AppArmor is security software for Linux. AppArmor works by isolating applications so weaknesses in on application can not be exploited to affect the entire system. In AppArmor, each application is given a profile. The profile can then be customized to define which system resources can be accessed by that application.
Another cool tool that can be installed on Linux, and my personal favorite is Wine. Wine is an application that allows you to run most Windows applications on Linux. Wine is an open source application that is developed by an all volunteer force.
Open Source and Making Money
How do companies like RedHat make money?
Many open source companies like RedHat make their money supporting their products in several different ways. Some of those ways include 24/7 tech support and training on their products. Many companies also publish books to train folks on their products.
What makes open source open?
Open source is open because the source code is available to the public. Developers can find and edit to the source code. This allows developers to alter the code to fit their specific needs and fix bugs they find in the code.
Why didn't Bill Gates consider going open source?
Why Bill Gates didn't consider going open source is a tough question to answer. In his own words, open source creates a license "so that nobody can ever improve the software,".
Many other would argue that by controlling the source code, Gates can in many ways control who can develop software to run on Windows and therefore maintain a monopoly on the money generated by the PC market.
Many open source companies like RedHat make their money supporting their products in several different ways. Some of those ways include 24/7 tech support and training on their products. Many companies also publish books to train folks on their products.
What makes open source open?
Open source is open because the source code is available to the public. Developers can find and edit to the source code. This allows developers to alter the code to fit their specific needs and fix bugs they find in the code.
Why didn't Bill Gates consider going open source?
Why Bill Gates didn't consider going open source is a tough question to answer. In his own words, open source creates a license "so that nobody can ever improve the software,".
Many other would argue that by controlling the source code, Gates can in many ways control who can develop software to run on Windows and therefore maintain a monopoly on the money generated by the PC market.
The Cathedral and the Bazaar
Research and find out what you can about "Cathedral and the Bizarre". Tell me in your own words what it is and why it might be important.
"The Cathedral and the Bazaar" is a book written by Eric S. Raymond. It makes a comparison between the traditional pay software development and open source. He has compared the open source model to a bazaar and the traditional software development model to a cathedral.
The cathedral model involves a team of developers, most likely in the same location, with a leadership team and a defined goal.
The bazaar model involves somewhat of an ad hoc team of folks, most times connected only by the internet, modifying a project to fit their individual needs.
It is important because these two methods of development are finding themselves in close competition more and more frequently. As Linux students, it is very important for us to understand the bazaar method, as that is how most Linux is developed. A programmer writes some codes, then posts the code and other developers are free to alter the code as they see fit for their particular needs.
"The Cathedral and the Bazaar" is a book written by Eric S. Raymond. It makes a comparison between the traditional pay software development and open source. He has compared the open source model to a bazaar and the traditional software development model to a cathedral.
The cathedral model involves a team of developers, most likely in the same location, with a leadership team and a defined goal.
The bazaar model involves somewhat of an ad hoc team of folks, most times connected only by the internet, modifying a project to fit their individual needs.
It is important because these two methods of development are finding themselves in close competition more and more frequently. As Linux students, it is very important for us to understand the bazaar method, as that is how most Linux is developed. A programmer writes some codes, then posts the code and other developers are free to alter the code as they see fit for their particular needs.
Week 2: Linux in the Business World
What functions does Linux and/or Unix provide in todays business world?
The presence of Linux is growing in today's business world. One of the more recent areas of growth for Linux has come with the creation of the Asterisk phone system. A company can now download a phone system and save thousands over what a traditional pbx would cost. In addition, with a traditional pbx, features tend to come in packages. If a business would like the functionality of a few extra features, they may be forced to spend thousands on the upgrade package on many features they will not user.
With a Linux based system, a company can hire a Linux developer to add the features they want, often times at a much lower price. The same is true for custom features. Every company can have the exact features they want customized to fit their needs. This is all possible because the source code is available and may be changed by anyone with the knowledge to do so.
Are there a lot of companies who use Linux?
According to Steve Ballmer CEO of Microsoft, about 60% of the world's servers.
According to the World Wide Web Consortium, the usage of Linux as a desktop environment is growing as well. While still lagging far behind Windows, some companies are choosing to make the switch. In part, I attribute this gain in momentum to computer manufacturers releasing machines that run Linux (mostly Ubuntu) natively. The price tag can run $100 less or more compared to a Windows machine. Over a large company, the cost savings can be substantial.
Who uses Linux and why?
Linux also has a large presence in the server market, especially in web servers. Most notably, Google claims to use mostly Linux servers to power their operations. Much of the reason for using Linux to run web servers is security.
Web servers, unlike many other servers, are open to the Internet with little security in place. That's the nature of a web server. However, with most common viruses being written for Windows, a Linux server will remain unaffected by such a virus.
Secondly, most effective attacks launched against a Linux server would be done from the CLI. That reduces the number of hackers who may attack a Linux machine to those who know Linux well.
The presence of Linux is growing in today's business world. One of the more recent areas of growth for Linux has come with the creation of the Asterisk phone system. A company can now download a phone system and save thousands over what a traditional pbx would cost. In addition, with a traditional pbx, features tend to come in packages. If a business would like the functionality of a few extra features, they may be forced to spend thousands on the upgrade package on many features they will not user.
With a Linux based system, a company can hire a Linux developer to add the features they want, often times at a much lower price. The same is true for custom features. Every company can have the exact features they want customized to fit their needs. This is all possible because the source code is available and may be changed by anyone with the knowledge to do so.
Are there a lot of companies who use Linux?
According to Steve Ballmer CEO of Microsoft, about 60% of the world's servers.
According to the World Wide Web Consortium, the usage of Linux as a desktop environment is growing as well. While still lagging far behind Windows, some companies are choosing to make the switch. In part, I attribute this gain in momentum to computer manufacturers releasing machines that run Linux (mostly Ubuntu) natively. The price tag can run $100 less or more compared to a Windows machine. Over a large company, the cost savings can be substantial.
Who uses Linux and why?
Linux also has a large presence in the server market, especially in web servers. Most notably, Google claims to use mostly Linux servers to power their operations. Much of the reason for using Linux to run web servers is security.
Web servers, unlike many other servers, are open to the Internet with little security in place. That's the nature of a web server. However, with most common viruses being written for Windows, a Linux server will remain unaffected by such a virus.
Secondly, most effective attacks launched against a Linux server would be done from the CLI. That reduces the number of hackers who may attack a Linux machine to those who know Linux well.