Original article: http://www.webupd8.org/2010/10/elementary-firefox-theme-30-released.html
You can get the Firefox Elementary 3.0 Theme here:
http://seahorsepip.deviantart.com/art/Firefox-elementary-3-0-181926233
October 24, 2010
Firefox Elementary Theme v3.0
The folks at WebUpd8 noted that a developer on DeviantArt posted a wonderful new theme for Firefox 3.6xx called Elementary v3.0. Below are screen shots of it in OSX and Shiki themes. Below is the link where to get it.
Original article: http://www.webupd8.org/2010/10/elementary-firefox-theme-30-released.html
You can get the Firefox Elementary 3.0 Theme here:
http://seahorsepip.deviantart.com/art/Firefox-elementary-3-0-181926233
Original article: http://www.webupd8.org/2010/10/elementary-firefox-theme-30-released.html
You can get the Firefox Elementary 3.0 Theme here:
http://seahorsepip.deviantart.com/art/Firefox-elementary-3-0-181926233
October 23, 2010
Linux Mint 10 RC has new enhancements
New features at a glance:
- Welcome screen
- Install codecs and upgrade to the DVD edition from the welcome screen
- Menu
- Highlights newly installed applications
- Finds and installs software from the repositories
- Search engines
- GTK bookmarks support
- GTK themes support
- Software manager
- Application icons
- Better categorization
- Update manager
- Ignore updates
- Download size
- Upload manager
- UI, speed, ETA
- Connection test
- Cancel / Run in background
- New look and feel
- System improvements
The Welcome Screen
Some people can't use DVDs and some people live in countries where magazines can't safely distribute codecs and patented technologies. It's a pity for a modern operating system such as Linux Mint that so many people just can't enjoy it in all its glory. Well, we've solved that problem and you won't get penalized by this anymore. No matter what media you're installing Linux Mint from, the Welcome Screen will now give you the opportunity to install the missing multimedia codecs and to upgrade to the DVD edition.
No more 2nd-class experience for people without DVD drives or suffering from bad political decisions: Install missing codecs and upgrade to the DVD edition the minute you first-run Linux Mint.
The Menu
The Linux Mint Menu received new features and usability improvements.Highlighted newly installed applications: The menu highlights your newly installed applications and makes them easier to find.
New applications are highlighted in the menu
Searching and installing software straight from the menu
You can find a lot of things, straight from the menu
GTK bookmarks are now supported by the menu
The menu can use a separate theme, to make it look different than the rest of the desktop
- The menu now registers itself as "mintmenu" in regards to GTK themeability. This means that GTK themes can define style sections that are specific to the menu. The default theme in Linux Mint 10 takes advantage of this by applying brushed metal on the menu.
- The icon size for place and system items are now configurable.
- Icon sizes are now expressed in pixels and range from 1 to 128. This makes it easier to customize the menu's appearance.
The Software Manager
The Software Manager gives you a nicer browsing experience, with a better categorization of software and the use of application icons.
Application icons in the Software Manager
The Update Manager
If you're not interested in receiving updates for a particular package, simply right click on it and tell the Update Manager to ignore updates for this package. The package will then be added to your "ignore" list and you won't receive any updates for it in the future.
Ignoring updates for a particular package in the Update Manager
The Upload Manager
The Upload Manager isn't for everybody, but it's extremely handy for developers and administrators and it received many improvements in Linux Mint 10.
If services are defined, the system tray icon is now launched automatically at startup by Linux Mint. The "File Uploader" was also merged with the "Upload Manager".
You can now test a connection while defining it by pressing the "Check connection" button.
If services are defined, the system tray icon is now launched automatically at startup by Linux Mint. The "File Uploader" was also merged with the "Upload Manager".
You can now test a connection while defining it by pressing the "Check connection" button.
Upload services are easier to setup.
The upload dialogs were improved and now look similar to the Firefox download dialogs. They measure the upload speed and calculate an ETA.
File uploads now show speed, ETA and can be cancelled or run in the background.
New look and feel
After 3 beautiful green/dark Shiki releases, Linux Mint is going back to its traditional light theme and dark background, but this time, it's giving the illusion of a metallic looking theme. It's called Mint-X and it's based on some of the most beautiful artwork available.Backgrounds: This release comes with quality backgrounds made by the following artists: kampongboy92, treeish, Sssilent and theaeffect. The default background was produced by emvalibe.
Brushed metal: The desktop menu and the welcome screen were given brushed metal, to highlight the artistic direction towards which Mint is going and to underline the metallic aspect of the look and feel without impacting on the performance of the system.
Mint-X theme: Based on Clearlooks Revamp, with modifications made to the menu, rhythmbox and some of the widgets, a lighter metal tint and modified toolbars and menu bars.
The Mint-X desktop theme
System improvements
Adobe Flash: Linux Mint comes with the latest Adobe Flash "Square", running in full 32-bit or 64-bit (depending on your edition of Linux Mint) native mode. This plugin is faster than its predecessor, especially in full-screen.Oracle Virtualbox: A new metapackage called "virtualbox-nonfree" was introduced. This package points to the non-open-source version of Virtualbox and provides USB support.
Signed repositories: No more warning is given for the usage of signed repositories. Using unsigned repositories no longer issues a warning but a validation question.
Highlight: The "highlight" command, used by "apt" is now faster and more reliable.
Meta packages: Codecs are now tracked by "mint-meta-codecs" and applications included in the DVD edition are tracked by "mint-meta-gnome-dvd".
Adjustment system: The mintsystem adjustment system is now LSB compliant.
Upstream components
Linux Mint 10 features the following upstream components: Ubuntu 10.10, Linux 2.6.35, Gnome 2.32, Xorg 7.5.Download:
Linux Mint 10 RC is available in 32-bit and 64-bit as a liveCD, via Torrent and HTTP download:
October 22, 2010
4 Reasons to Give Linux Mint 10 a Try- PCWorld
4 Reasons to Give Linux Mint 10 a Try
Canonical's newly released Ubuntu 10.10 -- or "Maverick Meerkat" -- may still be dominating the headlines in the Linux world these days, but it's by no means the only excellent distribution of the open source operating system. Following just behind Ubuntu on DistroWatch's list of popularity, in fact, is not just Fedora, at No. 2, but also--of particular interest this week--Linux Mint.
I
n addition to being the third most popular Linux
distribution out there, Mint is of considerable interest right now because the release candidate (RC) version of Linux Mint 10 was just released. That means the next stable release is just around the corner. Also known as "Julia," the new version is based on Ubuntu 10.10 and offers a correspondingly improved level of user friendliness.
Even before this latest release, in fact, many people have found Linux Mint even easier to use than Ubuntu, thanks in part to a series of graphical tools for enhanced usability. New improvements in "Julia," however, appear to be making Mint even better.
Whether you're considering trying out Linux for your business for the first time or just interested in experiencing for yourself the cutting edge in Linux usability, Linux Mint 10 is well worth a look. Here are some of the enhancements you can expect in this new version.
1. System Improvements
Along with Ubuntu 10.10, Linux Mint 10 RC is based on version 2.6.35 of the Linux kernel along with version 2.32 of the GNOME desktop environment and X.org 7.5. All of these bring with them a raft of security and other improvements.
Also incorporated in Julia is the latest Adobe Flash "Square" running in full 32-bit or 64-bit native mode, depending on which Linux Mint edition you choose. This plug-in is faster than its predecessor, especially in full-screen mode, according to the Mint development team.
A new package in Julia, meanwhile, points to the non-open source version of Oracle's VirtualBox virtualization software and provides USB support.
Linux Mint has long enjoyed a well-deserved reputation for excellent compatibility since it has included a variety of proprietary multimedia codecs that are often absent from larger distributions. With support for media codecs, Flash and Java, for example, it can play just about anything you ask it to.
Now, with version 10, Mint has added a way for users installing the operating system from any medium to upgrade to the DVD edition right from the Welcome Screen, including the ability to install any missing multimedia codecs.
3. An Improved Menu
The Linux Mint menu in version 10 reflects a number of enhancements, including support for GTK themes and bookmarks, and direct access to search capabilities. The menu is also now aware of what's available in your repositories, so you can search for software and install packages without even having to open the Software Manager.
That Software Manager, meanwhile, has also been updated for better categorization. Other changes make it easier to find newly installed applications and to customize the menu's appearance.
4. A New Look and Feel
Mint also features a nice Update Manager that lets you control which of your applications get automatically updated. And, like Ubuntu, it includes a raft of excellent bundled software including OpenOffice and Firefox.
Of course, as a release candidate, the current version of Linux Mint 10 is aimed primarily at developers and others who want to help find and correct bugs; there are a few known problems, so it's not yet recommended for production environments. Still, it is a nice way to see what's next for the user-friendly distribution, and more generally to give Linux a try.
The latest current stable release of Linux Mint is version 9, which is based on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. The stable release of Linux Mint 10 is expected next month and will be supported until April 2012.
Follow Katherine Noyes on Twitter: @Noyesk.
October 19, 2010
Run Mac OSX In Virtualbox Under Linux (Ubuntu) And Windows
Another excellent article from the folks at WebUpd8. This has always been a goal of mine.
Lifehacker has a nice post on installing the latest Mac OSX (OSX86) in VirtualBox on Windows, however their instructions work for Linux too - I've tested it in Ubuntu and OSX 10.6 runs smoothly and without any issues.
Remember to use an OSX86 ISO (Lifehacker recommends you download an OSX86 Snow Leopard torrent created by Hazard) and everything will be as easy as installing Ubuntu - you will however need more resources then for a regular Virtual machine, especially for the hard disk space. And of course, you'll also need the latest VirtualBox version.
Important: your CPU needs to support hardware virtualization, or else this will not work!
