Microsoft

Apple Wants to Trademark the Term “App Store”

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Apple recently opened a Mac App Store for the new desktop operating system X Lion, and there seems to be a bit of trouble about it. Apple likes to make things they can take a cut of, for every single thing they produce that can run on its operating system. Back in 2008 Apple applied for a trademark on the name “App Store.”

Microsoft isn’t too happy about it. Everyone who has apps for purchase (or for free), including Research in Motion, Google, among others, has created their own version of an app store. It’s not a term only applicable to Apple’s app stores, but to every download emporium there is. Nobody wants Apple to have this trademark.

So Microsoft asked for a summary judgment in a motion filed recently to refuse the trademarking registration on the grounds that the term is used universally by the general public, press, Apple’s competitors and even Steve Jobs. It’s become a generic term that Apple shouldn’t corral for it’s own, exclusive use.

Repositories, App Stores and Software Centers – Are They the Same?

Prior to this, software ‘warehouses’ or emporiums were usually only found in the Linux arena where these emporiums are called ‘repositories’ or ‘repos.’ However, some Linux users will beg to differ. They say repositories are much different from app stores because repositories contain end user products such as Packages, which are much more than apps.

One difference is that Packages are used by people who know what they’re doing with codes, and app stores sell end-user products that are easy to use and go along with the OS already there, without any knowledge of writing code.

So Linux users don’t really care. Ubuntu, which is one of many Linux OSes, call their repositories “software centers,” which is a more appropriate name for all of them. However, if Apple has it’s way, Apple and only Apple can use the term ‘app store.’

Filed Under: Software Development Tagged With: Apple, Microsoft

Linux: It’s Free!

When deciding on an operating system for your computer many people go with Windows or another popular one everyone has heard of. Windows is obviously one of the most common operating systems. People usually pick Windows or other popular operating systems because they have heard of them and everyone uses them. Just because these operating systems are popular, it does not necessarily make them the best.

These popular operating systems can be expensive. If you have several computers you may be required to buy a license for each separate computer.

Believe it or not there are operating systems out there completely free and Linux is one of them. Linux systems can be installed on any computer without it costing anything. Whereas, Microsoft licenses are expensive and you often have to renew your license.

Don’t let the price fool you though. Linux comes with great features aside from the cost. There is great security that comes with Linux, which is said to be stronger than Windows. This could be because Linux isn’t as popular, so it is not targeted as much.

Linux gives you freedom to choose things such as many varieties of desktop look and feel. You also get freedom of software choices when doing certain things. The software on Linux is full of features not found on Windows.

Linux is also great for old computers you hardly use. You can install Linux and use it as a backup. Plus the old computers have no problem installing Linux, where you might find it difficult to install Windows into these old computers.

Linux is great if you’re limited on money, which the majority of us are. You don’t have to hassle with keeping up licenses and paying for them. Don’t think that because it’s free it isn’t good. The price isn’t the only good thing about Linux.

Filed Under: Linux Community Tagged With: Linux, Microsoft, Operating system

Linux’s Open Source Software

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Linux operating systems can give you significantly more control over your computer than any operating system made by Apple or Windows. That’s largely because Linux software is open source, which means you can see the coding and even revise it to suit your own needs. Every piece of free software is seen as a collective work in progress.

It is important to consider how different that perspective is from those used by big software companies. Even the most common Linux operating system, Ubuntu, is free and customizable. Windows, on the other hand, costs hundreds of dollars. What do you pay for when you buy Windows? Well, it is suited for people that don’t know much about computers. Anyone with much familiarity, though, will find that Linux freeware fits their needs much better.

Linux also gives users the opportunity to participate in a community of people that believe in open source coding. Computer programming has become a collective endeavor. Anyone trying to write a large program on his or her own would face a herculean task. That person would quite possibly go insane before reaching the end of the project. That’s why Windows hires so many people to write code for them.

