From OpenSourceSoftwarevsProprietarySoftware.htm and Wikipeadia

Since the dawn of the computing era, manufacturers and consumers of technology have strived to make things smaller. And though it may have seemed a pipe dream to the early pioneers, it's amazing to look back and see how far we've come.

From the immense complexity and size of Charles Babbage's Difference Engine in the 19th century and Alan Turing's Bombe code breaking machine in World War II, our computers have progressed beyond recognition. Cogs and gears gave way to vacuum tubes and then transistors took over. Finally, the silicon chip arrived and enabled computers to become more powerful and far smaller than anyone had ever imagined.

The fascinating world of mobile computing has only been around since the 1990s. Since then, devices that have been developed for mobile computing have taken over the wireless industry. This new type of communication is a very powerful tool for both businesses and personal use. Mobile computing is defined as the ability to use technology that is not physically connected to any static network. This actually used to mean radio transmitters that operated on a stable base, usually with the help of large antennas. 2 way radios used by police officers were also considered mobile technology but now, it means people can connect wirelessly to the internet or to a private network almost anywhere. As long as a person has one of the devices capable of wirelessly accessing the internet, they are participating in mobile computing. Chances are, you have done it with a laptop computer or a personal digital assistant or PDA.

These days, most laptops and personal digital assistants all have wireless cards or Bluetooth interfaces built into them for convenient mobile internet access. Mobile solutions are right under everyone's nose these days, and connectivity has never been easier. Other common tools for mobile computing include devices like global positioning systems and smart phones like the Cingular Blackberry. Tons of PDA software development has been going on in the past five years simply because companies have been trying hard to make PDA technology more available to the general public. These days, software companies almost make more software for PDAs and smart phones than for actual desktops.

Pocket PCs are another way to conveniently access the internet on the fly. Everyone has probably heard of the Palm Pilot. While they were the pioneers of the pocket pc, many other companies such as Dell, HP, and Toshiba have all delved into the market. Pocket PC software has also become much easier to use. Most Palms use the familiar Windows interface, allowing the general public to access the internet via the usual Internet Explorer or other ISPs. Also, people can easily download useful software, including games, Media editing tools, organization tools, and even electronic books.

Mobile computing has evolved from two-way radios that use large antennas to communicate simple messages to three inch personal computers that can do almost everything a regular computer does. People can't go to their local Starbucks and not see a laptop linked up to a hotspot these days, and mobile computing is still in its baby phase.

Compare and Contrast Proprietary and Open Source Software?

Open source software has become mainstream. Applications such as the Firefox Web browser and Linux operating system are available to aid in all areas of operation, including teaching and learning. Open source software has become a strong contender in online training and e-learning sectors. As technology continues to evolve, more open source offerings will continue to emerge in the area of e-learning, continuously changing the landscape of online teaching and learning both in academia and business fields. Open source software has grown to include: Learning management systems (LMS) Learning content management systems (LCMS) Course authoring tools Tools to create media elements such as animations, audio, and video Browsers and players to present content Courseware libraries

These resources have some important benefits: Open source software is free to download therefore lower in cost. Flexibility and customizability, Extensive active builder and user communities that forms a good technical support base. Many open source applications run on multiple platforms including Windows and Linux. Adherence to established standards, which is a high priority for open source software development. Ability to use and link to other open source software.Most proprietary software comes without the source code, which is the code originally written by the programmer. Without this code you do not have right to change the way the software is developed. When you buy proprietary software you are essentially buying the right to use the software in a specific way, and in many cases the company that developed it owns the software, and you just purchase rights to use it.

The main difference between commercial support for proprietary software and commercial support for open source software is that the proprietary software is obligatory and the open source software is optional. If you opt out of paying for support for proprietary software, you lose the right to use it in most cases. The costs incidentally tend to be quite high for proprietary software.

Perceived advantages of proprietary software include: 1) Reliable, professional support and training available;

2) Packaged, comprehensive, modular formats;

3) Regularly and easily updated.

The downside however is that it is: 1) Costly,

2) Has closed standards that hinder further development.

Open sources software has the advantage of: 1) Low cost and no license fees

2) Open standards that facilitate integration with other . Systems

3) It is easily customizable

The down side is: 1) Lack of professional support;

2) Evolving developer communities;

3) Lack of release co-ordination

4) Erratic updates

However, with such a large development and user-base, many discussion forums and help sites are available for users.

Generally, for smaller organizations and projects, Open source solutions seem to suffice. The difference in cost more than makes up for the perceived disadvantages mentioned above. Larger organizations seem to require more robust, high-quality product with high levels of service and support. They want responsibility, reliable assistance, and support from their suppliers. With rapid developments in technology, chances are you can find tools to meet your training needs in either the open source or commercial sector. But open source provides unique advantages which include filling the low-cost high-control niche that are difficult, if not impossible, to achieve through commercial, proprietary avenues.

Examples for Proprietary and Open Source Software.

Proprietary Software

Microsoft Windows, Adobe Flash Player, PS3 OS, iTunes, Adobe Photoshop, Google Earth, Mac OS X, Skype, WinZip and some versions of Unix.( such as BIND, Sendmail, X Window System, DHCP)

Open Source Software

Apache HTTPServer, the e-commerce platform osCommerce and the internet browser Mozilla Firefox. One of the most successful open source products is the GNU/Linux operating system, an open source Unix-like operating system

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