Note: even though the Lifehacker article mentions that you'll be needing around 1 GB of RAM and that the virtual hard disk size should be around 20GB, you can use less if you don't have enough RAM / HDD space to spare. I've used ~500MB of RAM and a HDD of 11.11 GB to install the latest OSX Snow Leopard in Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx. But of course, if you want to use Mac OSX Snow Leopard for more than just see it work, you'll need to assign the VM some more system resources.
Important: your CPU needs to support hardware virtualization, or else this will not work!
Note: even though the Lifehacker article mentions that you'll be needing around 1 GB of RAM and that the virtual hard disk size should be around 20GB, you can use less if you don't have enough RAM / HDD space to spare. I've used ~500MB of RAM and a HDD of 11.11 GB to install the latest OSX Snow Leopard in Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx. But of course, if you want to use Mac OSX Snow Leopard for more than just see it work, you'll need to assign the VM some more system resources.
For the complete how-to, head over to Lifehacker.
Note: the screenshot in this post is Mac OSX Snow Leopard, not Ubuntu :-)
Source: http://www.webupd8.org/2010/07/run-mac-osx-in-virtualbox-under-linux.html
Source: http://www.webupd8.org/2010/07/run-mac-osx-in-virtualbox-under-linux.html
October 3, 2010
London Stock Exchange moves to Linux
Published on Computerworld Blogs (http://blogs.computerworld.com)
London Stock Exchange moves to Linux
By Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
Created Oct 20 2010 - 1:16pm
Two years ago, the London Stock Exchange (LSE) with its TradElec Windows-based C# and .NET programs crashed [1] and took out the Exchange for almost 7-hours. That's an eternity in stock market terms. Months later, the LSE's CEO was history, and the LSE announced that it was dumping TradElec [2]. Last year, the LSE announced that it was going to move to Linux [3]. Now, the LSE is just about ready to switch over to Linux [4]. Not only does it work, the new Linux-powered LSE runs faster than any other stock exchange [5] on the planet.
I'm not surprised. If you want real speed and stability, you want to run Linux. The LSE has moved to Linux for the same reason the vast majority of supercomputers run Linux [6] -- it's faster and better.
The LSE's new system, Millennium Exchange, is based around Linux. It also uses Solaris and Oracle databases. Besides TradElec's failures, the LSE also wanted to catch up with its rivals, as in today's stock exchanges, transaction speeds are everything. Even when TradElec worked, LSE trades could barely make it under two milliseconds. That's turtle-like speed compared to the hare's, such as Chi-X Europe [7], with its sub-0.4 millisecond speeds, or the Tokyo Stock Exchange [8] and NYSE Euronext (NYX) [9], which achieve their speed with Red Hat Enterprise Linux [10].
With its new Linux system, the LSE claims it can deliver world-record transactions with down to 126-microsecond trading times. This is "twice as fast" as its closest rivals. We'll soon seen if it can keep up its pace in the real world when Millennium Exchange goes from trial mode to production on November 1st. I expect the system may not be that fast on average, but I do expect most transactions to take about 200-microseconds.
But it's not just about speed. In an interview with the UK publication IT Pro, LSE spokesman Alistair Fairbrother [11] said that the LSE buying MillenniumIT, the company behind Millennium Exchange, "not only gives [us] a new high performance trading platform ... that we will be migrating onto, but it also gives us control over future development releases." In addition, the move to an in-house Linux platform would save the LSE 10 pounds million per year from 2011 and 2012.
While Fairbrother played nice with Microsoft, saying that it wasn't that the LSE was moving away from Windows to Linux, that's actually exactly what the LSE has done. The LSE had made the move, not because they love Linux and open-source software for some abstract reason, but because it makes good dollars and cents sense. It's cheaper, faster, and the LSE, not some outsider, gets to call the shots of its development.
I'm reminded that, from people on the street using smartphones running Android to Web users doing searches on Google to stock traders wanting nothing more than the fastest possible trades that we're all becoming Linux users. It hasn't happened the way we thought it might -- with Linux desktops booting out Windows PCs [12] -- but it happening none-the-less.
Links:
[1] http://blogs.computerworld.com/london_stock_exchange_suffers_net_crash
[2] http://blogs.computerworld.com/london_stock_exchange_to_abandon_failed_windows_platform
[3] http://blogs.computerworld.com/14876/london_stock_exchange_dumps_windows_for_linux
[4] http://blogs.computerworld.com/14876/london_stock_exchange_dumps_windows_for_linux
[5] http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/networking/3244936/london-stock-exchange-smashes-world-record-trade-speed-with-linux
[6] http://blogs.computerworld.com/15111/linux_powers_the_fastest_computers_on_the_planet
[7] http://www.chi-x.com/home/home.asp
[8] http://customers.redhat.com/2010/03/22/tokyo-stock-exchange-executes-millisecond-trading-with-new-system-based-on-red-hat-enterprise-linux
[9] http://customers.redhat.com/2008/05/12/nyse
[10] http://www.redhat.com/rhel/
[11] http://www.itpro.co.uk/615985/why-the-london-stock-exchange-went-for-linux
[12] http://blogs.computerworld.com/17183/is_the_linux_desktop_dream_dead
[1] http://blogs.computerworld.com/london_stock_exchange_suffers_net_crash
[2] http://blogs.computerworld.com/london_stock_exchange_to_abandon_failed_windows_platform
[3] http://blogs.computerworld.com/14876/london_stock_exchange_dumps_windows_for_linux
[4] http://blogs.computerworld.com/14876/london_stock_exchange_dumps_windows_for_linux
[5] http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/networking/3244936/london-stock-exchange-smashes-world-record-trade-speed-with-linux
[6] http://blogs.computerworld.com/15111/linux_powers_the_fastest_computers_on_the_planet
[7] http://www.chi-x.com/home/home.asp
[8] http://customers.redhat.com/2010/03/22/tokyo-stock-exchange-executes-millisecond-trading-with-new-system-based-on-red-hat-enterprise-linux
[9] http://customers.redhat.com/2008/05/12/nyse
[10] http://www.redhat.com/rhel/
[11] http://www.itpro.co.uk/615985/why-the-london-stock-exchange-went-for-linux
[12] http://blogs.computerworld.com/17183/is_the_linux_desktop_dream_dead
October 2, 2010
Linux powers the fastest computers on the planet
Published on Computerworld Blogs (http://blogs.computerworld.com)
Linux powers the fastest computers on the planet
By Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols
Created Nov 17 2009 - 1:20pm
The latest "Top 500 supercomputer [1]" list of the fastest computers on the planet makes that abundantly clear. Broken down by operating system, this latest ranking has 469 of the top 500 running one kind of Linux or another.
To be exact, 391 are running their own house brand of Linux. Sixty-two are running some version of Novell's SUSE Linux [2], including such variants as UNICOS/lc and CNL (Compute Node Linux). Red Hat [3] and its relatives, including CentOS [4], come in second with 16 supercomputers.
As for the non-Linux members of the fastest computer club, IBM's AIX Unix [5], with 22 computers, is the only serious competitor. Microsoft and Sun, with Windows HPC 2008 [6] and OpenSolaris [7], are barely in the running, with fives supercomputers for Windows and a mere pair for OpenSolaris.
Linux isn't just setting the standards; it's breaking the record books. The fastest of the fast is now the Cray XT5 supercomputer, known as Jaguar. Jaguar, which runs CNL, didn't just take first place; it blew away the competition with a top speed of 1.75 petaflops per second, leaving the previous record of 1.04 petaflops per second in the dust. (A petaflop is 1,000 trillion, a quadrillion, floating point calculations per second.)
What's even more amazing is that the IBM Roadrunner, another Linux system, which has held the top record, had only broken the petaflop barrier [8] in the summer of 2008. Or perhaps it isn't so amazing when you consider that, with Linux leading the way, the slowest member of this new list can do 20 teraflop (trillion floating point calculations per second). In other words, this list's slowest system would have ranked No. 336 in the last Top 500 list from six months ago.
Linux and improvements in Linux-based MPP programming techniques can't take all the credit. Jaguar, which is located at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, was upgraded from quad-core to six-core AMD Opteron processors. After this upgrade, Jaguar is running almost a quarter of a million CPU cores. In theory, Jaguar can reach a peak speed of 2.3 petaflop per second.
Between the continued improvements in multi-core processor speeds, network fabric throughput, and Linux performance, we can expect to see supercomputers gaining speed at this remarkable rate for quite some time to come. At this rate, we may see a Linux-powered exaflop (one quintillion calculations per second) computer by the early 2010s. That's not just a theory: IBM is already working on the design for such a supercomputer monster [9] for the Square Kilometre Array telescope project [10]. The proposed operating system? Linux, of course.
Links:
[1] http://www.top500.org/
[2] http://www.novell.com/linux
[3] http://www.redhat.com/
[4] http://www.centos.org/
[5] http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/power/software/aix/index.html
[6] http://www.microsoft.com/hpc/en/us/default.aspx
[7] http://hub.opensolaris.org/bin/view/Main
[8] http://practical-tech.com/infrastructure/linux-computer-smashes-petaflop-supercomputer-barrier
[9] http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/319128/ska_telescope_provide_billion_pcs_worth_processing
[10] http://www.skatelescope.org/
October 1, 2010
27 Reasons To Love Linux
27 Good Reasons To Love Linux - BY LINUXARIA
License-Operating system doesn't cost $ 400
The operating system is the set of programs responsible for the management and control of basic computer operations. In order for a computer to function, it needs an operating system. There are several: Windows, Linux, Mac, etc. If you remove the operating system, the computer serves only as an ornament. The most common is Windows, and we have two options for obtaining it: buy it, or download an illegal (pirated) copy. Windows Vista retail prices range from $ 299 to $ 599, depending on the version, according to Microsoft's official list.