When you use open source coding with free Linux software, though, you are strapped to a desk eight to ten hours a day. Nor, however, are you getting paid. Instead, you are collaborating others in an intellectual community that wants to improve technology for personal use.

It is almost like volunteering.

Of course, you don’t have to write code to enjoy Linux software. Programmers, however, tend to be the people spotting problems with most popular software, so they naturally want to fix the bad code that they find or customize the code to suit their specific needs.

Filed Under: Linux Community Tagged With: Apple, Linux, Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, Open source, Operating system, Ubuntu, Windows

New Beginnings: The Linux Foundation

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It takes more in this world to succeed than a good product and a good reputation. Too often do lesser forces triumph over those who have proven themselves to be the better efficiencies, the easier rewards. Fairness is rarely common. It is instead forgotten in the wake of clever marketing and familiar brands. And the Linux company has suffered from that – while it is known to be a user-friendly option (with its open source philosophies and free components), it too often overlooked in the wake of Microsoft and Macintosh. It is the ignored sibling, trying to scramble after those who have taken all of the glory.

This is not to be tolerated.

And so the Linux Foundation was formed, with a purpose of redefining public perception and helping to generate awareness; as well as to ensure the foundations of the program are maintained and kept available for all individuals.

The Linux Foundation was began in 2007 when two vocal (but unknown to the casual user) supporters merged: the Open Source Development Labs and the Free Standards Group. These organizations joined to make sure that the ideologies of Linux – such as open sources and mass distribution – would be upheld. They each sought to promote and protect the program, addressing such issues as: trademarks, legalities and providing forums for users to offer advice and concerns.

And those concerns have been answered with the Linux Foundation developing new projects and components. Through it the software has become better defined within the public and has grown in recognition to almost five percent of the desktop accumulation (an impressive number when compared to the household awareness of its competition). The Foundation has helped to foster new interest and intends to continue doing so.

Linux is not the most popular of brands. It is, however, one of the most eagerly supported. And the Foundation will prove this again and again.

Filed Under: Linux Community Tagged With: Free Standards Group, Linux, Linux Foundation, Macintosh, Microsoft, Open source, Open Source Development Labs, Operating system

The Uses of Linux

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No software – however worthy, however innovative – can survive in a singular form. There must be more to it than clever codes; there must instead be the application of those codes to all parts of the world. Technology must be offered in every possible way, with the modern user demanding to find it in more than his home. It must go where he goes and it must provide everything he needs. There are, after all, questions to be answered and riddles to be solved. And this would be impossible if software couldn’t be used in more than one realm.

Linux was once thought to be such a realm: singular, incompatible, without value. There seemed to be no way to let the open source program filter into more than its established setting. There seemed instead to be just an imminent failure.

That failure didn’t occur.

Because Linux is now a multi-functional tool, able to be used in all the necessary ways:

1. Desktop. The most prominent (and popular) user form of the Linux kernel is found in its desktop form. The free software has proven effective, allowing individuals to create a home experience that they truly want. Applications from other companies – such as Microsoft and Macintosh – can be used as well, ensuring that no advantage is lost.

2. Embedded Linux. Entering the world of the smart-phone is never easy; but Linux has managed to claim almost 17 percent of the market with its programming. Users can tailor their devices to what they need, allowing all tasks to be completed.

3. Servers. Mainframes require immense power and immense potential. Linux provides that. Over 90 percent of the world’s largest (and most impressive) supercomputers are operated on this software.

It was once believed to be incompetent. Now, however, Linux has become a strong presence without the virtual world – with its popularity growing each year.

Filed Under: Linux Community Tagged With: Articles, Linux, Macintosh, Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, Open source, Operating system, Unix

The Advantages of Open Source Software

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Controversy is a certainty – no continental corner is without it; no city street can hide. It is as sure as the exchange of breaths: there will always be questions and there will always be answers that never satisfy. And the Internet is not immune to such concerns. It’s filled to the doubts and hesitation, the battle for permission. And few notions have sparked more indecision than the open source.

