Open Source This, Bitch

Beginning from this point forward, any job that I do for ACC that involves PC OS installs (either fresh or for a fix), I will be pushing the option to have open source software installed where otherwise typically expensive, closed source software would be.

This is mainly because most of the folks that I work for don't understand the concept of software licensing. I get phone calls all the time for people asking if I have a Windows XP disc. Of course I have a Windows XP disc. I have six of them, and a seventh ISO of one on my computer. I will hand out Windows XP discs to anyone who asks, no arguments. I will not, however, share my license.

Recently I've taken a strong stance towards software licensing (for example, I've actually read the WinXP EULA). Because of this, I've taken a new look at the GPL (version 2, for those keeping score) that most open source applications use, and am further committed to encourage such applications.

Some common open source applications that I am officially supporting via ACC are:

• Ubuntu Linux (6.06, 6.10) - for a full Windows XP replacement (the transition to Vista will hopefully increase the number of people that I can convince to use Ubuntu)
• Firefox (any platform)
• Gaim
• OpenOffice.org

As you can see, these are all applications that generally replace other core desktop applications. Because operating system licensing is so expensive, Ubuntu is an easy-to-use alternative that will suffice the average user just fine. Firefox is a no-brainer, as it comes recommended over IE 6 and 7 any day. Gaim replaces most popular IM clients, which reduces multiple installations and most importantly, skips the crap ads that most IM clients throw at the user. Finally, OpenOffice.org is a fairly fine alternative to the Microsoft Office suite, although it's not 100% compatible and feature driven. With the upcoming switch to Office 2007, I will be pushing OpenOffice.org for the "classic" user experience.

Okay, enough of my techno-rambling. I'm out.