dt2014-15 s01: digital toolbox

Digital ToolboxArchitecture Degree

Prof: Carlos Cámara

Digital Toolbox 2 / 32

Hardware & software

Hardware: Physical components Software: Logical components● System Software

– Operating System (OS)

– Drivers

● Applications


Software...


Software types


Software types: OS

● Windows– Used in 87-91% of all

computers (August 2011)

– Known by the majority

– Lots of available softwares

● Mac OS– Increasing number of users

– Can be used in Apple devices (only)

– Specific software + certain sofware which is also availabe forWindows


Software types: OS

GNU/Linux– Many different “distributions”

● Ubuntu is one of them

– Free (as in free speech)

– Most distributions are free (0€)

– Better security and performance

– Better apps management (Package manager)

– Many Windows apps are not available

Cloud Computing – Can be used only with a browser OS →

indepentent

– No need to install anything

– No need to update anything

– Performance limited to network connection and broadband

– Few and specific apps


[Note on software types]

● Multiplatform: there are versions for different Operating Systems

● Platform independent: No need of installation and thus works in any OS

– CloudComputing

– Java software


[Variant: Portable Apps]

● OS dependent (Windows as today)

● But: No need to install them!– Can be put in a portable

device: USB, portable HD, smartphone, mp3, dropbox...

– Can be used in any PC connected to that device

– Url: http://portableapps.com

http://portableapps.com/


Another classification: licenses

Licenses are important because they determine what we can (legally) do or we can't do with software

Many licenses, two main groups:

● Permisive (open source)

● Non-permissive / Intrusive (closed source)


Sofware types: license

Open SourceClosed source

(privative)Public domain

Permissive Robust (week) Robust (strong)

Access to source code Yes Yes Yes No Yes

Modifications Yes Yes (same license)

Yes (same license)

No Yes

Distribution Yes Yes Yes No / Yes * Yes

Examples ● Academic Free License v.1.2.

● BSD License.● MIT License.● University of

Illinois/NCSA Open Source License.

● GNU License v 2.1● Mozilla Public

License● OpenSource

License

● Affero License V1,0+

● GNU License v 2.0● GNU License v 3.0

Notes:* Freeware allows to distribute softwareNote that license has nothing to do with price not all opensource licences are free and all privative software is to be paid for→


License:This work is subject to a creative commons license

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

Creative Commons (an example of open licence)

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/


Free Software

Richard Stallman

MIT Engineer in 1980's. Currenyly devoted to Free Software Foundation

Two only possible relationships between people and software:

1. People control software

2. Software controls people

Conclusion: all software should be free.

Free as in free speech

(Free Gratis)


Free Software

Stallman: 1st formal definition of free software (Feb 1986), in behalf of the Free Software Foundation

Free software's four freedoms:

Freedom 0: The freedom to run the program for any purpose.

Freedom 1: The freedom to study how the program works, and change it to make it do what you wish.

Freedom 2: The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor.

Freedom 3: The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements (and modified versions in general) to the public, so that the whole community benefits.

FLOSS (Free-Libre Open Source Software)

Free software, free society: Richard Stallman at TEDxGeneva 2014 http://youtu.be/Ag1AKIl_2GM

http://youtu.be/Ag1AKIl_2GM


Why is opensource so important?

● Ethical reasons

– Be able to share something we like– Coherent with collaborative/sharing work

and knowledge– No commercial interest

● Practical reasons

– No backdoors and traps– Faster (security) upgrades– Possibility to improve sofware by our own

● Economical reasons

– Pay by service not per license

Free software, free society: Richard Stallman at TEDxGeneva 2014 http://youtu.be/Ag1AKIl_2GM

http://youtu.be/Ag1AKIl_2GM


Exercice: What can we say about these software?

1) Office suite

2) Propietary (developed by Google)

3) Cloud solution

4) Freemium

1) CAD software

2) Propietary (developed by autodesk)

3) Multiplattform (Windows y MAC OS)

4) Payment software

1) Wordprocessor

2) Opensource

3) Multiplattform (windows, MAC OS y Linux) and portable.

4) Free

Type

OS

Type

License

Cost


Is it clear?

YES SIR!

YES!


Assessment

● Using wrong terminology... that's a paddlin'

● Failing to classify a software... that's a paddlin'

● Mix up free (cost) with opensource... that's a paddlin'

● Say that opensource software is a crap …that's 3 paddlin's!

Paddle


Files and foldersOrder: files and folders

Formats: files' types

Digital Tools' Syllabus 19 / 32

Order: Files and folders

Keeping files and folders ordered is a good practise which prevents errors, saves time and prevents workgroup turning into nightmare.

