Retailer John Lewis Adds Technology for Customers on Reportlinker

When researching for this article, I got a glimpse into what to expect for the future of shopping. This article includes information on the following:

• Cloud-based appointment system lets customers book from anywhere
• Smart-technology virtual mirrors from Cisco set to boost cross selling of clothing and accessory
• Customer interest, newness improves John Lewis sales figures

Retailer John Lewis Adds Technology for Customers on Reportlinker

More info on virtual mirrors here's a video from Cisco, the company mentioned in the article:

Industry Report: Airplanes and Airports

My latest industry articles for ReportLinker are now available!
... about the airplane industry!

About Airports
Austrialia's "Airport of the Future" Trials Begins: Link
US May Reduce Security Checks for Low-Risk Passengers: Link
US Air Travel: Will Passengers Pay for Security Checks?: Link

Commentary: While writing these articles I couldn't help but think to myself "What were all these security procedures all about?" Now body scanning will be traded for an increase in other privacy violations using RFID chips. These chips are more of a security risk for the country and for individuals.

About Airplane Engines
Pratt and Whitney, GE Aviation To Launch New Turboprop Engines: Link
Nextant Aerospace Announces Engine FAA Certification: Link

Government Intervention and The Online Poker Industry

Just as Full Tilt Poker reached a new partnership, Full Tilt, Poker Stars, and Absolute Poker web sites are all down! If you don't believe me, try clicking here. Nope, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. These domains have been taken over by the United States government. It doesn't stop there. The executive officers have been arrested and threatened with 30 years in prison if indicted!

What happened? Our story begins in 2006 during the Bush regime. That year the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was among the many controversial bills passed through Congress and signed into law. Bush stated that the Freedom of Information Act would not ensure the release of the UIGEA documents because of "national security" concerns. Seriously?!! Ever since then some lawmakers, especially Barney Frank and Ron Paul, have been trying to revoke the UIGEA. Internet poker pros became fearful of the possibility that their means of cash flow could be shut down. Well, thankfully no case could be proven against the giants of online poker and all appeared to be safe... until now.

A case has now been brought by a Manhattan attorney against the online poker giants for supposedly "tricking" banks into accepting money for "illegal gambling" and "bank fraud". These are some pretty serious charges if they are true. But considering the fact that online poker is in itself now "illegal" means that all these new charges could be built on that fact alone. The banning of online poker is even more ridiculous than the prohibition of alcohol because online poker is an investment and an asset, not an expense. Now ESPN is considering scrapping its poker coverage involving Poker Stars and Full Tilt players. I wonder what will happen to the hit TV show High Stakes Poker now that it has partnered with Poker Stars?

Why is online poker so dangerous that it has to be illegal in the US? Ever since the turn of the century, poker (and especially online poker) has skyrocketed in popularity with stars like Daniel Negreanu, Tom "Durrr" Dwan, and Phil Ivey as spokespeople. TV programs have emerged that show the Average Joe winning against these poker pros. Online poker sites facilitate the money transaction between poker players wishing to become wealthy pros themselves. One by one these new internet players have popped up on the radar. More and more Americans began forming their own poker dreams and monetary ambitions. If a person invests in learning the basics in poker like poker hands, poker psychology, reading body language, pot odds, outs and percentages, and how to bluff effectively, then that person can make money as a grinder (a relatively safe poker player), a reader (someone who bets on what they think others have as opposed to their own hand), or a gambler (someone who bets based their hand instead even if the odds are stacked against them). Although gamblers win more money in the short run, they can lose it just as easily. Most online poker pros fall in that category. There are a growing number of grinders who MAKE A LIVING through ONLINE POKER. These players are the ones who will lose the from this new controversy. I think poker grinders are the real risk to the US government, or rather, to the non-federal Federal Reserve. Financial independence is not profitable for debt investors, especially the Fed who makes a profit from printing debt.

