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Operating Systems and Software
mrseidel edited this page Feb 16, 2022
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This project will be focusing on open source software and alternatives. As such, read through this article about what open source software is.
| Market Share Location | Windows | Mac (OS X and iOS) |
Linux/Unix (incl. Android) |
Unix (not incl. Linux, iOS, or MacOS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop and Laptop | 75.48% | 15.84% | 2.19% | |
| Mobile Device | 29.51% | 69.71% | ||
| Web Servers | 20.5% | 0% (more likely 77.4%) | 79.8% (more likely < 1%) | |
| Supercomputers | 100% |
Data for table above retrieved February 13, 2022
Based on the information provided above, in a word-processing document respond to the following prompts:
- Linux might not seem like it has a large presence in the desktop world, but based on the table of information it is used in a lot of other scenarios. Why might Linux have such a large presence in every space except the desktop/laptop domain? Include specific examples.
- Three of the most user-friendly Linux distributions include: Manjaro, Ubuntu, and Linux Mint. If you had to choose one to use for yourself, which would you choose and why?
- Based on the distribution you chose above:
- Describe which career(s) would benefit most by using this particular distribution of Linux?
- Describe what features it possesses that would persuade someone from using Windows or MacOS to switch over to Linux?
- What limitations exist in using this operating system over using something like Windows or MacOS?
- Describe a system maintenance practice you would have to perform in Windows or MacOS that you would not have to do in Linux?
- How can you increase the security of the computer you are using to type up your responses to these prompts?
| Group | Type of Software | Commercial Software | Open Source Alternative(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Notetaking | Microsoft OneNote, Notion.so, etc. | Joplin, Standard Notes, TiddlyWiki, Zettlr |
| A | Office Suite | Microsoft Office, Google Suite, etc. | LibreOffice |
| B | Raster Image Manipulation | Adobe Photoshop, Affinity Photo, etc. | GNU Image Manipulation Program, Darktable |
| B | Vector Graphics | Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer, etc. | Inkscape |
| B | Video Editing | Adobe Premiere, Windows Movie Maker, etc. | OpenShot |
| C | Programming Tools | Visual Studio Code (VS Code) | VSCodium |
| C | Website Building | Weebly, Wix, SquareSpace, etc. | Gatsby JS, Hugo, WordPress |
Many software applications have something similar that can be found in the open source software realm. Using the table above:
- Choose one row from Group A, and one row from either group B or group C, then
- Think of a specific career that uses the software in the rows you chose, then
In a word-processing document, respond to the following prompts:
- Why might the person in your chosen career want to use the open source alternatives over the commercial option? Justify your responses with specific examples.
- Describe the main feature(s) of the open source alternative(s) that would entice someone in the career you chose to use the open source software over the commercial software.
- Compare the open source alternative(s) with the commercial software including unique software features of each.
- If the person in the career you chose was someone who was concerned with their security and privacy, what benefit does the open source alternative provide over the commercial option(s)? Include known security or privacy policy information as part of your comparison.
For the above tasks, complete the following regarding citations:
- Cite your work using APA, MLA, or Chicago format (whichever one you want).
- Cite all images used. You can provide a list of hyperlinks to the images used.
Please see the due dates page for more details on when this is due and how to submit your work.
The Overarching Learning Goal for this is Computer Systems.
The specific learning goal(s) for this include:
- We are learning to assess software products and operating system needs.
| Success Criteria | Look Fors |
|---|---|
| I can describe the features and limitations of various operating systems functions that meet diverse user needs. | * specific examples included in responses, * thorough comparison of choice of Linux distribution chosen, * clear communication, * clearly justified response related to career choice, * various features discussed and compared with similar Windows/MacOS, * multiple limitations of Linux conferred with clarity |
| I can explain the importance of system maintenance to manage the performance and increase the security of a computer. | * identified unique system maintenance practice in either Windows or MacOS that does not have a similar practice in Linux, * multiple security practices discussed, * identified what operating system these security practices relate to |
| I can assess user computing needs and select appropriate software for different situations. | * very specific career chosen, * needs of a user in this career clearly identified, * justified persuasive argument includes specific points backed up by sources, * comparison includes multitude of features that relate to specific career, * able to identify specific security practice differences, * able to identify specific privacy practice differences |