Improving Memory Management in the Linux Kernel

In this research I intend to analyze the Linux OS memory management system for inefficient segments and work to improve the source code to decrease the inefficiency. This is primarily important due to the nature of the Linux kernel being a constantly developing project. This operating system is extremely prominent in the field of computer science, and is always being improved, however most of these improvements come from academia, not industry. This makes it important to spend resources researching and continuing the process of perfecting this large body of code. There is an expanse of previous research on the Linux kernel in general, but the purpose of my research is to build on or improve the work of what has been done before. This is accomplished by looking at the composite of all the research of others (the Linux kernel as a whole), and adapting it to be more efficient in certain situations. The outcome I am aiming for is just that, locating and altering specific cases of the code to allow for a greater efficiency of the OS as a whole

Open Source Software: From Open Science to New Marketing Models

-Open source Software; Intellectual Property; Licensing; Business Model.

Applied (Meta)-Heuristic in Intelligent Systems

Engineering and business problems are becoming increasingly difficult to solve due to the new economics triggered by big data, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things. Exact algorithms and heuristics are insufficient for solving such large and unstructured problems; instead, metaheuristic algorithms have emerged as the prevailing methods. A generic metaheuristic framework guides the course of search trajectories beyond local optimality, thus overcoming the limitations of traditional computation methods. The application of modern metaheuristics ranges from unmanned aerial and ground surface vehicles, unmanned factories, resource-constrained production, and humanoids to green logistics, renewable energy, circular economy, agricultural technology, environmental protection, finance technology, and the entertainment industry. This Special Issue presents high-quality papers proposing modern metaheuristics in intelligent systems

The Crusader and the Dictator: An Exploration of Ideology and Neurodivergence in Contemporary Technology Practice

A common theme in public discourse is the recognition that technology in general, and digital technology specifically, has an enormous impact on the everyday lives of people from all walks of modern life, in almost every corner of the globe. This thesis interrogates the connection between neurodivergence—the presence of neurological variations considered outside the cognitive norm— and individualistic ideology within the information technology industries. Through the biographies, substantial record of activities, public statements, and writings surrounding two influential figures in the contemporary practice of computer science, Richard Stallman and Linus Torvalds, it conducts an investigation into this convergence and its resulting impact on the surrounding culture

FLOSSSim: Understanding the Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) Development Process through Agent-Based Modeling

abstract: Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) is the product of volunteers collaborating to build software in an open, public manner. The large number of FLOSS projects, combined with the data that is inherently archived with this online process, make studying this phenomenon attractive. Some FLOSS projects are very functional, well-known, and successful, such as Linux, the Apache Web Server, and Firefox. However, for every successful FLOSS project there are 100's of projects that are unsuccessful. These projects fail to attract sufficient interest from developers and users and become inactive or abandoned before useful functionality is achieved. The goal of this research is to better understand the open source development process and gain insight into why some FLOSS projects succeed while others fail. This dissertation presents an agent-based model of the FLOSS development process. The model is built around the concept that projects must manage to attract contributions from a limited pool of participants in order to progress. In the model developer and user agents select from a landscape of competing FLOSS projects based on perceived utility. Via the selections that are made and subsequent contributions, some projects are propelled to success while others remain stagnant and inactive. Findings from a diverse set of empirical studies of FLOSS projects are used to formulate the model, which is then calibrated on empirical data from multiple sources of public FLOSS data. The model is able to reproduce key characteristics observed in the FLOSS domain and is capable of making accurate predictions. The model is used to gain a better understanding of the FLOSS development process, including what it means for FLOSS projects to be successful and what conditions increase the probability of project success. It is shown that FLOSS is a producer-driven process, and project factors that are important for developers selecting projects are identified. In addition, it is shown that projects are sensitive to when core developers make contributions, and the exhibited bandwagon effects mean that some projects will be successful regardless of competing projects. Recommendations for improving software engineering in general based on the positive characteristics of FLOSS are also presented.Dissertation/ThesisPh.D. Computer Science 201

New Spectacles for Juliette: Values and Ethics for Creative Business

This is the third book in an on-going series published by Nottingham Creative Network which was established in 2006 as a re-incarnation of Creative Collaborations which was established in 2003. Both incarnations offer(ed) professional and business development advice, support, training and networking opportunities made relevant for the specific and sometimes non-standard ways that creative businesses operate and exchange. This series of books occupies a cross-over space between broad conceptual debates, creativity itself, ideas for creative business and concrete advice for professional development. The first in this series is entitled Fish, Horses and Other Animals; Professional and Business Development for the Creative Ecology and tries to offer some ideas about understanding and engaging with informal creative business networks. The second, Soul Food, and Music: Research and Innovation for Creative Business explores ways to consolidate research for creative business and use it for thinking about innovation. As you will see, this third book continues the theme of professional and business development for the specifics of creative business by introducing questions of values and ethics into our broader on-going discussion

Cost Optimization Through Open Source Software

The cost of information technology (IT) as a percentage of overall operating and capital expenditures is growing as companies modernize their operations and as IT becomes an increasingly indispensable part of company resources. The price tag associated with IT infrastructure is a heavy one, and, in today's economy, companies need to look for ways to reduce overhead while maintaining quality operations and staying current with technology. With its advancements in availability, usability, functionality, choice, and power, free/libre open source software (F/LOSS) provides a cost-effective means for the modern enterprise to streamline its operations. iXsystems wanted to quantify the benefits associated with the use of open source software at their company headquarters. This article is the outgrowth of our internal analysis of using open source software instead of commercial software in all aspects of company operations

Towards a (Meta-)Sociology of the Digital Sphere

Content: 1. Introductory considerations; 2. The functional universality of digital computer systems as a starting point; 3. Is Cyberspace spatial?; 4. Implications of Cyberspace for the level of Social Interaction and Social Systems; 4.1 Ease of exit and absence of density pressures; 4.2. The Softened Dictatorship of Time; 4.3 The absence of locational anchoring, bodily contacts and primary interpersonal perception; 4.4 The leveling and blurring of Real World status differentials; 4.5 The predominance of volatile, monothematic and project-related social relations; 4.6 The need for highly prespecified codes, symbolic patterns, problem definitions and environmental conditions; 4.7 The rising salience of credibility and trust; 4.8 The facilitated social integration of "strangers"; 4.9 Expansion of highly voluntary social interactions, relationships and roles; 4.10 The softened incompatibility between "egocentric" and "altruistic" action; 4.11 The intrinsic "softness" of digital social systems; 5. Implications of the Internet for the Cultural Level; 5.1 The softening of artifacts and the deletability of the past; 5.2 From producer-guided to receiver-guided culture; 5.3 The demise of stable ex ante classification schemes; 5.4 Toward a "Sampling Culture": from molecular to molar forms of production; 5.5 High mutual "permeabilities" as a condition for blendings and “crossovers”; 6. Implications on the Individual Level; 6.1 From offline individuals to online "dividuals" emanci-pated from body and space; 6.2 Freely chosen and freely modifiable self-constructed identities; 6.3 Support for "externalized selves" and microsocial cultures; 6.4 The blurring distinction between productive and receptive roles; 7. For conclusion: some epistemological and meta-theoretical consequences of Cyberspace for the social sciences; 7.1 The concepts of "Virtual Reality" and "Vireality"; 7.2 The Internet as a "hypersocial" space