Week 11: Open Source Software

This week in class we talked about open source software and cloud computing. Open Source Software are  online tools, like Audacity or Gimp, that people can download and use for free. Programs like Google Docs are cloud computing programs. Although open source and cloud computing can be difficult to understand, looking at the tools they produce really clarifies things.

Open Source Software is wonderful because it's free and very useful.  For instance, open source software allow people to use programs like Gimp instead of Adobe Photoshop. Open Office is another good example of open source software--it's a down-loadable program  that's compatible with programs like Microsoft Word. As we talked about in class, open source software and cloud computing are another great example of how technology can provide a multitude of benefits for users.

To be honest, I like open source software because it's free. Why? Beacause I'm a journalist (which almost guarantee's a life of poverty) and a college student. As journalism takes on more and more--from designs to online media--a journalist must be able to use a multitude of things. Having open source software can help make working on assignments and projects easier. I can use Gimp to work on designs and photos instead of buying photoshop. If there's a compatibility problem with a word document, I can use Open Office. I can use Google Docs for ideas and brainstorming, or I can use Audacity to create sound clips. Open Source Software is useful for anyone, but because the field of journalism covers such a large area, cloud computing and open source software really help me out.

There are a TON of resources out their for people to take advantage of. The few programs listed above are not the only programs out there. For a more complete list of open source software programs, check out this list provided by Damicon. The list breaks open source software down by category and is an amazing resource for people to take advantage of.