The Latest Open Source Software Available and the Latest Development in ICT

NAME : ILIYA BT ABDULLAH SUHAIMI CLASS : 4 AL KHAZIN I/C NUMBER : 950809-06-5458

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Meaning of Open Source Software (OSS) Open source software (OSS) is defined as computer software for which the source code and certain other rights normally reserved for copyright holders are provided under a software license that meets the Open Source Definition or that is in the public domain. This permits users to use, change, and improve the software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified forms. Meaning of Hardware A computer's hardware consists of the physical components necessary to operate and interact with a computer. Since a computer's primary language is binary, devices are necessary to convert our input into that language. The binary code coming out of the computer must also be translated into something usable for the operator. Meaning of Software Software is often divided into two categories: 1. System software: Includes the operating system and all the utilities that enables the computer to function. 2. Application software: Includes programs that do real work for users. For example, word processors, spreadsheets, and database management systems fall under the category of applications software.

2.0 The Latest Open Source Operating System (OS)

2.1 Meaning of open source OS Open Source Operating System is the most important program that runs on a computer that is free to use, change, and improve the software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified forms. Every general-purpose computer must have an operating system to run other programs. Operating systems perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers.

2.2 Examples of open source OS There are two examples of Open Source Operating System which are Haiku and Syllable. Haiku is an open-source operating system currently in development designed from the ground up for desktop computing. Inspired by the BeOS, Haiku aims to provide users of all levels with a personal computing experience that is simple yet powerful, and free of any unnecessary complexities. Haiku is developed mostly by volunteers around the world in their spare time. Besides, Syllable is a reliable and easy-to-use open source operating system for the home and small office user. Syllable is still being developed, but it is already relatively stable and mature, including the following features : a) booting usually takes less than 10seconds, a full GUI is built into the OS. b) support for a wide range of common hardware devices, including video, network, and sound cards from manufacturers such as Intel, AMD, 3Com, nVidia, and Creative. c) Internet access through an Ethernet network. (PPP and PPPoE are not fully supported yet, but are available in a test version) d) a graphical web browser, based on WebKit.

3.0 The Latest Open Source Application Software

3.1 Meaning of open source application software Open source application software is consists of programs that perform specific tasks for users. Open source application software (also called as end-user programs) includes database programs, word processors, and spreadsheets. It is free to use, change, and improve the software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified forms. 3.2 Examples of open source application software There are two examples of open source application software which are Mozilla Firefox and VLC Media Player.

Mozilla Firefox is a popular Open Source web browser used by 30% users worldwide. Codenamed Tumucumaque, the latest Firefox incorporates a faster user interface, web integration, multitouch display and redesigned extension manager. Mozilla Firefox is based on the Gecko 2.0 engine, which adds and improves support for HTML5, CSS3, WebM, and WebGL. Also, it includes a new JavaScript engine (JgerMonkey) and better XPCOM APIs.

VLC Media Player is a free and open source media player that gained popularity over RealPlayer and Windows Media Player recently. Lightweight and wide OS compatibilities, VLC Media Player contains various video and audio codecs that plays from the popular formats such as Audio Video Interleave (AVI), Flash Video (FLV) and M-PEG Audio Layer 3 (MP3) to the less-used and rare formats such as Matroska, Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) and Advanced Audio Coding (AAC).

4.0 The Latest Development in ICT

4.1 Hardware

ATI Sapphire Radeon HD 5970 Sapphire Radeon HD 5970 is the best graphic card available for PC gaming up until this day. This extremely powerful video card has two GPUs on-board and a massive 2GB of on-board memory. Combined with a quality motherboard and processor, users will experience amazing frame rates in the latest games, realistic HD gaming, and picture-perfect Blu-ray and HD DVD movie capability. Sapphire is made with high quality parts and sometimes with custom coolers different with previous versions.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 Nvidia GeForce GTX 480 is the fastest single GPU graphic cards in existence. The full Graphics Fermi 100 GPU (GF100) is a marvel of graphical architecture, but some of the 512 small processing (CUDA) cores had to be dropped. The GTX 480 then comes with 480 of these cores, but still manages to give an astounding performance. Able to play almost every game in the world with HD gaming with realistic colour, this single GPU graphic card became the second best graphic card after ATI Sapphire Radeon HD 5970.

