[ Thanks to Steve
Emms for this link. ]
“Linux means Business is a collection of articles that focus
on the way businesses can make use of the Linux operating
system. For many users the attractiveness of Linux software
stems from its price. However for business users the price of the
software license is only one factor. In a business environment the
total cost of the software is assessed. A corporation will consider
development costs (adapting the software to the company’s own
specific requirements), support, training etc. Businesses also have
a different set of requirements that an application must meet. The
software must be compatible with industry standards. If the company
needs to issue reports to its clients, they must be in a format
their client can understand.”
“It is sometimes thought that Linux applications cannot
challenge Microsoft applications in a commercial setting because
the strength of Linux comes from its price. Linux means Business
aims to demonstrate that the strength of this operating system
arises from other factors such as stability, ease of use, and high
quality commercial applications. In addition, the increasing amount
of Open Source software is already invaluable to commercial
organisations. With full access to source code, companies can
easily develop extensions to the software, tailor made to their own
specific needs and requirements. Moreover they are not reliant on
the good will of a single vendor in order to do business: Linux is
about freedom and choice and that is just as important to an
organisation as it is to an individual.”
“A database is the most vital system for a company as it stores
mission critical information. The continual failure of a company’s
database system can only lead to the demise of the organisation –
companies cannot do business without a working system. A database
management system , or DBMS, gives the user access to their data
and helps them transform the raw data into information. These
systems allow users to create, update, and extract information from
their databases. Compared to a manual filing system, the biggest
advantages of a computerized database system are speed, accuracy,
and accessibility. A database is a structured collection of data.
Data refers to the characteristics of people, things, and
events.”