Articles about Linux

The concept of a Chromebook is awesome. All of your files are stored in the cloud -- family photos, office documents and videos to name a few. This opens up an entire new way of thinking, where nothing seems impossible. Hell, even most of the apps are web-based and that is enough to blow someone's mind. Since local apps cannot be installed, this makes Chrome OS extremely secure and an ideal platform for accessing sensitive information.

Unfortunately, as great as the operating system is, the hardware has been lacking. Most models require the user to make a compromise for the sake of cost. Poor quality screens, not enough RAM and questionable build quality are the issues that are most apparent. For some reason, manufacturers equate Chromebooks with "cheap" and this is not the case. People really do want a midrange Chromebook and not just throwaway, disposable tech. Today, Acer announces a Chromebook that may be the one we have been wishing for (fingers crossed); the unimaginatively named Chromebook 13. It is the first-ever Chrome OS laptop to have the Nvidia Tegra K1 ARM processor.

Continue reading →

We all know Google is the darling of the mapping world. If you are going on a trip, the search-giant's navigation solutions are arguably the best. However, it is dangerous to allow one company to essentially own an entire aspect of technology. Luckily, there are additional solutions like Apple Maps and Nokia HERE, to at least offer some semblance of competition. As a Windows Phone user, I have learned to love Nokia HERE as an excellent alternative to Google Maps and navigation. While HERE is lacking in some areas, it has the potential to be great.

Even though I love Windows Phone, I love Linux too -- shocking right? Yes, believe it or not, you can love both Microsoft products and open-source. Not all Linux users have tattoos of penguins urinating on the Windows logo. Hell, I own an iPad too -- the horror! Well, today, Canonical announces that it has formed an agreement with Nokia HERE to provide A-GPS technology to Ubuntu computers, including phones. Don't worry you strict Linux enthusiasts, Microsoft does not own Nokia HERE -- it was not part of the Nokia acquisition.

Continue reading →

As a teenager, I wasted much of my life and loved every minute of it. Rather than do anything productive, I would vegetate in front of the TV watching movies like Smokey and the Bandit on WPIX. The concept of actually learning something outside of school was foreign -- who wants to learn during their free time? In my defense though, the 90's didn't offer much outside of TV and AOL chat rooms.

Nowadays however, teens are afforded some very cool opportunities, including Google's Code-In. If you aren't familiar, it is a program for teens aged 13-17 to both learn about and participate in open source technologies. Today, Google announces that it has improved KDE with the help of some of these teens.

Continue reading →

Historically, Linux and gaming were like oil and water -- it did not mix. For the most part, this was just accepted as a fact of life. Quite frankly, this was OK as users were more interested in maintaining their box and chatting with other Linux users anyway. However, as time went by, jealousy of DOS, and then ultimately Windows, definitely grew as more and more amazing games were released for Microsoft's operating system. Even Linus Torvalds himself dual-booted Linux and DOS to play Prince of Persia.

Gaming is no longer an optional aspect of an operating system -- it is now a necessity. Luckily, Linux has been making huge strides in this regard, particularly thanks to Steam. Today, SparkyLinux 3.4 "Game Over" becomes available and it is very intriguing -- a Linux-based desktop operating system with a focus on gaming.

Continue reading →

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is a world-class enterprise operating system. If your company is looking to embrace open-source technologies, it is arguably the best choice. However, if you do not need official support, there is no point in using RHEL and paying Red Hat for it. Instead, you can use CentOS, which is basically the same thing, without official Red Hat support or branding.

Today, the CentOS Project team announces version 7 of the free operating system. While the focus is on servers and the enterprise, there is no reason why it can't serve as a desktop OS too.

Continue reading →

Trust in government is not exactly at an all-time high. Sure, there are oppressive governments such as Iran and China that filter and block web content, but even the USA has a spotty record. With all the news of PRISM and other spying programs, it is hard to tell which way is up anymore.

One way to solve this dilemma is through transparency and honesty. Unfortunately, as long as governments use closed-source software, it is hard to audit and trust the actions. Today, Canonical announces that not only has Munich taken an open approach to computing with Ubuntu, but the city is saving millions of euros too. Using open-source software and saving money? Hell, maybe all governments should make the switch to Linux.

Continue reading →

Linux is great for a litany of reasons, but one of the most important is refurbishing. You see, an operating system based on the open-source kernel can breathe new life into an older computer, and effectively turn it into a new machine. This is because the operating systems are typically less system intensive than Windows.

Unfortunately, not all Linux-based operating systems are equally lightweight. Some may require better specs than others, usually due to the environment. Something like Unity or KDE may require a more modern computer for an optimal experience, but what if your machine has really low specs? A great environment for an old and weak machine is Xfce. Though not the lightest, it feels modern, while lighter environments can feel archaic. Today, Linux Mint embraces the low-end, with version 17 of its operating system, now with Xfce as an option.

