Articles by Maria Winslow

AJAX Performance Measured

Sat, 20 May 2006 12:15:00 EDT

The latest buzzword in web design is AJAX, or Asynchronous Javascript and XML. New sites like http://flickr.com manage to provide the interactivity of a desktop-based application in a web page, while using only the javascript that's been in web browsers for some time now. While many people are aware that this style of design can create a big improvement in the usability and basic viability of web-based applications, this article shows there's also a huge payoff in bandwidth requirements, which means a more responsive application and more capacity.

Open Source Java Application Servers

Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:15:00 EST

Activity around open source projects related to Java is building. You probably already know about JBoss, an open source Java application server, but there are other options as well. Geronimo, an open source Java application server under the Apache umbrella, has come a long way towards becoming a potential replacement for proprietary servers like IBM's WebSphere. IBM even employs a majority of the committers on Geronimo, an indication that they see the writing on the wall. And the high status of being a part of the Apache Software Foundation can't be overlooked.

Maria Winslow's Practical Open Source Blog - Does Open Source Java Matter?

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 14:00:00 EST

There is a lot of open source activity currently surrounding Java, from JBoss and Geronimo (open source app servers) to MyFaces (an open source web application framework - think Struts but better) to Spring (an open source application framework). And now Harmony, an open source Java implementation, is in incubator status at the Apache Software Foundation. IBM and Intel have both made contributions toward the project.

Linux.SYS-CON.com Q&A with Lead Developer of Joomla!, Andrew Eddie

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 17:15:00 EST

In September, core developers of Mambo, the popular open source content management system, announced a fork of the project, called Joomla!, with virtually all active participants following the fork.

Maria Winslow's Linux.SYS-CON.com Blog: Big Step Forward for Open Source in Government

Fri, 21 Oct 2005 16:15:00 EDT

The National Center for Open Source Policy and Research (NCOSPR) was recently announced, and represents a big step forward in open source advocacy in government. The non-profit's mission is to 'recruit experienced and innovative thinkers to help craft development, implementation and acquisition policies that will facilitate the continual adoption and growth of open source within the public sector IT communities.'

Dipping Your Toes in Open Source

Tue, 14 Jun 2005 09:00:00 EDT

My philosophy about adopting Open Source software is to give realistic advice for IT directors faced with the prospect of sorting out this new wave of technologies and business models. It can certainly be a daunting task. It's one thing for a home enthusiast to try out the latest cutting-edge software on a machine that doesn't really have to do much more than collect e-mail, but it's another thing entirely to commit to a production system.

The Rapid Development of SugarCRM with LAMP

Mon, 30 May 2005 12:15:00 EDT

After all the buzz about SugarCRM at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo this year in Boston, we caught up with the company's co-founder and VP of Open Source, Clint Oram, to find out more about his hot new project and what SugarCRM's plans are for the future.

Open Source Web Site Content Management Systems

Mon, 30 May 2005 12:00:00 EDT

Web site content management can be difficult, and commercial products can be expensive. Luckily, a few open source projects are highly recommended for the job. In fact, it's been claimed that Bricolage was one of the best content management systems, even among commercial offerings, and Mambo won best of show at LinuxWorld this February. This article gets you started with an overview of these examples of production-ready open source projects.

SquidGuard Saves Local Government a Tidy Packet

Wed, 06 Apr 2005 00:00:00 EDT

Justin Smith thinks in practical terms. As CTO of Guilford County Government in North Carolina, budgetary concerns were the driving force in his considering Open Source technologies. Smith saved an estimated $27,000 a year by replacing two servers on the edge of his network, and began to train his staff for future Linux deployments.

Promoting Open Source Solutions

Wed, 06 Apr 2005 00:00:00 EDT

The Open Source Software Institute is an advocacy group with a mission to promote Open Source software in government. We caught up with executive director John Weathersby to tell us more.

Why We Should Drop the 'Free' Moniker

Sun, 03 Oct 2004 00:00:00 EDT

It became apparent to me recently at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo that our choice of words matters. I was standing at the Mozilla booth when two guys came up and peered over my shoulder. 'They're selling the T-shirts here, too,' one said with disappointment in his voice, 'Let's go.' I couldn't believe it - access to the source code isn't enough.

NASA Department Saves Nearly $180,000 with MySQL

Mon, 27 Sep 2004 00:00:00 EDT

The NAIS (NASA Acquisition Internet Service) organization provides procurement Web applications for the entire agency through a suite of 14 applications. Tools relating to efficient procurement, such as posting solicitations and looking up past performance data for contracts, are provided via the online service.

Software Company Saves $400-$500 Per Desktop

Tue, 31 Aug 2004 00:00:00 EDT

Mindbridge, the makers of IntraSmart, a software suite for intranet applications, always purchased PC clones for desktop machines. The cost of the hardware came to about $250 each, without the operating system. Testa suddenly realized that they spent twice as much on the desktop software as they did on the hardware, including the operating system, office suite, and Windows client access licenses. He knew something was wrong with this picture. Through a gradual process, almost all of the 50+ employees are now running a Linux desktop.

Huge Savings with OpenNMS for Managed Hosting Company

Tue, 31 Aug 2004 00:00:00 EDT

When Rackspace Managed Hosting started in 1998 to lease Internet colocated servers to customers, they went with Linux almost everywhere in an effort to keep costs down. In fact, heavy use of Linux was standard in the low-margin managed hosting sector. According to IT manager Eric Evans, 'people would be surprised by how much they would save if they went with Linux.'

State Government Leads the Way with LAMP

Tue, 15 Jun 2004 00:00:00 EDT

Jim Willis, director of e-Government Services for the Rhode Island Office of the Secretary of State, was a consultant for the state when he implemented an online database using open source tools. The ability to use open source technologies was a condition of his hiring, and the state has benefited as a result of his leadership.

Linux Thin Clients Do the Job

Tue, 15 Jun 2004 00:00:00 EDT

When the North Carolina Cooperative Extension needed to overhaul the computer system for 1,200 users in multiple remote locations, systems programmer administrator Janyne Kizer found that Linux on thin clients was the best solution.

How to Keep Your Options Open

Tue, 15 Jun 2004 00:00:00 EDT

Some organizations will find that they are able to make wide use of open source software, while others will find only limited suitable migration candidates. Some of the discrepancy will be due to differences across industries. Industries that tend to make conservative technology decisions, for example, are likely to have more legacy systems that are difficult to migrate.

TCO Comparisons: The Real Story

Tue, 18 May 2004 00:00:00 EDT

There has been some controversy recently over a Microsoft-commissioned TCO (total cost of ownership) study claiming that the long-term cost of Windows is lower than that of Linux. It's time to clear up the confusion.

MySQL for AP Hosted News

Tue, 18 May 2004 00:00:00 EDT

The Associated Press (AP), the world's oldest and largest news agency, offers a service that allows news providers to integrate AP online content directly into their Web sites. The service, AP Hosted News, is used by approximately 600 affiliate newspapers and broadcasters. The service handles between 150,000 and 500,000 pages of content per affiliate per day, supporting 11,000 concurrent users.

Evaluating the ROI of Open Source on the Desktop

Wed, 18 Feb 2004 00:00:00 EST

When people hear that open source software is often free and overall cheaper than proprietary solutions, they're intrigued. But how much cheaper is another question. What other costs are involved? This article examines the budgetary impact of migrating corporate desktops to open source solutions. This is one of many areas where open source can positively impact IT budgets.