Maybe you think, "Oh, I didn't pay for it, they gave it to me with the computer." Are you absolutely certain? If your computer had Windows, then you paid for it, even if the dealer did not tell you so. Otherwise, you installed a pirated copy.
The price of a license for Windows is equal to an amount of between one third and the entire cost of a new computer, depending on the version of Windows and the characteristics of the computer. So, unless you obtained Windows illegally, you paid for it. How do you think Microsoft makes their profits?
Instead of paying for Windows, you can get Linux for free. This is because many people from all over the world work hard to create a clear, safe, efficient and graphically beautiful operating system. They continue to do so that everyone can freely use and enjoy it. Some are paid to do so by the companies they work for.
Linux speak many languages
Linux, and particularly "Ubuntu", is a freely obtained operating system. The name "Ubuntu" has several translations, including: "humanity towards others". Because it was created to be freely available to all people, it becomes essential to have it in the language of the people using it. This is why Ubuntu is available in many languages including, Italian (my language). Because it's in one's native language, it is clearly understood and easy to use.
Some say, “But Windows is available in many languages.” Yes, but if the English version of Windows is already installed, I'll have to buy the Italian version, uninstall the English version, then install the Italian one. Obviously, I'll have to reconfigure system settings, and re-install all the applications used. Aside from the extra money needed, there's at least a day of work involved. If you also want the French or Spanish versions, just buy the version, etc. ...
With Ubuntu, excepting that you need not buy anything extra, the situation is vastly more simple: just download the packages that do the translation of any language we want. Within minutes, we will have our own Ubuntu in our native language. With one click, Ubuntu does it all. With another click we can have French, and with another click Portuguese. All of this without changing anything in our operating system, except the language. If I have a German friend who wants to use my Ubuntu, but doesn't understand Italian, just click, and a few minutes, and Ubuntu is on the same computer in German. When my friend leaves, one click and Ubuntu again becomes "my Ubuntu", just as it was before, and retaining all configurations and applications. Isn't that much easier?
No Viruses
Forget about viruses
If your computer shuts down without asking, if there are strange windows corrupted, if e-mail is sent to addresses in your address book without your knowledge, or if there are other suspicious activities, your computer probably has contracted a virus or some form of malware. The main reason that happens is that you are using Windows.
Linux viruses are almost non-existent. It is not impossible to get one. However, Linux makes this very unlikely to happen. Here are some reasons. Most people use Microsoft Windows, and the attackers want to cause as much damage as possible, or take control of the computer, so they seek Windows targets. Most viruses target Windows executable programs or ActiveX controls. Linux isn't affected by them because they are not designed to run on Linux. And, the downloaded file attributes must be changed before the file can be executable.
Linux uses intelligent file control permissions. On a Windows system, almost every program installed has privileges do almost anything within the system on the computer. Windows will not prevent you from deleting files in system folders. Obviously, doing this could cause problems. But if you can delete system files, you can be sure that other programs can do this as well, whether they are already installed on the computer, or on a local network, or the internet. Linux permissions do not allow this. In fact, every time you do something that affects the system, you are prompted for an administrator password. If you are not a system administrator, you cannot make system changes. So a virus, therefore, cannot modify the system without the root user's password.
Many eyes can see things that merely a few won't. This is especially true of security holes. Linux is open source software, which means that any programmer in the world may give an insight into the program's source code. They can, therefore, help fix security leaks and bugs in the program. They can also present their findings to other developers in the community. How many Microsoft programmers do you think have the same advantage?
Legal software
Linux: no more pirated copies
Why copy software illegally when you can get it for free?
Have you purchased a license for all the software you use? Can no one say anything about your program licenses? Well, if that is the case, congratulations! You surely you have spent a lot of money.
But for many, illegally copied software is a common thing. Copy Adobe Photoshop, rather than buy it, and hope you do not have nightmares. Indeed, you saved about € 1,200 by copying it. But are you so confident that you will not have problems? Not so sure? Software makers are constantly improving and developing techniques to find illegal owners. In particular, given that more people have an internet connection, software companies are implementing more online features to monitor and verify that your copy is registered each time you start the program.
If you use Linux and install free software, you never have to worry about that! Much of the software is available freely, and without limitations. You can easily find free software to replace the existing commercial software you use. Some programs may lack advanced features which are usually only used by a few. But most software will be more than satisfactory for regular users of the computer.
Here is a list of some commercial programs and their free equivalents.
Lot of software come with the OS
With Linux you install many other programs
When installing most Linux distributions, many other programs are installed at the same time.
When installing the Windows operating system, very few programs are also installed. Imagine you have just installed your new copy of Windows and you are ready to unleash the potential of your computer. A friend sends you an email with a PDF file attached. You do not have a program to read it. You need to go online, find a website from which to download Adobe Reader, or another PDF viewer, then install the program. Attached to another email your friend sends, you find a DOC file. You don't have a Windows program to read that file. Now you must buy a copy of Microsoft Office (€ 500), or simply download OpenOffice (free). But you still need to find a website to download it from, then install the program. (I hope you have a broadband connection). Next, your friend sends you an image, but it has poor contrast, bad lighting, and needs to be cropped. So you decide to buy Photoshop. That will cost about 1,200 euros. Or, you can download GIMP, a program that lets you do most everything that Photoshop can, but it's free. Again, you must search the internet for a website to download it from, then install it, etc. I could keep going on like this, but I think you have the idea. When Windows is first installed, it is far from being ready to use for everyday tasks, and installing it is just the beginning of the journey.
Once you have finished installing Ubuntu Linux or Mandriva or Fedora, or others, you will find that many programs are already installed and ready to use. Your computer will have already have:
- Everything you need to write, edit or create spreadsheets, make presentations, draw, solve equations (OpenOffice).
- A web browser (such as Firefox) and an email client (such as Thunderbird or Evolution)
- An image editor (GIMP, a Photoshop replacement)
- An instant messaging program
- A video player
- A music player and organizer
- A PDF viewer
- Everything you need to extract archives (ZIP, etc.)
- And so much more
You can start working immediately. For normal use of the computer have all the programs you need.
Relax and listen your favourite music
Get a great music player
Get a great music player
Linux has many music players, including Amarok, Rythmbox and Banshee. And some of them are exceptional. For example AmaroK (see screenshot): organizes and plays your favorite music, learns what pieces you like best, and automatically finds their title and metadata on the Internet. If that's not enough, the program will download the CD cover art and author information!
1 IM to control them all
MSN, AIM, ICQ, Jabber, with only one program
Use MSN, AIM, ICQ, Jabber, with a single program
You can have several accounts on instant messaging services like MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, Jabber, AIM, etc.. With Windows or Mac OS X, you will probably need a program to connect to each of these: MSN Messenger for MSN, ICQ for ICQ, etc.
With Pidgin, (for Gnome or Windows), or Kopete (for KDE), which are instant messaging programs for Linux, you can connect to all these services with a single program. You can also view all your contacts from different accounts, using only a single program.
Add and remove software
Need new software? Linux does it all
Need new software? Do not bother searching the web. Linux gets it for you.
If you want to check out some new software for Windows, you'll need:
1. search the internet for a program that meets your needs;
2. find a website that allows you to download the program;
3. pay handsomely (up to thousands of dollars);
4. actually download the software;
5. install;
6. often restart the computer.
So much time and so much work involved, just to try a new program.
With Linux, everything is easier. Linux already has a list of a huge number of programs. If you need some new program, simply open the package manager and search for what you need.
Click on one and get a description of the program. The popularity is also indicated by the number of stars shown. If you want to install a program, all you have to do is tick the box left of the name, then click "Apply”, then “OK”. Linux will download the program, install it and create a menu entry. Linux does everything, you just choose what you want. If you want to uninstall a program, simply remove the tick, click “Apply” and then “OK”. Installing Windows programs is not as simple as that.
Ultimately, Linux has at least three major advantages. No more browsing in search of the site to download the software. No more having to manually download and install. More time trying all the software you want without registrations, temporary permits for trial versions, and no limitations, constraints or restrictions of commercial software.
Lot of games for free
Want to play? With Linux you don not pay
Play hundreds of games for free
Hundreds of games are released under free licenses free of charge. There is something for everyone: 2D, 3D, puzzle, strategy games, online multiplayer games, and more! If you are an expert in games, you may be interested in Quake 3 for Linux.
Check this link for a great list of free games.
Update all with a click
Update all your software with a single click
Windows has a very convenient tool called "Windows Update", which allows you to update your system. Nevertheless, this tool is very limited. But, what about your non-Microsoft software? Your document readers, compressors, CD burning programs, Non-Microsoft web browsers and email clients, etc ... etc ...., Etc. ...?
The answer is that you need to update them all, one by one. This takes a long time, since every program has its own update system.
Linux has a centralized system updater called the update manager. It takes care of everything that is installed on your system. So, if you want a full update for all that is installed, simply press the "Verify" button. If updates are found, simply click "Install Updates". System and application programs can be updated at the same time, with the same operation. I do not think there could be a simpler and more complete way to update.
Freedom and no more chains: no addiction !
Linux and open source software are "free", and the most common license is the GPL (General Public Licence). This license allows anyone to copy the software, see the source code, (the recipe), modify, and redistribute it for free, or for a fee, as long as the source code is made available. The great advantage of software distributed under these conditions is that if someone wants to improve it, they can. They can then re-distribute the new version, as long as the source code is made available. This practice contributes to excellent programs, written by different developers.
