Open Source Software and Software Freedom
Linux is open source software. This means that the community that uses the software also openly contributes to it, and opens the source code for all to see which has more benefits than I can list here. These pages below are my effort to give back to the Linux and open source community, and also to help those that wish to remove the restrictions and spying activities of closed source software.
Hopefully, they will provide a good reference tool for some, and at the same time demonstrate that Linux can do just about anything you can imagine, often times way more than closed source software alternatives. Whether you know it or not, Linux is all around you today, used in small devices to large servers, and offers much more freedom to its users. All information provided has been obtained personally from my years as a systems administrator in multiple environments.
Topics: | |
Open Source Operating Systems and Software | |
Desktop Platforms | |
Open
Source Software vs. Commercial Software: Migration from Windows to Linux An IT Professional's Testimonial I finally sat down one day after years of frustration with Microsoft products. After 12 years in the IT world running both open source and closed source software side by side, I have come to realize that open source wins, and has been in my opinion for a long time. Many businesses and individuals are blindfolded by Windows and do not realize that open source reaps many benefits. Not only from a cost standpoint, but from a bunch of political reasons as well. Many do not realize that Microsoft has been playing the game of vendor lock-in for many years with its customers, is strictly focused on making a profit instead of writing quality software, and in the end the customer loses. With open source, nobody is out to make a profit, and therefore you get quality software that costs nothing. This article goes into vast depth of these concepts and provides supporting reasons and evidence behind them. |
|
Migrating
from Windows to Fedora 10 Linux Common tasks to get a Linux system up and running for those just getting started, and a few tips to get around some common issues on a fresh Fedora installation. I have documented fixes that I needed to put in place, as well as provide some helpful suggestions on software installations and customizing Linux. |
|
Mobile Platforms | |
Using Open Source
Software on Google (Android) Mobile Devices Maintain Privacy and Freedom Apple and Google control most of today's mobile devices. Unfortunately, over the years as Apple and Google have grown and obtained most of the market share, they have started to enact restrictions and spying activity on devices that run their software. This has grown so much that they are now thought to be even more powerful than certain parts of our federal government. However, there is a solution to fight this behavior, and that is to use open source software that is not owned or controlled by any large tech company. Using a non-Apple or non-Google phone that does not run any proprietary software is difficult to obtain, set up, and may not be a viable option. This guide contains steps to obtain as much freedom as you can by using open source software on Apple (iPhone) and Google (Android) devices. |
|
Server Platforms | |
Linux
Router and Firewall Setup |
|
Linux Web Content
Filter (E2Guardian) Setup with Linksys WRT54GL router How to set up E2Guardian, one of the leading web content filtering solutions that runs on Linux, with a Linksys WRT54GL router running DD-WRT firmware. E2Guardian is a powerful filtering solution and completely customizable, for small home use to corporate use as well. The default Linksys firmware does not have enough capability to interface with an outside web content filter like E2Guardian. This tutorial shows how to set up E2Guardian on a Raspberry Pi, which is ideal due to its low power consumption and stability. |
|
Open
Source Cloud and Social Networking Platforms |
|
Miscellaneous | |
The
Linux Store Show your Linux pride! This CafePress store has everything from t-shirts, sweatshirts, clocks, mugs, you name it. Rare and hard-to-find items with great Linux (anti-Microsoft) gear. Designs in this store were created with Inkscape. |
Archived Blog Posts on ZDnet:
More content will be added as I come across and have a chance to publish it.