What options are there for online poker players? Well, if you are a poker player who can read your opponents well, you will probably do well in live cash games and live tournaments. For those who have never played live and do not yet have the bank roll to try, you are safe... for now. If you already have an account with Ultimate Bet (UB) or Absolute Poker (AP), your cash account has not been closed. You can continue to play for money even though you are an American; however, they will not allow you to withdraw or start a new account due to the massive uncertainty. I think after all this mess, online play will continue in America and the sites that are temporarily not allowing US players will once again pursue American clients. Until then, Carbon Poker is allowing US players to start new accounts. I'm sure there are others who are too.

There is no way the government can win this case. If they do, that will be the end of online poker and maybe eventually an end to all forms of "gambling". Where is the line drawn? Online wager transfer could include, in theory, online horse racing, fantasy sports, and lotteries. This is protectionism at its very worst! As a result of this law, the US government is in conflict with the World Trade Organization (WTO). Now Europe is considering doing the same to American companies. Wow, what a great way to get out of a global recession... by limiting global trade and commerce! This is why taxing them (also known as a tariff) is a bad idea: it will cause retaliation against American companies from any, and all, industries. Casinos based in other countries do not (and should not) pay American taxes, nor do Las Vegas casinos pay foreign taxes. So why should Full Tilt or Poker Stars who also have American customers? Online casinos are NOT FROM AMERICA, but they DO pay taxes... in their HOME COUNTRY. Americans who win the lottery, the slot machines, or a poker game all have to pay taxes on their winnings... so why should the Fed care? Some individuals fail to report their winnings but that should not be an excuse to close down the whole online poker industry. Instead those who lied should be the ones held accountable. Shouldn't individuals have the right to choose how they invest their money? Hell, I think investing in poker (once you know the basics) is safer than investing in retirement and long-term stocks. As you can tell, I am steaming. But don't try to steal my pot, the government doesn't like competition.

Super Fast, Fuel-Efficient Sports Cars

Who Knew Saving Money Could Be so Rewarding? For all you racers out there who love the speed of a mean machine, would it surprise you to know that there are truly fuel-efficient, really fast cars? I know, it sounds too good to be true. I took into account the speed from 0 to 60 MPH and the gas mileage when making this list. These cars are perfect if you are trying to convince your wife to purchase a sick ride. These cars are sure to catch people's eye, especially when in action. Who knew saving the environment could be so rewarding? Here are six bad boys you should really consider driving:

6. Smart Roadster

46.17 mpg combined
0-62 mph in 10.9 seconds

The speed does not seem impressive, but it certainly feels fast. I noticed when riding in a Smart Roadster in Ireland with my boyfriend, it accelerates fast in short distances. This car, in other words, is most exciting when driving in a city. You won't know until you try it. I highly recommend driving this car whenever you need a rental car :). Unfortunately, this car is not available in the United States.

5. Tesla Model S

Electric Motor
0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds
300 miles per charge
45 minute charge time

This car performs despite being electric and a saloon vehicle. I was very impressed with the miles per charge figure. The speed on this thing is also quite astounding. This car looks as good as it performs as well. If more vehicles were built like this, petrol vehicles would become a thing of the past. Make way for the electric wave!

4. Chevrolet Corvette

0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds!
20 hwy mpg

This car is significantly less efficient than the previously mentioned cars but trust me, this thing performs. I would love to ride around in this thing. It's look is fierce and it's speed is amazing. It is not engineered as well as my top three cars. This car proves that American engineering has come a long way.

3. Porsche 911 Carrera 4s

0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds
25 hwy mpg

Porsche is known for efficiency and speed. Porsche, unlike most other car companies, does not have to resort to just slapping on a giant engine. This car encompasses all that Porsche is about. This is a very well-made vehicle.

2. Porsche 911 Turbo

0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds with a manual gear box and 3.2 seconds with PDK!
40-60 in 1 second (2nd gear)!!
29 hwy mpg

There's a reason this car is my boyfriend's favorite. It is fast, efficient, and attractive. In Jeremy Clarkson's review of the Porsche 911, he said that when driving in some cities, the fumes coming out of its back are more toxic than the air going in the engine. This car performs similarly to the Chevy Corvette, but is much more efficient. This car is a beast!

