Article

We had to search for a news article that deals with a software issue and to prepare a 5minute class presentation. 2. The article i worked on was- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5370144.stm


 * Scenario and the main stakeholders-**

Free version of programs are being offered in the net which perform similar tasks to those in Microsoft office thus people would want to download the ones from the internet rather than buy them. Experiments have been carried out by Microsoft for examples the free version of instant messaging software’s like Windows live. In the business world people depend on Microsoft office suites thus if there are free versions of these programs available on the net that perform the same tasks as those available in the package. There are big companies take for example Symantec offer program suites but if these are found online free of charge it is logical that people would rather download it than use the ones provided in a package. This will be a downfall to these companies since less income since people choose to use the free programs than the ones they are having to pay for.

The stakeholders are the Microsoft suites who depend on the business market in order to earn their share but if similar programs like those in their package are available on the net thus used in business and personal pcs.


 * Social or ethical issues-**

Microsoft began introducing its most famous office products. Microsoft Works, an integrated office program which combined features typically found in a word processor, spreadsheet, database and other office applications, saw its first release as an application for the Apple Macintosh towards the end of 1986. Microsoft Office became the dominant business suite, with a market share far exceeding that of its competitors. Thus if people become more dependant on the free version of programs available on the net, they will decrease the use of Microsoft suite which will be a downfall for the company.

We can’t be sure that for example we want to download an online spreadsheet or Windows Live it may be carrying viruses that may affect our personal or mobile computers.

For instance take Kazaa they always give out free programs to download and we know its illegal but still we go and download it and use it we really don’t really buy it. But if we try to download we get something else. And we know its illegal but still we go and download it and use it. We don’t really buy it so basically I think its saying even though there are similar programs to download that’s similar to Microsoft office people still don’t do it because Microsoft office is used world wide in any office, home anywhere so having the ability to download free stuff we don’t do it because we have to use what the society around us is using, otherwise for instance you write something at home like an essay and then you have to go to school and open the file you wont be able to open it so you have to use what the society uses. Because if we are using another program at home and you go to school and they don’t have that software, they got Microsoft you can’t open that file in Microsoft

Like in a school community since we all are connected to one network we will have to use the same packages because as students we use programs that are applicable for academic purposes. So since we have the programs installed in the computer there is no use to obtain free programs from the net unless or until the program is not usable.

The Open Source Software is helpful since it helps software designers to build up on the work of others recompiling and modifying the work. Although the actual cost of software is more than its ini- tial price, the fact that Open Source Software is freely available, and freely upgradeable, along with other characteristics have led to its recent popularity


 * The main problem with an issue and its suggested solution-**

The main problem here is that if we have free programs to be put in use through the net, this will have bad effects on the company and their business marketing. But if we think other ways people may play prank and add viruses to these free programs and thus computers downloading it may get crashed. So the solution is to stop Google and other search engines from allowing the availability of these free programs. In a community or society it is better to stick to using one program because then it is easier to retrieve a file or open up a file whenever and wherever we are. -Use the same software packages in a society -Download anti-virus softwares thus if we download a program such as spreadsheet and if it contains viruses it can be dealt with by these softwares

To view my presentation on the article, click on the link- Works cited- = =
 * Skype slips into business** [|-http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/09/11/skype/index.php]


 * Choosing and Using Open Source Software: A Primer for Nonprofits**- [|http://72.14.235.104/search?q=cache:d_RfrO2xnxEJ:www.nosi.net/primer/NOSIPrimer.pdf In+the+business+world+people+depend+on+Microsoft+office+suites+thus+if+there+are+free+versions+of+these+programs+available+on+the+net+that+perform+the+same+tasks+as+those+available+in+the+package&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3]