7. Mark the following statements as True or False, correct the false ones:

1. Linux was created in the 1980s.

2. Minix was created by a university student.

3. Linux is based on Unix.

4. Minix is based on Unix.

5. Linux runs on more types of computer than any other operating system.

Text 11. Microsoft's docs for facebook

1. Discuss the following questions:

1. What social network services do you know?

2. Are you registered with any social network service?

3. Some spend a lot of time there. Are you among such people?

4. Will your life be as interesting as it is now without social network services?

2. Read the definitions of the following words. Translate them into Russian:

to launch – to introduce to the public or to a market;

beta – test release, trial version;

peek – a brief look;

added – additional;

to sign in - to make or become a member, as of a club;

collaboration - the act of working with another or others on a joint project, something created by working jointly with another or others;

compatible - capable of being used together without special modification or adaptation;

to encounter - to meet, especially unexpectedly;

target - a desired, fixed goal.

3. Read the following text and be ready to tell if you would like to use such a service or not. Explain why:

Microsoft's Docs for Facebook

Docs.com, also known as Docs for Facebook, was officially launched at Facebook's conference on Wednesday. Created by Microsoft's FUSE Labs, the online application allows you to create, edit, and share Microsoft Office documents with your Facebook friends.

As of now, the service is still in beta; anyone can view documents, but in order to edit or create new ones, you'll have to join a wait list. I was able to take an early peek at the full functionality, though. Here's a look at what I found.

Docs for Facebook: Getting Started

At a glance, Docs for Facebook seems awfully similar to Microsoft's recently announced Office 2010 Web edition. And it is: The service is actually powered by Office 2010. The main difference, really, is the existence of the Facebook connection and the added sharing opportunities it presents.

That connection starts with your very first step: You sign in to Docs for Facebook using your Facebook ID, either at Docs.com or within the official Facebook app. Once you're signed in, you can create or upload new Word, Excel, or Powerpoint documents, or you can view documents created by any of your Facebook friends.

The actual viewing and editing interface will feel familiar to anyone who's used Microsoft's Office products (which, in this day and age, is pretty much everyone): You have a menu bar filled with formatting options at the top of your document, along with standard menus such as "File," "Insert," and "View." Spreadsheets allow you to resize columns and perform most basic functions.

One plus of the program not present in other Web-based collaboration tools: Docs for Facebook allows you to move any document into your own desktop-based Office software for viewing or editing; there's just a single button you click to make the transition. The desktop viewing and editing functions are compatible with both PC and Mac versions of Office.

Docs for Facebook: Getting Social

The sign-in and editing process is all fine and dandy, but Docs for Facebook's biggest selling point, obviously, is its social component. Upon creating or uploading a new document, Docs for Facebook gives you the option to share the file with any number of friends on Facebook. You can specify individual people as approved readers or editors, or you can opt to make the document public -- to all of your friends, or to the entire Internet -- and have it posted on your Facebook Wall as well.

Docs for Facebook: Final Thoughts

Generally speaking, Docs for Facebook is pleasant enough to use, though it did move a bit slowly during my tests. I also encountered a couple of errors while moving through the program, and the documents I shared on my Wall had an out-of-place-looking blank image where an icon should have been. With that said, the program is still in beta and is likely being bombarded with traffic right now, so these may or may not be long-term problems.

One can't help but wonder whether Docs for Facebook will be able to hold its own next to a widely used service like Google Docs. Personally, I suspect it could end up attracting a largely different audience; the type of people using Google Docs for business-based collaborations seem unlikely to port their projects over to a socially oriented service like Facebook, even if the offering does bear Microsoft's name.

Make no mistake about it: Docs for Facebook makes its target clear, and it certainly doesn't seem to be the business-based user. There are other services that support sharing, discussing and discovering documents. But what makes Docs special is it's the only service that supports the complete document lifecycle.