TwitterView - RandyJensen 050509In this TwitterVIEW, Ryan Yee of NerdBoyTV talks with Dallas-based web developer, Randy Jensen, about Open Source software development and its impact on Internet innovation. Randy maintains a very active blog on the Ubuntu Linux operating system at http://www.randyjensenonline.com.
WEB DEVELOPER TwitterView with @RandyJensen Randy Jensen is a web developer in Dallas, TX, with a passion for Open Source software development. Randy maintains a very active blog dedicated to Ubuntu and remains a very active member on Twitter. http://www.randyjensenonline.com NerdBoyTV: Randy, thanks for joining me tonight. For starters, can you tell us a little bit about your background as a web developer? RandyJensen: No problem. Glad we're able to do this. Started getting serious about web design ~5yrs ago. Currently a web developer in Dallas, TX. NerdBoyTV: What attracted you to web design? Layout? Conceptualizing ideas? Programming or technology? All of the above? RandyJensen: Honestly I just fell in love with it in general. I remember being introduced to Front Page in 2000/01 I think. That night... RandyJensen: …and just about every night after, I would sit and look at people's code to see how they did different things. It's like a drug ;) NerdBoyTV: Hehe...and you obviously like solving puzzles (grin). By the way Tweeple, Randy's website online is http://www.randyjensenonline.com/ NerdBoyTV: Honestly, I really liked the clean design of your website and how it simply directs the viewer to different aspects. RandyJensen: Thanks! I had an old design up there for a while and decided it was time for a refresh. It was all about minimalism this time. “I remember being introduced to Front Page in 2000…and I would sit and look at people's code to see how they did different things. It's like a drug.” 1 NerdBoyTV: I'm ALL about simplicity and the minimalist approach. Nicely designed. ;-) NerdBoyTV: For those who don't know what it is, what exactly IS "Open Source" software? RandyJensen: Open Source in its simplest definition just means allowing access to your source code for anyone in the world to see and/or edit. NerdBoyTV: And what are the benefits of doing this? Where have we seen terrific-working apps sprout up because of Open Source? RandyJensen: Open Source software encourages innovation because of its inherit ability to be modified and adapted for multiple projects without re-inventing the wheel. RandyJensen: I think a lot of people are using Open Source technology and don't even know it. A lot of TVs are running Linux. Just about every... RandyJensen: …"Web 2.0" website is built on open source software, from their servers to the technology that runs the website. NerdBoyTV: Now, I really don't know the answer to this, but is Open Source used to create all these different Twitter apps we see? RandyJensen: Not really. Most of the Twitter apps are built on Adobe AIR. While the apps are free, most are not licensed under an Open Source license. NerdBoyTV: Can you name a "familiar" software that was developed through Open Source? RandyJensen: Sure, here are a few :) WordPress, Ubuntu Linux, Firefox, OpenOffice, VLC, FileZilla, LimeWire. NerdBoyTV: That's a pretty impressive list. Since you have a blog dedicated to it, explain what Ubuntu is and why you’re interest in it? RandyJensen: Ubuntu is a variant of Debian Linux, which just means it's another version of Linux. The biggest difference is that it's focus... “Open Source in its simplest definition just means allowing access to your source code for anyone in the world to see and/or edit it.” “Open Source software encourages innovation because of its inherit ability to be modified and adapted for multiple projects without re-inventing the wheel.” 2 RandyJensen: ...is on making Linux as easy as Windows or OSX. It's also backed by the millionaire, Mark Shuttleworth, who is absolutely amazing. NerdBoyTV: From an end-user's perspective (like me), curious what the benefit is of a netbook with Ubuntu vs. say Microsoft XP? RandyJensen: Great question. Ubuntu will run much faster on a netbook, is more secure, comes with most of what you need. There's also a... RandyJensen: …really cool project they're working on called Netbook Remix, which is designed specifically for netbooks. http://www.canonical.com/projects/ubuntu/unr NerdBoyTV: And is it my imagination or does an Open Source operating system like Ubuntu lower the cost and yet work equally as