, and the maintenance should be done once a week or more. SOBIG.F Virus Promises Ill Be Back On 21 August 2003 Symantec Security Response upgraded the W32.SOBIG. 5 Ways to Speed Up Your PC No matter how fast your processor and regardless of howmuch ram you carry, there comes a time when you realizeyour computer just doesn't run as fast as it did when youbought it.Windows loads slower, programs take longer to launch,and, in general, your computer drags like it just cameoff a 2-night drinking binge. Wordpress Plugins Maybe you always wanted a feature that hasn't been available in the latest release of Wordpress. What you can do is either install a 3rd party plugin or write your own custom code to extend the features of Wordpress. Freezing - Time To Warm Up Your PC Freezing is also known as crashing or hanging. It's frustrating. Troubleshooting Computer Freeze (Lockup) Problems How familiar does the following sound? Your computer was working fine, but then suddenly started locking up (aka hanging or freezing), rebooting itself (crashing) or shutting down spontaneously? If you know only too well what I am talking about, then read on! Performing the simple steps below can fix the majority of lockup cases.1. PDA Bible Free Download Your Bible At Your FingertipsIt is fairly easy to find a pda Bible free download online. Your pocket pc can become your own private spriritual asset for daily scripture readings and further Bible study. Can Movie Theatres Compete with Home HD TV in the Future? The battle is heating up for market share, home movie theatre, X-Box, Playstations and virtual reality take on the big screen and theme parks. You might be surprised to learn that the war is just beginning. Help, I Need a New HDTV! (Part 5 of 5) Feeling overwhelmed in selecting a new TV? With all the choices these days, you may feel like, "Where do I start?!"In the final part of our 5 part article, we the discuss tv recommendations by room.--Bedrooms and kids rooms. Mail-merging: The Principles About mail-mergingMail-merging is the process of merging variable data and fixedtext.Using mail-merging, you can create individualised letters,envelopes, labels and other documents without having tolaboriously create each individual one. Lives With Games Tradition and Industry The United States Of America citizen feels that games is a part of their life while developed countries such as the United Kingdom and Japan would feels that Games is high prospects to gain profit either in domestic level or internationally. Games is very influence in human life at this time. PC Owners - The Largest Criminal Gang Ever? The year is 1981. IBM has just released the Personal Computer; a low cost machine it hopes will create a winning brand. Connect Your IPAQ to Linux Choose Not To ConformPalm pilots and pdas are constantly growing in the ways that people use them in their everyday lives. Having a pocket pc is becoming the standard rather than the exception. Enhanced Web Browsing With Toolbars As the Web grows more crowded and just plain "noisy" withinformation bombarding us from every angle, most peoplewelcome any tool, trick or shortcut to help them wadethrough the mountains of data to find what they want.Since your web browser represents your main window to theInternet, it makes sense for any tool which enables you tofind what you need and get around faster online should sitright where you need it most. Cisco CCNA Certification: Five Things To Do DURING The Exam There are plenty of articles out there about how to prepare for the CCNA exam. However, there are also things you can do to increase your chances of success on exam day during the most important part of the entire process -- the time that you're actually taking the test. Cisco Certification: What To Expect On Exam Day Cisco Certification: Taking Your First Certification ExamYou've studied hard; you've practiced your configurations; you've used your flash cards over and over again; and finally, the big day is here. Your first certification exam!For many Cisco certification candidates, their first exam is the CCNA Composite exam or one of the two exams that make up the CCNA, the Introduction To Networking exam or the ICND (Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices) exam. Is Your Web Browser Putting You At Risk? It's free, it comes with Windows and it's used by approximately 94% of the Internet population. It also poses an unacceptable security risk. What's the Difference Between Plasma TVs and LCD TVs? Plasma and LCD TVs are the latest trend in home entertainment. Both offer unrivalled picture quality and resolution, while doing away with the bulkiness of the older rear-projection technologies.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
