All and every operating system can, and will, crash...

Now and then, I've meet people who said that one or another OS is uncrushable. They seem to believe that just because they haven't crashed their system at some point in time, it means that no one will ever be able to do so. This belief seems to be most spread on people using an Apple's OS.

Any OS can crash, but some are more stable and robust than other. By this I mean, than some operating systems are harder to crash because they are more resilient because of the way they where designed. In essence, under what operating load an OS will crash is determined by the design parameters.

If an OS is well designed, and used as intended, crashes shouldn't happen under normal circumstances. The only OS that crashed on me on regular basis has been Windows Vista, which seem to crash for no particular reason. Windows 95, 7 and XP did crash on me on from time to time. Yet, those times where when I did put to much strain on the system resources until the system just gave up.

Since I moved on to GNU/Linux, some 7 years ago, I've come along two systems crashes. One on Ubuntu and another using Linux Mint.  On both cases, putting to much strain on system resources was the cause, not a fault of the OS it self.

On the Apple's operating systems, I've no first hand experience. Yet, I've seen people who use OS X on regular basis crash it from time to time. So, as with Windows and GNU/Linux, OS X can be crashed.

It seems to me, that GNU/Linux and OS X are a lot more resilient to system crashes than Windows. On all my experience with Ubuntu and Linux Mint I mainly have to worry about certain application crashing because I had another one eating too much RAM at the time, but most of the time it has been smooth sailing. And for the people who use OS X, it's pretty much the same thing, a rouge application crashing because of the same reason.

Yet, I wouldn't call any GNU/Linux or OS X crash proof. It's a matter of how you use your OS, and of time, before a full system crash comes along.

Better use of the information technology we have...

As I have been digging more into the system we use at work to manage inventory, the more I come to realize how far behind we are in being able to use to use it to help the people at the floor to be more efficient.

Even though we are set to use it along with other tools to have a better control over the inventory, and to help the people who are filling the orders not to lose time finding the items they need. Not only that, it would help to have a better flow of information among all the areas.

As things are, there is a lot of lag on how the information flows. That lag really hurts us since not all the areas are at the same page at the same time, with all the misunderstandings and confusion that in brings. The most important thing, is that the table is set in other to have the information flowing in a timely manner to the people who need it.

Most importantly, the data bases needed to work with are already there. Now, what is needed is to use them to create information that is valuable and get it where is needed at the right time.

There are already plans to start having more tools on the floor to make this a reality, and I can only see it making the whole process a lot more efficient and easy to follow. At the moment, there are too many blind spots that make improvement a bit tricky. Eliminating those blind spots, means that when an area of improvement is detected it can be done much faster.

Not only that, areas where value can be added can be identified a lot faster. The same goes to those areas that are not really needed, and should be dropped. The energy can be better directed to improve things, and to add value to costumers.

If we really follow that path, I've high hopes.

Hacking put to good use...

It irks me when I hear the term hacker in mostly negative ways, then a hacker does something like this and it remains me of the original sense of hacking. On the original days of computers, hackers came together to try to come with new ways to use what they had.

Most hackers continue to do this, sometimes doing things that could be at least be called dubious just to prove it can be done. The Xbox One gamepad is one example of a hacker coming with an use that some gamers wanted, but that Microsoft wasn't giving to them.

For me, that's an area where open source can be of help to hackers and hackers can give to open source. In many ways, if you allow hackers to adapt software and hardware openly to other uses and to let them contribute their hacks back to the community is one of the best ways to make open source projects better faster. And by having those hacks occurring openly, the risk of having any malicious side of it coming out of it to a minimum.

As with anything where people are involved, there will be some that will try to come with ways to hack in ways that are not beneficial. Yet, I don't think that those will be the norm. The nature of open source will help to keep it that way, since most of the people working on those hacks can contribute it to keep those hacks from bad use.

Hack in itself it's neutral. It's the people that do that hacking, who actually use it for good or for bad. Instead of making hacking an evil act, lets make it attractive to those who will make use of it for the good of community that will make use of the hack they make.

Pushing hackers, and the skills the make use of, aside as unwanted people we are set to lose of a lot of things that could benefit us enormously. We need them to work on the open, so that their work can benefit as much people as possible. Only by doing this, can we have a more rapid progress on as many fields as possible.

Hacking is a skill set that can go both ways, but when allow it to grow in an open space that pushes it to be used for the good of us all it can do wonders for all.

My mind wondering after watching Cosmos...

As I was watching Cosmos last night, somehow I realized how similar the scientific and FLOSS communities are in many respects.

Both communities do they strive on individuals working together, in an open way that promotes sharing information and testing ideas before they become accepted as facts. People test each others ideas, and put them to work when they prove their value.

Even though most of the time they work in parallel to each other, they do have points where each other interact. Where one provides with tools, or ideas, that allows the other work toward their objectives a lot more efficiently.

