:Deucenet

Lately I’ve been becoming a big proponent of open-source software. From the Wikipedia, “Open source means when sources of information, code, pictures, maps, authors, and everything related are all publicly viewable and openly modifiable.”

A main advantage of having everything publicly viewable is that the software is free. Secondly, with everything openly modifiable, many improvements and extra functionality (commonly refered to as extensions) are easily added into the programs.

Don’t feel like paying 150 bucks for Microsoft Office? Download Open Office, a program that is very similar in both looks and functionality to the Microsoft version. Fed up with AIM getting more and more asthetically displeasing as new versions are released? Try out Gaim (which I myself prefer greatly over AIM). Don’t like the Microsoft programs for internet browsing or accessing your inbox? Head on over to the Mozilla website.

As you can see, I definitly like the open source idea. It opens many doors for new and inovative software designs. Take a look at SourceForge if you want to check out many different open source projects.