1. Tesla Roadster

Electric vehicle
0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds
227 miles per charge
3.5 hours to charge

This car is the fastest fuel-efficient vehicle on the market! This is my favorite car. If I had the money, I would buy this in a jiffy. It is a beautiful piece of engineering!



Sources:
Tesla
Porsche UK
Porsche US
Chevrolet
Smart Roadster
Top Gear: Porsche 911 (video clip)

Six Steps to Ensure Your Online Privacy

You can use software, browsers, and the monitoring of your own activity to ensure your safety and privacy.

1. IP Address
One way you can ensure your online privacy is by hiding or changing your Internet Protocol, or IP address. Vidalia is a package of software that can help do just that. Within Vidalia is Tor, a piece of software that can allow you to hide your IP address. Tor also has an add-on for Firefox that you can turn off and on to change the IP address right from your browser. You can even use a new identity by changing your IP to one in your region or one from a country all the way across the globe. This makes you difficult to locate. Unfortunately, this can slow your browsing speed. As a result, I recommend using this only when visiting unsafe sites or sites that will store your data, like Google. Web researchers and advertisers store and use your data whenever you visit a website. Vidalia is also handy for giving misinformation to these companies. As a result, you might sometimes an advertisement for someone in Russia or Australia.

2. Cookies
In the options section of your browser, you can delete your cookies and online history. Cookies are temporary files that are downloaded into the temporary folder whenever you visit some websites. You can change your settings so that your browser accepts no cookies, however this is not recommended. Your internet activity will be very limited if you do not allow the download of cookies. Instead, I would recommend selecting the deletion of your cookies in an hour, day, week, or every time your browser closes.

3. History
Your online history is a databank of all your visited websites. You can delete this upon entry or exiting of your browser. On some browsers you can even choose to not save any history at all. This will not affect your bookmarked or favorite items. I would highly recommend this in case your computer is ever hacked. This is also handy if you have nosy family or friends. If you do have watchful eyes in your household, you might want to lock your screen whenever you are away from the computer by clicking on the Window's symbol and clicking L or by going to the Start menu.

4. File Deletion
You can hide your online activity and download activity by simply deleting permanent and temporary documents saved on your hardware. Your temporary folder can be found in various locations depending on both the operating system and browser of choice. When deleting folders and items from your computer, keep in mind that you and anyone else can still retrieve your data. The Recycling Bin is not enough to permanently delete your details. Even if you empty your Recycling Bin, your data can still be located. I use a program called File Shredder, which deletes all locations of the file in question. As a result, there is no trace of the document, file, or folder.

5. Online Activity
Securing your privacy and security online requires simple, common sense steps as well as the more technical ones. When visiting a strange site, do not give your social security number or bank account information. Make sure the business or website is a legitimate one by scanning the web for information about the site in question. When on social networking sites, keep in mind that your information will be scanned by the government, advertisers, and potential employers. If you do not want anyone to see it, do not post it. That simple rule can prevent many disasters to your reputation and safety. Also, never post information regarding your work, especially if you work for the government. Remember that when you add someone as your friend, they have more access to your information than the general public. This can be used against you. When blogging or beginning your own website, be careful what terminology you use. If it is a political or economic blog or site, realize that certain search terms will single you out in government scanning of internet data. Make sure that you do not post anything that can be used against you. Also, and unfortunately, you must now be careful of what you send via e-mail. Do not send anything that can cause you to lose your job or be suspected of illegal activity.