ATI Sapphire Radeon HD

Nvidia GeForce GTX 480

5970 Date released

4.2 Software

BitDefender Total Security 2011 BitDefender Total Security 2011 was released on 16 August 2010. Packed with high class security and various utilities, BitDefender Total Security 2011 was chosen as the best Security Software of the Year by TopTenReviews. Several improvements had been made after 1 year of its predecessor; one of most important would be the one step instalment without the needs to reboot the computer, which is advancement for Security Software on Windows. Another new function is the Search Advisor that warns users about unsafe pages displayed in search results, Smart Schedule provides maximum performance with system load analysis so tasks like ondemand scanning are suspended, to free-up resources for other processes, such as a media player or games and Firewall Troubleshoot Wizard guides users and solves most common problems related to internet, printer or remote office (VPN) connectivity.

Kapersky PURE 2011

Kapersky PURE 2011 was released on 3 March 2011. Earning the second place in the Security Software of the Year by ToptenReviews, Kaspersky PURE never disappoints the users. With full fledged utilities and top notch security, it came with various features including several of which that had been incorporated in the Antivirus and Internet Security version. Kaspersky PURE introduces the sandbox feature which secure an unknown application to run under several level of security. For those with children, Kaspersky PURE's Extended Parental Control helps to limit the time that minors spend on the computer, regulates access to specific programs and the Internet and blocks users attempting to access websites displaying adult content. The IM control feature can be set to block messages containing obscene language or predefined words.

5.0 Pervasive Computing

5.1 Meaning of pervasive computing Pervasive Computing or commonly known as Ubiuitous Computing refers to computers contained in commonplace objects such as cars and appliances and implies that people are unaware of their presence. All these devices are integrated into everyday life, either wired or wireless and communicate with each other over wireless networks without any interaction required by the user. The proponents of ubiquitous computing envision are progression in computing functionality from the primacy of desktop computing, with its focus on programming and publishing,to an age of "natural" computing, where in computers are accepted and utilized in all aspects of work and leisure. Rapid changes in technology, combined with an increasingly mobile society, ensure that the average person is continually challenged to use unfamiliar electrical and mechanical devices. This requires that devices operate in accordance with the intuition of the user, and serving that intuition requires computing power. Ubiquitous computing is,therefore,not a dream in need of pursuit, but a predictable outgrowth of technical solutions to societal trends.

5.2 Examples of pervasive computing Smart House A smart house is a house usually a new one, that is equipped with special structured wiring to enable occupants to remotely control or program an array of automated home electronic devices by entering a single command. For example, a homeowner on vacation can use a Touchtone phone to arm a home security system, control temperature gauges, switch appliances on or off, control lighting, program a home theater or entertainment system, and perform many other tasks. The field of home automation is expanding rapidly as electronic technologies converge. The home network encompasses communications, entertainment, security, convenience, and information systems. A technology known as Powerline Carrier Systems (PCS) is used to send coded signals along a home's existing electric wiring to programmable switches, or outlets. These signals convey commands that correspond to "addresses" or locations of specific devices, and that control how and when those devices operate. A PCS transmitter, for instance, can send a signal along a home's wiring, and a receiver plugged into any electric outlet in the home could receive that signal and operate the appliance to which it is attached.

Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

A personal digital assistant (PDA) is a handheld computer, also known as a palmtop computer. Newer PDAs also have both color screens and audio capabilities, enabling them to be used as mobile phones, web browsers, or portable media players. Many PDAs can access the Internet via Wi-Fi, or Wireless Wide-Area Networks (WWANs). Many PDAs employ touch screen technology.

6.0 Conclusion

Open source software has natural strengths which benefit individual users. Above and beyond this, the widespread use of open source software holds advantages for the U.S. economy as a whole, and it is for this reason that a careful program of government promotion and encouragement would be justified and beneficial. Open Source can be used by anyone and because it has no copyright claims, so users are free to use, change, and improve the software, and to redistribute it in modified or unmodified forms. Pervasive Computing makes our lives easier because we can interact with computers. Besides that, we can easily give the computer commands and the computer will grant our wish.

7.0 References

http://vis-soft.net/d08/6/cereal+para+kaspersky+pure+release+2.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_hardware http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_software http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/sapphire_radeon_5970/ http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_geforce_gtx_480_us.html