REXOFCYBER Explains: What’s a Linux Distro and How Are They Different?

If you’ve heard anything at all about Linux, you’ve probably heard of Linux distributions – often shortened to “Linux distros.” When deciding to use Linux – on a desktop computer or server – you’ll first need to choose a distro.
For many people, Ubuntu has become synonymous with Linux. But Ubuntu is one of many distros, and you have a lot of choice when it comes to Linux.

What is a Linux Distro, Anyway?

Linux isn’t like Windows or Mac OS X. Microsoft combines all the bits of Windows internally to produce each new release of Windows and distributes it as a single package. If you want Windows, you’ll need to choose one of the versions Microsoft is offering.
Linux works differently. The Linux operating system isn’t produced by a single organization. Different organizations and people work on different parts. There’s the Linux kernel (the core of the operating system), the GNU shell utilities (the terminal interface and many of the commands you use), the X server (which produces a graphical desktop), the desktop environment (which runs on the X server to provide a graphical desktop), and more. System services, graphical programs, terminal commands – many are developed independently from another. They’re all open-source software distributed in source code form.
If you wanted to, you could grab the source code for the Linux kernel, GNU shell utilities, Xorg X server, and every other program on a Linux system, assembling it all yourself. However, compiling the software would take a lot of time – not to mention the work involved with making all the different programs work properly together.

Linux distributions do the hard work for you, taking all the code from the open-source projects and compiling it for you, combining it into a single operating system you can boot up and install. They also make choices for you, such as choosing the default desktop environment, browser, and other software. Most distributions add their own finishing touches, such as themes and custom software – the Unity desktop environment Ubuntu provides, for example.
When you want to install new software or update to new versions of software with important security updates, your Linux distribution provides them in precompiled, packaged form. These packages are fast and easy to install, saving you from doing the hard work yourself.

How Are the Distros Different?

There are multiple different Linux distributions. Many have different philosophies – some, like Fedora, refuse to include closed-source software, while others, like Mint, include closed-source stuff to make it easier on users. They include different default software – like how Ubuntu includes Unity, Ubuntu derivatives include other desktop environments, Fedora includes GNOME Shell, and Mint includes Cinnamon or MATE.

Many also use different package managers, configuration utilities, and other software. Some distributions are bleeding edge and won’t receive support for very long. Others, such as Ubuntu LTS or Red Hat Enterprise Linux, are designed to be stable distributions that will be supported with security updates and bug fixes for many years.
Some Linux distributions are intended for desktop computers, some for servers without a graphical interface, and others for special uses, such as home theater PCs.

Some are designed to work out of the box – like Ubuntu – while others require a bit more tweaking, such as Arch Linux.

What Distro Should I Choose?

Different Linux distributions are suited for different purposes. Which Linux distribution you should choose will depend on what you’re doing with it and your personal preferences.
If you’re a desktop user, you’ll probably want something simple, like Ubuntu or Mint. Some people may prefer Fedora, openSUSE, or Mageia (based on Mandriva Linux).





People looking for a more stable, well-tested system may want to go with Debian, CentOS (a free version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux), or even Ubuntu LTS.
There’s no one right distribution for everyone, although everyone has a favorite. Linux distributions offer choice, which can be messy, but also very useful. Anyone can make their own distribution by assembling it from the source code themselves, or even taking an existing distribution and modifying it – that’s why there are so many Linux distributions.

The Great Debate: Is it Linux or GNU/Linux?

You will usually see the Linux operating system referred to as “Linux” online. However, the term “GNU/Linux” is occasionally used instead. Linux and GNU/Linux refer to the same operating system and software, and there’s a controversy over which term is more appropriate.
We’re not here to take a side in this old debate, but this article should help you understand why there’s a naming controversy and what the difference is between the terms “Linux” and “GNU/Linux.”

What is “Linux”?

“Linux” itself is just the kernel – the core part of the operating system. Other software, such as the GNU C compiler used to compile the kernel, bash command-line shell, GNU shell utilities (all the basic commands you would use on a command line), X.org graphical server, a graphical desktop like Unity, and the software that runs on top of the graphical desktop, like Firefox, are all produced by different groups of developers.
Linux distributions assemble all this disparate software from different developers and call the complete package “Linux.”

