Tux4Dummies - Open Source Software
tux4dummies No nosso segundo Tux4Dummies, trataremos de Software de Cdigo Aberto, ou Open-Source. Voc sabe a diferena entre Software Livre e Software de ...

By: Mundo Livre

Original post:
Tux4Dummies - Open Source Software - Video

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) May 28, 2014

Reducing time and resource requirements for Kuali implementations, Ekualiti Suite Offers Comprehensive, Cloud-based ERP Aimed at Higher Ed Institutions

Vivantech, a leader in consulting and development of enterprise grade, open-source software for higher education and a premier Kuali Commercial Affiliate, today announced the general availability of Ekualiti, the first cloud platform designed to host the entire suite of Kuali-based ERP software.

Until now, the high cost of commercial ERP software has been positioned beyond the reach of many small- and medium-size colleges and universities. Ekualiti is the first cost-effective alternative to proprietary ERP software that blends the economy of open source Kuali software with instantly-available functionality. Modules available now include Ekualiti KC for research and grant administration, and Ekualiti Rice for business process automation.

Designed specifically for the business process needs of higher educational institutions, Ekualiti addresses the need for an affordable, comprehensive ERP solution that is quick to deploy, highly scalable, and easy to use and navigate. Ekualiti gives customers the comfort of an open-source solution with an open data format and eliminates the licensing fees, annual maintenance fees, and restrictive vendor lock-in typical of proprietary software. These economical features address the need for many higher educational institutions to contain ERP costs as they face increasing budget constraints and demand for quality education at a good value.

Vivantech clearly understands the challenges that colleges and universities face as they automate their business processes, said Kent Brooks, Director of IT at Casper College in Casper, Wyoming. Small colleges like ours feel the pressure to reduce licensing costs. Kuali-based software in the cloud helped us overcome our resource limitations, plus it made deployment so much faster.

Brooks added that Vivantechs flexible, modular approach to cloud-based Kuali is ideal for schools like Casper College. We can add capabilities as we go, without having to deploy everything at once. Ekualiti Rice is helping us to reduce our paper-based workflows, and Ekualiti KC is helping us with grants management. We look forward to using other Ekualiti capabilities as we work to operate more efficiently and improve our services.

We have been implementing Ekualiti Rice and Ekualiti KC into our ERP system and six months into the process, were very happy to be working with Vivantech, said Dennis Stutes, CTO, Alliant International University. Vivantech has helped us in account provisioning so we can access third party systems. To provision those accounts for different applications is very complex and is a manually intensive endeavor. Vivantech has adapted to everything weve asked and found ways to match our requirements.

Many small and mid-size colleges and universities recognize the cost and control advantages of open-source software, but dont have the IT resources to make it work for their institutions, said Randy Ozden, Vivantech President and Chief Executive Officer. Vivantech has completed many Kuali implementations over the years. We came to understand that if we could deliver a user-friendly interface and rich functionality instantly, right from the cloud, we could make open source software much more approachable and feasible for a broad base of schools. By bringing Kuali to the cloud, were able to provide colleges and universities the business process automation they need at a much more affordable price.

Ozden added that even large universities will find Ekualitis UI, upgrade tools, flexibility, and scalability very attractive for their Kuali implementations as they consider migrating some business systems to the cloud over time.

Read the original:
Vivantech Announces General Availability of Ekualiti™: The First Complete Cloud Platform of Kuali Software Aimed at ...

Autodesk is making a big commitment to 3D printing with three recent moves to put its software and services, and even some new hardware, at the center of that industry.

Autodesk CEO and President Carl Bass blogged on May 14 that later this year the company will launch an open-source software platform called Spark for driving 3D printers. He also announced the company will start selling its own 3D printer, whose design will be open-sourced as part of the launch.

Those announcements come on the heels of a partnership formed in April to integrate an application programming interface (API) of 3D Hubs, a rapidly-growing, Amsterdam-based global network of nearly 5,000 3D printers available online for public use, with Autodesk's 123D family of 3D printing-support apps. Users will be able to select a nearby printer online, upload files in .STL format and pick up the finished objects, usually within two days. The API is to be integrated into the entire Autodesk platform by end of year.

That the San Rafael, Calif.-based engineering software vendor would shift to hardware to support the 3D industry has raised the eyebrows of analysts and pundits, who noted that the launch could shake up the nascent 3D printing market. "The uncertainty associated with the hype shouldn't overshadow the opportunities that 3D printing creates," noted Michael Shanler, a director with consultant Gartner Research.

In his In the Fold blog, Bass wrote, "Spark will be open and freely licensable to hardware manufacturers and others. Same for our 3D printerthe design will be made publicly available to allow for further development and experimentation. The printer will be able to use a broad range of materials, made by us and by others, and we look forward to lots of exploration."

Autodesk's moves come at a time when use of 3D printing is growing in design and construction, and although the thrust seems aimed at consumers, the potential to address construction needs is clear.

Original post:
Autodesk Plans 3D Printers, More Open Source Software