Articles about Linux

System76 as an organization is a hero to the Linux community. For many years, the company has sold computers running Ubuntu, lending a legitimacy to the idea of Linux on the desktop. System76 even evolved beyond just selling computers — it now makes them too. Best of all, the computers are made in the USA. The company even maintains its own Linux distribution called “POP!_OS.”

Today, the company announces a cool new configuration choice for its homemade Thelio desktop computers. No, it isn’t anything that will impact performance, but still, it is very exciting — thee new color options!

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A couple days ago, we shared some pretty great news with you -- Manjaro Linux 19.0 "Kyria" was finally available for download. This Arch-based operating system has exploded in popularity lately, so people were obviously excited to get the new version.

While Manjaro 19.0 initially came with three desktop environment options (GNOME, KDE, and Xfce) that obviously wasn't enough to please everyone. After all, this is the Linux community we are talking about here -- many users treat distros and desktop environments like tribalism. And so, MATE fans were sadly left out of the party. Today this changes, thankfully, as Manjaro MATE 19.0 is now available.

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The Raspberry Pi line has provided great little Linux computers to nerds -- its low price and small size makes it ideal for tinkering and doing projects. But also, the device has proven to be a solid media device, wonderful for watching videos and emulating classic video games. In other words, it has been a very versatile computer, serving as many things to many people.

With the release of the Raspberry Pi 4, however, it finally became powerful enough to serve as a true desktop computer. By installing a Linux distribution, some people can use it for day-to-day computer use, such as web browsing, playing media, and word processing. Unfortunately, the $35 base model came with a paltry 1GB of RAM. Today, this changes, as the company has dropped the price of the 2GB version to $35, effectively doubling the memory for the base model.

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If you are a Linux user, you are undoubtedly in heaven right now. Recently, there have been updates to some truly excellent distributions, such as MX Linux 19.1, Netrunner 20.01, elementary OS 5.1.2, and OpenMandriva Lx 4.1. While I suppose having to choose from so many distros can be seen as a negative for some, I say it's a damn good problem to have!

Guess what? Things are getting a bit more crowded! Today, one of the most popular Linux distributions gets a new version. Yes, Manjaro Linux 19.0 is finally here! Named "Kyria," it can be had with your choice of three desktop environments -- Xfce 4.14, KDE Plasma 5.17, and GNOME 3.34. While Xfce is highlighted by the developers, the others two DEs are arguably superior.

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Debian is a great Linux distribution in its own right, but also, it serves as a base for many other operating systems. For instance, the excellent Netrunner 20.01 that was just released. Even one of the best Linux distros, Ubuntu, is based on Debian. Then, we have operating systems based on Ubuntu, such as the wildly popular Linux Mint. Yes, in the Linux community, there are operating systems based on operating systems, that are based on other operating systems. Confusing, eh?

While Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu, there is actually a lesser known variant of the operating system called Linux Mint Debian Edition. As you can guess, LMDE cuts out the Ubuntu middleman and is based on Debian directly. Why do we need two versions of Mint? Well, you can think of LMDE as sort of a contingency plan -- it exists in case Ubuntu ever goes away. Consider it a back-up base, if you will. With that said, some people actually prefer LMDE, and they use it instead of vanilla Mint (yummy).

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One of my favorite Linux distributions is Netrunner. If you aren't familiar, it is a Debian-based operating system that utilizes the KDE Plasma desktop environment. It is very polished and chock-full of excellent pre-installed applications such as LibreOffice, GIMP, Firefox, and Skype. All of this makes Netrunner a great choice for those switching from Windows, but also, it is a wonderful option for Linux experts too. Seriously, folks, you will be blown away by how exceptional it is -- one of the best.

Today, Netrunner 20.01 becomes available, and it is a very important milestone. You see, not only does it represent 10 years of development, but also, it is the twentieth major version of the operating system. And so, the Debian Buster (stable) 10.3-based distro is being dubbed "Twenty." Netrunner 20.01 is using KDE Plasma 5.14.5 and comes with a very special birthday wallpaper!

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Microsoft has released a public preview of its Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) for various Linux distributions.

The company says that the tool will also be coming to iOS and Android later this year, and more details of these mobile editions are due to be revealed at next week's RSA Conference. The spread to additional platform comes after Microsoft rebranded Windows Defender as Microsoft Defender last year.

