We often come across Linux, either by hearing about it or even using this operating system. Programmers like this operating system because it’s very convenient and less frequently attacked by malware compared to other operating systems.
Linux emerged on September 17, 1991, and its competitor is considered to be Windows. For decades, Linux was considered equal to Windows and had its fan base due to its versatility.
As you may know, this operating system is Unix-type open source and is designed for computers, servers, hosts, mobile devices, and embedded devices. From a technical point of view, it is one of the most widely supported operating systems, compatible with almost all major computing platforms, including x86, ARM, and SPARC.
Linux offers such daily functionalities as web browsing, Emailing, photo management, financial management, and more – in this sense, it is no different from the basic features of Windows.
The main difference between this operating system and, let’s say, Windows, is that it is an open-source operating system, whereas Windows is not. Besides, Windows is a bundled package that costs significantly more than Linux and is considered rather expensive. Linux offers high speed and security, while Windows is more suitable for those unfamiliar with technology and is commonly used by business users and gamers. Many enterprise organizations use Linux as servers and OS for security reasons, as its security measures are considered hard to breach. This system is generally recommended for three types of people: programmers, server admins, and embedded developers.
We have noticed that Linux is very versatile as an operating system as it works with a variety of hardware, from supercomputers to clocks. If you have an old and slow Windows system, you can definitely install a lightweight Linux system or run a NAS or media broadcaster with some Linux distribution. Users can fully control software updates and can install them whenever they want or need them. Updates take much less time compared to Windows and what’s interesting is that you don’t have to restart your computer like Windows. It is a good feature as disabling and rebooting Linux takes as much time as Windows.
Another good thing is that Linux is distributed legally, and its downloads are legal as well. No need to search for this OS via torrent and try to download this way from some other dubious source. You can find it on the internet, and it’s really easy to download.
Many positive things can be said about Linux, however, one must admit that no matter how universal this operating system is, it also has certain drawbacks, such as no standard edition, limited market share, as well as lack of proprietary software. It is also difficult to troubleshoot, there is poor game support, the hardware is unsupported and there is a significant lack of technical support.
There’s another interesting thing about this operating system: it has distribution packages. Linux distribution package is a set of programs that consists of the core of the Linux operating system itself and a bunch of GNU system programs and other system programs.
The most popular Linux distributions are the following ones: Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and Linux Mint.
Ubuntu is a Linux operating system mostly used for business, however, it is also popular with home users as it’s customized for desktop needs. There is an open-source Debian-based Linux distribution suitable for beginners. The operating system was primarily designed for personal computers, but it can also be used on servers.
Debian is a Linux operating system that is more of a system for administrators and servers. It is free of charge and consists of free applications that can be downloaded from online repositories. Suitable for computers of various architectures.
Fedora, another popular Linux operating system, is used for business, as a customized OS and is also well-liked by home users. It has a general-purpose OS that uses the Linux kernel. Interestingly, it is an open-source project supported by RedHat, and they are actively involved in the development of this particular operating system.
Linux Mint is a Linux operating system that is mostly adapted for home users and their PCs. Even though it was developed based on Ubuntu code, the desktop design and user interfaces are very different.
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