Though FLOSS owes its existence to the science, since without the discoveries made by the scientific communities the FLOSS community wouldn't have much to work on, FLOSS does pay back that debt by giving back tool that allow science to move forward. Both help each other grow and move forward, it could be said that both communities live in a symbiotic relationship.

What's more impressive, at least for me, is that it's far more common that I ever imagine to find scientist that work on FLOSS project in order to advance science. Some because they needed to create the tools they needed for their research, or because they knew how to code and found a FLOSS project they wanted to contribute to.

Other thing, is that you don't have to be a scientist to contribute to the advancement of science. If you know how to code, you can join any FLOSS project you like that helps develop the tools that scientists need for their research.

Both communities are about people together, the scientific community to find out how the cosmos works and the FLOSS community around finding the best solution for a task. Even if the end of each community is different, the core values of their members are the same.

No need to the perfect distro...

Going through the comments of a post on Google + today, I came to realize that the GNU/Linux community doesn't actually needs a perfect distro.

There is a need that available distros work the best they can for the purpose they where made. Each and every distro will have it's inherent strengths and weaknesses, and there is nothing bad or wrong with it. The main thing, is that they do what their users need from them.

The fact that GNU/Linux has the flexibility to be used to make the vast array of distros, from general purpose to specific use, speaks volumes of how good it is for developers and users alike. It gives both the ability to create distros that carter specific needs, tastes and work flows all built on a common base.

In some sense, the perfect distro depends on the specific needs of each user. What's the intended use for the distro will dictate what it needs to work, and how it should do things. It's a mistake to try to have one distro to do all, specially when we can have as many as they are needed. What it's a strength in one distro, can be a weakness on another.

If anything, we need to make the underlying technologies of GNU/Linux stronger so that all distros can work on top of them. In some respects, we need to strengthen the standards on which distros work so that users can trust that their distro of choice will work.

At the core of GNU/Linux should always be the openness that has allowed us to have the variety of distros that conform to the needs of us the users. There will be disagreements, but if they can made to work to our benefit, and make our communities stronger.

A laptop and a smartphone, my perfect combo...

The more I think about it, the more I realize that tablets aren't for me. If I aren't at home, where using a laptop is way more convenient for me, I'm more likely to be at my favorite coffee shop or bar where using my smartphone to check in or send a quick text is way more practical.

At home, I'm either surfing the web, editing my blogs, chatting or on a video call. For me, it's a lot more practical to use my laptop, which has the added bonus that I can take to my favorite coffee shop or my best friend house to either do some work or just geek out. I simply can't see myself using a tablet to do any of this, I just find it to be rather uncomfortable and they still can't do the kind of multitasking I do.

When I go out, I prefer to take a smartphone with me. It allows me to quickly check in on Foursquare, take a quick photo or note, and to listen to my music on the go. Not only that, it also helps me to keep me in touch with texts, Whatsapp or a quick call. Not only that, I can keep share whatever I want to on Facebook, Google + or Twitter with ease and without loosing a hearth beat.

I can keep track of what I have to do using my agenda and the calendar app at my smartphone, and quite easily I must say. And since I always have one of the at hand, it's really hard for me to be reminded of what I've to do.

It's not like I've anything personal against tablets, I just don't think that they are for everyone or that we all need to have one despite all the hype around them. They are just one way people can access mobile computing, and should be seen as the option they are.

More than ever, I come to believe that there will be several ways to have access to mobile computing. How we access it will depend on our lifestyles, and how integrated we want it to be.

For better, or worse, mobile computing is here to stay and will keep evolving in ways we may not phantom today. I want to see it evolve in a way that it enhances the human experience, and it helps us create a better society.

The headaches of proprietary software...

At work, we use SAP to manage our most of our key aspects of our daily operations. It has made evident the weaknesses of using proprietary software, and how frustrating they can be.

Two of weaknesses are the most evident, and the ones that impact us the most. The first one, is the fact that when a fix is needed on the inner working of the software there is no way it can be done within the organization itself. We need to go the people who provide us with the licences so that they fix the problem. This means that it takes longer to solve the problem, and at times there have been some misunderstandings since the one who made the fix wasn't the one who received the information about it on first place.

In our case, we have people who are more than capable to fix any of the problems we have been facing. Yet, they have their hands tied because they can't do it because they don't have the access needed to make it so.

The other problem, is that we are in a position where the vendor has us locked to use their services. While we could move to another service provider, it isn't that practical because we just own the client side of the software. It's not the best position to be in, since the amount of data we produce is copious and we depend on the the software to be able to do business.

This causes a lack of flexibility that is problematic, since problems that could be solve sooner if the they could be worked in house simply can't be worked on the spot. The worst part is that, some of those problems haven't been completely solve and have been dragging simply because we depend on the them to give us the solution.