Are you interested in freedom? Imagine that Microsoft disappeared tomorrow, or 5 or 10 years from now. Or imagine that they suddenly tripled the price of a Windows or Office license. If you are tied to using Windows, there's nothing you could do about it. You and your work depend on this company and its software. In practice, you cannot run anything without it because you need the operating system to run the computer. Isn't this a serious problem? Never rely on one source! If Microsoft decided to sell the next copy of Windows for 5000 €, there is nothing you could do, except switch to another operating system.
With open source, if a particular project or company dies, all the code to the community remains as open and free. You could continue to improve it, or hire programmers to do the work. If a project is useful to you, you can do it alone or with help from others.
Get some Wine-Windows programs on Linux with Wine
Many Windows programs run under Linux using "Wine"
Some users are accustomed to programs that are designed to run under Windows. A problem could arise with Linux if you use a specific program, designed to work exclusively on Windows. Well, many programs created to run under Windows, can run under Linux. This is achieved through a program called "Wine". The famous file "setup.exe", used to install a program on Windows, will not run natively on Linux. With Wine, this program is recognized by Linux, and can be used to install Windows programs under Linux. For some special programs, the result may not be perfect. But in most cases, the result is more than acceptable.
Then: health to Windows with Wine!
Windows: Slower day after day
Windows gets slower, day after day. But not Linux!
Windows has design flaws at its base, making it the slower the longer you use it. You've probably heard someone say "The computer has become slow, I have to reinstall Windows." Reinstalling Windows certainly solves the problem ... until next time. Many probably believe this is the way computers work, and have come to accept instability. Well, try Linux and you'll be surprised. Your system will be as fast and as sharp as the first day you installed it.
I managed to convince several people to switch to Linux while keeping Windows on their hard drives, because they needed to use some Windows programs. Then they could use both systems.
Since the day they first installed Linux, many of them have had to reinstall Windows several times. However, Linux has never abandoned them, continuing to work perfectly. Eventually a large percentage of these people could no longer tolerate Windows, and finally uninstalled Windows to use Linux exclusively.
With Linux you spend more time working, rather than having to reinstall the operating system.
Stable -Never more will your system be unstable
Is your system unstable?
Have you ever lost your work because Windows crashed? Have you ever had to turn off your computer or pull the plug because Windows has gone mad and will not let you do anything? Have you ever gotten the "blue screen of death", possibly with error messages and requests to turn off the computer for obscure reasons? The latest versions of Windows, especially the "Professional" versions, are becoming more stable than before. However, these types of problems still occur.
Of course, no OS is perfect. But some people who tell you their Windows computer has never crashed are being less than truthful. However, some operating systems are so stable that many users have never seen them crash, even after many years of use. This is true for Linux. If a system crashes and needs to be restarted or shut down, the operating system is unstable. But if your computer can remain up and running for a long time, no matter how much you use it, you can say the system is stable. Well, Linux can run for years without being rebooted. Many servers run Linux, without needing restarts. With substantial updates that might affect the heart of the system, Linux needs to be restarted. Without major updates, Linux can be safely run for years without turning it off, and without any worries. You may not
leave your computer on all the time, but it is easily done with Linux.
No more defrag-Forget disk fragmentation
Are your files fragmented?
If you already know what fragmentation is, and are used to defragmenting your disk, you know it can be an unwelcome chore. Linux does not need to be defragmented.
Imagine that your hard drive is a huge closet, with millions of drawers. Each drawer can hold only a certain amount of data. So if a file is larger than the capacity of a single drawer, it must be divided and placed into several drawers. Some files may be so large that they need thousands of drawers. Obviously, access to files is much easier if the drawers they occupy are close to each other.
Now imagine you are the owner of this huge closet, but do not have time to take careof it. You decide to hire someone to take care of it for you. Two people present themselves for an interview, a man and a woman.
The man adopts the following method: he simply empties the drawers when one or more files are removed. Consequently, some drawers are full and some are empty, and are in no particular order. When a new large file is to be placed into drawers, he divides it so that each piece of the file is placed into a drawer. At this point, he is careless of which drawers are nearby or far away from each other. Think of what happens when your computer loads that file. The disk head must travel to the right and left to recover the parts that are scattered everywhere. Obviously, the health and life of the disc will, over time, be affected.
The woman adopts a different technique. She draws on a piece of paper a map of empty drawers that are adjacent to each other. When a new file arrive, she looks at the map and finds a sufficiently long row of empty drawers adjacent to each other. She then divides the file and puts it into those drawers. In this way, the file, even if large, will be contained in boxes in a row, and will never be broken up, or fragmented. When the computer loads the file, the disk head will proceed in an orderly start to the end of the file, without having to travel right and left over all parts of the disc. This method will speed access to files and safeguard the health of the disc. As more time passes, more files will be deleted and saved. The closet will be filled more evenly, without fragmenting files.
Without doubt, you should hire the woman. You know, women are much more orderly than men. Windows uses the man's method. Linux uses the woman's. The more you use Windows, the slower access to files becomes, and the more the disk heads are used. If you use Linux, file access is faster, and you lengthen the life of the disc. The choice is yours!
No more reboot-Tired of rebooting your computer?
Tired of rebooting your computer? With Linux you do not need to.
You've just updated one or two little things on Windows with "Windows Update". Well, you might have to restart the computer. You've just installed some new software? Well, you usually have to restart the computer. Your system seems unstable? Try restarting it. Maybe everything will be okay after rebooting.
Windows constantly asks you to restart your computer. This can be annoying. Maybe you are prompted to restart while you are downloading a large file, and you need to finish the download. Even if you click "Restart later", Windows may continue to bother you with great insistence, to remind you that you should do it. What if you are not finished with the download and Windows automatically restarts, pleased with itself? Say goodbye to the download, even if it's close to the end!
Usually, Linux has no need to restart. Whether you install new software, even very large programs, and install updates for your system, you're seldom asked to reboot. It only happens if part of the "heart" of the system is updated. But this is only rarely done.
Do you know what servers are? They are often computers that your computer connects to when you browse the Internet. Many servers run Linux because they must always be available, with a minimum of downtime. (Someone may want to access the website at any time). Webservers are not restarted frequently. In fact, the services they offer are not available when the system is being restarted. Actually, many servers are not restarted for several years. Linux is stable and works diligently without having to be continually rebooted.
3d effects on your desktop with Linux-Next generation 3D desktop
Next generation 3D desktop: Linux has used them for some time
Have you been impressed by the 3D effects with transparency that Microsoft introduced for the first time with Vista? Are you sure you want to spend hundreds of dollars to switch to Vista or Windows7 in order to have these effects? Well, Linux can do better effects for free, with much less required of the hardware resources. Indeed, Linux has had these effects for some time.
Who has not thrown at least one old computer in the basement? Windows Vista requires the latest computer hardware in order to run. Some have re-used older machines, incapable of running Vista, and even installed Xubuntu with Compiz Fusion. The results are exciting! The performance of Xubuntu on these older computers are comparable to, or better than, Vista. Do you not believe? Watch the video below!
But what is "Compiz Fusion"? This is essentially a program that can produce extraordinary effects on the windows of our desktop, from simple shading effects to complex three-dimensional effects.
Effects from more than 6 months ago PC
New Ubuntu desktop Effects
Choose yuor desktop
Choose the look of your desktop
Choose how you want your desktop to look
All Windows users have the same desktop. Certainly you can change the color of your background or window decorations from the default blue, but you'll end up having almost the same Windows interface.
With Linux, you decide what kind of desktop to use. You are spoiled with choices. You're not obliged to accept only one way of organizing multiple windows. If that's not enough, you can change the icon size, preview files and folders in the size you want, and more. If the mouse pointer rests on a music file icon, you hear the preview of the song without opening any player. Nice, huh?
The desktop power uses are huge, and of all kinds. You can have a spartan, efficient and easy to use desktop. Or you can have a flashy one with a more modern look, yet still fast and responsive. You can completely personalize it as you want. So, with Linux you decide the look of your desktop. And there's no need even to make a choice of one desktop, because you can install more than one, and switch to any one of the desktops every time you log into a session on the computer.
Working places
More desktop
Too many windows? use workplaces
Too many windows? Use the workspace
On Windows, with several programs open, for example, Word, Internet Explorer, an e-mail program, instant messenger, and file explorer, you can get lost in the confusion generated by all those windows open. With Linux you can choose among working environments, or "workspaces". You probably only have one monitor, right? Use Linux and you have the equivalent of two, four, twenty, or however many you want. Sure, you cannot see them all at once on the screen, but this matters little. In fact, your eyes cannot look in different directions simultaneously. On the first desktop you can have a writing program. On the second desktop, an instant messaging program. On the third, a web browser such as Firefox. So while you're typing, maybe you want to take a look at the web browser. You do not need to select among all the open windows. One click to select the work environment in which the web browser is running and, voila, you are there!
Keep an eye at the figure on the left and pay particular attention to the lower right corner, where there is a red double pane. That is your "workspace switcher" (environment selector). You can clearly see that there are four virtual screens, but you can have more. I will use four, but some use more. The first one on the left is highlighted as the one in use. To switch to another, just click on the one you want. Each one shows a small preview window of what is contained in that workspace. In this case, the other three workspaces are blank. You can also use a keyboard shortcut to switch between workspaces. In the picture, you see that you can also choose how many spaces and rows you move.
Support, use the community
Immediate support, free and unlimited
Get immediate support, free and unlimited
One of the greatest advantages of the Open Source community, and Linux in particular, is a community that is efficient, active and always present.
Experienced users and developers are always reachable through forums, mailing lists, and IRC channels, and are willing to help new users. They are excited to see more people switching to Linux, and are happy to lend a hand to those who are just starting or find it difficult. So if you have a problem with a program that does not behave as you would expect, or a feature that you can not enable, you can get help. If someone in your family, or a colleague or friend is running Linux, they would probably be happy to help. Or, you can go on the Internet and find literally thousands of sites with courteous people who will help you solve the problem. Go to Google's search page and simply type "linux support", or replace "linux" with any distribution you choose. Maybe add a few words about the problem to be solved, and there is no doubt you will find the solution to your problem.
