Beating the Catch-22 of Aspiring Digitheads(and a site update)

Note: I know that the site has been slow with updates. I apologize for that - I have a lot going on right now. I will start updating it again soon.

New, fresh-faced IT students, affectionately known by me as "aspiring digitheads" face the inevitable catch-22 once they finish their studies and are ready to tackle the "real world" (gosh, I hate that term!). The catch-22 is "you can't get a job without experience, and you can't get experience without a job".

Before I get into detail on beating the catch-22, allow me to share a situation that recently happened to me. One of my closest friends since college called me asking for my help. Her brother has been out of school (college) for about 2 years, and he still can't find a job in the IT field. She asked for my help with finding somewhere that will hire him. I wanted to talk to him first to get an idea of what he knows how to do. So, I talked to him as if I was a potential employer. Here is a snippet of the conversation between me and my friend's brother, who is aspiring to be a web developer.

Me: So, in your programming classes, did your instructors give you a lot of programming exercises to do?
Friend's Brother: Yes, we had a ton!
Me: Okay, that's good. Do you have your own web site that has a portfolio of your projects or the work that you have done?
FB: Um...no. Websites cost too much money, and besides, I don't really have a lot of time to design a web site and keep it up.
Me: Okay. Do you participate or have you participated in any open-source development projects? Did you program, or test, or do any documentation, or anything like that?
FB: No. I don't know of any open source projects that are out there. Nobody told me about that.
Me: Okay. Did you ever do voluteer work with your IT skills, such as develop a web site for your church or a friend or some friend's small business?
FB: No. Nobody ever asked me to do anything like that for them. Besides, I don't have time to volunteer.
Me: Okay. Would you be willing to do another IT job to get your foot in the door, like a help desk technician or a different kind of developer?
FB: Eww, no! I want to be a web programmer because that's what I like to do.
Me: Okay. Did you do any internships while you were in school?
FB: Not really. The only internships that were available were ones that didn't pay, and I don't have time to work for free.
Me: Okay. Are you willing to relocated to get a job?
FB: I don't really want to, but if I have to, I will.
Me: That's good. Do you have money saved to start freelancing?
FB: A little bit, but I don't want to chase after business.

You have probably spotted throughout this conversation that my friend's brother is doing everything possible to REMAIN in the catch-22! If he keeps doing what he's been doing, he'll continue to toil at the dead-end job that he's currently working in and he'll never get a chance to use his education.

Believe it or not, it is easy for an aspiring digithead to break the catch-22. So how do you do it? Basically it all sums up to "make your own opportunities". Here are some ideas on making your own opportunities:

• Get involved with internships in your field while you are in school: As a mentor of mine once said when I was talking about a colleague who got really good grades, "You are a student with a 3.5 GPA and two years experience with internships. Colleague has a 4.0 GPA and no industry experience except her classwork. Guess who employers are going to hire? I'll give you a hint - not Colleague!" My mentor was right - I was able to get a job immediately after graduating during a time when the country was in a recession while many of my fellow graduates (including Colleague) were still toiling in dead-end jobs while looking for jobs in the industry.
  To find out about internships (paid and unpaid), see your careers counselor, or check out your school newspaper's classified section, or check out the careers section for your local technology organization's web site. Note that it is more difficult to get a paid internship versus an unpaid internship. Paid internships usually have stricter requirements, such as a high grade point average (3.5 GPA or above) or a legal ability to work in the United States (US Citizenship, legal resident or "green card", or an H-1B Visa). Even if your financial situation makes it difficult for you to accept an unpaid internship, find one that will fit in with your school and work schedule and consider it like a "class".
  
  
• Volunteer for organizations: Volunteer work, especially performing the type of work related to the IT industry, counts as experience. Volunteer to do work for your religious organization or other non-profit organizations, such as: develop a web site, set up their network, or write a program. Not only does this give you more experience, you are also performing a good service for organizations that need your help.
  You don't have to limit the organization to a non-profit. You can even volunteer your time for a small start-up corporation that has very little funds. This could get you a position with the company when they grow, or it could get you a partnership.
  
