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As America struggles with the changing landscape of industry, local communities across this nation are taking the initiative in re-creating local economy. Infusing technology with manufacturing and focusing on industry based solutions provide small business innovators with tested and working business models. It also allows for expansion of needed talent in the technology industry. This talent pool allows companies growth in the area of research and development, software architecture, and IT systems. No longer are we looking to see what tomorrow will bring; tomorrow is here. The industrial revolution is finally dead, replaced by technology. Solutions for communities struggling with job opportunities? Change the focus, create tech hub think-tanks. Move toward solving the problem by investing in solutions. This is, after all the new America only this time around we are competing on a global scale.
Open source software is essentially free software available on the World Wide Web for business or personal use. How does it work? Open source developers share their knowledge at no cost and make the source code available to the general public. The big difference between open source software and commercial programs is you don’t pay for it. The open source software is distributed with a licensed and allows other developers to modify, and add to it. You are already familiar with some open source software such as WordPress, Mozilla, and Firefox browser. Advantages of Open Source Software • Open source software allows you to make choices, rather than being locked into the design and development of a commercial application. • Open source software offers a tremendous amount of flexibility. • A number of open source programs have a core application which can be enhanced by the use of plug-ins and themes such as WordPress and Joomla.
this issue
An Introduction to Open Source Software P.1
IT Management Tips P.2 P.3 Predictions & EducationP.4
• Open source software is under constant development which addresses vulnerabilities, bug fixes, enhancements, and more. • You can modify the software as necessary for your own purposes. • Some open source programs give the user the option of automatic updates, which keep the software current like WordPress. • Open source software is potentially more secure than commercial programs because the code is constantly being scrutinized by many programmers, not just a select few. • Many open source programs can be installed on your computer, unlike a proprietary system which you can use, but where you have no control. If the software owner doesn’t like what you are doing they can wipe out your hard work overnight. (continued on back page)
The West Pullman Chamber of Commerce is taking the lead in laying the groundwork to put West Pullman on the map as a forward thinking community of individuals working to achieve self-determination. It is evident that the current paradigms are not in the order of the future as it stands. If we are to compete on the next level we must look to three areas: food, water, and technology. We are tasked to reeducate our youth, provide creative outlet for our young adults, lead the way in our quest for self-determination and the ability to compete in a sustainable way. How do we plan to do this? First and foremost our plan is to establish a think-tank zone within the community. Secondly, we plan to call on leaders in the technology arena in order to assist in reaching our youth via speaker’s bureau at the K-12 level. Talking to our children about the realty of technology and the digital world we now live in will spark interest in the minds of our youth. Thirdly, we plan to partner with innovative individuals and organizations already engaged and making progress in this area. For more information on how to get involved, contact us at: westpullmanchamberofcommerce@gmail.com
COMPuTER aRChItECt rE: What is it? In a nutshell computer architecture is the relationship between software and hardware interaction forming a ‘system’ or ‘platform’. It is a science pursued via careers in Computer Engineering and Engineering Technology. Students who wish to pursue a career in computer engineering need a strong foundation in both math and science, especially chemistry and physics. At the high school level students should enroll in trigonometry and pre-calculus.
High school students can take advantage of several memberships and organizations such as Junior Engineering Technical Society, ational Society of Black Engineers, Jr., and atinos in Science and Engineering. For young adults and adults looking for a career change look to start at the community college level. Many community colleges offer Associate Degrees in Computer Engineering Technology. Colleges and universities typically restrict their associate degree offerings to computer engineering technology, where the coursework covers circuitry, networking and electronic devices. Computer engineering majors pursuing this degree program will participate
In more hands-on work learning high-demand skills that will allow them to enter the work force in as little as 18 months. Median salary ranges in General/ Operations Manager start at $72,000 annually with Quality Mangers median salary is $86,000. Those who want to go straight into the work force may be able to transfer their credits into a part-time bachelor's degree program, which they can pursue while they gain work experience. In conclusion, the field of computer engineering constantly changes to accommodate new technologies, new inventions, and new consumer demands. In the long run it makes for career evolution and job security.
