Articles about Linux

Linux is arguably the most successful open source project in all of history. The success of the kernel -- and operating systems that use it -- are not due to any one man or woman. Actually, the achievements are thanks to the Linux community. In other words, it is a team effort -- developers, users, and more.

For a Linux distribution, such as Ubuntu, to continue its progress, Canonical needs developers to remain interested -- this includes getting new people involved and educated. This week, the company launched Ubuntu Tutorials -- based on Google's open source Codelab. No, it is not self-learning for new workstation users, but for programmers and developers.

Continue reading →

Microsoft and Linux used to be like oil and water. In more recent years, however, the Windows-maker has embraced that kernel and other open source technologies too.

Today, Microsoft announces the addition of Intel's Clear Linux OS to Azure Marketplace. In other words, users of the company's cloud platform can set up a virtual machine using this distribution in addition to existing Linux-based operating systems.

Continue reading →

A Beta release for Linux Mint 18.1 'Serena' KDE is here. There are already versions available featuring other desktop environments, such as Cinnamon, Mate, and Xfce. You'd think that would be enough, but no! Apparently a fourth edition is needed. Some people feel that a KDE version is a waste of resources, but either way, here we are.

So what is new? The KDE Plasma 5.8 desktop environment is the star of the show -- after all, if you do not want KDE, you wouldn't choose this version. The shipping Linux kernel is 4.4.0-53, which is surprisingly outdated. Ubuntu-based operating systems are never known for being bleeding-edge, however.

Continue reading →

Linux and Windows living happily side-by-side is not something many people would have predicted, but Windows 10 Anniversary Update saw the arrival of Bash on Ubuntu thanks to the Windows Subsystem for Linux. Not everyone was happy with Microsoft's choice of Ubuntu, with many preferring a different flavour of Linux.

Senior Product Manager for SUSE Linux Enterprise, Hannes Kühnemund, is -- unsurprisingly -- one of those whose taste buds were not tantalized by Ubuntu. He would rather you ran SUSE on Windows 10. In fact he doesn't just want this to happen, he tells you how to do it -- specifically with openSUSE Leap 42.2 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2 -- so you too can run Linux binaries natively on Windows.

Continue reading →

If you like macOS, you buy an Apple computer. Fans of Windows 10 can choose a Surface, HP, Toshiba or something else. If you are an Ubuntu user, and you want a machine pre-loaded with the operating system, however, what do you do? For those in the know, there is a company that caters to Linux users' needs -- System76. The company sells desktops, laptops, and servers running Canonical's Linux-based OS.

Not only are System76 computers both affordable and powerful, but they come with excellent support too. It is because of these things that the company has built a solid reputation and gained many fans. In 2015, System76 held a special "Superfan" event at its Denver headquarters. To pick attendees, it held a contest where fans could win a trip there. Because of the event's popularity, the company is hosting another. Dubbed "Superfan II", System76 is once again holding a contest, with up to eight trips to Denver (hotel and airfare) as the prize.

Continue reading →

When it comes to desktop operating systems, there are three main camps into which people fall: Windows, Mac and Linux. In the case of the latter camp things can be confusing because there are endless distros to choose from -- but which is best?

The beauty of Linux is that it can be tweaked and tailored in so many ways. This means that while the plethora of choice can seem overwhelming, it is also possible to find the perfect distro for just about any scenario. To help you make the right choice, here's a helpful list of the best distros to look out for in 2017.

Continue reading →

Another day, and yet another version of Linux Mint with a different desktop environment. The operating system uses Mate and Cinnamon environments by default, but also offers KDE and Xfce editions as well.

While some people -- such as yours truly -- think the project should redirect its focus by supporting fewer desktop environments, that apparently won't be happening any time soon. Case in point, today, Linux Mint 18.1 'Serena' Xfce Edition reaches Beta status. Will you download it?

Continue reading →

If you are a fan of KDE, I hope you are aware of Netrunner Desktop. If not, please know that it is one of the most polished Linux distributions available. If you haven't tried it, you definitely should -- it is a wonderful "out of the box" experience. It is a great choice for those looking to switch from Windows too.

Today, the operating system reaches version 17.01. Code-named "Baryon," it is based on the upcoming Debian 9 "Stretch." Users can choose to either run the OS as a stable release or opt for a more bleeding-edge rolling release.

Continue reading →

Today is New Year's Eve, and while all the cool kids are out partying, I am sitting here reflecting on my favorite tech products of the year. Yeah, I'm a nerd.

Believe it or not, 2016 saw me getting deeper into Apple's ecosystem (I still love Linux and Windows 10, though). I continue to love the iPhone 6s Plus, iPad mini 4, and Apple TV I bought in 2015, but this year, I added AirPods and a MacBook Pro. One of those Apple products was quickly returned, while the other is my overall favorite. Can you guess which is which?

Continue reading →

Most operating systems, like Windows 10 or macOS, are designed to do multiple things. After all, many people want their computers to serve many tasks, such as productivity, media, and gaming. Some operating systems, however, are targeted at a single use to minimize the overhead and maximize the power of the hardware. Not to mention, it can create a more immersive experience.

One such focused OS is OpenELEC. This Linux distribution is designed to serve as a media center -- nothing more, nothing less. Today, the popular distro reaches stable version 7.0. There are images for both x86 and Raspberry Pi 2 and 3, meaning there is a very good chance you own compatible hardware.

Continue reading →

Even though more and more people are choosing laptops and tablets for their computing needs nowadays, there is still a place for desktops. All-in-one machines in particular can be a cost-effective way to get both a PC and monitor. This design will also save space on a desk or table -- a good thing for those without a lot of space.

Today, Acer announces its Aspire C Series all-in-one desktops. The machines come in two screen sizes, both with 1080p resolution -- 21.5-inch (22) and 23.8-inch (24). What is particularly cool, however, is the operating system that they run. Of course, Windows 10 Home is available as default, but if a consumer prefers, they can opt to have a Linux-based OS instead (Linpus Linux). How cool is that?

Continue reading →

If you own a Raspberry Pi, you’re probably familiar with PIXEL. The desktop environment is included in the Raspbian OS.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation describes PIXEL as the "GNU/Linux we would want to use" and understandably so. It offers a smart, clean interface, a decent selection of software, the Chromium web browser with plug-ins, and more -- and from today it’s available for PC and Mac.

Continue reading →

Linux Mint is an operating system that I simultaneously love and hate. I love it because it makes Linux easy to use for home users. I sometimes hate Linux Mint because it is essentially just a tweaked version of Ubuntu -- I'd rather see users choose Canonical's OS as intended. True, Mint's tweaks are actually very good, but I am not sure it warrants an entirely different operating system -- even if the final product is rewarding.

But OK, if you love Linux Mint and use it regularly, I have very good news -- version 18.1 'Serena' is finally here. Yes, Santa Claus has delivered an early Christmas gift! There are two desktop environments from which to choose -- Cinnamon and Mate. Thankfully there is no KDE version to further confuse things, but I digress. Will you download Linux Mint 18.1?

Continue reading →

Popular Linux distros such as Ubuntu and Fedora -- including the newly-released Fedora 25 -- are vulnerable to zero-day exploits, shattering the myth that the open source software is ultra-secure. Vulnerabilities can be exploited that allows an attacker to run any code he wants on a victim's computer -- with potentially devastating consequences.

Security researcher Chris Evans has published details of exploits that can be used to compromise systems running Linux. All it takes is a malicious audio file to hijack a computer, or even just having Google Chrome installed. One of the exploits takes advantage of a flaw in the Game Music Emu library, an audio library used by the gstreamer framework to emulate music from games consoles such as the SNES.

Continue reading →

There are too many dang Linux distributions and desktop environments nowadays. This is frustrating, as it spreads developer resources too thin. In other words, developers are often working on too many separate projects that further fragments the community. Linux on the desktop could be much further along if teams pooled resources and focused on a narrower field of development.

Today, Clement Lefebvre, Linux Mint leader, concedes that his team simply doesn't have the resources to meet its goals. You see, the team is finding it very difficult to maintain a KDE Plasma version of its operating system, so it has turned to the Kubuntu team instead. The question becomes, why bother? KDE users should simply use Kubuntu and the Linux Mint team should stay focused on Cinnamon and Mate. Am I right?

Continue reading →