  
• Make your own web site: In today's technology age, this is the easiest way to create a portfolio of your work, and it is the most accessible way for potential employers to see what you can actually do. You can either have your web site on a free hosting site, or you can pay a small amount of money (approximately $75-150 USD/year) to get your own domain name and rent space from a hosting company. You do NOT need a dedicated server (which is somewhat expensive) unless you expect a lot of traffic and a lot of bandwidth usage.
  In my opinion, your best bet is to get your own domain name and rent space from a hosting company. Many hosting companies offer great deals that include: free databases; free e-mail accounts that can be used with your Outlook Express or other e-mail tools; free tools, such as forums and chat rooms; a sizeable amount of disk space and bandwidth usage; and free 24x7 technical support. The one that I use is Host For Web (http://www.hostforweb.com). Host For Web offers many hosting options, as well as domain name ordering services. There are other good hosting sites that charge reasonable fees, such as Go Daddy and Yahoo!. Find out what you need for your web site, and do some research to find out which site offers the best for the price.
  
  
• Participate in open source projects: In my friend's brother's defense, this is a little more difficult to do because many of the projects require a specific skill set and a very high technical level. If you fit this requirement, then this is a fantastic opportunity for you. For example, an intern that worked with me at a company had an impressive background in open source contribution. He was contributing code to Red Hat Linux since he was 14 years old!
  The best thing to do is research open source projects and find out what they are looking for in contributors. Note that it does not necessarily have to be development. You can contribute in other ways, such as testing and documentation.
  You don't necessarily have to participate in an existing open source project. You can make an open source project on your own by creating a general application for users. There are many sites that host open source projects, such as SourceForge (http://www.sourceforge.net), the Open Source Initiative (http://www.opensource.org), FreshMeat (http://www.freshmeat.net), and Open Source for Apple (http://www.opensource.apple.com). If you have your own web site, you can host the project yourself!
  
  
• Start freelancing: Again, in my friend's brother's defense, this is easier said than done because this does require a certain personality type to be able to do this. In order to garner freelance work, you do need to knock on businesses' doors, and you do require the "sales person's personality" (lots of moxie, "some will, some won't, so what? next!" mentality). I can relate - I don't have the "sales person's personality" myself.
  However, you can form a partnership with a colleague or friend who DOES have the "sales person's personality". That person can gather the business and you can do the technical work. Who knows? Maybe you and your friend can be the next Microsoft?
  

Choosing the Right School

Note: This post focuses on the post-secondary education system in the United States.

Introduction

Most positions in the information technology field require some sort of advanced degree and, in some cases, additional industry certification. For example, the minimum requirements for an entry level PC technician is industry certifications, while the minimum requirements for an entry level software engineer is a Master's degree. In nearly all cases, post-secondary education is required.

In the US, there are many post-secondary schools available, and it can be very confusing as to which school to choose. The objective of this post is to help you make a decision on choosing the right school by:

• Showing you the differences between a "for-profit" and "non-profit" institution


• Showing you the pros and cons of each institution


• Giving you some advice on the best option to take

For-Profit Institution

For-profit institutions are sometimes called "proprietary" or "private" institutions, but these are not to be confused with private non-profit colleges and universities. For-profit institutions are corporates that provide education services to either assist its customers with obtaining industry certifications or to grant its customers a degree upon completion of the program. One of the selling points of the for-profit institution is the "job placement" program, which actually provides job leads to the students. Some for-profit institutions are nationally known (ITT Technical Institute, University of Phoenix, DeVry University), while others are locally or regionally known (Pittsburgh Institute of Technology). These institutions are usually accredited by the ACICS (Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools). Since these institutions are for-profit corporations, the primary source of funding is from tuition paid by the customers (students).

Pros and Cons of a For-Profit Institution
Pros

• The education that you'll receive from these institutions is relevant to the degree or certification that you are pursuing. For example, if you are pursuing an Associates degree in network administration, you will probably take networking classes, a communications class, a writing class, math classes, and a programming class. You won't have to take "The Analytical Comparisons of the Roman Architecture and Greek Architecture".


• You will get your degree or certification much faster than you would if you attend a traditional college or university. For example, the programs are set up to allow the student to complete a Bachelor's degree in three years (if the school offers this degree). Traditional colleges and universities are set up to allow the student to complete a Bachelor's degree in four years.


