Ant buildfiles: A look under the carapace
You may already use the Apache Ant Java-based build tool to build projects with a presupplied build.xml file. But what if you want to do something more complicated? Knowing how Ant works under the hood will let you make the most of...
Code Scanning for Technical Governance
What open source projects are you using? How are they licensed? Which internal applications use the most open source? Which use the least? Which have security vulnerabilities you need to address?Software development organizations...
Install Moodle to manage courses and classes
Moodle, the Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment, is the premier open source e-learning application. A learning management system with strong philosophical underpinnings, Moodle allows teachers to create assignments,...
3 Open Source Trends that May Affect Your Development Team in the Near Future
As a professional web developer, staying on top of the latest trends in technology and software is of utmost importance. The top open source tools and packages used by engineers and developers rarely stay on top for long. Keeping...
Git tips and tricks
You only need a basic command of Git to make the source code management utility incredibly useful. But Git offers a range of commands and options that can make your workflow run even more smoothly. Here are a few Git tips and tricks...
JBoss AS7 Clustering Using mod_cluster and http 2.4 (Part 3)
This final post in my blog series explains how to set up a data source in JBoss, and how to secure the password in the data source using PicketBox Vault. As previously, this article uses a tagged release of JBoss that does not have a...
Host your own document storage service with ownCloud
Cloud storage services like Dropbox have changed the way people collaborate and share files, but to get the most out of them, you need to trust your data to a third-party provider. This might not be an issue for the average desktop...
Guide to Choosing Enterprise Quality Open Source Software for Your Company
Whenever wanting to acquire new enterprise software for your company, there are several factors to consider. While reliability of the system and cost are very important, most companies are now opting for open source software instead...
Using Node.js to write RESTful web services
If you want to build lightweight, fast, REST APIs, or provide server support for AJAX-intense Rich Internet Applications such as Gmail, or develop scalable systems that can support thousands of concurrent users with ease, give...
Open Source is Anarchy (In a Good Way)
As a kid, I hated authority. (Oh, who am I kidding? I still do.) I had a dream that one day I would live in anarchy. Why did I need someone else deciding my morals and values for me? I believed that people would be just fine...
Varnish improves web performance and security
Varnish is a standalone HTTP accelerator that provides efficient and powerful web caching mechanisms. In addition to performing web caching, Varnish can also act as a web application firewall (WAF) and a load balancer, and it can be...
Characteristics You Need in Your Open Source Auditor
There are many characteristics that qualify a great auditor; some are obvious and some are not. If you are looking for someone with previous experience as an Open Source Auditor, your chances of finding him or her are slim to none....
Set up a local Linux installation and update server with Kickstart
Setting up Linux on multiple machines can take a lot of time and effort, but it doesn't have to. With Kickstart, you can customize automatic installation of any Fedora-based distribution, including CentOS, on new servers. Kickstart...
How to NOT Let Your Customers Influence Your Open Source Policy: Part 3
In my last two articles, I have summarized some reasons customers of all shapes and sizes impact a corporate open source software policy. Today, we explore some ways to ensure customers have no, or at least very little, influence on...
Creating custom exceptions with Struts
Apache Struts, the web application framework, helps developers get Java web apps up and running in next to no time, using a Model-View-Controller framework. One important part of creating a great app is handling errors and exceptions...
DIY Open Source Software Compliance - Where to Begin
At first blush, open source compliance may seem like a daunting task. But with a little research, review, and education, you will discover that compliance is not as difficult as first thought.First, let’s look at the term compliance...
Three tools for managing Vim plugins
The venerable Vim editor lets you add plugins to enhance features and functionality. The more plugins you add, the greater the challenge you may have managing them, since the standard instructions for installing plugins are not...
Can you Lather, Rinse, and Repeat Your Way to Open Source Compliance?
This humorous and timeless phrase references a set of instructions that, if taken literally, would result in an endless loop of repeating steps, at least until you run out of shampoo or patience!Some days, when I talk with prospects,...
Looking Back To Move Forward: My Legal Top 3 of 2012
Before (or, more likely, while) diving headfirst into the deep end of a new year, it's good to take a moment to consider what significant events occurred in the closing year. With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, one can gain new...
Introduction to 389 Directory Server
The Fedora Project's 389 Directory Server, an advanced and complete open source LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) server, can satisfy every corporate demand for an alternative to popular commercial solutions such as...