The GNU Project

Richard Stallman made plans for GNU in 1983. GNU was to be a complete, Unix-compatible operating system made up of free software. GNU is a recursive acronym standing for “GNU’s Not Unix!”(“Free software” is a similar term to open-source software, although free software focuses more on “freedom.” But that’s a different controversy.)
By 1991, the GNU project had finished many of the pieces of the GNU operating system, including the GNU C Compiler (gcc), bash command-line shell, many shell utilities, the Emacs text editor, and more. Other parts of the operating system could be provided by already-existing free software, such as the X Window System, which provided a graphical desktop.
However, the core part of the operating system – the GNU Hurd kernel – was not complete. The GNU Project chose an ambitious microkernel design for the kernel, resulting in long delays. (As of 2013, the GNU Hurd kernel has been in development for 23 years and no stable version has ever been released.)

Linux Arrives

The kernel was seen as “the last missing piece” of the GNU operating system by the GNU project. In 1991, Linus Torvalds released the first version of the Linux kernel. There was now enough software for a completely free operating system, and distributors (like modern “Linux distributions”) assmbled the Linux kernel, GNU software, and X Window System together.
Initially, there was some debate over what these distributions should be called. In 1992, the Yggdrasil project chose the name “Yggdrasil Linux/GNU/X” for its combination of software. GNU/Linux is the preferred term advanced by Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation. Debian still refers to its software as “GNU/Linux” today.

The Case for GNU/Linux

The GNU project makes up a large part of the standard “Linux” system and was a project intended to develop a full operating system, named GNU. However, a significant part of Richard Stallman’s objection to the term “Linux” is that it downplays the significance of GNU and its original purpose: as a completely free operating system intended to provide freedom to users. This is intertwined with the debate over “free software” – a term intended to focus on freedom – and “open source” – a term intended to focus on technical advantages and downplay the philosophical angle.
As Richard Stallman said in an interview with ZNET in 2005:

Linux was not designed with the goal of liberating cyberspace, and the motives for Linux would not have given us the whole GNU/Linux system.
Today tens of millions of users are using an operating system that was developed so they could have freedom — but they don’t know this, because they think the system is Linux and that it was developed by a student “just for fun’.”

More of his thoughts on the subject can be read on the GNU website.

The Case for Linux

Proponents of the term “Linux” argue it’s a mistake to focus only on GNU, as the average distribution contains software from a variety of organizations and could be called Mozilla/KDE/Apache/X.org/GNU/Linux with similar justification.
The term Linux is also used by more people – if nothing else, it’s a simpler and easier name to remember, type, and pronounce. And whatever the ideal name is, the operating system itself is generally referred to as Linux by most people. You will find it referred to as “Linux” here on How-To Geek and elsewhere because it’s a more common term that readers immediately understand.
We’ll end with a quote from Linus Torvalds in 1996:

Umm, this discussion has gone on quite long enough, thank you very much.
It doesn’t really _matter_ what people call Linux, as long as credit is given where credit is due (on both sides).  Personally, I’ll very much continue to call it “Linux”

What’s This “Linux” Thing and Why Should I Try It?

Lately, Linux has been receiving quite a bit of notice. Between the ASUS EeePC, the One Laptop Per Child project, Dell’s new Ubuntu line, Intel’s Classmate PC, and Everex’s Green PC, Linux has been getting a lot of attention from computer manufacturers. It seems every new computer in the last year has had Linux, but to most people that doesn’t mean anything. It probably leaves you wondering, “what’s this Linux thing everyone’s talking about?”

So, what is this Linux thing?