• Enrollment requirements are not as strict as for a traditional university. In most cases, the only requirements are a high-school diploma or GED and to pass a writing and math skills test.

Cons

• Since it is a for-profit institution, the bottom line is to get you in the door. The recruiters may not have your best interests at heart because they need your enrollment, so they may guide you into a program that may not interest you, or may be beyond your abilities. Note: while a school can lose accreditation and lose the ability to accept federal student loans for tuition payment if the school gives recruiters a commission based on the students they enroll, schools can fire recruiters if they don't make their quota (the number of students they have to get enrolled per enrollment period).


• For-profit institutions are very expensive, compared to most traditional colleges and universities. For example, it costs approximately $35,000 plus additional costs to obtain a two-year degree from ITT Technical Institution. It costs about $8,000 to obtain a two-year degree from the Community College of Allegheny County.


• There is a limited transferability of credits. For example, if you decide, after one year, that you no longer want to attend a particular for-profit institution, and you want to attend a traditional college or university, you may find that very little to none of your credits will transfer, and you will have to start all over again.


• In order to attend these schools, you have to sign up for an entire program. For example, if you are only interested in taking Linux classes, you cannot take a Linux class (unless you were a previous student at the school). You would be required to sign up for the Network Administration program.

Non-Profit Institution

Non-profit institutions are your traditional colleges or universities. The college or university can fall under one of three categories:

• State-owned institutions are colleges and universities that are owned by the state in which they are located. For example, Penn State University and UCLA are state-owned universities.


• Private institutions are colleges and universities that are owned by an organization, usually a religious group. For example, Harvard University and Notre Dame University are private institutions.


• Community Colleges are colleges owned by the county in which they are located. Community colleges offer industry certifications and Associates degrees.

These institutions are usually accredited by a regional accreditation agency that specializes in not only accrediting colleges and universities, but it also accredites the school systems (elementary and high school) in the region. Since these institutions are non-profit corporations, they receive other funding sources besides the students' tuition, such as donations from alumni and organizations, and federal and state grants.

Pros and Cons of a Non-Profit Institution
Pros

• Credits are transferable throughout most institutions. For example, if you go to Pitt, and you decide that you would rather go to Duquesne University, your credits will transfer.


• Your degree will hold more prestige and be more recognized in the industry than a degree from a for-profit institution. The main reason is because there are stricter guidelines on accreditation for a non-profit institution than there are for a for-profit institution. If you decide to pursue an advanced degree, you have a bigger selection of schools at your disposal if you received a degree from a traditional college or university. If you received a bachelor's degree from a for-profit institution, and you decide to pursue a Master's degree, you would be limited to choosing only for-profit institutions for your advanced degree because most traditional institutions do not recognize degrees from for-profit institutions.


• You do not have to sign up for a degree program. If you are only interested in taking a Linux class, you are allowed to take only a Linux class at a school without pursuing a degree.


• The tuition for community colleges and state-run institutions is considerably cheaper than a for-profit institution. For example, for the same price that you would pay at ITT Technical Institute for an Associates degree, you can get a Bachelors degree from the University of Pittsburgh.


• Community colleges have open enrollment, which means the only requirement is you have a high school diploma or a GED in order to sign up for their degree or industry certification programs.

Cons

• For state-run and private institutions, the admissions process is very selective. You may have the best grades and the best SAT/ACT scores, but the program may accept only so many new students per year, or they may use other judging criteria for who has a better shot at getting admitted, such as alumni programs and community service that the potential students have performed. You may end up either turned down for their program or put on a waiting list.


• Most classes at universities are very large, especially at the freshman and sophomore level. You may end up in a class with 200 (yes, two hundred) other people.


• Some classes at a university are not taught by a professor. Rather, the class is taught by either a research assistant or a graduate student. This happens more often in state-run universities.


• In order to get your degree, you will be required to take course that have absolutely nothing to do with your career or you will not get your degree.

Best Option to Take

Before choosing your school, research all of the schools that you are interested in attending. Ask the following questions:

1. What is the tuition?


2. What is the refund policy if I decide to drop a class?


3. Are there additional costs, like lab fees?


4. What is the attrition ("dropout") rate?


5. For a for-profit institution: What is your job placement rate, and of those jobs placed, what percentage are in positions for which the student was actually trained?


