The field of information technology is in many ways perfectly suited for entrepreneurship. Many highly successful enterprises started with a lone IT professional venturing out on their own and starting up their own company. If you have computer science skills and want to explore alternative options outside the corporate arena you should seriously consider going into business for yourself. Businesses may be more willing to hire you as a contractor rather than as a full-time worker. There are certain IT jobs that are perfect for individuals who want to be self-employed, they include:

• Working as a Consultant
Large IT departments are not as necessary for corporations as they were at the start of the internet era; this is partly due to the trend towards cloud computing. Consultants are often brought in to handle the need for tech expertise when companies downsize or eliminate their IT departments. A consultant may work for several different clients at the same time, be on call for various disciplines or be commissioned for specific projects.

• Web Entrepreneurship
The ease of building a website and the fact that web hosting is relatively affordable means that it does not take a lot of know-how to start your own online empire. You can sell products or services, or start your own online community. Another option is to start selling goods via auction sites or on sites that sell advertising space. You will need an understanding of marketing and of search engine optimization so that you can draw visitors to your site.

• Programming Apps for Mobile Devices
The future of the Internet is in mobile devices. Statistics show that much of the world will be using mobile devices and smart phones to handle their surfing needs in the near future. If you have the skills to program the apps used on these devices, you could be among those riding the wave of this trend.

It is not impossible to start an Information Technology company with very little startup capital. Getting it off the ground in terms of online visibility will require focus to detail, knowing your target market, a consistent campaign to build a client list and a solid reputation.

A whole new world was thrown wide open with the advent of the concept of open source. The biggest advantage of open source projects is the easy availability of the source code and also the rights to tweak it or modify the code as we deem fit.

Listed below are some top open source projects that are making waves with their innovative ideas at this moment.

ProjectLibre

Project Libre is the open source replacement of Microsoft Project. It was one among the top 10 open source projects of 2013. With over 6 million downloads; it has most certainly captured the imagination of people around the world. Details of project Libre could be found at http://www.projectlibre.org/ . Project Libre has separate release for mainframes. It also has a web based version which further increases its overall appeal. One of the main advantages is that it has a list of tasks that can be tracked to closure. It can also be used in conjunction with LibreOffice to provide a great set of tools to the team leaders.

Diaspora

Planning on a little spring cleaning and getting rid of all those old electronics? With the way technology changes so quickly, it seems like we no sooner have one new electronic piece and there’s a new one on the market that we absolutely have to have. The result is a ton of used electronics stored away. Now it’s time to get rid of everything, here are some tips on what to do with all that old tech stuff and how to do it safely.

Save on Landfill Waste

Few people really realize where their electronics wind up when they throw them in the trash or dumpster. They assume they’re getting taken care of and just forget about them. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, one of the fastest growing components of landfill waste is electronics. The unfortunate part of this is that these electronics are filled with lead, mercury and other toxic chemicals – chemicals that find their way into our soil and water.

This results in the contamination of our lakes, streams and soil. The best way to avoid this is by knowing where your electronics are going and to dispose of them safely. Contact the recycling center in your area and ask for the best place to dispose of your old electronics.

Think of Security

Our lives are filled with electronic technology, whether it’s in the form of computers, tablets, smart phones or video games. Most of these electronics allow network sharing with people all over the world. With identity theft such a growing concern, much of our private lives and personal information is entered in the hard drives of these items.

Before you dispose of any electronics, make sure the hard drives are wiped clean of all personal information. This requires more than just “deleting” files. If you’re not sure how to correctly get rid of the information, contact a professional to do this for you. Even if you have to pay to have it done, it’s a minimal expense compared to having your private information stolen.

Find New Homes for Your Electronics

Once you’ve cleaned out your electronics of personal information, they may still be worth something to other individuals. You may know of a child or elderly person who would really appreciate a “new” computer or a tablet. Someone who has never owned a smart phone or laptop may be thrilled to suddenly own one, even if they are obsolete to you.

If you can’t find anyone that wants them, consider selling them on places like eBay, Craigslist or one of the many other online auction sites. The old saying, “one man’s junk is another man’s gold” is especially true when it comes to electronics. Many people like building computers using their own parts.

Students in computer-related programs also utilize used electronics as a form of hands-on training. Most schools also take in donated computers, televisions and cell phones. Contact your electric company or school district to get information on where you can take your old electronics. You’ll be not only cleaning out your house but also helping the environment.

Related:

Cloud Computing: What It Means and How It Could Threaten the Traditional Outsourcing Model

Google is one of the most popular websites in the entire world that gets millions of views each day. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that it needs a strong and reliable programming language that it can rely on to run its searches and many of the apps that Google has created. Because of this, Google uses Python to ensure that every time a user uses one of their products, it will work smoothly and flawlessly. That being said, Google uses Python in a variety of different ways, outlined below.

Code.Google.Com
Since its creation, Google has always used Python as part of its core for programming language. This can still be seen today considering the strong relationship the two have with one another. Google supports and sponsors various Python events, and Python works to better itself so that Google remains on top of cutting edge material. One way that they do this is by working with code.google.com. This is the place where Google developers go to code, learn to code and test programs. And with it being built on Python, users can experience exactly what it is that they should expect once they start using the real site.

Google AdWords
Google AdWords is a great way for people to get their websites out there, through the use of advertising. Each time a person types in a certain string of keywords, or if they have history in their cookies, then they’ll come across these AdWords. The way that these AdWords are broadcasted to online web surfers is built on the foundation from Python. Python also helps clients access their AdWord accounts, so that they can tailor where they want their advertisements to go.

Beets
If you have loads of music, but some of it is uncategorized or sitting in a music player without a name or title, Beets is for you. This Google project uses Python and a music database to help arrange and organize music. The best part about Beets is that even if it doesn’t run exactly the way that you want, you can use a bit of Python knowledge to tailor it to be more specific to your desires.

Android-Scripting
Not only does Google run off Python, but Android also has its own value for the language. Whether you are someone who is just creating your own app for your phone or if you are someone who is looking to create the next app that gets downloaded multiple millions of times, you can use Python and Android-Scripting to create an app that does exactly what you want it to do.

YouTube
YouTube one just started as a video viewer on its own, but is now a billion-dollar company that is owned by Google. YouTube uses Python to let users view and upload video, share links, embed video and much more. Much like Google itself, YouTube relies heavily on Python to run seamlessly for the amount of traffic it gets daily.

Python is not your average coding language. Instead, it is a valuable and integral part of some of the biggest websites in the world, one of which is Google. And the resources listed here are just a fraction of what Google uses Python for in total.

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