explain Linux and Ubuntu to me Topic is solved

[manantari]

Can you explain Linux and Ubuntu to me? I'm interested in Linux because I've heard how open it is, could someone explain the good parts of Linux, the bad and the important parts too. And compare it to other OS's please.

[Snorkasaurus]

Okay... I'll bite.

Can you explain Linux and Ubuntu to me?

Linux is an operating system, it provides you with an interface that allows you to interact with your hardware the same way Windows, ReactOS, and BSD do. There are many "distributions" of Linux that each include their own customized environment, which usually consists of a default interface (typically GUI these days) and application management system. For example, Debian offers the Gnome environment by default but can also provide KDE, Xfce, LXDE, and others. Debian also uses the Synaptic package manager by default but many people choose to use the apt command line tool to manage their software. Ubuntu is based on Debian and uses Unity as its default interface (which is really just customized Gnome).

I'm interested in Linux because I've heard how open it is

Different versions of Linux and different applications may have different licensing that apply to them, but in general you will find that most Linux based software (including Linux itself) will allow you to see the source and modify the source if you wish, giving credit where credit is due of course. If you plan to take up application development you will probably find that using Linux can help keep license costs down, however it seems to me that a lot of professionally offered courses are frequently Windows based instruction (at least here in Canada it seems that way).

could someone explain the good parts of Linux, the bad and the important parts too

Obviously the price of Linux is nice, and you can often find good support from online sources such as forums and IRC. My biggest beef about Linux is that some applications are not quite the way I would like them, but not being an application developer I am unable to modify them to suit my needs. For example, I have been unable to find a Linux GUI application for network management that is as easy to use as the Windows XP manager. On a typical desktop this is no big deal because it will probably not change networks frequently... however on a laptop you might find yourself frequently adding, removing and connecting to networks, and frankly the network manager apps I have found for Linux are mediocre at best for this. Another thing that some people find frustrating about Linux is the software dependencies. This is really a thing of the past and most modern distributions have greatly improved their ability to manage dependencies when installing or uninstalling software.

And compare it to other OS's please.

This is really just a fight waiting to happen. Some people really like OS/2, some like Windows, some like Linux, and some like ReactOS... in the end, it is really a personal preference and you can't figure out which one you will choose until you try them all (except maybe OS/2). The purpose of your system will also influence which operating system you choose. For example, I like a non-GUI Linux distribution for servers that can be remotely managed but I prefer Windows XP on my laptop. I am sure that there are members here who would not run Windows XP on their laptop... some for political reasons, some for visual presentation, and some for price. One really nice thing about Linux is that it typically doesn't cost you anything to try it out to see if you like it. If you don't want to destroy your Windows installation in order to try Linux you can often install Linux "beside" Windows (a dual boot system) or install a virtualization program like VirtualBox to run Linux inside your Windows, or try one of the many Linux LiveCD's that are available.

Anybody else feel like chiming in?
S.

[viking60]

Some won't run XP because It is simply not as good as a Linux distro.
Network is easy if you pick distros like PClos Mandriva or Mageia. They come with a Windows like control panel.

PCLOS uses Synaptic and Apt.
Here is a video comparing Windows 8 and Ubuntu side by side:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=2550
In any case I find networking easier in Linux than in Windows. The clue is to make them both interact so you really need to know both sides of it.All big networks have bot Linux and Windows.
SSH is a secure way of hooking up your computers that Windows does not have out of the box.But there are solutions that let you use sftp to communicate safely between your boxes.

Linux can be different from Windows so if you expect a Windows copy for free - that is not the intention behind Linux. But you can make Linux look and behave pretty much exactly like Windows.

In fact there is a Distro that lets you change the look and feel by the press of a button: Zorin
The Zorin Look Changer lets you change your desktop to look and act like either Windows 7, XP, Vista, Ubuntu Unity, Mac OS X or GNOME 2 for ultimate ease of use.
Most Linux users don't see that as an important thing though, but it might help you feel more comfortable when you come from Windows for the first time.

Linux has no registry - (that gets cluttered and slows your box down over time). Linux needs no de-fragmentation and Linux in itself needs no AntiVirus.
So when you open your mails in Linux you do literally feel more free than in Windows where you have a constant fear of getting infected by something.

There are programs to cover most or all of your needs in Linux. Here is a list of Linux programs compared to the Windows equivalent:

http://www.linuxrsp.ru/win-lin-soft/table-eng.html#1

You can also run pure Windows programs under Linux with Wine.
And if you still need Windows it makes more sense to put Windows in a Virtualbox under Linux - from a Virus point of view.

And Linux is easy to use - much easier than Windows 8. And boy does it look good: