Software: Systems and Application Software - Principles of Information Systems - page 143

Linux is making inroads to the consumer PC market with their GUI distributions. Both
Dell and Lenovo sell notebook computers running Ubuntu and SuSE Linux. 4 Ubuntu is a
user-friendly Linux distribution that is free to download and includes dozens of free software
packages (see Figure 4.7). Wal-Mart and Sears are selling Linux PCs for $200, making them
a popular alternative to other types of computers. 5 (Wal-Mart is selling the PCs only online.)
New ultra-compact notebooks such as the ASUS Eee PC are preinstalled with Linux to make
the most of their limited system resources.
Figure 4.7
Ubuntu Linux Operating System
(Source: Courtesy of Ubuntu.)
Radio station KRUU, “the Voice of Fairfield” in Iowa, is a nonprofit, community-based
radio station. It broadcasts locally every day, 24 hours a day, and online to 30 countries
( www.kruufm.com ). The station supports about 100 hosts and 75 programs, broadcasting
programs ranging from bedtime stories to death-metal music. When shopping for an oper-
ating system to use in the studio, KRUU selected Linux Ubuntu. 6 “Our requirements were
quite complex and our decision to go with Ubuntu was based on three factors and Ubuntu
won hands down,” stated Sundar Raman, a presenter at the station. The three factors were:
(1) Ubuntu looks good and is simple for both Windows and Mac users to use, (2) Ubuntu
is reliable and easy to manage both locally and remotely, and (3) Ubuntu software supports
professional audio editing and mixing software and hardware. One benefit of using Linux
Ubuntu is the user community support. KRUU found all the answers it needed regarding
running a professional studio on Linux from the “Ubuntu-Studio” community. Communi-
cating with other Linux professionals helped the station use Linux computers for all of their
computing tasks, including recording and mixing consoles.
Workgroup Operating Systems
To keep pace with user demands, the technology of the future must support a world in which
network usage, data-storage requirements, and data-processing speeds increase at a dramatic
rate. This rapid increase in communications and data-processing capabilities pushes the
boundaries of computer science and physics. Powerful and sophisticated OSs are needed to
run the servers that meet these business needs for workgroups. Small businesses, for example,
often use workgroup OSs to run networks and perform critical business tasks.