Linux info and comment

The open source model in internal software program

12/02/2006 by TJ Chang

When we think of the debate between open and close source software, we think about the likes of Microsoft or Oracle in one corner and LINUX and FSF in the other. However most of the mission critical or core function software currently running in many public and private organizations are not produced by the above-mentioned parties. This type of software is usually custom made and maintained internally. Increasingly, the debate between open and close source software is being raised within these organization. The reference to open or close source software in this context has no relation to the external entities like Microsoft or LINUX, instead it is related to how software programs are managed internally. In one multinational express service company, an open source approach was initially adopted. A base version of the software is produced by the IT section and distributed to all the internal users in various regions complete with the source code. The users can make changes to the software as dictated by the local requirement. In doing so, the users become the owner of the software and are responsible for its development in their respective region. This open source model works well on a few counts, the users are happy that they are able to change and develop the software to meet their need, the IT section is happy that need not to attend to the change request from the users. Then someone in the management decided that it is better to have centrally controlled software source to reduce “duplication of function” and “redundancies”. The regional users are ordered to surrender their ownership of the source code, all changes and development are to be done centrally instead. It does not take long before the forces of markets start to assert themselves and demanding for changes to meet local requirement and with shorter cycle. And the pendulum starts to swing the open source way. In the long run, this seems to be natural path the internal software programs in multinationals takes simply because it works. Curiously, management seems to have other ideas.

Can Google pickup from where Netscape left off?

04/02/2006 by TJ Chang 

The rumor mill on the Internet has been recently working overtime speculating Google's intention of launching their own version of desktop OS. From the recent announcement of "Google Pack" which includes Google Talk, Google Desktop, the Mozilla Firefox Web browser, the Trillian instant-messenger program, RealPlayer, and the Picasa photo-management tool, it seems logical that a Google OS would be the next step for the company. While there are much debate on whether Google OS can emerge as the credible replacement of Windows, Google itself may have set its sight beyond the Window's desktop computing model. Despite the Internet revolution, Windows is in essence a product of the personal computer revolution back in the 80's, where the emphasis is on putting as much computing power on the desktop as possible. Internet is just an afterthought. Google however is product of the World Wide Web, its power resides in the backend and the interconnection to other informations and services scattered over the net. To Google, the net is the computer, the OS is just a supporting infrastructure for the access point. Although it is widely expected that Google will use Ubuntu as the basis for its OS, I will stick out on a limb to predict that Google will build a new breed of OS to fully realize the vision of thin client, network centric computing model. The net is where Google's true strength lies and it is illogical for Google not to  build its OS around it. At the peak of its popularity, Netscape's Navigator once inspired the idea that web browsers would one day evolved into a mini OS for netcentric applications written in Java running over a wide variety of hardware platforms. Of course, at that juncture, Microsoft launched an all out war against Netscape, and the idea was killed along with Netscape itself. Now the question is, can Google realize this vision where Netscape has failed?

Red Hat planned to include Apple's Intel based Mac to its list of supported platforms

26/01/2006 by TJ Chang

According to Gillian Farquhar, Red Hat's representative, the company plans to include Apple's Intel based Macs to its list of supported platform for its distribution of LINUX. The immediate obstacle for this move is Intel's Extensible Firmware Interface, a relatively new BIOS that is not commonly used. Apparently, Red Hat has yet to acquire the relevant hardware for porting development, so it is unclear when the company can commit to a release date. The interesting fact is that MacOS X itself is based on BSD, so there may be little incentive for Mac owners to want to run another UNIX based OS on their brand new machines since such move is unlikely to offer any increase of performance. On the other hand, there are legions of Dell and HP users who would like to run MacOS on their machines, and Apple's alignment with Intel's platform may give rise to the interesting possibility of porting MacOS to future Dells and HPs. Now wouldn't that be big news ?