6. Search Engines
As mentioned earlier, Google has a tendency to save all your search terms and double clicks. If you do not want your activity to be monitored, there are alternative search engines. Firefox now has a new private browsing option. As this is fairly new, I am not sure how secure this option truly is. Firefox uses Google as its primary search engine. It even has Google as its customized homepage. I use a search engine called Scroogle. What I like about Scroogle is that it uses the same search results as Google. Scroogle does not save any of your data and it deletes your search terms within two hours. Scroogle even has entertaining pictures and articles underneath the search bar depicting Google's corrupt behavior. Another search engine worth considering is Startpage. Unlike Scroogle, Startpage includes image search. Although Startpage has less images and different search results than Google, it is the most secure search engine. It allows for Tor-like capabilities such as IP protection so that no one can track you when you click on a link from their search engine. This can be enacted without downloading any software. Another decent search engine to consider is Dogpile. Although it is not as secure as both Scroogle and Startpage, Dogpile displays results from Yahoo, Google, Ask, and Bing. There are many secure alternatives to Google out there if you look for them.

In conclusion, there are many ways to secure yourself and your online activity from hackers, researchers, and advertisers. Following these simple steps will protect you and your family in this new hi-tech era.

How OSS is Helping to Develop Nicaragua

Introduction

Open source software can affordably aid in the development of Nicaragua by providing a variety of services for educational institutions, the government, and local businesses.
Before explaining how Nicaragua can benefit from this technology, the following definitions must be presented in order to clarify the difference between Open Source Software and an Operating System. An operating system, or OS, is a computer’s master control program that sets the standards for every running application (Operating System). Examples of an operating system include, but are not limited to the following: Apple’s OSX Leopard, Microsoft’s Windows 7, Ubuntu 9.10, OpenSUSE, and Debian are all examples of operating systems. Open Source Software, or OSS, can be defined as software that is distributed with its source code so that others may modify the software for their own use (Open Source). Examples of open source software include, but are not limited to the following: Linux operating system, Apache Web server, and Open Office are all examples of open source software. An open source operating system is an operating system that comes with the source code. Such a system would include any distribution of Linux including Ubuntu, Linux Mint, OpenSUSE, Fedora, Mandriva, Debian, and Frugalware.
Linux Tour, which promotes the use of the Linux operating system, has events throughout the year including a Mandriva install party, día Debian, OpenSUSE day, and Software Freedom Day (Eventos 2008). Software Freedom Day is a day in which those who are well acquainted with Linux advertise the benefits of open source software to local businesses and schools (Competition 2008). During this event, Linux users demonstrate how to solve common problems of home users, small businesses, and educational institutions using open source software (Competition 2008). Workshops entitled “Learning by Doing” teach people how to make their own Web sites using Wordpress and how to use the astronomy program Stellanarium (Competition 2008). People can also avail of a free installation of various Linux programs at Linux Tour events (Competition 2008). Software Freedom Day 2008 was streamed live via MarcaAcmeTV and was viewed by people in Nicaragua, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, as well as other regions in Latin America (Competition 2008). As a result of Software Freedom Day, 400 free software discs were distributed and 30 computers had free software installed at the event (Competition 2008).
Because of local groups such as Ubuntu Nicaragua and the Linux User Group and events like Linux Tour, use of open source software in Nicaragua has increased. The following are two graphs demonstrating the increase:

[Source: Grupo Usuario Linux de Nicaragua (Nicaragua’s Linux Group),
This graph reveals how many people in Nicaragua use a form of open source software as their operating system. Although Linux is slightly ahead of Mac, it trails behind Windows. All of the operating systems just below Mac in the list are other open source operating systems. So when one adds all of these together, the percentage is much higher but still way below Windows. The next graph reveals a pattern in open source operating system use in Nicaragua.
From 1994 until 2000, there were almost no Linux users in Nicaragua. From 2000 onward, the trend for Linux use was upward sloping. The amount of Linux users is only 128 according to Linux Counter; however, these are only the number of users who added his or her computer to the registry at Linux Counter. Most people do not register their software. The figure of only 128 Linux users makes little sense and conflicts with the over 21,000 Linux users listed in the first graph. The trend, therefore, is the most important factor of this graph.
[Source: Linux Counter]
The following is some background information regarding Nicaragua’s economy: Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central America and is the second poorest in the Americas behind Haiti (Nicaragua). Around 79% of the population live on less than $2 per day; almost half the population live on less than $1 per day (Nicaragua). Although unemployment was not very high (5.6%) in 2008, underemployment was a staggering 46.5% (World Fact Book). The year 2009 has not been an economically successful one for Nicaragua (World Fact Book). Due to decreased export demand, GDP fell by almost 3% in 2009 (World Fact Book). Public debt was approximately 87% of the GDP in Nicaragua (World Fact Book). Although there are many industries in Nicaragua —including food processing, beverages, footwear, wood, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining, machinery, metal products, and chemicals— agricultural products and raw materials are Nicaragua’s main exports (World Fact Book). Exports from Nicaragua include coffee, sugar, tobacco, gold, beef, shrimp, lobster, and peanuts (World Fact Book). Imports to Nicaragua include consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products (World Fact Book). Nicaragua imported $1.624 billion more than they exported in 2009 (World Fact Book).
Investing in human capital can be difficult for an under-developed nation (World Fact Book). Of the 5.8 million people living in Nicaragua, only 185,000 of them have internet access (World Fact Book). The lack of internet access could hinder the learning of young children and the operations of a small business. Because many businesses and schools are unable to afford most popular software, they are beginning to experiment with OSS.