6. For a non-profit institution: What percentage of the classes are actually taught by a research assistant or graduate student?


7. What is your average student-teacher ratio in the classes?


8. When was the last time you had a tuition hike?


9. Are my credits and/or degree transferable to any school?


10. For a for-profit institution: when was the last time the school lost its accreditation?


11. What is the crime rate for the campus?


12. Do you offer tutoring services for the students?


13. Do you offer scholarships or tuition discounts?


14. If you are disabled: Does the institution offer special services or amendments for disabled students?

The best option, in my opinion, is to attend a community college for your industry certification or your degree for the following reasons:

• Community colleges have open enrollment, which means that you won't be turned down from the degree program unless you do not have your high-school diploma or GED.


• Community colleges are the cheapest option. If you decide that IT is not for you after 1 or 2 semesters, you are only "out" a small amount of money.


• The degrees are transferrable should you decide to pursue your Bachelor's degree. Plus, the non-profit colleges and universities offer discount programs or scholarships for community college graduates.


• The credits are transferrable should you decide to attend another college or university.


• You can pursue the degree or certification at your own pace. You're not required to take X amount of classes per semester.

The End Of An Era

An announcement was made today that Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, will be giving up the day-to-day duties at Microsoft within the next two years to concentrate on his philanthropic efforts. He will, however, remain the chairman of Microsoft.

Bill Gates was a controversial figure in the IT world. Anyone who watched the docudrama The Pirates of Silicon Valley learned about how he made Microsoft a major player in the software world - some of the things that he has done was not necessarily ethical. However, one has to applaud his vision of "a PC in every home".

One thing that can be admired is his and his wife's foundation is the biggest non-profit in the country, giving away nearly 1 billion dollars per year to charitable causes. I'm impressed that he will be spending his time and money for a good cause.

Net neutrality - It's nothing like Switzerland

Note:If you have your own web site, or if you have a blog, you may want to pay attention to this article...

One of the hottest debates that's going on in the U.S. Senate is net neutrality. Net neutrality, in a nutshell, means that all Internet sites must be treated equally.

The issue is that major providers, such as the telephone and cable industries, want to be able to manage their networks as they see fit. One of the things that they want to do is charge more money for users that use more bandwidth, rather than the flat fee for Internet connectivity. The concern that opponents have is the providers will be able to do the following: block content that providers find to be offensive, downgrade the quality of services that competing Internet providers have to offer, and reduce the time it takes for a page to load from a company that doesn't pay the provider as much money.

The "Internet Freedom Preservation Act", a bill introduced in Congress by Senators Olympia Snow (R-ME) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND), basically will make it illegal for Internet providers to "block, interfere with, discriminate against, impair, or degrade" access to content or to prevent users from attaching devices of their choosing to the network. They would also be barred from making special deals with content providers to ensure speedier delivery or improved quality of service;all material would be offered on an equal basis.

Supporters of this bill want to continue to support the freedom of the Internet, while opponents claim that they are not compelled to promote speech they are against, and that the government should not impose rules on the free market.

Who is in support of this bill?

• IAC/InterActiveCorp


• Ebay


• Amazon


• Yahoo!


• Earthlink


• Google


• Microsoft


• Moveon.org


• Christian Coalition


• AARP


• Consumer Federation of America


• American Library Association


• Free Press


• Tech Net


• Celebrities such as Moby and Alyssa Milano

Who is against the bill?

• Bell


• Verizon


• National Black Chamber of Commerce


• Progress and Freedom Foundation


• Ludwig von Mises Institute

Where do you stand on this bill? Do you need more information before you can decide? This article talks about the net neutrality debate in more detail.

If you already have a position, be sure to contact your senators and let them know where you stand.

Is it fun to stay at the D-M-C-A?

I apologize for the bad disco reference for this topic. :)

The Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998 was enacted to update the copyright Law in response to the advancement of technology. This is a law in the United States. (In Europe, the EU Copyright Directive (EUCD) was passed in 2001, and the law is similar to the DMCA.)