Report the bug, you be will heard
A bug is an error in the source code of a program or operating system. Software with bugs may become unstable, causing crashes or malfunctions, and can be exploited by malicious people for cyber attacks.
It 's a problem that usually must be repaired by those who build the software or operating system. So patches are issued which serve to solve the bugs. If you find a bug in Windows, you usually have to wait and pray that Microsoft will resolve it quickly. If it compromises the security of your system, you pray twice. Unfortunately, Microsoft bugs are not always fixed quickly or easily, and often not with your interests in mind. Sometimes, you can only hope it is fixed in the next version of Windows. However, you will have to pay hundreds of euros for the new version. The various communities of open source software , Linux in particular, are very concerned with discovering and correcting bugs.
You can easily report the discovered bug. In fact, you are encouraged to do so! In addition, you can also keep track of what happens to your discovery. Everything is done in broad daylight. The code is open, and there are no secrets in the process. The developers will respond, and may even ask you for some extra information to help solve the bug. You will know when the bug is repaired and you will know how to get the new version, still free of charge. There are many people who take care of your problems, because they are also the problems of the community. They all work together to make better software. So do all open source projects.
Old PC ? Use Linux !
With each new release, Windows (95, 98, 2000, Me, XP, Vista) requires more powerful hardware. So if you want to continue to operate Windows, you must continually buy new hardware. Or in practice, buy a new computer. But I see no good reason for such drastic evolution. Certainly some professionals need powerful computers for the particular type of work they do.
But common users who surf the net, read and write email, write text files, create slide shows, listen to music or watch videos, what is the point in buying a new computer every 2, 3 or 4 years? Certainly, the cash goes into the pockets of manufacturers and retailers of computers. But, why should your computer no longer be able to do what it did 5 years ago? Perhaps there are secret agreements between producers of commercial software and hardware manufacturers.
This race for performance continually relieves us of our well-earned cash. Linux runs perfectly well on older computers on which Windows XP refuses to install, or on which you wait 20 seconds after each installation click. If this applies to XP, I will not dare even talk about installing Windows Vista. Linux certainly will not make a fireball out of your computer 12 year old computer, but it will run very well and will allow you to perform common tasks, such as surfing the net, writing documents, etc. The computer I am using to create this page is not so young, and is running Linux. If you can read this, it means the computer is working perfectly.
Weather on the desk
Display the weather
Are you tired of keeping a thermometer outside the window, and having to check it each time you want to know the temperature outside? Come on, simply look at your Linux desktop and you can check the weather.
Linux does not force you to do anything, so you can place the weather display anywhere on the screen, or not display it at all. After all, isn't it better to look out the window? For your weather display, you can choose the city where you live or any other place in the world. You can also show several cities simultaneously. If you put the cursor on the small image next to the temperature, you can get more information. (See the yellow box in the figure.) You can see temperature, wind speed, local time, and when the sun is rising and when it sets.
Savings, and helping small companies
If you use free software, you get double savings. Suppose you buy the software you need to use your computer. You may end up spending $1,000 or more on the cost of programs. But you need not do so. Let's see why. Microsoft is in the U.S., and its success brought significant benefits to U.S. businesses. But if you do not live in America, or you have no business interests in Microsoft corporation, when you buy their software, such as Windows or Microsoft Office, approximately 70% of the money goes abroad. That money leaves your country.
This applies also to the government, which manages public money. If the state spends $1,000, which remains in your country, it has made a good investment. In fact, leaving the money in the country reduces unemployment and increases the wealth of the population. It means savings to social assistance and other government programs. And some of that money is returned to the State through taxation, thereby increasing jobs and wealth. If the $1,000 goes abroad, then the cost is effectively higher. Because none of the money goes to the State, it fund itself in the form of more taxes. The local damage is effectively doubled.
Ultimately, the software will cost not $1,000, but effectively $1,700. Some might say, “But I'm not the State.” That is true, but the State gets its money from you in taxes. You can help lower your taxes by keeping your purchases in your country.
Less pollution with Linux
Linux Pollutes Less
One might ask: “How is Linux different from Windows when it comes to the environment? After all, we are seeking software with minimal impact on pollution or climate change.”
Well, the choice of Linux has definitely reduced environmental impact. Here's why.
1 - Windows and Mac OS are sold in very large boxes relative to the size of a CD or DVD. This means that larger quantities of paper and plastic must be produced. This means killing more trees for paper, using more oil for plastics, transporting the product from manufacturer to store, and use of more electricity and chemicals for the production of packaging. After buying all this packaging material, it must be disposed of, creating other costs and pollution. Linux is normally downloaded freely from the Internet without the need for plastic and paper packaging.
2 - Almost all proprietary software, applications, products, and operating systems mentioned above are sold in the same way as their predecessors. We are talking about Office, Nero, Norton, Photoshop, etc. Apply all of this to point number 1. The vast majority of Linux software is free and downloadable from the internet. Again, quite a bit of paper and plastic is spared, benefitting the health of the environment.
3 - With the increasing hardware requirements for Windows and Mac, an increasing number of computers become obsolete, and must be disposed of as electronic and hazardous waste. But since Linux runs very well on older machines, they can be used for many years, greatly reducing the amount of waste disposed of and the amount of new machinery to produce. Again, we must count all the pollution caused by production, transport and disposal. If we do account for how many computers are sold throughout the world, it is mind-boggling.
4 - Billions of CDs and DVDs are used for Windows, Mac and all programs related to these operating systems. Linux also needs to be burned to a CD before installation, at least in most cases. It must be said, however, that installing over a network or from a hard disk is also quite common. However, many people choose to burn on a rewritable CD that can be recycled. This is because some new versions of Linux come with a certain frequency. The CD can be re-used immediately after installation. Unlike proprietary operating systems, where it is necessary to keep the CD after you install the software, you can always re-download free software from the internet.
Linux protects your computer
Linux protects your computer
Viruses, trojans, adware, spyware, Windows allows all of these easy access to your computer. The average time before a Windows XP PC with Service Pack 2 installed and connected to the internet, is about 40 minutes, from the time it is connected to the internet and it is infected. Ssometimes it is as quick as 30 seconds.
To help prevent infections, you can:
1) - install a firewall
2) - install an antivirus
3) - install an anti-spyware
4) - replace Internet Explorer and Outlook with Firefox and Thunderbird
5) - pray and hope that the bad guys are not clever enough to circumvent all these precautions
6) - to pray again, that if a security flaw is discovered, Microsoft's resolution takes less than a couple of months to issue in the form of an update. This does not happen very often, and Microsoft updates are generally only issued onace a month.
Or, you can install Linux and have sweet dreams from now on.
As we said in "Forget about viruses on your computer", open source software, like Linux, means many more eyes see the source code. Every programmer on the planet Earth, can download the code, look at it, and check it for security holes. The only people who can see the Windows source code, (its recipe being secret), are some of the most trusted employees working for Microsoft. When a Windows version is being created, no one programmer is allowed to know what another is working on. In comparison, we are talking about hundreds of thousands of open source programmers from all over the world versus only a few Microsoft programmers. There is a huge difference.
Indeed, the issue is not only the number of flaws a system can have. Windows has many more than Linux. If there are any flaws no one has yet discovered, including the attackers, security poses no problem. However, once a flaw is discovered, the key is the speed with which the flaw can be repaired. If a security flaw is discovered in an open source program, anyone in the world can help resolve it. The solution appears, usually within a few days, and often within hours. Microsoft often releases patches for security as late as a few months after the security flaw was discovered. Often it has already been published by some magazine or forum. Of course, this gives more than enough time for the bad guys to easily do to your computer what they want. (You just have to continue to pray, always pray ... ).
I definitely recommend using Linux to manage information which is sensitive, and you want to reduce the risk of it falling into criminal hands. For example, conducting financial transactions on the Internet.
Rocket speed with Linux
Without guards you go faster
We have already said that if an attacker really wants to access our computer, he will work very hard to produce a virus or other form of threat in order to breach our security. It is clear that those who produce these forms of malware try to get the best result from it. Windows users are vastly more vulnerable than Linux users. Obviously, the attacker will seek to attack Windows rather than Linux so they can claim many more victims with the same effort. Viruses and other threats which are devastating for Windows, do not affect Linux. If a Windows virus or trojan is transferred to a Linux environment, it is not recognized, unless the Wine package is installed. Even then, it must be changed to an executable file in order to run under Wine. This is one of the many reasons that Windows needs a firewall, antivirus, anti-spyware, etc., in addition to the operating system itself, to be considered “safe”. Even then, you take your chances that your virus definitions can detect the latest “zero day” exploit. These products have two fundamental implications: cost and system slowdown. Besides the purchase cost, you pay a subscription for updates that must be constantly renewed. This kind of software, unless it is constantly updated, is useless. There are also anti-virus programs for Linux, but are free. And yet, almost no one uses them because they are considered unnecessary.
Suppose that two people make a run. Windows is stopped at each step by any guards (antivirus, anti-spyware, etc.) to check that there are no threats. Linux, not having guards, can run freely without being checked at every step. It is evident that without the guards, the operating system will run much faster.
Ultimately Linux will be faster (no need for antivirus and other anti-spyware, as with Windows). And it is available for free, as an added bonus!
Source: http://hubpages.com/hub/27-good-reasons-to-love-Linux
License-Operating system doesn't cost $ 400
The operating system is the set of programs responsible for the management and control of basic computer operations. In order for a computer to function, it needs an operating system. There are several: Windows, Linux, Mac, etc. If you remove the operating system, the computer serves only as an ornament. The most common is Windows, and we have two options for obtaining it: buy it, or download an illegal (pirated) copy. Windows Vista retail prices range from $ 299 to $ 599, depending on the version, according to Microsoft's official list.