Education

Nicaragua is very limited in funds for education (Nicaragua). The Ministry of Education is allowed to use the budget level from 2000 for every year until 2010 due to IMF restrictions (Nicaragua). The salary of school teachers is low (Nicaragua). Schools cannot afford to spend on expensive software when their budgets are being cut.
The Ministry of Education, National Technological Institute, Ubuntu Nicaragua Team, and delegates from the main private and private universities have developed a plan to develop an Ubuntu-based educational system for both public and private schools throughout the country (Nicaraguan Schools Go Ubuntu). Guardabarranco, Nicaragua’s national bird, is now the official name of this education project (20,000 Ubuntu Laptops). In 2009, 20,000 laptops for teachers were distributed with Linux pre-installed (20,000 Ubuntu Laptops). Throughout Nicaragua, there are now 175 public schools with computer labs (Flying on the Wings of Freedom). Their choice of distribution was developed by the government of Extremadura, Spain (Flying on the Wings of Freedom).
Despite this progress, many schools are still limited in their ability to educate their students. Most computer labs only have seven computers for a class of 35 to 40 students to share (Flying on the Wings of Freedom). Some schools in Nicaragua do not have internet access and thus, cannot upgrade their systems (Flying on the Wings of Freedom). The local Linux User Group, or LUG, is supporting one school by upgrading all of their systems to GnuLinEx 2006 (Flying on the Wings of Freedom). The LUG group is also contacting local companies to ask if they are able to donate some hardware for the schools to use in the computer lab (Flying on the Wings of Freedom).
The chart below demonstrates the gradual improvements that can lead to a booming economy over time. For instance, Preschool enrollment has more than doubled (Nicaragua Country Brief). Rural road conditions have improved (Nicaragua Country Brief). The amount of time required to start a business has nearly been sliced in half (Nicaragua Country Brief). Perhaps the most drastic improvement is in regards to technology. The percentage of small, rural towns being connected to public telephones has nearly quadrupled in only five years (Nicaragua Country Brief). If internet usage were made available to follow these trends, a boost in technology and education –and thus output– would occur.
[Source: World Bank]
Kevin Brandes is a software engineering student at the Oregon Institute of Technology (Brandes Part II). Legal versions of Windows sell for little less than they do in the states (Brandes). According to Brandes, Nicaraguans, unlike Americans, do not hold a bias against open source software due to the products being free (Brandes). Nicaraguans are more concerned with what the software can do than what brand they come from (Brandes). Brandes went to Nicaragua to teach people how to use Linux, including how to configure thin clients (Brandes). The thin client aspect allowed Brandes and others to offer affordable systems to rural schools (Brandes). Linux allowed Brandes and his group to use any hardware, including those donated by businesses (Brandes). Keving believes that his most important project to date was running OpenSUSE 9.0 on their diskless clients, which give a clear advantage over Windows when marketing to local schools and businesses (Brandes Part II). According to Kevin, Microsoft inspectors visit internet cafés in Costa Rica to see verify authenticity (Brandes). If this happens to Nicaragua, many more businesses will have to turn to Linux and other free software.