If you are in the United States, and if you are involved in software development or if you are a webmaster, you need to be aware of the DMCA. For the webmaster, if you create content for your web site, it is automatically copyrighted. In the same vein, you may be in violation of the DMCA if you host content that is copyrighted, such as programs and MP3s. As a software developer, you may have to implement Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology, which is code that prevents the media (such as software) to be copied. In the same vein, you may have to be more alert about how you get your code assistance. For example, if you reverse-engineer software, even if it's free, to get an idea of how an action works, you are in violation of the DMCA.

There are supporters and detractors of the DMCA. Supporters applaud the act because it prevents piracy of digital media (such as software and music) by imposing strict punishments on those who violate the act. Detractors complain that the act is impeding innovative development and free speech.

For more information about the act, as well as arguments for and against the act, read the following:

• The Digital Millenium Copyright Act of 1998 - Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader


• April 2006 Carlow University Presentation from Elizabeth Pruszko on the DMCA* - Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader


• Wikipedia's definition of the DMCA


• The Anti-DMCA Website

* - Re-printed with permission from Ms. Elizabeth Pruszko

What does THAT have to do with technology?

This topic doesn't necessarily have to do with technology, but it is "six degrees of separation" from technology. The company that belongs to the subject of this post was the first to do Internet animation. His name is John Kricfalusi, and he is the creator of "Ren and Stimpy".

Most digitheads I know are either fans of animation, or they are amateur animators. If you have artisitic talent, John K. (as he is known), in conjunction with the AFISA, is conducting animation lessons for budding animators for FREE. All you need to do is purchase a book from Preston Blair (which is mentioned on his blog).

John K. has also entered the art world. His sketches are being displayed at the Every Picture Tells a Story gallery in California, and he also displays his caricature work on this blog. You can also purchase his sketches or have him do a custom sketch for you.

If you are interested in taking FREE lessons from a master, and/or if you are interested in commissioning him for a sketch, visit his blog at http://www.johnkstuff.blogspot.com.

P.S. I've purchased one of his caricatures, and I'm very pleased with it, especially with the "exquisite detail" on Bugs! Here is the picture that I purchased:

Number, please...

If you have a mathematical background along with your IT background, you probably won't have to read this post, because you will already understand the subject of this topic.

One of the best advantages to have as an IT professional, particularly if you are a network administrator/engineer or a software engineer, is to have an understanding of the numeral systems that are represented in computers.

I wrote and published a document called Number Systems in Computers that gives a high-level overview about the number systems used in computer science. The document also contains some links and references to more material that will give you more information about the number systems.

Section 508 - it won't get you out of the military.

If you work on IT projects that has the federal government as its customer, or if you would like the government to be a future IT customer, then it's imperative that you know what Section 508 is. Even if you don't work on government projects, it's a good thing to understand.

What is Section 508?
In 1998, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. According to the official web site on Section 508:
Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Under Section 508 (29 U.S.C. ‘ 794d), agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others.

What are some examples of Section 508?
Anything that will grant disabled users more access to IT products. Some examples of Section 508 implementation include:

• Text-to-speech for deaf users


• Braille for blind users


• Reduced use of color and flashing graphics for colorblind users

Section 508 Compliance
For various standards and compliance for information technology products (hardware, software, documentation), visit the Electronic and Information Technology (Section 508) Homepage

You can also view the Accessibility Forum, which supplies tools and gives tips on making web sites Section 508 compliant.

Keeping Up with the Poindexters

In 2003, I taught a Java class. Usually, my classes had a diverse mix of students. The students varied in age, career points, and IT knowledge. This class was different. Nearly all the students in the class were around the same age, and all of them were IT workers. What made this class more interesting is all the students were displaced workers. The reason why they were in my class was the same for all the students - "I was laid off a year ago, and I'm having a hard time finding a job in my field because my skills are out-of-date. So, I'm in your class to learn new skills so I can get a job." Nearly all the workers in the class worked with "dinosaur technology" (ex: mainframes, COBOL), and they got caught up in the Year-2000 frenzy that was occurring in IT a few years back. During that frenzy, their skills were extremely valuable. Now that the frenzy was over, they were no longer needed. The problem was that they rested on their laurels, and they didn't prepare for the future.