well as Windows XP? RandyJensen: Exactly :) Microsoft has actually been forced to lower what they charge manufacturers to license Windows because of Linux's power. NerdBoyTV: And Microsoft’s Internet Explorer (IE) has had to up their game with the lessbuggy Firefox browser as a reasonable consumer option, huh? RandyJensen: It's been great to watch Firefox chip away at IE's market share. IE as a whole is completely FUBAR. All you need: getfirefox.com. NerdBoyTV: Now conventional closed source development is tightly controlled/planned from start to finish; Open Source development is not? RandyJensen: That's actually a bit of a misconception. Most teams behind big Open Source software projects are well organized and highly connected. RandyJensen: Essentially you still have just a few people in charge. The difference is everyone is encouraged to submit code to the project. RandyJensen: That code is reviewed by the main members and then "committed" if it's deemed to be worthy for the final project. NerdBoyTV: Can you explain how all these different perspectives come together into a final effective product like Firefox? 3 “Some examples of Open Source software include WordPress, Ubuntu Linux, Firefox, OpenOffice, VLC, FileZilla, LimeWire.” “Microsoft has actually been forced to lower what they charge manufacturers to license Windows because of Linux's power.” RandyJensen: Not sure what you mean "perspectives" re: Firefox. But the thing Firefox did right was develop a lightweight browser that was extensible. NerdBoyTV: I think many "lay" people (me included) tend to think of Open Source software as simply FREE, but really it's a lot more than that, huh? RandyJensen: Ya, it's much more than that. In fact, Apple has pretty much rebuilt itself off of Open Source software and they're as far from free as you get. NerdBoyTV: Ah now THAT's the truth (as NerdBoyTV puts his iPhone down). LOL RandyJensen: Haha :) Hey, I'm not knocking Apple. We need competition in tech. That's what keeps it moving forward. NerdBoyTV: From a programming aspect, what does Open Source mean to you? Liberating? Innovating? RandyJensen: Both of those are good words. It also feels good to be a part of something (a passionate community) which is what Open Source is all about. NerdBoyTV: Are we seeing a permanent movement toward more Open Source development in the future? RandyJensen: I think everything will shake out and Open Source will have its place. There will always be proprietary software and Open Source software. NerdBoyTV: Well, can't believe we've been tweeting for one hour already, but we have (grin). I think I could chat with you for another hour, to be honest. RandyJensen: Wow, already an hour!? It's been great! I'm sure I have enough useless info for another one of these ;) NerdBoyTV: LOL NerdBoyTV: Can you tell us about any web development projects of interest that you're currently working on? Plans for your blog? “Apple has pretty much rebuilt itself off of Open Source software…” “It also feels good to be a part of something (a passionate community) which is what Open Source is all about.” 4 RandyJensen: Not too much at the moment. I'll hopefully be developing a few Android applications in the future. Be on the lookout for them. NerdBoyTV: Oh kewl...definitely will. Everyone, to stay connected with Randy, be sure to bookmark http://www.randyjensenonline.com/ and... NerdBoyTV: …also click on his blog dedicated to Ubuntu. And you SHOULD be following @randyjensen here on Twitter by now, too! NerdBoyTV: Randy, buddy, thanks so much for taking the time for this TwitterVIEW and wishing you continued success. Take care. RandyJensen: Thanks Ryan! And thanks to everyone who followed! RYAN YEE is the host of www.NerdBoyTV.com, a weekly show on technology, gadgets, and Internet services that’s a video broadcast on YouTube and a podcast on iTunes. Ryan has grown up with the Internet; he actually remembers Netscape Navigator (before Firefox), Columbia Music House and Napster (before iTunes), programmed on IBM punch cards (before JavaScript and C#), owned a Timex Sinclair 1000 (before current Dell Precision M6400), and used 5.25 floppy disks. He has a very unique perspective of today’s technologies and shares his wisdom in a very user-friendly manner. He is the creator of TwitterVIEWs, a unique interviewing format in 140 characters or less. Follow him on http://twitter.com/nerdboytv. 5
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