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Open-source is an alternative to commercial softwareBy Ken Doyle
The growing acceptance of OSS worldwide has Microsoft in a difficult position. On one hand, it could fight an increasingly difficult battle against a diverse array of competitors; on the other, it could embrace OSS but still find a way to reap substantial profits. It's clear that OSS, once the exclusive domain of hobbyists and server back rooms, is finally making its way into the mainstream. From Fortune 100 companies to entire governments, more users are looking for alternatives to commercial software on their desktops. If your business has considered migrating to OSS - for reasons of cost, security, or maintenance - the most popular alternative to Windows or Mac OS X these days is Linux. Linux comes in many different distributions or "distros" (several hundred to date), and the first step is deciding which one to choose. By far the most popular desktop Linux distro, according to distrowatch.com, is Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com), and it's easy to see why. This community-developed distro has managed to succeed where many others have failed - making Linux user-friendly enough for the average user. If your needs are more specialized, or if you're looking for enhanced server support, the old favorite Red Hat Enterprise Linux (www.redhat.com/rhel) is worth considering even though its popularity among the OSS community has declined lately. There are several options if you want to get your feet wet with Linux before beginning a full-scale deployment. Perhaps the easiest way is to use a virtualization product, such as VMWare's Player or Workstation (www.vmware.com/products/desktop_comp.html), Parallels Workstation (www.parallels.com/en/products/workstation) or Microsoft's Virtual PC (www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/virtualpc). Virtualization allows you to run Linux in a protected environment along with your primary OS, so you don't have to give up your PC. Another method for some distros is to use a "Live CD," which is a self-contained Linux package that can be downloaded and burned to a bootable disc. Finally, if you have an unused or noncritical PC, you can wipe the existing OS and install Linux in its place - this is the best method to evaluate all the hardware issues that you may encounter. Once you've installed Linux, the world of OSS begins to unfold. There are many alternatives to the commercial programs on the typical PC desktop, such as office suites, Web browsing, e-mail and graphic design. For example, OpenOffice.org replicates most of the functionality of Microsoft Office and provides Office-compatible file formats, while The Gimp (www.gimp.org) is a powerful package that can replace Adobe Photoshop for many image editing tasks. Most major Linux distros include the best of these programs, along with tools that will let you search for, download and install many other alternatives to commercial software. As with any substantial software change, expect some bumps along the road and a learning curve. However, in time you may find that OSS is a viable alternative to the commercial software giants, and your company's bottom line may even be a little healthier as a result. Ken Doyle is a principal consultant for Loquent LLC, a Madison-based company that offers technology training and consulting services. techtalk@loquent.net madison.com ©2009 Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved. |
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