If you are involved in the IT industry in some way (professional, student, instructor), you understand that the field changes often, and it is very important to keep up with the latest technology. If you don't keep up, you may end up like my students in my 2003 Java class. So how can one easily keep one's skills current? After all, it seems like there is not enough hours in the day, and it seems that there is too much information.

Here are some tips to help keep up-to-date in this ever-changing field, or as I put it affectionately, "keep up with the Poindexters":

• Take classes It is a fact of life that in order to survive in the IT world, continuing education is a must. Don't feel like you're being singled out - other professionals, such as doctors and teachers, have to participate in continuing education in order to maintain their licenses. For those who are located in the US, the most economical solution is taking the class at a community college, if there is one in your area. The class, including your books and lab fees, can run between $250 - $400 USD, depending on where you live in the US. Classes conducted by private, for-profit institutions are significantly more expensive, and the pace is sometimes too intense for someone who is relatively new to IT.


• Attend Seminars and Conferences If money is an issue, this may not be the best solution. However, if your university or employer is sponsoring a conference or seminar, you may be able to go for a low cost or for free. Seminars and conferences allows you to get the latest information from professionals who are either working with these technologies or are the inventors of these technologies. Seminars and conferences are also a good way to build your professional and social network.
  
• Join a Professional Technical Organization This is a way to "kill two birds in one stone", so they say. Not only will this help with building your professional and social network, but it will also help you keep current with the latest trends in technology. Plus, membership to some technical organizations can have its privileges. You may be able to get discounts at events or on products just for being a member of a particular technical organization. If you are a student, you can join at a significant discount. For example, the American Society for Quality (http://www.asq.org), a professional organization focusing on quality, offers a significant discount on membership fees for students. The American Society for Quality and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (a.k.a. IEEE) (http://www.ieee.org) are two national organizations. For local organizations, the best thing to do is do some research and find out about the technical organizations that are available in your area.
  
• Subscribe to E-Mail Newsletters This is an easy way to keep up with the latest information on a variety of technologies. Usually the E-Mail Newsletters provide a summary of the topics being discussed, along with a link to a more detailed article. It allows you to filter what you need to know. It is a time-saver in the long run. You don't have to filter through 20 web sites to get the latest technology information. This can also be an economic solution, since most sites offer this service for free.
  
• Use a News Aggregator Many sites offer RSS (rich site summary) feeds with the latest updates and news. A news aggregator allows you keep up with the latest news from your desktop without having to go to a number of sites. No, this blog does not offer an RSS yet. :)
  
• Talk to Other "Digitheads" "Digitheads" is my term of endearment for fellow IT professionals. Sometimes talking to your colleagues can give you some insight to the latest technologies. While this is a good way to get some information, you need to be careful of personal bias or misinformation from your colleague.
  


• Subscribe to technical magazines (on-line or print) Like the newsletters, this is another way to get the latest information. However, with some publications, be careful on the quality of the information. Some of the articles may be slanted because of the author's or publisher's bias.
  

Just When You Thought It Was Safe....

In Greek mythology, Achilles was considered the most invulnerable mortal man. However, he did have a vulnerable spot - his heel. With Apollo's help, Paris was able to expose that weakness and kill Achilles by shooting him in the foot with an arrow.

What does that have to do with computer science and technology? The story of Achilles should be a lesson that the manufacturers and the engineers of other operating systems that are NOT Windows should learn. For years, Windows (and its predecessor, DOS) was vulnerable to viruses, trojan horses and worms. Other operating systems, such as Apple OS, Linux and Unix, appeared to be impervious to these threats. In fact, these OSes often bragged about their invulnerability to these threats. Although some operating systems are less vulnerable to viruses and other malicious attacks than Windows, there is no invulnerable operating system. A virus writer has recently found Apple OS's Achilles heel.

In this recent article from Yahoo! News, a new virus has been discovered on the Apple OS. It is quite interesting that experts have warned about vulnerabilities in the Apple OS earlier this year, yet Apple seemed to ignore those threats.