Continue reading →

I love using and tinkering with Linux -- it is a very rewarding hobby. However, I am quite busy most days and don't have as much time for tinkering and playing around as I would like. Still, I enjoy using Linux-based operating systems for general use, and for that I demand something easy and mindless. There are so many distributions to choose from (some may argue, too many), but lately I just go with dependable and easy-to-use Mint.

I am a huge fan of Gnome 3, but I will concede that it isn't the most productive environment when working with a large monitor. While Cinnamon is great, it cannot be customized to my liking and is overall not as pretty as the superior KDE. Today, the Mint Team announces the availability of Linux Mint 17 KDE and I am excited.

Continue reading →

Even though it has gone to the effort of switching to another rendering engine to reach more users, Norwegian software company Opera, in mid-2013, ceased to further update the Linux version of its browser, leaving users without new features, bug fixes and security patches. In the meantime, Opera's main competitors, like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, continued to give them the level of support that they deserve.

Now, after close to a one-year hiatus, the company behind the well-known browser announces the availability of Opera Developer 24 for Linux (and, of course, OS X and Windows). It is an unexpected release, and also great news for those hoping to witness the browser's triumphant return in the land of the open-source kernel.

Continue reading →

Linux users are not the most sociable bunch. Sure, I am generalizing, but I speak from experience. Not only do I know many socially awkward and inept Linux nerds, but I am one myself. While I do not use operating systems based on the kernel exclusively, I use them often, and understand preferring the company of a computer to other humans.

Still, every once in a while, a Linux nerd must communicate with family or friends and what better way to do that than video chat? Skype is one of the best options, although some Linux users refuse to use it since Microsoft acquired it. Me? I could care less who owns it as long as it functions as I expect. Today, Microsoft reaffirms its commitment to Linux with a new version of Skype.

Continue reading →

When it comes to Linux, home users can be rather lackadaisical with their installations. What I mean is, they can tinker, install any package they want and generally play around. If they break something, the worst case scenario is they reinstall and start from scratch. If they encounter a bug, they can jump on something like IRC and get support from their peers.

Businesses however, are not afforded such luxury. In the enterprise, there can be devastating consequences from data loss or outages. After all, besides the business, its customer's data must be protected too. Not to mention, outages could ruin a company's reputation. Businesses need to have official support -- message boards and IRC won't cut it. Today, the open-source darling of the enterprise world, Red Hat, Inc., announces the seventh version of its popular and dependable Enterprise Linux (RHEL). If a company is interested in a secure, trustworthy and affordable platform with support, it should definitely take notice.

Continue reading →

In a perfect world, every computer manufacturer would let you choose the pre-installed operating system. Sadly, this is not the case. A trip to Best Buy will reveal many computers with Windows as the only option. Sure, there are Macs and Chromebooks to choose from too, but you can't walk up to the one of your choosing and dictate the OS you want. In other words, if you see a beautiful Sony laptop, you can't choose to have Linux pre-installed by the manufacturer.

There is nothing wrong with Windows, quite the opposite; the operating system is exceptional. However, consumers like choice and offering Linux distributions as an option would be a huge win. Today, the Linux Mint team releases special ISO images designed for manufacturers.

Continue reading →

Most everyone, at least the tech-savvy who read this, are familiar with VLC Player -- the Video LAN Client. It's a jack-of-all trades media player, that is capable of handling pretty much any format you can throw at it, no matter how obscure it may be.

Now the developers of the project are revealing one more feature that is on the roadmap -- support for Chromecast. The question was asked on the forums and lead developer Felix Paul Kuehne responded that support was in the works. "Yep, this is exactly what we are up to", he states.

Continue reading →

Believe it or not, system builders are a diverse set. Some people focus on looks, others on performance and some on value. However, gamers are typically the ones that push the boundaries with performance and high-costs when building rigs. While some people will write-off video games as a silly time waster, they are actually a vital driver of personal computing innovation. Hell, it is also good financially for the hardware business -- new games need better hardware and gamers are willing to pay to play.

Beyond expensive video cards and overclocked CPUs and RAM, gamers are constantly looking for a way to gain an edge. Anything that can make a game load faster, even by seconds, is extremely attractive to them. Today, SanDisk announces the Extreme PRO SSD -- a storage solution for gamers that want to utilize SATA III rather than much costlier options. PlayStation 4 owners will want to take notice too.

Continue reading →

Ah Linux, we meet again. I am on a perpetual journey to find the perfect Linux distro. Sadly, I am finding it not to be elusive, but downright non-existent. You see, operating systems based on the open-source kernel are very fragmented in experience. It is hard for the stars to align and have everything you want be represented. Maybe you like the available environments for a distro, but hate the package manager. Or maybe you love the community support, but find the release schedule too slow.

While not perfect, Linux Mint is what I have found to be the best choice for many, including myself. It is based on Ubuntu, so it has the awesome APT package manager, while also supporting Cinnamon, Mate and other environments. The tweaks and polish that the Mint team delivers makes it a robust and familiar experience. Well, fire up your torrent and ISO writing software and grab your nearest blank DVD or flash drive -- Linux Mint 17 is finally here!

Continue reading →