● Files: they contain information:

– Determining their name is not obvious and need some analysis

● Folders: they are file containers:

– They should have a clear hierarchy

– They should contain files with something in common


Order: File naming (I)

Good filenames should contain:

● Information about its content: sometimes a brief description is enough, but we should consider some limitations / recommendations:

– Number of characters (keep it under 21 characters + extension)

– Special characters such as ñ, accents...

● Examples.

– Guía docente.pdf– GuiaDocente.doc (CamelCase)

– Planta baja instalaciones.dwg


Order: File naming (II)

● Project/folder name: including the name of the project or folder the file belongs to may be interesting:

– Is it redundant? What happens if a file is not where it should be?Will someone know where to place the document if sent by email?

– Prefix or sufix?

– Do we use a code?

● Examples:

– HD-Guía docente.pdf

– GuiaDocente-HD.doc

– 11VU01-Planta baja instalaciones.dwg


Order: File naming (III)

● Versions: when working in large projects there are many changes and questions arise:

– When should we create a new file? What do we do with the 'old' ones? Should we keep them? All? How many?

– How do we know which is the good one and which one is a version? Should we keep them in a folder? Should we add a prefix? A sufix?

● Examples:

– HD-Guía docente-02.pdf– 2011-09-01 GuiaDocente-HD.doc– 11VU01-PB instalaciones.dwg (in a folder called “backup”)


Order: File naming (IV)

● Author's name: there are certain contexts which many similar files are received to be supervised and it is important to specify their author:

– Competitions– Paperwork with administration– Bills

– Academic context (!!!)

● Examples:

– Ccamara-HD-Guía docente-02.pdf– 2011-09-01 GuiaDocente-HD-ccamara.doc– 11VU01-PB instalaciones-USJArquitectos.dwg

We are the first interested in letting others know who we are, because our grade or payment or job depends on that!


Assessment

● Forgetting your name in the file ... that's a paddlin'

● Failing to add a description to the file ... that's a paddlin'

● Using default names such as “documento1.doc ...oh yes, that's a paddlin' !

Paddle


Example

Do you see anything wrong in this example? And any best pracise?


Format types (I)

● Natives: they're used to work with a specific software. Saved as default.

– They can only be opened by the same software (and version!) that created them– Allows editing its content and saving them later

● Exchange: used to exchange information between person who doesn't use the same software

– Can be opened by most of softwares within the same family– Allows editing its content and saving them later

● Final/storage: used to store a work which has been finished

– Does not allow any alteration (just visualization)– All the information is contained in the same file (no external data)– Can be opened by general purpose software

● Other:– Backup copies: some software automatically create backup copies that can be used only changing their extension (bak, bpn...)– ISO standard vs de facto standard: first ones are regulated and approved by external consortiums more independence, →

future proof


Format types (II)

Natives ExchangeStorage

Abiertos Propietarios Abiertos Propietarios

Texts odt doc, docx... odt rtf pdf* odt*

Spreedsheets ods xls, xlsx... ods pdf* ods*

CAD dwg dxf pdf, dwf

3D blend skp, max 3ds pdf, 3ds

BIM pln pdf

Images xfc psd Jpg, png, gif, tif

Audio au OggVobis MP3, aaa Mp3

Vídeo OGV avi Avi, ogv, flv...

*ISO standards


Formats: PDF

What makes PDF so special?● Storage format

● No need of any specific software (many free viewers)

● ISO Standard

● It allows interactions:

– Layers

– Forms

– Annotations

– …

● Can be generated from any software

Free PDF editors

● Xchange PDF viewer

● PDFSam

● Okular


More...


About files' management

● File servers / NAS

– Special computer for storage purposes– Domestic PC within a local network

(office, house)

● Version Control Systems:

– GIT– CVS

● Automated Backup

– Toucan (portableapps)

● Metadata

● Sync, backup and sharing apps:

– Dropbox

– Copy

– Owncloud


Free culture

● Software:

– Utilizar sistemas operativos libres

– Utilizar aplicaciones libres

– Utilizar formatos de archivo abiertos

● Culture

– Utilizar recursos libres (Creative Commons)● Buscador de recursos creative commons

● Design

● Services

● Medecine

Ideology behing opensource software can be extended to many fields:


Questions?

dt2014-15 s01: digital toolbox

Technology

free software stallman

privative software

gnu license

software types multiplatform

mit license

hardware software hardware

bsd license

physical components