Government

Agriculture is known as the base of Nicaragua’s economy (Wilm). Denis Cáceres of Debian Nicaragua had just begun working with the Mesoamerican Information Service about Sustainable Agriculture when he and a few others began a project to develop an information system for the Ministry of Agriculture, supported by Swedish and Spanish agencies (Wilm). The idea was to combine a Wiki text portion with a Javascript-based statistics portion and put it online so that anyone can access current and historic data (Wilm). The system, entitled ALBAstryde, would be entirely open source so that anyone can have access to the information and edit it as needed (Wilm). Cáceres explained the reason for an open source system was so that the system would grow to someday envelop the whole agricultural sector in a few years (Wilm). No one organization or company has control over the information; and thus, no one can hold Nicaragua hostage (Wilm). Cáceres believes that the next step for Nicaragua is to incorporate the system into every subdivision of the Ministry (Wilm). There has been an enormous surge in desiring free software after the ALBAstryde project (Wilm). Many times, however, there is not enough technical knowledge to use it (Wilm).
The internet is becoming more available in poorer parts of the country (Wilm). As a result, the government has a real opportunity to help their people through the use of open source systems. The person in charge of the informatics department later admitted to the SIMAS team, “You know that we did not really support you from the beginning because we did not trust free software, but now that will have to change. The Ministry and SIMAS need to work together and maybe soon we will migrate to Linux systems, because we see that this system really works (Wilm).” The government is now also using the Linux for its Migration Project (Nicaragua: Open Source).
Roughly 50 desktop computers are being migrated to Ubuntu in various departments (Nicaragua: Open Source). The government has teamed up with Linux User Groups (LUG) for their assistance with these systems (Nicaragua: Open Source). As a result, three team members of Nicaragua’s LUG group have now been employed full-time by the government to give Ubuntu support to users (Nicaragua: Open Source).

Businesses

Blogger LEOGG has been working with LUG and public institutions around Nicaragua to take advantage of the various uses of open source software (Nicaragua: Open Source). In his article “Nicaragua Libre” he explained how he helped the rural town of Jalapa develop and use Linux-based software (Nicaragua: Open Source). In Jalapa, there are two particularly intriguing projects in which LEOGG is involved. One of these is the digitalization of thousands of public records (Nicaragua: Open Source). Fifteen computers are devoted exclusively to using Ubuntu Hardy and XSane for this task (Nicaragua: Open Source). The second project is in relation to adding Ubuntu and a custom-made software for making and receiving payments to 12 cashier booths (Nicaragua: Open Source).
Most recently, Nicaragua’s LUG has been chosen to produce a new technology program on Canal 2, Nicaragua’s largest television network, broadcasted weekly (Nicaragua: Open Source). This new program is beneficial to business owners as it would demonstrate beneficial, new open source technologies. ALBAstryde, the open source program for the Ministry of Agriculture, can greatly benefit businesses as well as the government. Information cannot be held secretively by any organization under such a system (Wilm). If the velocity of knowledge sharing is raised, risk for small businesses will decrease, especially for those in agriculture. This knowledge sharing has the potential to encourage new industries and greater competition.