Maybe you think, "Oh, I didn't pay for it, they gave it to me with the computer." Are you absolutely certain? If your computer had Windows, then you paid for it, even if the dealer did not tell you so. Otherwise, you installed a pirated copy.
The price of a license for Windows is equal to an amount of between one third and the entire cost of a new computer, depending on the version of Windows and the characteristics of the computer. So, unless you obtained Windows illegally, you paid for it. How do you think Microsoft makes their profits?
Instead of paying for Windows, you can get Linux for free. This is because many people from all over the world work hard to create a clear, safe, efficient and graphically beautiful operating system. They continue to do so that everyone can freely use and enjoy it. Some are paid to do so by the companies they work for.
Linux speak many languages
Linux, and particularly "Ubuntu", is a freely obtained operating system. The name "Ubuntu" has several translations, including: "humanity towards others". Because it was created to be freely available to all people, it becomes essential to have it in the language of the people using it. This is why Ubuntu is available in many languages including, Italian (my language). Because it's in one's native language, it is clearly understood and easy to use.
Some say, “But Windows is available in many languages.” Yes, but if the English version of Windows is already installed, I'll have to buy the Italian version, uninstall the English version, then install the Italian one. Obviously, I'll have to reconfigure system settings, and re-install all the applications used. Aside from the extra money needed, there's at least a day of work involved. If you also want the French or Spanish versions, just buy the version, etc. ...
With Ubuntu, excepting that you need not buy anything extra, the situation is vastly more simple: just download the packages that do the translation of any language we want. Within minutes, we will have our own Ubuntu in our native language. With one click, Ubuntu does it all. With another click we can have French, and with another click Portuguese. All of this without changing anything in our operating system, except the language. If I have a German friend who wants to use my Ubuntu, but doesn't understand Italian, just click, and a few minutes, and Ubuntu is on the same computer in German. When my friend leaves, one click and Ubuntu again becomes "my Ubuntu", just as it was before, and retaining all configurations and applications. Isn't that much easier?
No Viruses
Forget about viruses
If your computer shuts down without asking, if there are strange windows corrupted, if e-mail is sent to addresses in your address book without your knowledge, or if there are other suspicious activities, your computer probably has contracted a virus or some form of malware. The main reason that happens is that you are using Windows.
Linux viruses are almost non-existent. It is not impossible to get one. However, Linux makes this very unlikely to happen. Here are some reasons. Most people use Microsoft Windows, and the attackers want to cause as much damage as possible, or take control of the computer, so they seek Windows targets. Most viruses target Windows executable programs or ActiveX controls. Linux isn't affected by them because they are not designed to run on Linux. And, the downloaded file attributes must be changed before the file can be executable.
Linux uses intelligent file control permissions. On a Windows system, almost every program installed has privileges do almost anything within the system on the computer. Windows will not prevent you from deleting files in system folders. Obviously, doing this could cause problems. But if you can delete system files, you can be sure that other programs can do this as well, whether they are already installed on the computer, or on a local network, or the internet. Linux permissions do not allow this. In fact, every time you do something that affects the system, you are prompted for an administrator password. If you are not a system administrator, you cannot make system changes. So a virus, therefore, cannot modify the system without the root user's password.
Many eyes can see things that merely a few won't. This is especially true of security holes. Linux is open source software, which means that any programmer in the world may give an insight into the program's source code. They can, therefore, help fix security leaks and bugs in the program. They can also present their findings to other developers in the community. How many Microsoft programmers do you think have the same advantage?
Legal software
Linux: no more pirated copies
Why copy software illegally when you can get it for free?
Have you purchased a license for all the software you use? Can no one say anything about your program licenses? Well, if that is the case, congratulations! You surely you have spent a lot of money.
But for many, illegally copied software is a common thing. Copy Adobe Photoshop, rather than buy it, and hope you do not have nightmares. Indeed, you saved about € 1,200 by copying it. But are you so confident that you will not have problems? Not so sure? Software makers are constantly improving and developing techniques to find illegal owners. In particular, given that more people have an internet connection, software companies are implementing more online features to monitor and verify that your copy is registered each time you start the program.
If you use Linux and install free software, you never have to worry about that! Much of the software is available freely, and without limitations. You can easily find free software to replace the existing commercial software you use. Some programs may lack advanced features which are usually only used by a few. But most software will be more than satisfactory for regular users of the computer.
Here is a list of some commercial programs and their free equivalents.
Lot of software come with the OS
With Linux you install many other programs
When installing most Linux distributions, many other programs are installed at the same time.
When installing the Windows operating system, very few programs are also installed. Imagine you have just installed your new copy of Windows and you are ready to unleash the potential of your computer. A friend sends you an email with a PDF file attached. You do not have a program to read it. You need to go online, find a website from which to download Adobe Reader, or another PDF viewer, then install the program. Attached to another email your friend sends, you find a DOC file. You don't have a Windows program to read that file. Now you must buy a copy of Microsoft Office (€ 500), or simply download OpenOffice (free). But you still need to find a website to download it from, then install the program. (I hope you have a broadband connection). Next, your friend sends you an image, but it has poor contrast, bad lighting, and needs to be cropped. So you decide to buy Photoshop. That will cost about 1,200 euros. Or, you can download GIMP, a program that lets you do most everything that Photoshop can, but it's free. Again, you must search the internet for a website to download it from, then install it, etc. I could keep going on like this, but I think you have the idea. When Windows is first installed, it is far from being ready to use for everyday tasks, and installing it is just the beginning of the journey.
Once you have finished installing Ubuntu Linux or Mandriva or Fedora, or others, you will find that many programs are already installed and ready to use. Your computer will have already have:
- Everything you need to write, edit or create spreadsheets, make presentations, draw, solve equations (OpenOffice).
- A web browser (such as Firefox) and an email client (such as Thunderbird or Evolution)
- An image editor (GIMP, a Photoshop replacement)
- An instant messaging program
- A video player
- A music player and organizer
- A PDF viewer
- Everything you need to extract archives (ZIP, etc.)
- And so much more
You can start working immediately. For normal use of the computer have all the programs you need.
Relax and listen your favourite music
Get a great music player
Get a great music player
Linux has many music players, including Amarok, Rythmbox and Banshee. And some of them are exceptional. For example AmaroK (see screenshot): organizes and plays your favorite music, learns what pieces you like best, and automatically finds their title and metadata on the Internet. If that's not enough, the program will download the CD cover art and author information!
1 IM to control them all
MSN, AIM, ICQ, Jabber, with only one program
Use MSN, AIM, ICQ, Jabber, with a single program
You can have several accounts on instant messaging services like MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, Jabber, AIM, etc.. With Windows or Mac OS X, you will probably need a program to connect to each of these: MSN Messenger for MSN, ICQ for ICQ, etc.
With Pidgin, (for Gnome or Windows), or Kopete (for KDE), which are instant messaging programs for Linux, you can connect to all these services with a single program. You can also view all your contacts from different accounts, using only a single program.
Add and remove software
Need new software? Linux does it all
Need new software? Do not bother searching the web. Linux gets it for you.
If you want to check out some new software for Windows, you'll need:
1. search the internet for a program that meets your needs;
2. find a website that allows you to download the program;
3. pay handsomely (up to thousands of dollars);
4. actually download the software;
5. install;
6. often restart the computer.
So much time and so much work involved, just to try a new program.
With Linux, everything is easier. Linux already has a list of a huge number of programs. If you need some new program, simply open the package manager and search for what you need.
Click on one and get a description of the program. The popularity is also indicated by the number of stars shown. If you want to install a program, all you have to do is tick the box left of the name, then click "Apply”, then “OK”. Linux will download the program, install it and create a menu entry. Linux does everything, you just choose what you want. If you want to uninstall a program, simply remove the tick, click “Apply” and then “OK”. Installing Windows programs is not as simple as that.
Ultimately, Linux has at least three major advantages. No more browsing in search of the site to download the software. No more having to manually download and install. More time trying all the software you want without registrations, temporary permits for trial versions, and no limitations, constraints or restrictions of commercial software.
Lot of games for free
Want to play? With Linux you don not pay
Play hundreds of games for free
Hundreds of games are released under free licenses free of charge. There is something for everyone: 2D, 3D, puzzle, strategy games, online multiplayer games, and more! If you are an expert in games, you may be interested in Quake 3 for Linux.
Check this link for a great list of free games.
Update all with a click
Update all your software with a single click
Windows has a very convenient tool called "Windows Update", which allows you to update your system. Nevertheless, this tool is very limited. But, what about your non-Microsoft software? Your document readers, compressors, CD burning programs, Non-Microsoft web browsers and email clients, etc ... etc ...., Etc. ...?
The answer is that you need to update them all, one by one. This takes a long time, since every program has its own update system.
Linux has a centralized system updater called the update manager. It takes care of everything that is installed on your system. So, if you want a full update for all that is installed, simply press the "Verify" button. If updates are found, simply click "Install Updates". System and application programs can be updated at the same time, with the same operation. I do not think there could be a simpler and more complete way to update.
Freedom and no more chains: no addiction !
Linux and open source software are "free", and the most common license is the GPL (General Public Licence). This license allows anyone to copy the software, see the source code, (the recipe), modify, and redistribute it for free, or for a fee, as long as the source code is made available. The great advantage of software distributed under these conditions is that if someone wants to improve it, they can. They can then re-distribute the new version, as long as the source code is made available. This practice contributes to excellent programs, written by different developers.
