SOFTWARE FREEDOM DAY

SOFTWARE FREEDOM DAY
“Smarter Communities Choose to be Free”
ULS Convention Hall, University of Southern Mindanao
Kabacan, Cotabato


The “Software Freedom Day” is celebrated every 17th day of September, Saturday all over the world. The said celebration was dubbed as “Smarter Communities Choose to be FREE” where they have showcased free and open source software. There were more than 400 teams in different countries are having this celebration. Due to some instances, the University of Southern Mindanao has organized this said occasion on the 19th day of September, Monday where students can attend.

The following are the activities in the said celebration:

Part I: Opening Program (9:00-11:00)
Invocation
Singing of the National Anthem
Welcome Address
Presentation of Participants
Rationale
Intermission Number
Introduction of the Guest Speaker
Message
Awarding of the Certificate of Appreciation to the Guest Speaker

Part II: Software Presentation (11:00 am-2:00 pm)
Presentation 1: What’s new with Linux Ubuntu?
Presentation 2: Sustainable Programming Productivity Using RoR (Ruby on Rails
Presentation 3: Building Sites Using WordPress
Presentation 4: Image Retouching Using GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program
Presentation 5: Web Development Using JOOMLA
Presentation 6: Enhancing e-Learning System through MOODLEWhat is “Software Freedom Day” all about?

The celebration of the “Software Freedom Day” is a public education initiative with the simple aim of increasing awareness of “Free Softwares” and its virtues, and encouraging its use. The said celebration was attended by the students of University of Southern Mindanao, Notre Dame of Midsayap College and the Notre Dame of Kidapawan College.

What is “Free & Open Source Software” (FOSS)?

By definition, open source software refers to a program in which the source code is available and that can be modified, allowing users to make the program perform the way a user or users needs it to operate or perform and is free of charge.

Open Source Software, is a form of software in which the original source code is openly available for users to examine and modify, and to use to run or to create computer programs. One of the best-known examples of open source software is Linux, which is widely used as an alternative to commercial operating system (OS) software. Open source software includes a license to use, modify, and redistribute the code. Commercially sold software products can be developed from open source software.

Open source software is considered distinct from free software, which is also open source but can be used for any purpose and without any costs or restrictions. Both open source software and free software are different from software provided for free (freeware) by commercial software manufacturers that do not allow access to the original source code.

A central features of open source software is that users can review the software, add features to it or hire programmers to add features, or fix errors known as bugs, rather than wait for the original software publisher or creator to release a “patch” or bring out a new version. With open source software, programmers—many of them nonprofessionals—contribute to the computing community by making their improvements and bug fixes available to other users.

What are the benefits of using “Open-Source Software”?

The following are the benefits of Open-Source Software:
o Virus free
o Free of charge
o Can be downloaded in the Internet
o Source code is available for modification making the user modify the program it on how he/she wants it to operate or perform tasks/processes