Simply defined, this software allows individuals to constantly recreate it. Purposes can be manipulated and given new definitions. They can also then be offered to others, trading codes across the world.

But such distribution has led many to chide the open source. It is considered to be without merit, defying copyrights and refusing the appropriate credit. Many assume it can offer no value and should instead be refused.

The open source provides many distinct advantages, however, and should be praised for its abilities. It is more than free software. It is instead the assurance of ideas.

1. Convenience. No program is without faults nor is any able to appease everyone. Individuals require different specificities to run their careers, their hobbies and their lives. And open source software ensures that those needs can be met. Every code can be altered, allowing for unexpected gains. The intention becomes instead tailored for the user.

2. Progress. The Internet was born to change. It cannot sustain itself with dull software and waning interests. It instead must be infused with constant progress and new ideas. The open source option ensures that this continues. Individuals will find themselves greeted with concepts never before considered. This allows for invention to remain possible.

3. Cost. The purchase of new software is not always possible with budgets. Those without the spare dollars will be unable to buy what they need when they need it. An open source offering is free, however, and requires nothing more than the patience of a download.

While critics may wail against the philosophy of change, those seeking to reinvigorate their computers (and their days) will recognize the open source as a constant advantage.

Filed Under: Software Systems Tagged With: Advocacy, Articles, Copyright, Directories, Languages, Microsoft, opensource, Programming

Finding Support: Open Source Software

It is a question without answer, a paradox without end: you stare at the lines of code, watching them blur without reason. They are impossibilities – unable to be changed or even understood. An application has been shifted from its original intent and, while you once thought it to be a brilliant idea, you now begin to think it was never meant for the likes of you (those without year after year of experience, the casual inventor). You are confused; you are overwhelmed; you are seeking support.

But there is no company to call. There is no factory to contact. The manufacturer has no knowledge of this open source software. It has been passed through too many eager hands, shifted again and again. And you are left believing there is nothing for you to do.

You are wrong.

Finding the proper support with open source applications is possible. It merely requires more than the typical avenues. You must ignore the long pauses of customer service and the automated responses. They will offer no relief. Their words will explain only the program’s first purpose. They won’t understand what has been done to it and they will not pretend to. Their responsibility is only to their software, not to what it has become.

And so you must instead seek out forums dedicated to open sources. Look to others with more knowledge (specifically of the program you have downloaded) to offer the needed answers. The result may not be instantaneous but it will still be given in terms you can comprehend.

Should those terms take too long to be provided, though, you may instead seek out a freelance designer; who can then offer quick service and certainty. These individuals do require payment, however, and may cost more than your budget can allow. Choose wisely.

Open source software is an undeniable reward. It can also, however, be an undeniable frustration. Ignore the company responses and search for those like yourself – individuals who wish to create better applications and better online experiences.

Filed Under: Operating Systems Tagged With: Advocacy, Articles, Company, Directories, Google, Microsoft, Open source, Programming

Software, Explained

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There is a misconception among the masses – those individuals unaware of the intricacies that dominate their computers, the essential (but too often overlooked) components that define software and its abilities. Programs, despite the assumptions, are not universal, extensions of the same needs, the same standards. Data is instead filtered through a variety of methods; each meant to ensure that a hard-drive does not collapse beneath the weight of its user’s demands. Software is not simply a name for every application. It is instead a diverse collection of intents. And understanding the difference between those intents is necessary. They must be learned before they can be used… or fixed.

It is a common error to attempt the same solutions on every piece of software. This only leads to complications, though. There are three distinct categories to be considered and each should be recognized for its particular duties. This is the only way to guarantee issues being solved. Should any appear, remember:

1. System software. Offering a foundation of support, system software provides aid throughout the entire computer. It controls the hardware, maintaining all functions and security procedures. It also determines where resources should be sent, should any problems occur, and controls memory. It is the most valuable of all elements.