Linux is an operating system, just like Windows and OSX are operating systems. It talks to the computer’s hardware, makes sure everything’s going OK, and then you run programs on top of it. Because it pretty much always comes with a standard set of tools (the GNU tools) which are very similar to the tools found on big UNIX systems, it is sometimes called GNU/Linux. If you’ve ever used a UNIX system, you’ll feel right at home.
When someone says they use Linux, what they mean is they use a distribution (aka distro) of Linux. Without the GNU tools or any applications, it can be a little useless. A distro is a software bundle. It includes the Linux kernel (the part that actually talks to the hardware), the GNU tools, and whatever applications the person or people who started that distro thought were useful, all configured in a way that they think works well.
Since not everyone has the same idea of a good system, there are a few hundred distros out there, each having its niche–though often many distros share a niche. There are distros for old, low-spec computers, like Damn Small Linux and distros like Sabayon for high-end computers to show off their bling. Some distros, like Gentoo are loved by those who like to tweak everything for the best possible performance, just like that guy down the street who’s always tweaking his hotrod. Some distros, like SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) are aimed at corporate desktop use with support contracts. Red Hat, on the other hand, is for corporate server use. Then there are CentOS and OpenSUSE which are just like Red Hat and SLED, except without the support contracts which corporate environments often require. Fedora is the desktop version of Red Hat, aimed at home users, though my school uses it in the computer labs. Debian is known for its stability, which makes it great for servers, but since it usually includes older software, many desktop users prefer Ubuntu to have an up-to-date system. There are tons of others, but those are some of the most common.

Why should I use it?

There are a number of reasons you may want to try Linux on your computer. For me, the main reason to switch was to try something new. I wanted to know what else was out there besides Windows, which I was bored with, and OSX, which I don’t like. Trying something new and learning more about how computers work might not be your thing, though, so here are some other reasons.

It’s free – You don’t have to pay anything to try or use Linux. Most of the software for it is totally free-of-charge too. Some distros are for-pay, like Red Hat, but in that case you’re paying for a support contract. They’re generally available without the support contract as well, such as with CentOS.
You’re free – One of the things we say about Linux is that while it’s often free/gratis (free as in beer), it is always free/libre (free as in speech). What that means is that there are a few freedoms which come along with it. You are free to use it and any other FLOSS for whatever purpose you want. You are free to study the program and adapt it to your needs. Even if you can’t code, if there’s something you want changed, there’s probably a 12 year old down the street who could make the changes for you. You are free to share it with your friends without being branded a software pirate. Just about anything you want to do with FLOSS, you can do, unless you want to change the license to make it stop being FLOSS. That’s a pretty wide-open license.
It’s secure – Linux was built, like UNIX, to be a multi-user system. There are permissions in place to maintain the security of the system. Users do not run as administrators all the time, so actions which affect the system must be explicitly allowed. Software cannot be installed unless a user says, as administrator, to explicitly allow that to happen, so viruses cannot install themselves. DOS and its child, Windows, were not built with this security model in mind. They run under a set of assumptions which just aren’t true in today’s world. They assume that only one person will ever touch the computer, that that person has all the knowledge necessary to be a good system administrator, and that nobody else can reach that computer, such as through a network. Given the existence of the internet, we know that there are plenty of people who can reach our computers. What we need to do is keep them from getting into our computers and causing harm. Linux’s system of permissions prevents this. Windows’ assumption that any action being performed is being allowed by the administrator is what allows malware to self-install. Microsoft has taken steps in its newest version of Windows, Vista, to copy this system of checking with the administrator before allowing certain actions to be performed, but the way in which it was done seems to be more intrusive. It’s always obvious why the system is asking for permission if you are using a UNIX-like system, such as Linux, FreeBSD, or OSX.
It’s easy – This is a new one. It used to be fairly difficult for a new user to try out Linux, mostly because installation was difficult. Once the system is setup, though, it only stops for hardware failure. My mom’s been using Linux (Ubuntu, specifically) since Thanksgiving 2006. I set it up for her, showed her where Firefox was, told her she could find whatever she needs in the Applications Menu, and got on a train to go back to school, 250 miles away. By New Year, she was bragging to her friends about how much faster and easier this Linux thing was than Windows. Wow. And they said only a geek could figure out Linux. My mom took a month to figure out email! My siblings were still asking me to install software for them after 5 years of Windows. On Linux, they mark a few check boxes to choose what they want to install then hit “Apply” and everything downloads and installs automatically–no hunting the internet for installers.