Policy Implications

Like with everything, there are pros and cons to everything. The following are some pros and cons of using open source software:
To clarify the chart above, the pros and cons must be explained in further detail. Open source software is important to developing nations because it is free. It is also relatively easy to install due to software centers. Software centers or packages come with open source operating systems. These packages have a wide variety of software for educational, business, programming, and science purposes. Open source software is versatile because the source code can be adapted for personal use. Graphical User Interface, or GUI, allows users to cut down terminal and code usage. All of these advantages allow open source software to be used with little trouble.
Unfortunately open source operating systems have frequent errors. To remedy these errors, one must use the terminal. Frequent errors can lead to inefficiency in a business because time is money. Compatibility is not that big of an issue anymore due to changes in updates in software and changes made by Linux. Many companies still consider investing in a Linux-compatible program a waste of time and resources. Until Linux gains more market share, many companies are likely to continue to support only Windows and Mac. Some users will not want to settle for an open source alternative to the software they love. Software attachment could be solved by either demonstrating the similarities between the popular software and the open source equivalent or by simply making the popular software available to those who use Linux.
Open source software is an option for under-developed and developing nations because it is free and relatively easy to use. If a business is hoping to compete globally, more sophisticated, and thus expensive, software is needed. For the majority of small businesses and government programs, however, open source software can lead to rapid progress.
Rapid growth is achieved by higher levels of output in the economy. Output is determined by its inputs. In economics the following formula can be used to summarize the relationship between output and inputs:
Y=f(K,L,T)
Output is represented by the letter Y. The equation reads that output is a function (f) of capital (K), labor (L), and technology (T). Due to the positive relationship between output and its inputs K, L, and T, an increase in any of the inputs causes an increase in the output. This reasoning can be used to determine the rate of output for a company, an industry, or the economy as a whole.
This equation can be used to analyze the effects open source software has on Nicaragua’s economy. An increase in the use of open source software leads to an improvement in technology and thus an increase in production; T increases. The use of open source software in schools has led to an increase in computer labs and thus, more hardware; K increases. Because businesses pay less for their software, they can focus on investing into the business in other ways; K increases. As students are educated to use open source software at an early age, these individuals will age into skilled adult workers; L increases. This increase in education will lead to improvements in technology and so K and T will increase even further.
A visual representation of this rapid growth can be seen in the chart below:

In most industrialized nations there is a trade-off between manufactured and agricultural goods. As an economy pumps more into one good, the amount available to pump into another type of good dissipates. The production possibilities curve is the maximum amount of output that can be reached from the amount of input available. If open source technology is used, Nicaragua can save money. That money can be used toward paying back their International Monetary Fund debt or toward paying for various government projects. Open source operating systems come with software packages that can be used to educate students in regards to biology, astronomy, computer programming, geography, and even learning a foreign language. Educated students will become highly skilled workers. These workers will be able to produce higher quality goods. Open source code can be used to design software for businesses so that they can produce more or save time. All of these factors can raise productivity.
Another way in which open source software benefits Nicaragua is by creating a collective mind of information. Open source software can be used, and has been used, in Nicaragua to share information and build upon that knowledge. Businesses and government officials can then make well-educated decisions. This collective mind hive would help Nicaragua develop rapidly simply because the information made available will lead to further revolutionary ideas in the fields of business, education, science, and policy-making. The sharing of ideas would better educate the masses and lead to higher productivity in a short amount of time.
In conclusion, utilizing free, open source software would give Nicaragua a competitive advantage if it were distributed throughout all areas of the government. Open source software is an option that can enable the government and educational sectors to deal with budget cuts without sacrificing quality. Students benefit from the knowledge obtained by using open source software. As a result, Nicaragua will have a highly skilled work force that is able to compete on a global scale. Open source systems also improve communication and data sharing, which is vital for a modernized government or business. Governments can better ensure that there are no monopolies, at least in regards to information, with open source systems. The government of Nicaragua should consider implementing open source software packages and personalized software in every department. This will significantly lower the cost to tax payers and improve their communication systems. Businesses can avail of the government systems online and use that information to aid in their decision-making. As a whole, open source software is a cost-effective way to increase knowledge, productivity, and output.

