A-Z of computing: O is for Open Source

Posted on by June 2, 2017

O is for Open Source

open sourceOpen source software (OSS) underpins our business. We run our office on OSS, we provide our hosting services on OSS and we promote OSS in all our business activities.

Open source software is designed for the benefit of the end user, which gives a raft of benefits. It leads to a far more functional, a richer and a better-supported product.

Open source benefits the end user

Day to day, this translates into software designed to meet the real needs of end users. OSS is not designed with developer glory in mind, or to lock end users into complex and expensive agreements.

Open source developers aim to create a solid, usable product that can be endlessly tweaked. Sometimes developers go down a separate fork to create a related (‘forked’) product. OSS developers are often very approachable and open to questions and suggestions. We’ve had contact many times with developers and always find them keen to co-operate.

Open source = open standards

Open standards facilitate interoperability, ie different programs playing nicely together. This is what the Open Source Initiative has to say about it, opening its article with this indisputable truth:

As the Internet shows so clearly, there is great social, technical, and financial benefit that comes from massive interoperability.

This is of tremendous benefit to the end user. They can choose software based on their needs rather than any requirement to jump through hoops. It reduces hassle for everyone involved and opens up worlds of possibility.

OSS means choice and freedom

In a nutshell, OSS provides the end user with choice and freedom. It’s hard to see why any company worth dealing with would want to present their customers with anything less.

Twitter for business: it’s good enough for @David_Cameron

Posted on by March 4, 2014

This article from The Wall, written by Kate McCoy of The Work Club, is very well worth reading. Nominally aimed at providing David Cameron with a Twitter strategy, its points apply to anyone using Twitter for business.

Point 4 struck us in particular, and bears repeating in full:

4. Resource

It would probably be a full time job managing what seems to be a controversial presence. SO IT SHOULD BE. We warn clients against getting involved in social media if they do not have the processes in place to manage it properly – frustration caused by ignoring people does more harm than not being there at all. Mr Cameron certainly has more important things to do than look at Twitter all day but with the right level of support he could be guided through the volume of tweets to respond to serious tweeters.

Twitter for business takes time

The useful point is made here not to venture into the Twittersphere if you aren’t going to divert or acquire the resources to handle it. A dormant or unresponsive presence is very frustrating to those looking to engage with your Twitter presence and therefore damaging to your brand. People won’t hang around with baited breath waiting for you to use Twitter for business – if your competitor is tweeting and you’re not, automatically you lose out on exposure to potential clients.

Similarly, don’t allow Twitter to eat up time better spent doing the day job. Use one of the proliferation of clients designed to make social media easier to manage, keep tabs on the benefits Twitter use is bringing you and engage, engage, engage.

Twitter for business: build a strategy

We can help you put together a Twitter for Business strategy, swapping the hit and miss, time-wasting elements for a well-thought-through plan to allow your company to make the most of this form of social media with the resources you have to hand.

We can help you set up your account, ghost-tweet for you and train you and your staff in the day to day use of Twitter. We currently do this for national companies, membership organisations, networking groups and special interest groups. Please get in touch for more information, and of course find us on Twitter at @OpenSure.

A-Z of computing: N is for Natty Narwhal

Posted on by March 20, 2013

O could be for Oneiric Ocelot, but we’ll spare you. Canonical, developers of Ubuntu, name their releases after an animal, together with an adjective – the adjective describing some aspect of the animal’s behaviour – eg Maverick Meerkat. Daft, yes, but a bit of fun. The most recent release is Precise Pangolin, and Quantal Quetzel is being released next week. If nothing else, Canonical’s naming is great fodder for playing the alphabet animal game on long car journeys.