Technology in Action Alan Evans Kendall Martin Mary Anne Poatsy Ninth Edition Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 0

Technology in Action Technology in Focus: Computing Alternatives Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 1

Application Software Alternatives Open source software –Freely distributed –Contains the source code –Can be distributed to others –Downloaded for free –Install on as many computers as you wish –Make changes to source code –Redistribute it without charge Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 2

Productivity Software Alternatives OpenOffice is a free suite of productivity software programs similar to Microsoft Office –Allows you to open files created in Office applications –Available for variety of operating systems Windows Linux Mac OS Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 3

OpenOffice Components OpenOfficeType of SoftwareComparison WriterWord ProcessingWord CalcSpreadsheetExcel ImpressPresentationPowerPoint BaseDatabaseAccess DrawGraphics Program MathEquation Editor Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 4

Starting OpenOffice.org Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 5

Database Software Alternative MySQL –Includes many features contained in SQL Server and Oracle Database 11g –Database Server Creates tables for your database and allows entry of data –Query Browser Provides a visual interface for database to display results of queries Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 6

Productivity Software: Web-Based Alternatives Access programs from Internet without having to install them on your computer Collaborate on a document online Non-Microsoft alternatives include: –Google Docs (docs.google.com) –ThinkFree Online Office ( –Zoho ( Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 7

Client Alternative Mozilla Thunderbird –Open source client –Organize Tagging Folders Search –Add-ons available Blog editor Calendar Calculator Multimedia tools Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 8

Drawing Software Alternatives Draw (OpenOffice) –Create simple graphs, charts, and diagrams Dia –Create Visio-like diagrams and charts flowcharts SketchUp (Google) –Full-featured 3D modeling application Sketchup7 is free Sketchup Pro 7 costs about $500 Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 9

Web Page Authoring Software Alternative SeaMonkey Composer –Versatile tool for creating Web pages –Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux –Supports cascading style sheets, positioned layers, and dynamic image and table resizing. –Also includes Web browser, and newsgroup client, and IRC chat Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 10

Image Editing Software Alternative GIMP –Create and edit digital art –Crop or change size of image –Reduce file size –Fix perspective distortion Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 11

Open Source Photography Open Source Photography group is dedicated to providing information about open source tools for photographers Web site has links to tutorials, reviews, and how-to hints –Inkscape is a vector graphics editor –Pandora is a plug-in for GIMP that allows you to create panoramic photos Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 12

Operating System Alternatives Windows is prime target for viruses –More than 90 percent of market share –Hackers take advantage of security flaws Less widely used alternatives make your computer less of a target –Linux (open source alternative) –Mac OS X Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 13

Linux Open source operating system that is alternative to Microsoft Windows Portability allows use on almost any computer Provides additional level of protection for users of public computers Enhances privacy by storing temporary Internet files on same portable device as OS Takes up less space for use on netbooks Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 14

Which Linux to Use Linux is available for download as distributions, or distros which include: –Underlying Linux kernel –Special modifications to the OS –May also include additional open source software Research distros at –Provides helpful hints for beginners Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 15

Experimenting with Linux Some Linux distros run from a CD/DVD or flash drive –Ubuntu –PCLinux OS Eliminates need to install files on hard drive Boot from flash drive on Windows PC and run Linux without disturbing existing Windows installaation Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 16

Mac OS X Lion Latest version of Mac operating system Uses same desktop metaphors as Windows –Icons for folders –Trash Can similar to Recycle Bin Mac OS X based on UNIX –Exceptionally stable and reliable –Less vulnerable to hackers Can install Windows to run Windows software Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 17

Hardware Alternatives If you are dissatisfied with your Windows- based PC consider: –Moving to an Apple platform –Building your own computer Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 18

Apple Computers Take a Mac for a test drive to decide if it is worth the extra money Check out full lineup of Macs –MacBook Air is thinnest notebook –MacBook weighs under five pounds –iMac line features space-saving desktop units Apple fans think Macs are more user- friendly and stylish than PCs Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 19

Do It Yourself! Advantages –Exact configuration and features desired –Choice of components –Satisfaction of a job well done Disadvantages –No technical support if there is a problem –Must examine complex technical specifications –Not necessarily a money saver Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 20

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Copyright © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall