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Linux

What is ?

Simply put, is a like the OS or . The difference is that is open ; anyone can view, modify, and redistribute the underlying code. Further, while OS is designed to run only on , and while runs primarily on x86 processors from and , there are many distributions or flavors of , compiled to run on a wide array of , everything from high-end corporate and mainframes, to home PC’s, to cell .

began as a pet project of a Finnish university student, , in 1991 as an alternative to the . He made it freely available to anyone who wished to modify it and it was quickly adopted and grew. Still, it remained primarily a -based . Few home users would have chosen its complex -line interface over the comfortable and point-and- of the or .

However, now also sports a graphical front-end and a of user-friendly applications.

ubuntu

Going

Since is all about choice, it’s not surprising that there are a number of graphical environments available. The two most popular that come preloaded on many distributions for or use are and . Both offer features home users have come to expect: menus, icons from which to launch applications and documents, wallpaper, screen savers, trash icons, and the like.

Connecting to printers is a simple process of selecting the type from a menu and telling the where to find it, either on a local port or a queue. To print from most applications simply select File, Print. No surprises there.

Sharing folders is equally simple and relies upon standard protocols that interface well with and systems.

For , you can create multiple user accounts; each user gets their own they can customize as they wish. There’s also a built-in firewall to protect you from intruders.

Of course, most people are more interested in the applications they can run, rather than the underlying . Here, is in no way deprived.

Applications

For browsing the , there’s ’s and Konqueror. For e- there’s Thunderbird and Evolution. The popular .org suite provides typical functionality including word processing, spreadsheet, , drawing, and presentations. The and Inkscape offer advanced graphics capabilities. And there’s a variety of utilities for burning CDs and DVDs, listening to , watching videos, and chatting via services like AOL’s Instant Messenger.

This list is by no means complete. There are thousands of open applications for ; you’d be hard-pressed not to find one that could do what you need. But there are also many commercial applications available.

Drawbacks

If offers so much of the same functionality as , why isn’t it more widely used? Why do many home and corporate users reject it?

, while it has many faults, has become so widespread in its use as to be nearly ubiquitous. It has become the de facto standard by which other systems are measured. For those people already familiar with and comfortable with , anything else is a step back, even if it is faster, more intuitive, more stable, and more secure.

Also, it must be admitted, there are still situations where you may need to venture into the cryptic world of the shell. For those used to living with a mouse in one hand, typing commands like awk and grep at a flashing is unacceptable.

And, while there are enough applications to satisfy all but the most demanding of users, there are a few notable exceptions. is not available on , and likely never will be. Adobe Photoshop is also missing. In both cases, nearly all of the functionality these two giants provide is available in other applications, but for some die hards, that’s not good enough. While there are ways of running some applications on , they’re not usually as fast or as stable — or as easy to implement — as native applications.

The situation is even dimmer for . While the console market — , Nintendo, and — is growing, the PC and market is shrinking. The commercial market is even smaller. Oh, there are plenty of for , but most are modest efforts, with few of the heavy hitters widely available on other platforms. Those that have been ported to are not always fully supported — if they’re supported at all — by the original producer. For example, while you can purchase Quake 4 for , don’t expect id to help you get it running, a task not for neophytes or those who shy away from the line.

Vendors

Despite any apparent drawbacks, some major vendors are actively promoting on the . now offers the , while offers WS, both at corporations. Since users in this environment are likely to have a fixed set of applications without a heavy need, is often ideal. And a number of organizations are taking advantage of the potential savings offered by these open options. Governments especially, under scrutiny for how they handle the public purse, are often quick to make the move. Among them are the cities of Largo, Florida, USA; Bristol, UK; and Bergen, Norway. They have each made their taxpayers happy with significant savings over the closed , proprietary systems they used to use.

Choices

If you’re a heavy gamer, then you’ll probably want to stick with or a console. If your focus is advanced graphics and editing, then may be an option, if you’re willing to give up certain commercial applications. Otherwise, you’d be better off with a . If you’re just surfing the , sending e-, writing letters, and editing spreadsheets, then and the open that comes with many distributions will do everything you need.

On the other hand, if you don’t want to ever see a line or edit configuration files by hand, then probably isn’t for you just yet. But it may be soon.

Is Ready For Your ?

If you have any involvement with Information , you’re probably already familiar with as a . Indeed, for many applications is an accepted and even preferred platform. has built and is expanding one of the world’s largest of to host its pervasive search engine . Major vendors, including and Hewlett-Packard, sell preloaded with and provide premium support for the . Oracle is the largest commercial running on with more than 80% market share. Successful commercial applications like are built on foundations. And many of the largest providers run on .

On the other hand, if your experience is limited to your own home PC, you may never have even heard of and may be wondering what all the fuss is about. If that’s the case, listen up because may be coming to a near you! : http://www.articlerich.com

Jules Smith is the principal of LightningStrike Studios, a professional and technical writing firm offering a full range of services. LightningStrike provides magazine , newsletters, brochures, press releases, technical documentation, help, writing of books and , letters, and web content. Visit www.lightningstrikestudios.com

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