How do I get it?

You can download an ISO from any of the distros’ websites and burn your own install disk or get a friend to give you a disk. Canonical (the company behind Ubuntu) mails out free CDs too. You can also get DVD versions (which have extra stuff included) of many of the distros online for a small fee. Finally, check your local computer store. Sometimes Xandros is available with the regular boxed software. If you really don’t want to try to install it yourself, check for a local LUG. They often have “installfests” where you can bring your computer to get help from someone with a bit more experience.

What’s with that penguin up there?

Linus Torvalds, the man who started the development of Linux back when he was a student at the University of Helsinki, was once bit by a penguin. When the idea of having a Linux logo came up, he suggested a cute, friendly little penguin as the mascot. He said it was more interesting and fun because you can do things with a mascot like that which you simply can’t do with a rectangle that says “LINUX.” The penguin’s name is Tux, and he was created by Larry Ewing using the GIMP.

Penguin Origins: The History of Linux [Geek History]

There’s virtually no place you can go without being in contact with Linux – it powers everything from regular computers to the most powerful servers to our handheld mobile devices. Most people who aren’t techies like us don’t even know what Linux is, nor do they know that Android runs using Linux. Whether you know it or not, Linux is everywhere, and that presence seems to only be increasing.
However, Linux isn’t a new operating system – it’s been around longer than I have and going strong. How did Linux get to where it is today?  Taking a look at the lengthy history of Linux might give us some insight on that question.

The Beginning

In mid-September of 1991, a Finnish computer science student by the name of Linus Torvalds released Linux version 0.01, the first one ever. Torvalds claimed that he was inspired to write the Linux kernel because buying Unix or Minix systems was too expensive, especially for a college student. One of his most famous emails which advertised his project to other interested developers mentioned that the kernel project would be “nothing professional” and more of a hobby project rather than a serious attempt at creating a brand new operating system.
Little did he know that his kernel would gain a large amount of support, and over the years the kernel would be greatly expanded to be capable of much more than what it originally was.

Licensing

It wasn’t long after the original release of Linux that Torvalds decided to license the software using the GNU General Public License, which allowed people to see, copy, use, and modify for their own needs. This seemingly simple decision has played a major role in why Linux has become so popular today. While the Linux Foundation and Linus Torvalds have the authority to control and release official Linux kernels, anyone in the world, both private individuals, as well as businesses or corporations, can use the software for free and modify it to their own needs.
Due to the open nature of Linux, plenty of businesses helped develop patches which would eventually be incorporated into the kernel, spurring its development dramatically.

Slackware & Debian

Just two years after the original release of the Linux kernel, a man by the name of Patrick Volkerding wrote and published Slackware, the very first Linux distribution – an operating environment ecosystem which is based on the Linux kernel. While all Linux distributions have the Linux kernel (or variations of it) as its core, everything else about the distribution can be changed. From which package format should be used to default programs for both the system and the user.
Approximately two months after the release of Slackware, another important Linux distribution was released - Debian. Out of these two oldest known Linux distributions, Debian is currently the most influential as a large amount of Linux systems run Debian or a distribution based off of it.

Mandrake Linux

While it definitely not the first distribution, and it wasn’t the best either, Mandrake Linux was one of the first real desktop-oriented Linux distributions. However it had plenty of faults, as Linux in general was still relatively young. However, it was the first serious attempt at a desktop for Linux, and became the most popular Linux distro before other projects arose.
Plenty of people who tried out Linux way back then may have some fond memories of those old systems, despite all of the struggles they had with it such as dependency hell. For those who want to look at Mandrake, check out its successor Mageia.