2. Programming software. Ensuring that applications succeed, programming software offers assistance to all developmental components; such as linkers and compilers. It keeps all internal programs functioning. It is not to be confused with system software, which deals specifically with hardware. They are separate entities, despite their similar functions.

3. Application software. Unlike its counterparts, application software does not entail security issues or computer concerns. It instead deals only with the task-based functions; such as streaming videos, uploading images or creating spreadsheets. It is the most common of the three and the one most recognized by users.

Understanding the (sometimes subtle) difference between these programs is essential for any individual–however infrequent their time may be on the computer. Learn what these softwares represent and how they ultimately relate to you.

Filed Under: Software Systems Tagged With: Business, Companies, Data, Freeware, Industry-Specific, Microsoft, Open source, Security

Free Software: Security

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It’s the dreaded flicker of a screen, the sudden fade to black – your computer is stalled, its applications useless, its programs gone. You try the typical solutions; you punch all the necessary commands; but those do not work and you feel yourself begin to panic. That panic grows when you finally turn the system off completely, only to be horrified when it won’t flash back on. Your machine – the most precious of your possessions, the great connector between your home and the online world – is dead. You can’t revive it. You can’t even force a glimmer. There is nothing left but a blank monitor and the realization that you are without hope.

This is an all too tragic (but also all too common) scenario, forced by an equally tragic (and equally common) mistake: free software.

While none can deny the appeal of programs that require no payment or purchase, none can also deny the necessity of trust that must be placed within them. These are not company products, manufactured to appeal to the masses; meant to be secure and without complication. These are instead applications that have been changed again and again, sent out onto the virtual playground for any to select. And this can be dangerous.
Source codes can be easy to manipulate – and easier to still to infect with viruses. Malware, spy-ware and more can be placed within any free program; and you would not know this until it was far too late.

This is why precautions must therefore be taken. Before choosing any free software, be certain of its reputation. Read reviews and forum posts to determine if it is credible. You must also look for information on its creator, making sure that the identity has not been marked as dangerous. And, even if your search reveals nothing, be sure still that all important information is placed on back-up files. This will lessen the burden later.

Free software is important. It must simply be approached with care.

Filed Under: Software Development Tagged With: Advocacy, Articles, Directories, Freeware, Malware, Microsoft, Open source, Source code

How Open Source Impacts Current Computing

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While open source operating systems and software hasn’t revolutionized computing as much as some users had believed, such as unseating Mac and Windows, it significantly has and will continue to leave an impact. Its combination with various other technologies has allowed users to do things never thought of before like making these technologies work for them how they see fit. And while it may be easy to overlook its advances, it is becoming harder and harder not to use them.

A digital world where users have begun to expect free access to their desired applications is assuredly making obsolete the idea of paying for an operating system, plus the burden of licensing fees. This idea is epitomized by the business model of Microsoft. In retrospect, does it make much sense to pay for an operating system just to be able to get online and use certain software? Open source software on the other hand is free and very elastic. It can generally be used on any platform emphasizing the freedom of online applications changing users expectations.

The advantage of open source software’s flexibility is also reaching into the hardware of computing. As the demand for smart phones and tablets continue to skyrocket, the design of smaller, faster chips that use dramatically less power has flourished. These same chips are increasingly making their way inside of laptops and desktops because of their burgeoning efficiency. Some software, however, won’t run on high-performance chips like ARM. It then becomes necessary for manufacturers of these smaller computing devices to have an operating system that can operate with their components. This is what open source can do.

But to find the greatest example of open source’s impact on computing one not need go far. In fact, people researching open source software are most likely using it right now: Google. With its search engine running on Linux, as well as its Android operating system, Google has been an open source company from the very beginning. Not only does it fit its image of freedom, it accommodates their drive of opening up new frontiers. People can definitely say they use open source everyday.

Filed Under: Tips & Tricks Tagged With: Microsoft, Open source, Operating system