Geek up the Street Blog December Archive

Opening Fire Training to the Masses....

By Michael Finney at 12/03/08 01:29

The Open Fire Academy (www.openfireacademy.org) is an opportunity for the fire service to learn from industry. For a long time we have considered Microsoft to be the standard for computer software. But there is a well known competitor called Open Source development. Now there are a number of factors that define Open Source software but here is an example of how it plays out. Person A sees a need for an operating system. This person develop the core of what he is looking for and posts it out to the internet for others to use. Another person develops another piece to the operating system and does the same. Others join in on the project, adding components each feels is important, and all is loaded to the internet for all to use.

Eventually what develops is a robust operating system that is comprehensive and available for all to download and use. In the computer world, one key element is that the programming code is made available for people to continue to build upon and to expand the comprehensiveness of the operating system. Now a company sees this project going on and commits to supporting it. The company will provide the hosting and support for the project and will even clean it up and create a final product for those who like the idea but do not like to download software in process.

Read more: Opening Fire Training to the Masses.... [click]