Rise Of Red Hat

One of the few problems that arise with every venture is how profitable something can be, and the idea of trying to make money from open source software was a great challenge. Red Hat, a corporation that aims at providing a stable Linux distribution and support to businesses, managed to accomplish this by selling support for their own Red Hat distribution. The company became profitable enough that it went public in 1999, and had the 8th highest first-day gain in Wall Street history.
This marked another major milestone for Linux’s history. Today, the company has a large amount of influence on the Linux community as well, helping out with numerous software projects, providing kernel patches, and watching over their community-run distribution Fedora from which their Red Hat distribution is made.

Ubuntu

In 2004, one of the most popular Linux desktop distributions was released for the first time - Ubuntu. At the beginning, the Debian-based distro was, like most other Linux distributions at the time, wasn’t quite easy to get started with. However, after a number of releases, it has become a strong example for what a great Linux desktop should be.
Of course, it’s not the only one as Linux Mint is another great example, but it has become the first distro anyone mentions when they think of Linux. Now, there are plenty of organizations which are supporting Linux, and the first distribution they tend to support is Ubuntu.

Android

While there are great advances in the kernel and desktop distributions, it still doesn’t quite compare to the success Linux has had when it comes to mobile devices. Of course, the greatest example of this is Android, which was first released in 2008. Currently, all devices running any version of Android outnumber those that run iOS. Considering how many mobile devices currently exist in the world, that’s a lot of people who have a Linux device in their hand.
Android has been on a roll lately, and there doesn’t seem to be any slowdown in sight. Therefore, while it may not be making a large impact in the desktop market, it most certainly is in the mobile market.

Conclusion

Although it has most certainly been a long 20+ year history of Linux for it to come this far, it has definitely made an impact on everyone’s lives. The rate of Linux adoption appears to be at an all-time high, so the number of Linux devices can only go up. I’m really excited to see where Linux will go in the future, and how it can impact our lives in fantastic ways.

India may cut the Internet connection?

Have you ever wondered how a country would be difficult to disconnect all connections to the Internet? If you think that the threat of dictatorship or civil war will suffer the most in the country, let me tell you that prefer peace enough to cut the Internet in democracy are in danger.
Take the case of India. 'Internet connectivity' research on the Internet to cut as much risk, beyond the control of the government in the shadows of tribal leaders in Afghanistan, as well as here.
But how? In 2012, Libya, Egypt and Syria click cut the Internet connection after 'Renesis' institution of the connections in all countries of the world are researching the possibility of cuts.
'Renesis' government or muscle cutting capacity on the Internet, but also connecting wire from the Internet Service Providers (ISP Global) depends on.
Global ISP will be much less than the risk, because the way the Internet will clamp it together to make them disappear.

How much danger to India?

"Iran 100 ISP, but less than 10 of these are connected to the world, so too is the risk of cutting their prevention and the Internet."

Jim Kovi, chief technical officer, 'Renesis'

In countries where the Renesis is very complicated and advanced satellite network, the Internet is more vulnerable to cuts.
'Renesis' Kovi's chief technical officer Jim told the BBC, "100 ISPs in Iran, but fewer than 10 of these are connected to the world, thus preventing the risk of cutting hair is too much.,"
The USA, Canada, Australia and Russia, not only in countries that are at risk. There are 40 more than the global ISP, the Internet is not completely off if possible.
And in India? 'Renesis' compared with the rest of the world is at risk because of the Internet in India to prevent global ISP from 10 to 40, all of them are locked together can take several days to.
But there is less danger in Afghanistan. Less government control in Afghanistan, Uzbek, Iranian and Pakistani borders crossing more likely to reach the Internet. This may take several days to cut together the whole internet.

Where will cut full internet connection?

"China's ISP specializes in preventing the world's information, the government does not listen to such a company, it is difficult to believe this."

Adam Segal, China cyber - security expert

'Renesis' Internet in the European country of Belarus is too much risk of being bitten.
There is a government of Belarus ISP Telecom Company combines the world, it can be turned off via the internet to the whole country.
The postcode is no secret that the public must have the internet to work. Belarus is the postcode 6697.
The 'Renesis' The Internet in China is at risk of being bitten. Xinjiang province of China in the years 2009 and 2010, the Internet was disconnected.
'Renesis' indicates that several independent companies in China on the Internet is working hard to try and click difficult for the Chinese government is.
But in China, cyber - security expert Adam Segal have different opinions. He says, "China's ISP specializes in preventing the world's information, the government does not listen to such a company, it is hard to believe."
Segal said China wants to convey the message to the world that his country is no restrain on the Internet, so that if necessary, but the pace is very slow to close the Internet as there image.

