MORE Open Source!

So this is my final post. I covered all the topics because we had a few repeats like this so I'll cover it again. Open Source software allows uses to access source codes so the software can developed and modified. There is practically open source software for every conventional program out there. SourceForge is a great resource. I'm not into open source that much because I'm not much of a techy but I definitely have used a fair share of the software. I just wish I knew how to develop...

Advertising and open source stuff haven't married yet but with companies like Google who are open source proponents and advertising giants, it will happen one day. Upon doing research for another class, I've come to find out that Google has been in the open source game for a while. With things like Google Code and ownership of Android Inc., a mobile open source software company, we are only scratching the surface of advancement with this technology. It will be interesting how Google will change the dynamics of the field once it can figure out how open source and advertising can build off each other.

Well, speaking on Google and its open source endeavors, it recently released the Google Nexus One. This is its first flagship phone that they fully have all the rights to (G1 and MyTouch were also "Google" phones"). The phone runs on the Android operating system which is open source. Why is this important? Well, this makes it the only open source phone on the market. There are a few other phones that run the Android OS such as the Droid from Verizon but the Nexus One is THE phone for open sourcing apparently. Open source mobile devices allow for personalization and development by the user. They can easily make they own apps and fix bugs in the phone much more quickly than traditional updates. Should be interesting to see where this takes us.

Here's Google's Nexus One site.

Distance Learning

Distance learning is a very interesting topic. It takes many forms but in most cases, it takes the student out of the classroom and allows them to access course material, turn in work, and take test from remote locations. This type of curriculum is becoming widely accepted and used in classes on all levels of education. There are many benefits to this including allowing those who a distanced geographically or in other outstanding situations to be educated. High schools allow virtual classrooms for students who aren't in school, need other classes that can't fit on their schedule, or just want to explore another course. I took one class in Florida Virtual School myself. What is more popular is distance education in post-high school curriculum. There are many courses offered on college campuses that are strictly online. I know I've taken a few. This form of education is very expensive whether the cost be for the provider or deferred to the user and security over the Internet is always an issue.

Distance education can be helpful in any field. In many instances, people start their career and realize they want to do post-graduate work. Many jobs will pay for this while you still work for the company but it is difficult to truly go to school and work a full time job. Many turn to online coursework through universities. The University of Phoenix is a well known online education institution that many people have received degrees from the school. I know I want to go directly into the advertising field after I graduate so I will probably resort to an online university to further my education.

Here is a distance learning college guide!

There are so many resources like this where you can find information about distance learning coursework. I know I saw an ad for an online marketing program from the University of San Francisco based out of Tampa and immediately got interested. That is potentially what I will go with when I decide to continue my education. With Google at peoples' disposal, finding distance education programs of any sort should be hard at all.

Open Source Software

Open Source software can easily become one of the best innovations of our time. With people knowing so much about technology where they can create software or modify open source software to cater it to their needs is mind boggling. Open Source software allows people to access source codes so they can understand and manipulate everything about it. Open Source software is used by many as alternatives to software that you have to pay for like word processors or photo editing programs but the true gem in these programs is the access to the source code. This allows for so much innovation and creativity.

Open Source software can be used in the advertising field in many ways. I know that use of of Audacity and the VLC player is wide spread across the field. There are some in the field that can code so they really are the ones that can benefit. They can use the source code to cater programs to whatever they need in particular situations or even just general use in their office. I know there are probably so many more that are widely used that I'm not even aware of in the field but I'm sure their out there.

This Open Source software could be a break through in the advertising field.

With Google making 97% of its billion dollar quarters from its advertising programs, Web advertising is venturing into a great realm of new opportunity. Openads, an open source software, is one of the only ad servers that are free (dated article). Ad servers allow you, along with AdWords, to control what ads appear on your site so you can cater them to your viewers. If ads are actually links to what your viewers want to see and are reliable, this could really help you out.