Castro, James

CIS 145
Professor Jackson
3/18/2024
CIS 145 Final Project: Part II
For my project, I installed Linux: CentOS. This operating system is small, free, and
widely available. It is a great option for small businesses that need to save money on technology.
It provides similar functionality as windows while also allowing unwavering community
upgrading and support. While CentOS may lack in the entertainment department, it compensates
with its functionality.
CentOS does not require complex computer systems, allowing companies to save on
computing power. The welcoming system requirements of CentOS are widely available. It
requires a 32-bit or 64-bit processor with a minimum clocking speed of 500 MHz, 1 GB of
random-access memory, a minimum of 10GB of hard drive space, a graphics card cable of an
800x600 pixels display and a NIC for internet access. Windows 11 Pro is considerably more
power consuming. Hardware requirements for a small business would be more expensive,
therefore less feasible. Especially when factoring in the price of Windows 11 Pro. Multiple
computers powerful enough to run Windows 11 Pro and multiple licenses of the OS would add
up. Each computer would require a 1GHz processor, 4GB of R.A.M, 64GB of storage space, a
monitor of 720p quality and 9” diagonal length or greater, and a NIC to complete device setup.
An increase in power by a factor of 2 or more.
CentOS is open source, as stated previously, so it seems appropriate to select an
antimalware that is also open source. I chose ClamAV for this purpose along with a variety of
other reasons. ClamAV is an open-source antimalware built for a large variety of OSs, primarily
targeted at Linux systems. It is high performance, versatile, and free. With rapid file scanning
and support for several million viruses, worms, trojans and others, ClamAV is more than
sufficient for the purposes of CentOS. It is also community driven with many community
contributions. The icing on the cake is that it is developed by Cisco, a respectable company and a
staple in the IT industry.
CentOS is similar to windows in a lot of ways, so I find it easy to navigate. There are
hundreds of features that I am not familiar with. If I were to join a company that uses this OS to
its highest potential, I imagine it would take me months to master. With regular terminal usage
including many unknown commands, I would be slow to operate as I would have to research
basic functions repeatedly. A quick answer is I estimate a year and a half before a master this OS
to its potential. This includes daily usage for 40 hours a week. More specifically, I estimate 3
months to master basic usage. 6 more to master basic terminal usage, and 9 more to master it
entirely.
 CentOS is installed with LAN/WAN support. You must connect manually, just like you
would in windows. The default networking protocol is TLS. CentOS default browser is Firefox, a
personal favorite of mine. I feel like I'm close to mastering Firefox because I have been using it
since I was 11 years old. However, I don’t think I am quite there yet. I believe that with basic
usage over the course of another couple years I will have mastered it.
CentOS shows many similarities to windows, and for good reason. These features are
what I would consider a must if productivity were to reach a reasonable percentage. Point to
click with a variation of file explorer is what most computer users are familiar with. Where they
are different though vary with significance. Upon opening CentOS, you are greeted with a
completely bare homepage. There is no task bar, nor are there any starting applications visible. In
Windows, you are greeted with a clean task bar with file explorer, Microsoft edge, and the
Microsoft store. Instead, in CentOS, you must click your activities function in the top left, where
you can find a variety of applications similar to windows.
Another difference is the significance of command prompt between the two. An average
user of Windows can neglect the command prompt for the entirety of their career. A CentOS user
must become familiar with terminal. To install software packages from Linux, the terminal is the
most likely application to accomplish this. Terminal on CentOS can accomplish file editing, disk
editing, software changes, networking, downloading, uploading, and hundreds more features.
User-friendliness is no stranger to Windows. Windows is designed to appeal to a massive
audience, and it does successfully. I love windows for the ease of use it has. I enjoy a visual
representation of tasks being completed. Other than background processes, I know what is and
isn’t happening on Windows at all times. CentOS is less user-friendly and for some time, I did
not know what was going on. The activities tab is a little odd and less convenient. The tab on the
right side reminds me of a smart phone when you swipe up to view previously accessed
applications. I find these features are executed worse than Windows. Generally unappealing to
look upon.
The final difference I have chosen is the help application. CentOS has a help application
that is executed very well. It is categorized perfectly with the most common problems presented
immediately. I used it several times while exploring the OS and it accomplished exactly what I
needed it to with a touch of a button and some reading. I have always disliked Windows help.
Forced to search for a problem when sometimes you are unsure what to call it can be a problem.
The other solution is Windows AI that commonly results in unhelpful documentation or advice.
CentOS I believe does this better because it is made by a community that uses it from the
perspective of a consumer. Knowing how a consumer functions because you are one is an
important attribute in software development.
CentOS was an interesting operating system I can see being used in my future. When I
open a company that reaches a size that requires multiple computers, I have great considerations
to use it. It is made for freedom and wide availability. For now, though, for entertainment and
work ethics sake, I will stick to windows for the foreseeable future. Windows is simply too
convenient to give up.