Pros and Cons of Open Source Two Way Radio Software

When choosing which piece of software to use you usually have the option of using licensed software that you have to pay for, or open source software, which not only do you not have to pay for, but the source code is also made available to you. You may immediately think that, since you do not have to pay for it, open source software is always the way to go, but that is not always the case as, depending on the situation, it may be better to pay the possibly high cost of licensed software for the benefits it has.

The benefits of open source software are numerous. As just mentioned, the foremost benefit of open source software is that it can be used at no cost to you or your company. All you need to do is download it. One of the other major benefits of open source software is the fact that its source code is freely available to you. This means that if you so desire, you can modify it yourself to make the software work to your liking. This is extremely helpful, as if you need a similar piece of software to one that is offered in the open source community, but that certain piece doesn't have a feature you need, you can add that feature yourself. Also available is a multitude of ways to receive free support, and view the possibly vast documentation online.

Open source software does, however, need a dedicated community. The MOTOTRBO radio system is open source. I'm not certain what the development community is like for this product. Without one there won't be enough people to keep the project going on all fronts. If there aren't enough people working on the software itself, necessary updates will not get out in good time or coding may come completely to a halt.

Not only do there need to be enough coders, but there also has to be a large and dedicated support community working on the software documentation too. The community needs to be able to constantly update the documentation to match the changes taking place with the software, and make sure it is written well and readily available to users.

Sometimes though, open source software is not the answer and it is better to go with licensed software, even though you could end up paying hundreds of dollars for it. One of the most obvious cases is if there isn't an open source equivalent of the software that you need, or if the open source equivalent isn't quality software. Another reason to choose licensed software over open source is that the open source software just doesn't contain a feature you need and you don't have the means or the time to add it in yourself, or it's just not worth it to do so.

One other reason is that you need quality technical support for the product. While open source software can have quality support, it is usually quicker and better for licensed products because there is usually a phone line available and a much larger community.

Different uses of Motorola Two Way Radios

There are a lot of companies that will have use of the Motorola two way radio, not to mention home use.

You will see people at sporting events using Motorola two way radios to keep in touch with their other family or friends that are also at the event.

Also construction people will use the two way radios to talk to each other while on a job, if one is high on a rooftop and needs some supplies or some help he can just radio to his helpers. Cell phones have a second delay, which could mean a huge difference in some situations.

Not to mention security guards who need to be able to talk to each other should a burglary be in progress, or to talk to the police. Even landscapers will use them on big projects to keep in touch with other employees on site.

The Motorola two way radio is a great piece of equipment for families to use these days. If you need to make sure your child has arrived safely at a friend's house or home from school, they can be used that way. Or if you have an elderly relative that you need to keep in touch with also the relative can have the radio to call you for help instead of using the phone. The radios will work in instances that a land-line telephone will not, or even a cell phone.

They have been found helpful in use for the medical field, making it easier for health care workers to stay in contact with each other and to call for help faster in an emergency. Some radios like the DTR550 work very well with medical equipment.

Golf courses have their employees using Motorola two way radios, to communicate with each other during emergencies, special events or just to keep everything running smoothly. The two way radio is very cost effective since once you purchase the radios you don't have to pay for monthly fees. They also work in other instances when cell phones do not work.

Motorola two way radios are also used in property management, providing the employees a faster way to respond to tenant problems. They can talk to each other, the management office and relay information that someone might need to take care of a situation faster.

MOTOTRBO Fantasy

Very rarely do you hear a fiction story that talks about Motorola two way radios. A wordpress blog recently posted a story about the Motorola Mototrbo mystery. It is a dramatic story about a serial killer who is on the loose. He's outsmarted by the police though because they are using the water proof two radio that has text messaging.

It's pretty funny, in a poorly written kind of sence. Check it out.

Walkie Talkie Photo of the year

Determination! Even if you have a hippo running 30mph at you, this gentleman still manages to hold onto his Motorola two way radio. It looks like he's holding a Motorola CP110.

This picture was taken at the Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda by CHARLES HOTHAM.

Read the full story: Hungry Hippo.

Motorola rebates ending soon

Motorola two way radio rebates are ending shortly. This rebate program started in May, 2009 and is set to end at the end of August, 2009. Motorola does come out with different rebates throughout the course of the year. However, you never know what the next rebate will be or if it will be better or worse than the last one.

This program is great for companies that are looking to increase their two way radio fleet. New radios, like the Motorola CP185 are a drastic improvement from older models. If your radio fleet is getting beat up, it may be a good idea to check out the program.

Summer Motorola two way radio specials

Motorola has launched some new specials for the summer. Most of these specials are geared towards the purchase of 6 Motorola two way radios. To highlight the special:

• Rebate of $600 when you purchase 6 radios from the MOTOTRBO product line. These include the MOTOTRBO XPR6550 and MOTOTRBO XPR6350 radios.
• Rebate of $300 for various HT series radios.
• Rebate of $150 for Commercial Series radios.
  
• Rebate of $60 to $30 for various Motorola two way radio batteries.

These rebates are a great way to stock up on your favorite Motorola two way radios. You can use the battery options to mix and match within each tier.

Motorola CP185

The Motorola CP185 has been out for about a quarter now and the reviews have been very favorable. The CP185 is the hybrid between the CP200 and BPR40. One of its most favorable features is that it has a full display. This makes it very attractive if you need to scan channels.