onp ro fit Techn olog y C onfe renc e
Technology Solutions for on-Profits Many nonprofits think of innovation as a luxury they can’t afford. Staff time and budgets are limited, and improving the way they use technology seems out of reach. But technology can offer straightforward, inexpensive means of providing higher quality services, and create numerous opportunities to do more with less— even in our current economic climate. Which makes innovation something organizations can no longer afford not to embrace. When we think about innovation, we envision cutting-edge technology that’s flashy, shiny and futuristic—things like jet packs, flying cars and computers that integrate with our homes. But our research shows many nonprofits successfully using technology to innovate in more subtle ways. Know what technology is available. Many nonprofit organizations feel they don’t have the time or the money to stay up-to-date on technology. It’s not important to know the ins and outs of every new thing, but to find the solutions that can help you innovate, you need to be generally aware of what’s out there. ext, your organization should connect
the needs to technology. Some problems have easy solutions, but don’t assume that technologies to fill the gaps you’ve identified will be obvious. In fact, the majority of people we spoke with were inspired by, or had support from, people outside their own organizations—peer sharing, seminars and funder support all helped them get their creative juices flowing. You could also think through possible methods to connect your needs to the technology you already have. Then you make the change happen. With this being said, you’ll need more than an idea to successfully innovate. In many cases you’ll need time and money as well. We don’t have a magic wand for funding issues, but we can tell you that a lot of useful technologies—including mobile texting, video conferencing and social networking, to to name just a few and don’t cost very much. If you don’t think you’ll be able to fund a large-scale project, try to come up with useful ideas that won’t break your budget. Don’t forget that any change that you try to
implement will also require staff time and buyin. Make sure someone is in charge of your new solution and invested in its success. Innovations are meaningless if they’re never used—be sure to educate staff to begin getting them used to the change. Even inexpensive or free solutions will require time to plan, implement and roll-out in order to have a substantial impact. Putting innovation to work doesn’t require a massive budget or technology staff to take advantage of the power of technology. There are accessible, affordable technologies that can make a real difference in your ability to serve your community. While knowing the technologies available to help your organization is an important step, it’s not the only one. Start with an understanding of your needs and issues, and connect them with the technologies available to you. And don’t forget that solutions always take at least time and sometimes money to succeed. Will you invent the next jet pack? Probably not. But there’s
The Sector’s Signature Technology Event March 23-25, 2016 San Jose, California Over 100 educational sessions, an exhibit hall highlighting the latest nonprofit products and services, and networking events each day Register at www.nten.org/ntc
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a good chance you can come up with something even better: a cost-effective way to improve the quality of services you provide clients. NOTE: This article originally appeared in the March issue of the NTEN:Change Journal. License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercialNoDerivs 2.5
An Introduction to Open Source Software (continued from Page 1) Disadvantages of Open Source Software • If you don´t know how to write code you´re at the mercy of those who do unless you have the budget to pay for modifications or learn how to code yourself. • If the author of a product no longer supports the software you might be out of luck unless the development is picked up by other programmers. That said, you’re not at the mercy of a software company which goes out of business (and refuses to allow licensing to a 3rd party). You can take over development yourself if you wish. • The software might not be well-documented, which could make it difficult to learn.
• nless there’s a structure in place to ensure the quality of the code it might wind up with many changes, bug fixes, and patches, all of which can make the code more complex and/or degrade the quality, which in turn leads to more maintenance. • Vulnerabilities in the software can be exploited by hackers. A common way of attacking WordPress installations is through an injection of malicious code into the database. Depending on the severity of the attack it might be possible to repair. If not, you will have to rebuild the site. Another option is to make sure you have backups. This will save you a lot of time if you need to restore the site. In conclusion, take time to do your own research and ask questions. Find out if open source software is right for you.
• Open source is sometimes referred to as ‘open wallet’ in the sense that it may cost you more to have open source code modified than it would cost you to buy a commercial program.
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2016