With an open source software, our IT department could be the one that handles most of those problems. While we could hire support to an outside company, access to the core parts by our IT department could be our first option to solve most of our problems.

In many ways, the more I use proprietary software the more I love open source software.

Phones running Ubuntu Touch finally coming out this year...

As an Ubuntu fan, to hear that two Ubuntu Touch phones are coming out this year is really good news. For me, the only downside is that neither of them is coming out in Mexico.

On the other hand, the wait for a release in Mexico is even closer and even more possible. With the added plus that by the time a device running Ubuntu Touch reaches Mexico, the app ecosystem for it should have matured enough so that there should be a healthy selection to choose from.

I really hope that Ubuntu Touch arrives to Mexico, and running on several devices on at least two of our mobile phone carriers. Not only because I'm a fan of Ubuntu, but because it will bring a wider selection for costumers and giving them another open source option to run on their devices.

When, and if, a phone comes out in Mexico running Ubuntu Touch it will be my number one option.

If only Nokia had done this before...

After what it seems like an eternity, Nokia finally released an Android device. To be honest, it was something that I really wanted to happen for a long time, but the timing seems to be against it. With Microsoft's deal to acquire Nokia, there isn't much chance that it will continue to have an Android device for long.

Nokia was my favorite mobile phone manufacturer until it made the deal to make Window's phone exclusively. As many said at the time, it was an ill fated alliance that saw the downfall of one of my favorite brands.

One can just wonder what if Nokia had produced Android devices along Windows, though it's hard to imagine that it could have had the same result as we have now. I'd say that Nokia could have made some of the best Android smartphones if it had worked on them, since they showed with it's N9 smartphone. It was the last Nokia device that I really coveted, since then there hasn't been one that I really wanted to have.

For me having Nokia producing smartphone with Android was simply one of the best things that could ever happen. Been an FLOSS advocate, having Nokia's weight behind a project like Android would have been fantastic, but alas it seems that now it will never be.

Even if it is hoping against all hope, I just wish that Nokia doesn't kill their Android device.

The need to secure data, and spying...

This Edward Snowden interview puts the spaying carried on not only by the US, but other governments it quite new perspective. It comes to show how no government has clean hands on this matter, and the importance of securing data has to give people at least a minimal amount of privacy.

It's not that surprising to me, that the laws on the books at the moment aren't follow in spirit. There are many loopholes that allow governments to virtually spy on their own citizens while technically braking the law. The worse part is, that such spying doesn't have to be justified to the courts of law that are supposed to see that our rights aren't wrongfully violated by the government that has the obligation to protect them.

Edward Snowden is right to point out that moving our data behind closed gardens isn't the best solution. Even if our data is protected that way, without it being properly secured it doesn't matter where we put out data in. The key is to secure our data in way that it can't be retrieved without the government going to the proper channels to justify the need to get the data of any individual.

In more than one way, we shouldn't be questioning the actions of Edward Snowden, but the actions of the governments that have the mandate to protect our rights even against the government's own actions. All government surveillance shouldn't be massive, but targeted to the individuals the government has reasonable suspicions of engagement in unlawful activity and can give sufficient evidence to support such claims.

The actions of Edward Snowden are not those of a traitor, but of someone that brought our attention to the wrongdoings of the US governments. It's the US government that it's at fault, and has to do all to restore the confidence not only of it's citizens, but the trust of the rest of the word.

Even if you don't agree with what he did, the important thing is why he did it.

There needs to be a way to reach the average user...

One of the questions I ask myself frequently about how to reach the average person about FLOSS, since most people don't really readily know much about it.

For most, FLOSS is an obscure part in the world of computers where you absolutely need to have a college degree to be able to even start using it. As I've said before, they don't seem to able equate software like Firefox or Android with FLOSS. Even then, they seem to be weary to even try any of the GNU/Linux distros available for desktops and laptops.

There is a need to find a way to reach those people, and get them to at least give FLOSS a good chance by using it for a meaningful amount of time so they can actually have a better idea of how good it actually is.

GNU/Linux distros like Linux Mint and Ubuntu could lure a lot of people away from Windows and Mac OS X, since they are at least as easy to use. They come with all what the average user know, and is ever going to need for the every day computing. Not only that, most of the software that people uses is available, or has an equivalent app to replace the one they where using.

Most importantly, there is a need to find a way to speak to the average person on equal terms. What seems to put aback most people, is the fact that the way they are engaged seems to be to technical and they feel lost before they even start. As it is, is more a matter to find a way to make them feel like they are welcomed to join the party as welcomed members, not like if they have to wait around as if they are unwanted.

In a way, they need to stop feeling like if they need technical skills from the start. Instead, they need to feel that they can learn those skills as they need them and want to get more of them as they go further into the FLOSS community they choose. At the same time, those who choose to remain just users need to know that is just as cool.

If FLOSS can get this going, we can get the break we are hoping for.