Application Alternatives Project
For this project option, you will locate and review open source alternatives to commercial applications. As part of this process, you will demonstrate and explain the basic use and functionality of a number of different applications.
Required Technology
To be able to complete this project successfully, you will need:
- A computer that meets the Computing Requirements of the Department of Computing Sciences, on which you can install software. CCU library machines, Chromebooks, tablets, and phones will not work for this project.
- Screencasting and video editing software to record, edit, and upload a video presentation.
This project option requires that you install and demonstrate various pieces of software, but you do not necessarily need to change your computer’s operating system if you choose this option. You will, however, need to have enough disk space available for the installations, which might require cleaning up old files and/or uninstalling video games.
Background
Since the early days of personal computers, users have been faced with choices between different software applications at different price points. Back in the DOS days, we had “shareware” applications that could be copied and shared freely (usually on floppy disk), but a payment to the developer was expected after a trial period elapsed. The primary alternative was to purchase commercial software (again, on physical floppy disks) from a computer or office supply store. Commercial applications back then typically had restrictive license agreements (just like today), and some even had rudimentary forms of copy protection that largely served to frustrate legitimate users without doing much to stop piracy (and some things never change).
The rise of the Internet permitted both easier sharing of pirated software and the collaborative development of software that was designed to be shared and used freely. This latter class of software, which eventually morphed into what we call “open-source” today, gave rise to entire operating systems (e.g. Linux) and even to whole industries and economies based on services and support contracts. Despite the availability of free-of-charge alternatives, many users still opt for proprietary applications due to familiarity or a misguided perception of higher quality (all software contains bugs).
Many users, including those in management and owners of small businesses, continue to insist upon proprietary, commercial applications for their day-to-day operations. When money is available and these users are willing to spend, there can be a value proposition to the support contracts associated with these applications. However, all too often, money is tight or is allocated to other uses, and these users look for “alternative” ways to acquire software applications.
Now, college students are known to find similar “alternative” ways to acquire software (and digital textbooks, for that matter). While copyright law doesn’t necessarily distinguish between motivations, as a practical matter, a company that is pirating software is a far more attractive lawsuit target than a college student, owing in no small part to the fact that the company is more likely to have actual money available to collect. Consequently, it is critically important that companies properly license the software applications that they intend to use in commerce. When the management of a company doesn’t have or doesn’t want to spend the money required to license an application correctly, the safe and proper response is to find an alternative application that can be licensed at a lower (or zero) cost.
As an IT professional, you need to be prepared to push back against a management desire to obtain and utilize improperly licensed software. Big software companies have been known to go after small businesses over licensing issues. A government employee in Canada was even arrested for pirating software used to update police department radios. Anecdotally, a local software development company in Myrtle Beach stopped producing a digital forensics tool after police departments kept pirating it. While the economic consequences of college students (and other individuals) making an unlicensed copy of a program for non-commercial purposes are both limited and dubious, widespread piracy among corporations is a significant concern in the software industry, since corporations spend the most money on these applications.
While the classic video Don’t Copy That Floppy explains commercial software development and piracy consequences fairly well, it ignores community-supported open-source software, probably in no small part due to the video predating the open source movement. Today, apart from some specific commercial applications in extremely niche areas, it is generally possible to find an open-source alternative to a commercial program. Ironically, using the alternative program both eliminates the legal issue involved with privacy and has the same effect on the commercial software vendors in the video. Of course, it’s pretty easy to argue that they were the ones who created this situation by overpricing software in the first place (and then stuffing it full of spyware in recent years).
Project Requirements
A successful implementation of this project:
- Identifies open-source alternatives for each of the following types and commercial examples of software:
- Screen recorder (Microsoft Windows Snipping Tool)
- Video player (Microsoft Windows Media Player)
- Video editor (Apple iMovie)
- Digital audio workstation (Adobe Audition)
- Media library manager (Apple iTunes)
- E-book reader (Amazon Kindle app)
- Word processor (Microsoft Word)
- Spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel)
- Presentation tool (Microsoft PowerPoint)
- Diagram drawing tool (Microsoft Visio)
- Project manager (Microsoft Project)
- Personal finance tool (Quicken)
- Web browser (Microsoft Edge)
- Email client (Microsoft Outlook)
- Chat application (Discord)
- Raster graphics editor (Adobe Photoshop)
- Vector graphics editor (Adobe Illustrator)
- 3D graphics editor (Autodesk 3ds Max)
- Desktop publisher (Adobe InDesign)
- 2D Computer Aided Design (Autodesk AutoCAD)
- 3D Computer Aided Design (Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks)
- Integrated Development Environment (Microsoft Visual Studio)
- Virtualization System (VMWare Workstation)
- Geographic Information System (ESRI ArcGIS)
- Tests each identified alternative by installing the corresponding open-source application.
