Understanding the types of software around you

Software programs are like food and clothing. They come in all shapes and sizes. There are billions of programs. But all of them can be classified in a few categories. This post informs you about the different categories of software programs, what can be achieved with each, where they fall short and how you can decide which one you should build, or assemble a team for.

The topic seems very basic, but I feel that companies today are churning out too much code and too many variants of the same program for their own good. As a company, it is worth pausing and asking yourself what you really want to achieve for the users.

Let’s see the different categories of software programs with the help of a story. Continue reading “Understanding the types of software around you”

Conversations with Internet: VoIP part 2

In part 1 of this series, we saw what VoIP is and how it is synonymous to traditional phone calls. We also listed some advantages of VoIP over traditional phone networks, that it is possible to set up your own VoIP network for use within your company. Finally, we saw that VoIP calls can be automated. One day your devices, such as home protection or a stock market ticker, will make an audio or video call to you via VoIP if something interesting occurs.

In this part, we will see how a VoIP call works, using VoIP calling software / device and a network protocol named SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). Continue reading “Conversations with Internet: VoIP part 2”