We ❤️ Open Source
A recent task involved assisting a healthcare professional with upgrading their computer system. The goal was to provide a more robust solution that offers redundant backup, both onsite and in the cloud that is HIPAA compliant (HIPAA is a United States national standard that protects individual medical records and other health information.) The current system, a 2017 13-inch MacBook Air, needs this upgrade. Given Apple’s proprietary approach to computing platforms, the challenge is finding the best options within a budget.
Initially, I recommended a newer MacBook Air with a 512-gigabyte solid-state drive, Apple’s proprietary TimeMachine backup system for on-premise backup, and proprietary cloud solutions that are HIPAA-compliant, such as Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive. It is noteworthy that iCloud is not HIPAA-compliant. Then, I began to think about this solution and had an epiphany. Why not open source?
Based on my experience with open source systems, a new computer running any popular distribution could be a compelling choice for your upgraded system. If HIPAA compliant, such a system could offer a longer lifespan and better meet the project parameters. Options like a new Linux laptop from System76, Dell XPS developer edition, or a similarly configured machine running almost any version of Linux could provide a lifespan of up to ten years, ensuring the system’s relevance and efficiency for years to come.
