© 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1

Technology in ActionTechnology in Action

© 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 2

Technology in ActionTechnology in Action

Technology in Focus: Technology in Focus:

Computing Alternatives Computing Alternatives

© 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 3

Application Software AlternativesApplication Software Alternatives

• Open-source softwareOpen-source software– Freely distributedFreely distributed– Contains the source code (the actual Contains the source code (the actual

lines of instructional code that make lines of instructional code that make the program work) the program work)

– Can be distributed to othersCan be distributed to others

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Productivity Software AlternativesProductivity Software Alternatives

• OpenOfficeOpenOffice– Comparable to MS OfficeComparable to MS Office

• Writer is likeWriter is like MS WordMS Word• Calc is like Calc is like

MS ExcelMS Excel• Impress is like Impress is like

MS PowerPointMS PowerPoint

• Allows you to open files Allows you to open files created in Office applicationscreated in Office applications

• Documents created with Documents created with OpenOffice can be opened OpenOffice can be opened by other programsby other programs

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Drawing Software AlternativesDrawing Software Alternatives

• OpenOffice OpenOffice Draw Draw

• DIADIA– Comparable Comparable

to MS Visioto MS Visio– Allows you Allows you

to create to create diagrams, diagrams, graphs, and graphs, and chartscharts

© 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 6

Database Software AlternativesDatabase Software Alternatives

• MySQLMySQL– Comparable Comparable

to SQL to SQL Server and Server and Oracle 9iOracle 9i

– Many books Many books and online and online tutorials are tutorials are availableavailable

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Web Page Authoring Software Web Page Authoring Software AlternativesAlternatives

• NVUNVU– Comparable Comparable

to MS to MS FrontPage or FrontPage or DreamweaverDreamweaver

– Don’t need to Don’t need to know HTML know HTML to generate a to generate a Web pageWeb page

© 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 8

Image-Editing Software Image-Editing Software AlternativesAlternatives

• The GIMPThe GIMP– Comparable Comparable

to Adobe to Adobe PhotoShopPhotoShop

– Windows, Windows, Mac OS X, Mac OS X, Linux, and Linux, and UNIX UNIX versions versions availableavailable

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Operating System AlternativesOperating System Alternatives

• LinuxLinux– Linux versions Linux versions

called “distros”called “distros”– Knoppix and PC Knoppix and PC

Linux run from a CD Linux run from a CD so do not replace so do not replace your current OSyour current OS

– Other distros (such Other distros (such as Mandriva Linux) as Mandriva Linux) install Linux install Linux permanently permanently

© 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 10

Hardware AlternativesHardware Alternatives

• AppleApple– Mac OS XMac OS X– Intel platformIntel platform– Open-source Open-source

software for software for MacsMacs

– Special Special software lets software lets you run you run Windows-based Windows-based software on a software on a MacMac

© 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 11

Hardware AlternativesHardware Alternatives

• Do-it-yourselfDo-it-yourself

Case

Power Supply

Processor

Motherboard

RAM

Hard Drive

Video card

Sound card

Removable Storage

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Hardware AlternativesHardware AlternativesDo It YourselfDo It Yourself

• AdvantagesAdvantages– Exact configuration Exact configuration

desireddesired– Choice of quality Choice of quality

componentscomponents– SatisfactionSatisfaction

• DisadvantagesDisadvantages– No technical support if No technical support if

there is a problemthere is a problem– Multiple considerations Multiple considerations

in matching in matching componentscomponents

– Often more expensiveOften more expensive