- Demonstrates how to start and use each alternative application by creating a video tutorial showing how to complete a basic task.
Completion of this project demonstrates the ability to integrate a desktop system to support multiple users and applications.
Specific Rules for This Project
- A separate and unique program must be identified for each of the 24 application categories. If multiple programs are distributed together as a suite, each individual program in the suite counts as a separate program. For example, in the proprietary software space, Microsoft Office includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other components depending on edition. The suite of applications is Microsoft Office, and Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are examples of individual programs. On the other hand, an argument could be made that Excel could also be used as a personal finance tool. If Excel were identified as the spreadsheet program, it would be necessary to choose a different personal finance program to meet this requirement. (Of course, none of the Microsoft Office tools actually meet the requirements for this project, since they aren’t open-source: this example is simply to explain what is meant by “separate and unique” programs.)
- It is your responsibility to locate and evaluate each application. Doing this research is part of the project.
- You must be sure the application you identify is indeed open-source by researching its license agreement. Refer to the OSI Approved Licenses page from the Open Source Initiative.
- You must actually install and run each application identified. Not all open-source applications are released for every operating system. If you’re running Windows, you might find the Windows Subsystem for Linux to be useful in some cases. Mac users may find applications in MacPorts or Homebrew if the creator doesn’t have a download for macOS available.
- For each application, you must present a short (5 minute) tutorial demonstrating how to perform a basic task with that application. You may follow any tutorials you find from the application creator to fulfill this requirement, but your demonstration must show a successful use of the application. Be aware that tutorials can sometimes be out of date or broken. Figuring out how to use each application is a core part of this project option.
- There is a logical order to the milestones for this project. You will need the screen recording and video editing software covered in Milestone 1 to produce the videos for the rest of the milestones.
Academic Integrity Rules
- Generally speaking, this project is to be completed INDIVIDUALLY. You may use any Internet source for research purposes, and you may share and receive information through the course forum activity (in fact, sharing information through the forum is a separate requirement of this course). However, you are to implement your own solution to this project and produce your own videos.
- You MAY work with another student (or multiple other students) if each of you completes a SEPARATE project option in this course.
- If you’re taking this course with your best friend, roommate, family member, or other close associate, it is advisable to choose separate projects to avoid any appearance of questionable activity. As a bonus, you both will learn more.
Milestones
Milestone 1
For Milestone 1, prepare a video presentation that identifies and demonstrates how to do a simple task in an open-source program from each of the following categories:
- Screen recorder (Microsoft Windows Snipping Tool)
- Video player (Microsoft Windows Media Player)
- Video editor (Apple iMovie)
- Digital audio workstation (Adobe Audition)
- Media library manager (Apple iTunes)
- E-book reader (Amazon Kindle app)
You should spend about 5 minutes on each application for a total video length of about 30 minutes.
Before submitting, review the Grading Rubric for Milestone 1.
Milestone 2
For Milestone 2, prepare a video presentation that identifies and demonstrates how to do a simple task in an open-source program from each of the following categories:
- Word processor (Microsoft Word)
- Spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel)
- Presentation tool (Microsoft PowerPoint)
- Diagram drawing tool (Microsoft Visio)
- Project manager (Microsoft Project)
- Personal finance tool (Quicken)
You should spend about 5 minutes on each application for a total video length of about 30 minutes.
Before submitting, review the Grading Rubric for Milestone 2.
Milestone 3
For Milestone 3, prepare a video presentation that identifies and demonstrates how to do a simple task in an open-source program from each of the following categories:
- Web browser (Microsoft Edge)
- Email client (Microsoft Outlook)
- Chat application (Discord)
- Raster graphics editor (Adobe Photoshop)
- Vector graphics editor (Adobe Illustrator)
- 3D graphics editor (Autodesk 3ds Max)
You should spend about 5 minutes on each application for a total video length of about 30 minutes.
Before submitting, review the Grading Rubric for Milestone 3.
Milestone 4
For Milestone 3, prepare a video presentation that identifies and demonstrates how to do a simple task in an open-source program from each of the following categories:
- Desktop publisher (Adobe InDesign)
- 2D Computer Aided Design (Autodesk AutoCAD)
- 3D Computer Aided Design (Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks)
- Integrated Development Environment (Microsoft Visual Studio)
- Virtualization System (VMWare Workstation)
- Geographic Information System (ESRI ArcGIS)
You should spend about 5 minutes on each application for a total video length of about 30 minutes.
Before submitting, review the Grading Rubric for Milestone 4.
Tips and Resources
- For more information about open-source software, check the Open Source Initiative website.
- Wikipedia often links to category lists that include open-source programs. You can look up the proprietary program in Wikipedia and follow its articles to identify alternatives.
- There are websites that provide lists of alternative programs. Be aware that these lists often include proprietary programs as alternatives, and you will not get credit if you select a proprietary program.
