A Brief Overview Of 10 Open Source Application Updates In 2014

In the past few decades, a culture of receptiveness to open source technology has seeped into governmental and corporate environments. Thousands of firms around the world have upgraded their technology architecture to adopt an open source DNA.

Let us make one thing clear – open source software is here to stay. This can be understood from the regular updates these softwares get each year. Featured below are 10 open source applications that had an update released this year.

1.  Varnish 4.0.2

Varnish is a powerful HTTP accelerator used by high-performing sites to boost access time by behaving like a proxy server. Varnish's role is similar to that of a web server handling HTTP request and responses.

Varnish 4.0.2, released on October 8, 2014, offers significant improvement over earlier versions. Client and backend code are now separated into different threads. This ensures that content can be refreshed in the background without impacting the earlier content viewed by the reader.

2.  Ubuntu 14.10 (Utopic Unicorn)

Ubuntu, the popular Linux-based OS, is the preferred open source software for PCs, tablets and cell phones. Ubuntu comes installed with powerful software such as Firefox and LibreOffice. The easy-to-use interface allows users to manipulate their computing devices with ease.

Ubuntu 14.10 was launched this year and received a lukewarm response. Regular users may not be able to detect any discernible changes. But Utopic Unicorn comes with quality security and maintenance updates.

3.  Chromium v35.0 to 41.0

Chromium – the open source web browser from Google – is a close cousin of the popular Chrome.

The source code for Chromium was released during Google Chrome's launch in 2008. It was still in a nascent stage and without much functionality. Since then, the developer community contributed to building a robust browser packed with features. Every year, several updates were introduced. December 2014 alone witnessed a total of 8 updates – from Chromium 35.0 in February to Chromium 42.0 in December.

4.  LibreOffice Fresh 4.3.4

LibreOffice is an initiative launched by the Document Foundation. Their goal is to offer software that is on par with Microsoft Office. LibreOffice is compatible with Windows, Linux and Macintosh systems. A default installation comes with Writer (the word processor), Calc, Draw, Impress, Base and Math.

5.  NoSQL

NoSQL was launched in 1998 by Carlo Strozzi as an alternative for conventional databases. A NoSQL-based database offers a refreshing change from the relational model.

The year 2014 witnessed several camps organized to highlight and promote the benefits of NoSQL databases. Businesses looking forward to adopting NoSQL are spoilt for choice. There is a wide choice available. The most popular NoSQL databases include MongoDB, Redis, CouchDB, Cassandra and HBase.

6.  OpenStack Juno 2014.2

OpenStack is an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) solution. It uses a data center to organize processing, networking and storage for a chain of related projects.

OpenStack's launch as a cloud computing platform has genesis in a project jointly undertaken by Rackspace Hosting and NASA. OpenStack's modular architecture features a cloud computing fabric controller, a storage system, a network manager, an administrator dashboard and a directory of users, among other components.

7.  Gnome 3.14

GNOME represents a desktop environment that can be used on a cross-platform basis. Mainly targeting Linux systems, GNOME was launched in 1999 with a competent GUI.

GNOME 3.14 was recently launched with a new look and modified applications. The latest version offers multi-touch support. Evince and Eye of Gnome are applications that have been vastly improved.

GNOME 3.14 has already won the approval of users and significantly addresses the concerns raised with GNOME 3.0.

8.  DiskCryptor 1.1.846.118

DiskCryptor is a powerful disk encryption system that serves as the perfect alternative to fee-based systems.

DiskCryptor is very similar to TrueCrypt in functionality. It is easy to install and can help users secure machines that have confidential data. DiskCryptor may not look visually appealing but is well organized.

9.  Sass 3.4.7

Sass (Syntactically Awesome Stylesheets) is a scripting language that can be converted into CSS files. Sass comprises two syntaxes. The first one – known as “indented syntax” – is very similar to html. The second one – known as “SCSS” – has more in common with CSS.

Sass is a definite improvement over CSS and can be learnt easily, providing coders with better flexibility while working with stylesheets.

10.  Git 2.2.0

Git is a version control system created by Linus Torvalds for Linux in 2005. Since then, Git has won the approval of developers around the world, becoming the preferred versioning tool of their choice.

The main factor in Git's favor is its speed. It easily ranks ahead of other versioning systems in terms of installation, document control, project creation and user-friendliness. Regular updates have significantly improved the workflows used within the application, providing users with a foolproof system.