Information systems and open source

The goal of the course is to provide hands-on experience with modern open source software and information systems. The course emphasizes the use of open source operating systems, development tools, and applications to build efficient, data-driven information systems with a focus on use cases in computer graphics, visualizations, and simulations. In contrast to proprietary software, open source software offers more flexibility and freedom in selecting specific tools and system components based on the given design requirements. Students gain experience with a Linux-based environment, data-oriented design principles, relational databases, and open source multimedia tools, and use it to set up a development environment for designing and developing simple applications and systems for and multimedia processing, visualizations, and simulations using open source technologies.

Skils in using computers are required

1. Introduction to open source
   1. Open source philosophy and license types
   2. Historical overview of free and open source software
   3. Community-driven development and contribution models
2. Open source development environments
   1. Linux operating system
   2. Command line tools and scripting
   3. Version control with git
   4. Compiling open source software
   5. Web browsers as development platforms
   6. Web application stack
3. Open source tools and content creation
   1. Tools for authoring multimedia content, documents, images, audio, video
   2. Open formats and standardization
4. Information systems
   1. Relational model
   2. Data storage and access
   3. Data-oriented design and software architecture
   4. Asset management systems
   5. Process automation

Students are introduced to the principles of free and open source software, licensing models, and the historical development of open source software. They learn to set up and use Linux as a development environment for information systems and applications. Students gain practical experience with a wide array of open source software, data-oriented design, and relational databases as applied to multimedia applications, computer graphics, visualizations, and simulations. As a practical exercise, students develop a simple web application using open source tools and libraries. Each student selects a specialized area for in-depth study and presents their findings in the form of an individual seminar.

• Martin Kleppmann: Designing Data-Intensive Applications, 2nd edition, O’Reilly, 2026. Catalogue
• Avi Silberschatz, Henry F. Korth, S. Sudarshan: Database System Concepts, 7th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2022. Catalogue
• Richard Fabian: Data-Oriented Design, 2018. Catalogue
• Jason Gregory: Game Engine Architecture, 3rd edition, CRC Press, 2018. Catalogue.Vol.1 Catalogue.Vol.2

• Exercises and continuous assessment
• Individual seminar assessment, knowledge of the selected field, presentation quality
50/50

Prof. Dr. Marko Bohanec is a senior researcher at the Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Knowledge Technologies, Ljubljana, Slovenia, and professor of computer science at the University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia. His major research interests are related to decision support systems and data mining, and in particular to qualitative hierarchical modeling and machine learning. He has extensive experience in decision-making consulting, developing decision-support software, and collaborating in EU research projects.

Izbrane objave / Selected bibliography

BOHANEC, Marko. Odločanje in modeli, (Učbeniki in priročniki). 1. ponatis. Ljubljana: DMFA - založništvo, 2012. XV, 313 str.. ISBN 978-961-212-190-7. [COBISS.SI-ID 260642816]

BOHANEC, Marko, ŽNIDARŠIČ, Martin, RAJKOVIČ, Vladislav, BRATKO, Ivan, ZUPAN, Blaž. DEX methodology: Three decades of qualitative multi-attribute modeling. Informatica (Ljublj.), 2013, vol. 37, no. 1, str. 49-54. [COBISS.SI-ID 26664999]

BOHANEC, Marko, MILEVA BOSHKOSKA, Biljana, PRINS, Theo W., KOK, Esther. SIGMO: A decision support system for identification of genetically modified food or feed products. Food control, ISSN 0956-7135. [Print ed.], 2016, vol. 71, str. 168-177. [COBISS.SI-ID 29620007]

BOHANEC, Marko, TRDIN, Nejc, KONTIĆ, Branko. A qualitative multi-criteria modelling approach to the assessment of electric energy production technologies in Slovenia. Central European Journal of Operations Research, ISSN 1435-246X, 2017, vol. 25, no. 3, str. 611-625. [COBISS.SI-ID 29867815]

TRDIN, Nejc, BOHANEC, Marko. Extending the multi-criteria decision making method DEX with numeric attributes, value distributions and relational models. Central European Journal of Operations Research, ISSN 1435-246X, 2018, vol. 26, no. 1, str. 1-41. [COBISS.SI-ID 30210087]

BOHANEC, Marko, MILJKOVIĆ, Dragana, VALMARSKA, Anita, MILEVA BOSHKOSKA, Biljana, et al. A decision support system for Parkinson disease management: Expert models for suggesting medication change. V: DSS research delivering high imacts to business and society, (Journal of decision systems, ISSN 1246-0125, vol. 27, no. S1, 2018). London: Taylor & Francis. 2018, vol. 27, sup. 1, str. 164-172. [COBISS.SI-ID 31392551]