Linux is not necessarily impervious to attacks. In 2004, Forrester Research concluded, based on their research, that Linux is not necessarily more secure than Windows. In fact, although Windows's flaws were more severe, Microsoft was quicker to repair security holes than the leading manufacturers of Linux. (The article can be found in LinuxWorld - Forrester Questions Linux Security)

Why are these supposedly impervious operating systems being attacked? As Linux and Apple OS begin to grow and gain a bigger profile, they becomes a larger, more visible target to the villains.

Windows or Linux? Peforming An Objective Comparison

In IT, we are always hearing about the debate about which network operating system (NOS) is better - Windows or Linux. Many IT professionals have their favorite, and many of them will vehemently defend their choice. Some of the reasons to support one operating system over another are valid: performance, ease of use, and security. Other reasons are trivial, such as a personal bias against the manufacturers of the other operating system.

As an IT professional, you may be approached by a client or your employers on advice for choosing a NOS to use for your infrastructure. When making a decision, it is important to not be influenced by the arguments. It is better to do an objective, business-oriented approach to deciding which network operating system to choose.

Consider the following factors when performing your research:

• Cost
  How much will the NOS and the implementation of this infrastructure cost your company or client?
  


• Reliability
  How often does your NOS "crash"? What will be the Time to Repair?
  


• Time to Launch
  How quickly will the employees or client learn the NOS?
  


• Security
  How easy is it for a hacker to break in to your network?
  


• Hardware, Software, and Network Capability
  Will it work with what you have now? Will you need new drivers, equipment, etc.?
  

I have written and published an evaluative essay between the Microsoft Windows NOS and the Linux NOS. There was no particular Linux manufacturer that I chose in the comparison, since there are number of manufacturers, but the data applies to nearly all of the Linux manufacturers. You may read a PDF version of the essay here: The Window or the Penguin? A Comparison of Windows and Linux

To be a good IT decision maker, don't just use my document exclusively when making your decision! Make sure you research other sources to help you come to a conclusion.

Macs Do Windows Part II

As mentioned in the previous post, Macs Do Windows, Apple has released a new product, called "Boot Camp", that allows Mac users to dual boot between the Mac OS and Windows on the Mac. While this could hurt the business of the other PC manufacturers, such as Dell, Gateway and Hewlett-Packard, this could actually help Microsoft's business. After all, there are more machines that can now run Windows.

So what does Bill Gates and Microsoft have to say about Apple's new discovery? Actually, they have been unusually silent. In an interesting commentary by David Radin, he explains why Microsoft may be mum about this.

David Radin: Microsoft finds Apple move hard to swallow

So, what do I think about this move? Here is who I think are the winners and losers of "Boot Camp".

Winners

• Apple - Now that Macs can support dual-booting between Windows and Macs, more people may consider purchasing Macs over a PC.


• Microsoft - Many applications are written for the Windows environment, which, in my opinion, is the reason why more people are not switching to alternative machines (Macs) or alternative OSes (Linux). Now that Macs can support Windows, more Mac users may start purchasing Windows to use.

Losers

• PC Manufacturers, such as Gateway, Dell and Hewlett Packard - Graphic designers and artists choose Macs over PCs to do their work because the graphic technology is better on a Mac.


• Software Engineers - Software engineers will have to be aware that some of their users may be running Windows on the Mac. They will have to take the Mac system into consideration for their development.

Is Oracle Getting in the OS Act?

According to today's article from AP, Oracle is considering launching their own version of Linux, and they're eyeing up Novell for acquisition as a possibility to get Linux.

Novell has its own version of Linux called SuSE.

Read the article here: Article on Oracle and Linux

This is an interesting development, since Oracle specialized in database software. The potential acquisition of Novell is also interesting - it seems that Oracle is competing more with Red Hat than powerhouse Microsoft.

Macs Do Windows!

No more emulators! The latest technological release from Apple will allow Mac owners to install and run Windows XP directly on their Mac. A beta, called Boot Camp, is available today.

To learn more about it, read the article and download a copy of bootcamp here: http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/

Welcome to My Mwalimu's Corner!

Hello, and welcome to My Mwalimu's Corner! This is a supplemental blog to My Mwalimu (http://www.mymwalimu.org), a free, interactive computer programming tutorial.

This blog will talk about computer programming and information technology topics that aren't convered on the main web site.