Manage A Multi-Monitor Easily on Windows with DisplayFusion

There is  tool that can extend taskbar across multiple monitors. And you can also use this nice tip to make a large wide wallpaper to work perfectly for dual monitors without any 3rd party tools. But if you still don’t feel enough, here is another powerful tool called DisplayFusion that will make your multi-monitor life much easier.

So what are good?

If you look at the list of the features DisplayFusion brings onto the table, you will know that is something definitely worth looking and trying. After trying for a little while, you probably will agree with many others why it’s good.
DisplayFusion offers a free version that is basically a striped down version of its Pro edition. But still, the freeware has a lots of features that will make things a lot easier for you through your daily computer life, including:

• different image on different monitor
• span single image across all monitors
• load single image from online sources, like 500px, Bing Image Search, deviantArt, etc.
• many wallpaper sizing options
• customizable titlebar
• ability to adjust window transparency
• snapping features like Windows 7
• more features to control window properties and locations.
• etc.

Oh…it even has a feature for Windows 8 to adjust the border size for application windows.

Download and installation

You can download the trial Pro version directly from their website and use the full features for free for 30 days. You will be only running and using the free version once the trial period expires.
The installation process is easy and straightforward. No tricks with options to load the crapyware during the installation.

Wallpapers

With DisplayFusion, you have many options to tweak your wallpaper settings on your multi-monitor setup. You can choose different images for your different monitors, which is very handy when you have different sizes of monitors in your setup. You can use one single image to span across multiple monitors. You can also have 7 resizing options to manipulate your images. What’s more convenient is that you can find and load different images from different sources online without actually going to their website. All of these things you can do and manage through its Desktop Wallpaper window, which you can launch through the right-click context menu on desktop.

Titlebar

DisplayFusion adds an addition control button on any application’s Title bar that makes you move the window across monitors much easier. You can assign the hotkey to the titlebar so once you press that DisplayFusion will automatically move the window to the same location on the next window in the line, which could be handy.

You can also control many of DisplayFusion features and functions by right clicking on the same Titlebar.

Verdict

We’ve only touched a few features in DisplayFusion. There are actually a lot more features you can benefit from, even though only in the free stripped down version. If you cough up $25 more, you will be getting a lot more, including the multi-taskbar feature on all monitors you have connected on your system.
Overall, it’s a powerful tool that you definitely to check out in order to get a lot more out of your already awesome multi-monitor setup. It also could be a good additional resource to Windows 8, which already has a very nice dual-monitor setup in place.
DisplayFusion works with all popular Windows system, from XP all the way to Windows 8. Both 32-bit and 64-bit editions are supported.

Brand New Unity Mockups Show Some Really Neat Ideas for Launcher Improvement

Ever since Canonical introduced Unity desktop, there was no dearth for user-contributed ideas. Some of them were really good too. But over-time, things have changed so much about Unity that most of those mockups became irrelevant. Now, here's a new one that recently came to our notice. Some very good suggestions to improve Unity launcher further.

A Better Ubuntu Unity Launcher Project

What makes this current crop of mockups special is the fact that, they are not recommending for anything drastic. Small incremental improvements to the current Unity launcher is exactly what it needs. roundup of suggestions.

• Vertical lines to represent currently focused application. Much needed change.

• A more readable progress bar. Welcome move, I say.

• Support for groups/folders with drag and drop functionality. 

• Icons should be using the full space for better readability, another much needed change.

Now this is second part of A Better Ubuntu Unity Launcher project (click on the images to see them in full size for better readability). Major change is the fact that, he used Ubuntu Phone icons instead of Faenza icons for the mockups and it looks really pretty in my opinion. So what do you guys think about the whole idea?