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Ever find yourself bored with the same ol' "mainstream" Linux-based operating system such as Ubuntu, Fedora, or Mint? Yeah, I get it. Sometimes you just want to dig a bit deeper and try out something a tad less known. It can be fun to distro-hop and try new things!

One such excellent Linux distribution is MX Linux. It has become wildly popular in the Linux community lately, but is still largely off the radar of those that aren't "in the know." Today, a new version of the operating system, MX Linux 19.1, becomes available for download. The Debian-based distro uses the Xfce desktop environment and comes pre-loaded with some great software, such as Firefox, LibreOffice, and more.

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IBM and Red Hat have revealed the latest fruit of their tie-up with the announcement of general availability of Red Hat OpenShift on IBM Z and LinuxONE systems.

Red Hat is already a leader in hybrid cloud and enterprise Kubernetes, with more than 1,000 customers already using the OpenShift platform to manage containers.

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There are two types of Ubuntu users -- brave ones willing to use bleeding edge variants of the Linux-based operating system, and weak ones that stick with the Long Term Support versions. Of course I am just kidding; there is absolutely nothing wrong with using LTS variants of Ubuntu. In fact, it is actually quite wise -- especially for business users -- since it focuses on stability and compatibility. Even home users should probably stick with LTS, as long support can be preferable to having the new "shiny" version. Personally, I like to go with whatever is the newest -- support length be damned -- but I digress.

Now, Canonical is releasing the newest version of its LTS Linux-based operating system -- Ubuntu Linux 18.04.4. Yeah, it is just a point release, and not 20.04 LTS (which will arrive in April), but still, it would be a good idea to update your installation media. It isn't just the normal version of Ubuntu being updated -- which uses the GNOME desktop environment -- but other flavors too. For instance, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, Lubuntu, and Ubuntu Budgie are all being bumped up to 18.04.4.

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Windows 10 users have had a tough time of it lately, with updates causing all manner of problems, as well as the search function stopping working for many people.

If you’re thinking now might be the time to look into an alternative operating system -- perhaps one based on Linux -- but you’re not quite ready to jump ship from Windows, then Windows 12 Lite, discovered by a redditor at their local computer fair, could be the OS you’re looking for.

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A few days ago, we reported on an extremely serious sudo bug that impacted some Unix and Linux-based operating systems. While Ubuntu was not affected, two popular operating systems based on it -- Linux Mint and elementary OS -- were impacted, sadly. This was due to pwfeedback being enabled on those operating systems.

Thankfully, the folks over at elementary have already squashed the bug in the latest version -- 5.1.2 Hera. Even better, the sudo vulnerability fix is not the only improvement found in this version of the Linux distribution.

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If you are a Linux user that craves lots of processing power, you are undoubtedly familiar with System76's popular line of Thelio desktops. Hell, you have either already bought one of these computers or you daydream about owning one. These Thelio desktops are made in the USA, housed in a custom wooden chassis, and come with Ubuntu Linux or System76's own Ubuntu-based Pop!_OS operating system pre-installed. Thelio is what dreams are made of...

Depending on the model of Thelio you choose, you can get either Intel or AMD processors. While the standard Thelio model can be had with regular AMD Ryzen processors, the Thelio Major can be configured with Ryzen Threadripper chips. If you aren't familiar, Threadripper processors are multi-core beasts that are designed for hardcore users.

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Details of a nine-year-old security vulnerability with the sudo utility found in numerous Unix and Linux based operating systems have been revealed.

The flaw, which affects the likes of Linux Mint and Elementary OS, could be exploited to give users root privileges on a vulnerable system. Sudo versions 1.7.1 to 1.8.30 are at risk if the pwfeedback option is enabled.

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I am a huge proponent of using Linux-based desktop operating systems, and I try to convert people from Windows whenever it makes sense. Why do I do this? Well, Linux distributions, believe it or not, are often easier to use than Microsoft's operating system. With so many people living in the web browser these days, a Linux installation with Google Chrome is largely all an average user needs. More advanced users can install excellent free software such as LibreOffice or GIMP -- if needed. Not to mention, it can be argued that Linux is more secure than Windows. Overall, switching to Linux is a huge win for many.

Even installing a Linux distro is easy these days. Long gone are the days where the installation required a degree in computer science (except for Arch, maybe). The current Ubuntu installer, for instance, is more straightforward than the one found on Windows 10! So why in the hell is Canonical, the maker of Ubuntu, making it seem so damn hard? You see, the company has put out an installation guide that will make a person curious about switching to Ubuntu to instead run for the hills.

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