Are you interested in freedom? Imagine that Microsoft disappeared tomorrow, or 5 or 10 years from now. Or imagine that they suddenly tripled the price of a Windows or Office license. If you are tied to using Windows, there's nothing you could do about it. You and your work depend on this company and its software. In practice, you cannot run anything without it because you need the operating system to run the computer. Isn't this a serious problem? Never rely on one source! If Microsoft decided to sell the next copy of Windows for 5000 €, there is nothing you could do, except switch to another operating system.
With open source, if a particular project or company dies, all the code to the community remains as open and free. You could continue to improve it, or hire programmers to do the work. If a project is useful to you, you can do it alone or with help from others.
Get some Wine-Windows programs on Linux with Wine
Many Windows programs run under Linux using "Wine"
Some users are accustomed to programs that are designed to run under Windows. A problem could arise with Linux if you use a specific program, designed to work exclusively on Windows. Well, many programs created to run under Windows, can run under Linux. This is achieved through a program called "Wine". The famous file "setup.exe", used to install a program on Windows, will not run natively on Linux. With Wine, this program is recognized by Linux, and can be used to install Windows programs under Linux. For some special programs, the result may not be perfect. But in most cases, the result is more than acceptable.
Then: health to Windows with Wine!
Windows: Slower day after day
Windows gets slower, day after day. But not Linux!
Windows has design flaws at its base, making it the slower the longer you use it. You've probably heard someone say "The computer has become slow, I have to reinstall Windows." Reinstalling Windows certainly solves the problem ... until next time. Many probably believe this is the way computers work, and have come to accept instability. Well, try Linux and you'll be surprised. Your system will be as fast and as sharp as the first day you installed it.
I managed to convince several people to switch to Linux while keeping Windows on their hard drives, because they needed to use some Windows programs. Then they could use both systems.
Since the day they first installed Linux, many of them have had to reinstall Windows several times. However, Linux has never abandoned them, continuing to work perfectly. Eventually a large percentage of these people could no longer tolerate Windows, and finally uninstalled Windows to use Linux exclusively.
With Linux you spend more time working, rather than having to reinstall the operating system.
Stable -Never more will your system be unstable
Is your system unstable?
Have you ever lost your work because Windows crashed? Have you ever had to turn off your computer or pull the plug because Windows has gone mad and will not let you do anything? Have you ever gotten the "blue screen of death", possibly with error messages and requests to turn off the computer for obscure reasons? The latest versions of Windows, especially the "Professional" versions, are becoming more stable than before. However, these types of problems still occur.
Of course, no OS is perfect. But some people who tell you their Windows computer has never crashed are being less than truthful. However, some operating systems are so stable that many users have never seen them crash, even after many years of use. This is true for Linux. If a system crashes and needs to be restarted or shut down, the operating system is unstable. But if your computer can remain up and running for a long time, no matter how much you use it, you can say the system is stable. Well, Linux can run for years without being rebooted. Many servers run Linux, without needing restarts. With substantial updates that might affect the heart of the system, Linux needs to be restarted. Without major updates, Linux can be safely run for years without turning it off, and without any worries. You may not
leave your computer on all the time, but it is easily done with Linux.
No more defrag-Forget disk fragmentation
Are your files fragmented?
If you already know what fragmentation is, and are used to defragmenting your disk, you know it can be an unwelcome chore. Linux does not need to be defragmented.
Imagine that your hard drive is a huge closet, with millions of drawers. Each drawer can hold only a certain amount of data. So if a file is larger than the capacity of a single drawer, it must be divided and placed into several drawers. Some files may be so large that they need thousands of drawers. Obviously, access to files is much easier if the drawers they occupy are close to each other.
Now imagine you are the owner of this huge closet, but do not have time to take careof it. You decide to hire someone to take care of it for you. Two people present themselves for an interview, a man and a woman.
The man adopts the following method: he simply empties the drawers when one or more files are removed. Consequently, some drawers are full and some are empty, and are in no particular order. When a new large file is to be placed into drawers, he divides it so that each piece of the file is placed into a drawer. At this point, he is careless of which drawers are nearby or far away from each other. Think of what happens when your computer loads that file. The disk head must travel to the right and left to recover the parts that are scattered everywhere. Obviously, the health and life of the disc will, over time, be affected.
The woman adopts a different technique. She draws on a piece of paper a map of empty drawers that are adjacent to each other. When a new file arrive, she looks at the map and finds a sufficiently long row of empty drawers adjacent to each other. She then divides the file and puts it into those drawers. In this way, the file, even if large, will be contained in boxes in a row, and will never be broken up, or fragmented. When the computer loads the file, the disk head will proceed in an orderly start to the end of the file, without having to travel right and left over all parts of the disc. This method will speed access to files and safeguard the health of the disc. As more time passes, more files will be deleted and saved. The closet will be filled more evenly, without fragmenting files.
Without doubt, you should hire the woman. You know, women are much more orderly than men. Windows uses the man's method. Linux uses the woman's. The more you use Windows, the slower access to files becomes, and the more the disk heads are used. If you use Linux, file access is faster, and you lengthen the life of the disc. The choice is yours!
No more reboot-Tired of rebooting your computer?
Tired of rebooting your computer? With Linux you do not need to.
You've just updated one or two little things on Windows with "Windows Update". Well, you might have to restart the computer. You've just installed some new software? Well, you usually have to restart the computer. Your system seems unstable? Try restarting it. Maybe everything will be okay after rebooting.
Windows constantly asks you to restart your computer. This can be annoying. Maybe you are prompted to restart while you are downloading a large file, and you need to finish the download. Even if you click "Restart later", Windows may continue to bother you with great insistence, to remind you that you should do it. What if you are not finished with the download and Windows automatically restarts, pleased with itself? Say goodbye to the download, even if it's close to the end!
Usually, Linux has no need to restart. Whether you install new software, even very large programs, and install updates for your system, you're seldom asked to reboot. It only happens if part of the "heart" of the system is updated. But this is only rarely done.
Do you know what servers are? They are often computers that your computer connects to when you browse the Internet. Many servers run Linux because they must always be available, with a minimum of downtime. (Someone may want to access the website at any time). Webservers are not restarted frequently. In fact, the services they offer are not available when the system is being restarted. Actually, many servers are not restarted for several years. Linux is stable and works diligently without having to be continually rebooted.
3d effects on your desktop with Linux-Next generation 3D desktop
Next generation 3D desktop: Linux has used them for some time
Have you been impressed by the 3D effects with transparency that Microsoft introduced for the first time with Vista? Are you sure you want to spend hundreds of dollars to switch to Vista or Windows7 in order to have these effects? Well, Linux can do better effects for free, with much less required of the hardware resources. Indeed, Linux has had these effects for some time.
Who has not thrown at least one old computer in the basement? Windows Vista requires the latest computer hardware in order to run. Some have re-used older machines, incapable of running Vista, and even installed Xubuntu with Compiz Fusion. The results are exciting! The performance of Xubuntu on these older computers are comparable to, or better than, Vista. Do you not believe? Watch the video below!
But what is "Compiz Fusion"? This is essentially a program that can produce extraordinary effects on the windows of our desktop, from simple shading effects to complex three-dimensional effects.
Effects from more than 6 months ago PC
New Ubuntu desktop Effects
Choose yuor desktop
Choose the look of your desktop
Choose how you want your desktop to look
All Windows users have the same desktop. Certainly you can change the color of your background or window decorations from the default blue, but you'll end up having almost the same Windows interface.
With Linux, you decide what kind of desktop to use. You are spoiled with choices. You're not obliged to accept only one way of organizing multiple windows. If that's not enough, you can change the icon size, preview files and folders in the size you want, and more. If the mouse pointer rests on a music file icon, you hear the preview of the song without opening any player. Nice, huh?
The desktop power uses are huge, and of all kinds. You can have a spartan, efficient and easy to use desktop. Or you can have a flashy one with a more modern look, yet still fast and responsive. You can completely personalize it as you want. So, with Linux you decide the look of your desktop. And there's no need even to make a choice of one desktop, because you can install more than one, and switch to any one of the desktops every time you log into a session on the computer.
Working places
More desktop
Too many windows? use workplaces
Too many windows? Use the workspace
On Windows, with several programs open, for example, Word, Internet Explorer, an e-mail program, instant messenger, and file explorer, you can get lost in the confusion generated by all those windows open. With Linux you can choose among working environments, or "workspaces". You probably only have one monitor, right? Use Linux and you have the equivalent of two, four, twenty, or however many you want. Sure, you cannot see them all at once on the screen, but this matters little. In fact, your eyes cannot look in different directions simultaneously. On the first desktop you can have a writing program. On the second desktop, an instant messaging program. On the third, a web browser such as Firefox. So while you're typing, maybe you want to take a look at the web browser. You do not need to select among all the open windows. One click to select the work environment in which the web browser is running and, voila, you are there!
Keep an eye at the figure on the left and pay particular attention to the lower right corner, where there is a red double pane. That is your "workspace switcher" (environment selector). You can clearly see that there are four virtual screens, but you can have more. I will use four, but some use more. The first one on the left is highlighted as the one in use. To switch to another, just click on the one you want. Each one shows a small preview window of what is contained in that workspace. In this case, the other three workspaces are blank. You can also use a keyboard shortcut to switch between workspaces. In the picture, you see that you can also choose how many spaces and rows you move.
Support, use the community
Immediate support, free and unlimited
Get immediate support, free and unlimited
One of the greatest advantages of the Open Source community, and Linux in particular, is a community that is efficient, active and always present.
