The official definition of open source is: “an approach to the design, development, and distribution of software, offering practical accessibility to a software’s source code”. Got that? Okay, now let me translate. It means that a programmer or a team of programmers create a program and then make the source code for it available on the web at sites like http://sourceforge.net/. Then, other programmers around the world areable to download the code and make improvements or further the development of the program in some way. When they finish, the code is  put back onto the Internet in its improved version and this process happens again and again throughout the life of the program. The benefit to the end user is that you are able to download programs that do the same thing as the expensive retail packages for free or in some cases small contributions.

Lets take Microsoft Office 2007 Small Business for example. It usually sells for around $300 and includes the following programs:

• Word
• Excel
• Outlook with Business Contact Manager
• Powerpoint
• Publisher

This is a fantastic bundle of software and has become the standard for large and small businesses but many people simply cannot afford it, especially when needing several copies of the software. In response, a group of programmers got together to create an open source alternative called OpenOffice. Lets look at how Microsoft Office compares with OpenOffice:

So by downloading OpenOffice from http://openoffice.org/, you can get almost all of the programs that Microsoft Office provides for free. Now you may be worried about the compatibility issue, especially if you email your documents to clients for review. OpenOffice will allow you to save your files in a variety of formats, including the common Word and Excel formats in addition to a built-in PDF writer which will turn your document into a PDF to send in one click.

One of the only drawbacks of the OpenOffice suite is its lack of an email client. This is easily resolved though by using another open source piece of software called Thunderbird. Its a great alternative to Microsoft Outlook and comes with an entire library of add-ons that allow you to customize it to your needs. Thunderbird was created by the Mozilla Foundation, who develops Firefox, a popular web browser which rivals Internet Explorer in their market share.

As you can see, you do not have to go broke outfitting your company with its business applications. I personally use open source software as much as possible, but it works as a great stepping stone for new businesses who need to lower the amount of startup capital required to get the ball rolling. If needed, you can always purchase a pricy retail copy of mainstream software, such as Microsoft Office, later with no worry. I suggest that you look online at the websites listed in the article as well as on Google to see what open source alternatives you can find to replace your current library.

Here’s a few tips for when you search:

• Not all open source programs are free and some have conditions for its use, so be sure to read the EULA before getting started.
• Be careful what you download and make sure to scan your download with an antivirus program.
• Make sure that you’re downloading open source software and not shareware or trialware.

Q&A

I have heard that turning off my computer is bad for it, so should I just leave it on all the time?

This is another good question, but unfortunately it has a lot to do with your personal preferences. Here are some guidelines to help you decide what works best for you:

• UPS – This is the biggest deciding factor on our list. A UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply not only absorbs any jolts or power fluctuations that would normally damage your computer, it will also give you a few minutes after a power failure to safely close out your programs and properly shutdown your computer. If you have one of these then its usually safe to leave your computer running continuously.
• Scheduled Tasks – Many people like to have their Microsoft updates, downloads, and automated tasks (eg. backups, virus scans, disk defragment, etc.) scheduled for the middle of the night so it doesn’t interfere with the computer’s daily use. If you regularly have scheduled tasks run at night, then you would have to leave the computer running for those tasks to complete. If possible, I would suggest reconfiguring your scheduled tasks to run on a specific day during the week and shutdown the computer the other days to save on your power consumption.
• Heat – A computer that is running all the time will generate a lot of heat. In the summer this can make it uncomfortable to be in a small room with one unless you have really cranked the A/C. If you do run the A/C enough to compensate for the heat, your power bill may sneak up on you and could be large enough to warrant keeping the computer turned off except during use. Keep in mind that heat is one of the most common causes of computer damage, so a computer that is running too hot for long periods of time is more likely to have a component fail.
• Green – Are you trying to be more eco-friendly? If so, then you will want to either turn the computer off when not in use or look into some of the power management options available. Most desktops and laptops have options to employ energy efficient modes, such as standby and hibernation, after the computer has been inactive for a certain amount of time.
• Unprotected / Surge Protector – Do you essentially have your computer plugged straight into the wall or into a $5 surge protector? If so, then I would recommend keeping the computer’s power off unless its in use. Most surge protectors will only protect against a single surge or lightning strike, so most of them in use act only as a power strip. If you’re unprotected, then I would greatly suggest purchasing a UPS, preferrably an energy efficient model.

I hope this has answered your question and given you a better idea of how to protect your computer.

Originally posted here. Copyright © xkcd.

Microsoft Office Small Business 2007 – $289.99

Creative ZEN X-Fi Black 16GB MP3 Player – $169.98

APC BE750G Power Saving Back-UPS – $85.99

* Please note that the prices listed are subject to change as dictated by Newegg.com. Click on the images to visit each product’s page.

Picnik has some amazing photo editing tools that can fix just about anything that could possibly go wrong with a photograph. Lacking photo-editing prowess? A bunch of our editing tools are one-click fixes, including auto- fix, exposure, colors, and red-eye. And the others, like rotate, crop, resize, and sharpening, can be controlled with easy-to-use sliders.

A premium version is also available for only $24.95 a year! This will give you access to more cool stuff! You’ll get a completely ad-free experience, all the effects, dozens of shapes and fonts, plus previews of new features, premium support, and advanced editing tools like Curves and Levels!