OpenWHAT???

I have to admit, when I first read through the assignments for the first couple weeks of class, I was SO confused! I was seriously wondering what the heck RSS and OpenSource even meant! I had NEVER heard either of these terms before. After chatting with my husband, he reassured me that I had heard of the terms before, and that it wouldn’t be too difficult to decipher how they could be utilized. So, by now I think I have figured things out, and am happy to say I have learned not one, but two new things; all in the first week of class!

After talking to my husband (as I previously stated) and many of my yearbook students (sometimes they know more about technology than I do) I noticed that many people were saying, “That’s when you get the source code and can use the program for free.” I, not knowing much about the subject, believed that they knew what they were talking about. That is, until I took the time to do some research on the subject. I came to find that OpenSource doesn’t just offer access to the source code, but, the distribution terms must comply with certain criteria. The terms for OpenSource are as follows:

·         Free redistribution

·         Program must include a source code

·         Derived works – modifications allowed

·         Integrity of the authors source code

·         No discrimination against persons or groups

·         No discrimination against fields of endeavor

·         Distribution of license

·         License must not be specific to a product

·         License must not restrict other software

·         License must be technology-neutral

In my own words, OpenSource seems to be an application that can be modified by the user. If I knew more about codes and such, I feel that this could be a very beneficial tool. However, since I am not a “code wiz” I am not sure how I could utilize OpenSource in my particular environment. I prefer free apps or proprietary apps, over an OpenSource app that I may need to modify (which I wouldn’t know how to do). I find that the main difference between OpenSource apps and the kind I use (free and proprietary) is that the OpenSource apps can be fine-tuned to fit the users needs, and the others are not a modifiable. Since OpenSource apps are generally licensed under the GPL (GNU General Public License) this makes it available and accessible to all users.

In my classroom we use both free and proprietary apps. Some of the most common free apps we use are Google Docs and Google Talk. Both of these free apps come in handy, as they can be obtained from any computer with an internet connection. The Google Docs app has decreased the number of excuses such as, “I couldn’t access my saved work from home,” or “I must have not saved it correctly,” which I commonly heard from students. Google Docs is a web based word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, form, and data storage service that is easy to use for all ages. I strongly feel that Google Docs has helped students to manage their time better, and has given them a chance to complete their assignments from many locations. Google Talk, an instant messaging service, has been wonderful when my students and I (usually my yearbook students near deadline days) use to communicate. Even when we are both in the comforts of our own home, we can keep in touch on a regular basis.

One of the primary proprietary apps I use in my classroom is Photoshop. My students use this to enhance the photos and design we create for the school yearbook. I always do training on this program, and fortunately, this is one of the apps that the school district pays for, as it is quite expensive.  The software allows my students to manipulate, crop, resize, and correct color on digital photos we place in the yearbook. Since we have obtained this program, the photos in our book have dramatically improved.

Overall, I believe that OpenSource is a GREAT program to have available to people. However, I, having so much on my plate as it is, feel that it is a bit too much for me. I know how short I am on time as it is, and to have to possibly modify programs to make them fit my needs, sounds like just one more step I would have to complete to finish the task at hand. Thank goodness for the free and proprietary apps I have learned over the past few years, they have made life so much easier!

Works Cited:

http://opensource.org/