Experienced users and developers are always reachable through forums, mailing lists, and IRC channels, and are willing to help new users. They are excited to see more people switching to Linux, and are happy to lend a hand to those who are just starting or find it difficult. So if you have a problem with a program that does not behave as you would expect, or a feature that you can not enable, you can get help. If someone in your family, or a colleague or friend is running Linux, they would probably be happy to help. Or, you can go on the Internet and find literally thousands of sites with courteous people who will help you solve the problem. Go to Google's search page and simply type "linux support", or replace "linux" with any distribution you choose. Maybe add a few words about the problem to be solved, and there is no doubt you will find the solution to your problem.
Report the bug, you be will heard
A bug is an error in the source code of a program or operating system. Software with bugs may become unstable, causing crashes or malfunctions, and can be exploited by malicious people for cyber attacks.
It 's a problem that usually must be repaired by those who build the software or operating system. So patches are issued which serve to solve the bugs. If you find a bug in Windows, you usually have to wait and pray that Microsoft will resolve it quickly. If it compromises the security of your system, you pray twice. Unfortunately, Microsoft bugs are not always fixed quickly or easily, and often not with your interests in mind. Sometimes, you can only hope it is fixed in the next version of Windows. However, you will have to pay hundreds of euros for the new version. The various communities of open source software , Linux in particular, are very concerned with discovering and correcting bugs.
You can easily report the discovered bug. In fact, you are encouraged to do so! In addition, you can also keep track of what happens to your discovery. Everything is done in broad daylight. The code is open, and there are no secrets in the process. The developers will respond, and may even ask you for some extra information to help solve the bug. You will know when the bug is repaired and you will know how to get the new version, still free of charge. There are many people who take care of your problems, because they are also the problems of the community. They all work together to make better software. So do all open source projects.
Old PC ? Use Linux !
With each new release, Windows (95, 98, 2000, Me, XP, Vista) requires more powerful hardware. So if you want to continue to operate Windows, you must continually buy new hardware. Or in practice, buy a new computer. But I see no good reason for such drastic evolution. Certainly some professionals need powerful computers for the particular type of work they do.
But common users who surf the net, read and write email, write text files, create slide shows, listen to music or watch videos, what is the point in buying a new computer every 2, 3 or 4 years? Certainly, the cash goes into the pockets of manufacturers and retailers of computers. But, why should your computer no longer be able to do what it did 5 years ago? Perhaps there are secret agreements between producers of commercial software and hardware manufacturers.
This race for performance continually relieves us of our well-earned cash. Linux runs perfectly well on older computers on which Windows XP refuses to install, or on which you wait 20 seconds after each installation click. If this applies to XP, I will not dare even talk about installing Windows Vista. Linux certainly will not make a fireball out of your computer 12 year old computer, but it will run very well and will allow you to perform common tasks, such as surfing the net, writing documents, etc. The computer I am using to create this page is not so young, and is running Linux. If you can read this, it means the computer is working perfectly.
Weather on the desk
Display the weather
Are you tired of keeping a thermometer outside the window, and having to check it each time you want to know the temperature outside? Come on, simply look at your Linux desktop and you can check the weather.
Linux does not force you to do anything, so you can place the weather display anywhere on the screen, or not display it at all. After all, isn't it better to look out the window? For your weather display, you can choose the city where you live or any other place in the world. You can also show several cities simultaneously. If you put the cursor on the small image next to the temperature, you can get more information. (See the yellow box in the figure.) You can see temperature, wind speed, local time, and when the sun is rising and when it sets.
Savings, and helping small companies
If you use free software, you get double savings. Suppose you buy the software you need to use your computer. You may end up spending $1,000 or more on the cost of programs. But you need not do so. Let's see why. Microsoft is in the U.S., and its success brought significant benefits to U.S. businesses. But if you do not live in America, or you have no business interests in Microsoft corporation, when you buy their software, such as Windows or Microsoft Office, approximately 70% of the money goes abroad. That money leaves your country.
This applies also to the government, which manages public money. If the state spends $1,000, which remains in your country, it has made a good investment. In fact, leaving the money in the country reduces unemployment and increases the wealth of the population. It means savings to social assistance and other government programs. And some of that money is returned to the State through taxation, thereby increasing jobs and wealth. If the $1,000 goes abroad, then the cost is effectively higher. Because none of the money goes to the State, it fund itself in the form of more taxes. The local damage is effectively doubled.
Ultimately, the software will cost not $1,000, but effectively $1,700. Some might say, “But I'm not the State.” That is true, but the State gets its money from you in taxes. You can help lower your taxes by keeping your purchases in your country.
Less pollution with Linux
Linux Pollutes Less
One might ask: “How is Linux different from Windows when it comes to the environment? After all, we are seeking software with minimal impact on pollution or climate change.”
Well, the choice of Linux has definitely reduced environmental impact. Here's why.
1 - Windows and Mac OS are sold in very large boxes relative to the size of a CD or DVD. This means that larger quantities of paper and plastic must be produced. This means killing more trees for paper, using more oil for plastics, transporting the product from manufacturer to store, and use of more electricity and chemicals for the production of packaging. After buying all this packaging material, it must be disposed of, creating other costs and pollution. Linux is normally downloaded freely from the Internet without the need for plastic and paper packaging.
2 - Almost all proprietary software, applications, products, and operating systems mentioned above are sold in the same way as their predecessors. We are talking about Office, Nero, Norton, Photoshop, etc. Apply all of this to point number 1. The vast majority of Linux software is free and downloadable from the internet. Again, quite a bit of paper and plastic is spared, benefitting the health of the environment.
3 - With the increasing hardware requirements for Windows and Mac, an increasing number of computers become obsolete, and must be disposed of as electronic and hazardous waste. But since Linux runs very well on older machines, they can be used for many years, greatly reducing the amount of waste disposed of and the amount of new machinery to produce. Again, we must count all the pollution caused by production, transport and disposal. If we do account for how many computers are sold throughout the world, it is mind-boggling.
4 - Billions of CDs and DVDs are used for Windows, Mac and all programs related to these operating systems. Linux also needs to be burned to a CD before installation, at least in most cases. It must be said, however, that installing over a network or from a hard disk is also quite common. However, many people choose to burn on a rewritable CD that can be recycled. This is because some new versions of Linux come with a certain frequency. The CD can be re-used immediately after installation. Unlike proprietary operating systems, where it is necessary to keep the CD after you install the software, you can always re-download free software from the internet.
Linux protects your computer
Linux protects your computer
Viruses, trojans, adware, spyware, Windows allows all of these easy access to your computer. The average time before a Windows XP PC with Service Pack 2 installed and connected to the internet, is about 40 minutes, from the time it is connected to the internet and it is infected. Ssometimes it is as quick as 30 seconds.
To help prevent infections, you can:
1) - install a firewall
2) - install an antivirus
3) - install an anti-spyware
4) - replace Internet Explorer and Outlook with Firefox and Thunderbird
5) - pray and hope that the bad guys are not clever enough to circumvent all these precautions
6) - to pray again, that if a security flaw is discovered, Microsoft's resolution takes less than a couple of months to issue in the form of an update. This does not happen very often, and Microsoft updates are generally only issued onace a month.
Or, you can install Linux and have sweet dreams from now on.
As we said in "Forget about viruses on your computer", open source software, like Linux, means many more eyes see the source code. Every programmer on the planet Earth, can download the code, look at it, and check it for security holes. The only people who can see the Windows source code, (its recipe being secret), are some of the most trusted employees working for Microsoft. When a Windows version is being created, no one programmer is allowed to know what another is working on. In comparison, we are talking about hundreds of thousands of open source programmers from all over the world versus only a few Microsoft programmers. There is a huge difference.
Indeed, the issue is not only the number of flaws a system can have. Windows has many more than Linux. If there are any flaws no one has yet discovered, including the attackers, security poses no problem. However, once a flaw is discovered, the key is the speed with which the flaw can be repaired. If a security flaw is discovered in an open source program, anyone in the world can help resolve it. The solution appears, usually within a few days, and often within hours. Microsoft often releases patches for security as late as a few months after the security flaw was discovered. Often it has already been published by some magazine or forum. Of course, this gives more than enough time for the bad guys to easily do to your computer what they want. (You just have to continue to pray, always pray ... ).
I definitely recommend using Linux to manage information which is sensitive, and you want to reduce the risk of it falling into criminal hands. For example, conducting financial transactions on the Internet.
Rocket speed with Linux
Without guards you go faster
We have already said that if an attacker really wants to access our computer, he will work very hard to produce a virus or other form of threat in order to breach our security. It is clear that those who produce these forms of malware try to get the best result from it. Windows users are vastly more vulnerable than Linux users. Obviously, the attacker will seek to attack Windows rather than Linux so they can claim many more victims with the same effort. Viruses and other threats which are devastating for Windows, do not affect Linux. If a Windows virus or trojan is transferred to a Linux environment, it is not recognized, unless the Wine package is installed. Even then, it must be changed to an executable file in order to run under Wine. This is one of the many reasons that Windows needs a firewall, antivirus, anti-spyware, etc., in addition to the operating system itself, to be considered “safe”. Even then, you take your chances that your virus definitions can detect the latest “zero day” exploit. These products have two fundamental implications: cost and system slowdown. Besides the purchase cost, you pay a subscription for updates that must be constantly renewed. This kind of software, unless it is constantly updated, is useless. There are also anti-virus programs for Linux, but are free. And yet, almost no one uses them because they are considered unnecessary.
Suppose that two people make a run. Windows is stopped at each step by any guards (antivirus, anti-spyware, etc.) to check that there are no threats. Linux, not having guards, can run freely without being checked at every step. It is evident that without the guards, the operating system will run much faster.
Ultimately Linux will be faster (no need for antivirus and other anti-spyware, as with Windows). And it is available for free, as an added bonus!
Source: http://hubpages.com/hub/27-good-reasons-to-love-Linux
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)