Check out Summerton 'Open' Technology & Solutions

Collaboration, Open Solutions, and Innovation (COSI) are key strategies individuals and organizations need to embrace in order to compete and succeed in the 21st century 'Information Age'. This applies to every individual and organization right here in Summerton, S.C.

On the Summerton 'Open' Technology web site you will be introduced to many of these free and 'open' technologies and solutions. You will learn about free and 'open' source software (FOSS), 'open' source hardware, 'open' access materials, 'open' data, 'open' standards, and much more.

For example, check out:

• Apache Software - Originally known for being an open-source web server solution, it has now grown into a large collaborative software community with a wide range of complementary projects and products.
• Civic Commons - A non-profit initiative helping cities and local governments build and use shared and open technologies to improve public services.

• Code For America - Enlisting talents of the web industry into public service to use their skills to solve core problems facing our communities, cities, and government at all levels.

• Creative Commons - Helping people to share knowledge, research, and educational materials with others around the world. Videos
• Data.Gov - Providing open access to a wide range of datasets that are generated and/or held by the U.S. Government.

• Libre Office - A comprehensive open source software suite of office applications (e.g. word processing, spreadsheet) similar to MS Office.

• Linux - A widely used open source operating system for small and large scale computer systems originally created by Linus Torvalds

• Mozilla & Firefox - A wide range of open source software products developed by the growing Mozilla 'open' development community. Products include the FireFox web browser, Thunderbird email, etc.
• Open Educational Resources (OER) Commons - Providing access to a wide range of teaching and learning materials that may be freely used and shared - for elementary schools, high schools, and universities.

• Open Office - A comprehensive open source software suite of office applications (e.g. word processing, spreadsheet, etc.) that provide very similar capabilities as MS Office.

• OpenProject - A free and open source project management software solution that can serve as a replacement for MS Project.

* See blog on Understanding 'Open' Terminology.

Is this the first time you have been exposed to free and 'open' technologies and solutions? Let us know what you think after you have checked out some of these resources.