Works Cited

"20,000 Ubuntu Laptops for Teachers in Nicaragua." ComuNIdad. 24 Nov. 2009. 04 Mar. 2010. .
Avila, Renata. "Americas: Looking Forward to Central America Free Software Festival." Global Voices. 09 June 2009. 05 Mar. 2010. .
Brandes, Kevin. "How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Bringing Linux to Nicaragua." Linux Journal. 30 July 2004. 06 Mar. 2010. .
Brandes, Kevin. "How I Spent My Summer Vacation: Bringing Linux to Nicaragua, Part II." Linux Journal. 2 Aug. 2004. 06 Mar. 2010. .
"Competition 2008: Final Report." Software Freedom Day. 2008. 6 Mar. 2010. .
Crafts, Nicholas. "Productivity Growth In The Industrial Revolution: A New Growth Accounting Perspective." Jan. 2002. 7 Mar. 2009. .
"Eventos 2008." Linuxtour. 29 Nov. 2008. 07 Mar. 2010. .
"Flying on the Wings of Freedom." ComuNIdad. 4 Aug. 2008. 4 Mar. 2010. .
“Linux Users in Nicaragua.” The Linux Counter. 10 Mar. 2010. .
"Nicaragua." La Esperanza Housing & Development Casas De La Esperanza. Nov. 2009. 06 Mar. 2010. .
“Nicaragua Country Brief.” The World Bank. 17 Aug. 2009. 10 March 2010. .
"Nicaragua: Open Source Software in Public Institutions." Ground Report. 18 July 2008. 04 Mar. 2010. .
"Nicaraguan Schools Go Ubuntu." ComuNIdad. 13 Nov. 2009. 04 Mar. 2010. .
"Open Source." Encyclopedia. PC Magazine. 7 Mar. 2010. .
"Operating System." Encyclopedia. PC Magazine. 7 Mar. 2010. .
"Sistemas Operativos." Grupo Usuario Linux De Nicaragua Estadísticas De Acceso. Grupo Usuario Linux De Nicaragua. 7 Mar. 2010. .
"Ubuntu Nicaragua." Ubuntu Nicaragua. 06 Mar. 2010. .
Wilm, Johannes. "Nicaragua Builds An Innovative Agricultural Information System Using Open Source Software." Linux Journal. 12 Nov. 2009. 4 Mar. 2010. .
World Fact Book: Nicaragua. Central Intelligence Agency, 4 Mar. 2010. 4 Mar. 2010. .

Open Source Software and the Oligopoly

I have today, for the first time, seen Linux in action. I was amazed at how advanced Linux is compared to Vista and Mac OSX. I know there are minor compatability issues, but Macs and Vista has compatability issues. So why don't people use Linux? It's free, it's more advanced, it has free software on it that would cost thousands otherwise. The only reason I can think of is oligopoly: Microsoft and Apple working hand-in-hand to corner the market. Think about it, we only hear about Macs and Vista. In my university, photojournalism majors MUST have the newest Mac laptop in order to enroll in that major. Business courses require that students use Office 2007, the latest version of Office. Professors claim that they don't like it but MUST tell the students to use 2007. Why? Why must they promote something they don't like? I think the school is getting money to promote Macs and Microsoft Office 2007. I would be perfectly happy settling for Windows XP or Linux... they are both adequate for what I need. Office 2003 or Open Office works just as well for businesses as Office 2007. Why must we always be forced through society, education, or careers to buy the latest, unnecessary gadgets and software? It's like the film Antitrust (a very good film, by the way). In the film Antitrust, a major software developing company, killed (literally) all the competition that showed promise. I don't think that Mac and Windows CEOs kill, I think they stomp out competition by working together. Just like Comcast and CableOne. Comcast takes one half of Mississippi while Cableone has a monopoly over the other half. The same goes with Target and Walmart. When you see a Super Walmart, you don't see a Super Target, only a regular Target and vica versa. I have to reformat my XP, but afterward, I will not fall into this marketing ploy. I will use XP along with Linux (it IS possible to have two OSs on a computer) and use Open Office and other open source software. Anything else, in my opinion, is unnecessary and overrated. Microsoft and Apple are too rich for my taste: they overprice their items, offer mediocre service, and use patent laws to crush anyone who comes up with something better. Trust me, just watch a Linux video on Youtube and you'll see how advanced they are... and they are FREE. They came out with 3D desktops and aero screens YEARS ago: before OSX and Vista came out. I would never pay for something when there is something better that is free. So stick it to the man and join me in the free software revolution ;) !