CSCI-A110 Lab 6: Linux

• Version 1.1¹
• 50 points
• Assigned: 2011 March 8
• Due: 2011 March 17 4:30 p.m.
• URL: http://mypage.iu.edu/~gdweber/csci/a110/dest/lab-06.html

Goals

• Demonstrate problem solving skills and adaptability
  • Show that you can find your way around in the Linux file system and manage windows on the Linux GNOME desktop.
  • Experience some Linux application programs
  • Something different
• Know how to use the Oncourse "Assignments 2" tool

Directions

You must do this work in TR 102, unless you have access to a Linux system elsewhere. Linux is not installed in the other computing labs in the IU East campus.

1. Restart the computer, enter the boot menu, and select Fedora Linux.

2. Unless you have printed these instructions, your next step is probably to find a web browser and open this page in it.

3. Using a file manager (which you can start from the Home or Computer icons), create a directory "a110-lab6" as a folder in your home directory. You will save your work in this directory.

4. Try some application programs.

   1. Find a word processor and start it. Type a paragraph, and set it in a 24-point italic font. You do not have to save your document, but leave the word processor window open.

   2. Find a thesaurus program. Find synonyms for the word "spring". Leave the window open, showing the synonymns

   3. Find a text editor and use it to open the file /usr/share/dict/linux.words. This is a "dictionary" but one that just lists words without their definitions; it can be used to check spelling. Use the text editor's Find command to locate the word "revolution". Leave the window open, showing the words before and after "revolution".

   4. Open the System Monitor tool and select the Resources tab. Look at it and answer in your own mind, how busy is your computer? Once again, leave the window open.

   5. Arrange the four windows (word processor, thesaurus, text editor, and system monitor) so that each one occupies about 1/4 of the screen. Take a screenshot of the "whole desktop" and save it as a PNG (.png) file in the folder "a110-lab6" that you created.

   6. You may now quit from all four application programs.

5. Find and launch the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP). Use GIMP to draw a simple picture of either a house, a tree, or a person's face. Your work does not have to be artistic or beautiful, but it should be recognizable. Save it in the "a110-lab6" folder twice: first in GIMP's native file format, XCF (.xcf); then as a PNG (.png) file -- use lower-case for the file extension.

   You may now quit from GIMP.

6. Open the a110-lab6 folder in a file browser. It should show the contents of the folder (3 files: 2 from GIMP, and the screenshot showing the 4 windows). Take another screenshot showing the folder's contents. You can save this screenshot anywhere, but it is probably best to save it right in the same folder.

7. If you haven't already, launch a web browser. Log in to Oncourse. Go to CSCI A110, Assignments 2 tool, and turn in your work as Lab 6.
   • In the "Submission Text" input area, write a few sentences comparing Linux with Windows. How are they similar? How different? What do you like or dislike about each?
   • Attach 4 files:
     • 2 GIMP files (.xcf and .png)
     • 2 screenshots (one showing the four application programs, the other showing the contents of your a110-lab6 folder).
   • Click on the Submit button.

Grading

• (10 points) Comparison of Linux and Windows
  • (6) Content
  • (4) Writing quality
• (10 points) GIMP picture
  • (6) Recognizable
  • (4) Two files in XCF and PNG format
• (20 points) Four-window screenshot
  • (5) Word processor window with paragraph in 24-point italic font
  • (5) Text editor showing words around revolution in /usr/share/dict/linux.words
  • (5) Thesaurus with synonymns of "spring"
  • (5) Resources tab in System Monitor
• (10) Screenshot of a110-lab6 directory
  • (2) Folder exists
  • (2) Folder name is "a110-lab6"
  • (6, 2 each) Folder contains three files (2 from GIMP and the other screenshot)
• 50 points total