Operating systems based on LINUX. Which ones are the most famous? Linux OS. What is Russian Linux: description, characteristics and reviews

This article will talk about some of the features of operating systems of the Linux family.

– a family of operating systems based on the Linux kernel. Includes an open and free software development model.
The beauty of Linux operating systems is that they are distributed absolutely free.
Most users use distribution kits to install Linux. The most popular distributions in the world are the following:

Debian Linux is the oldest Linux distribution. Many other images are built on this distribution. Main differences Debian– a strict approach to the inclusion of proprietary software;
Ubuntu- a distribution created using Debian and very quickly gaining its high popularity. The interface and use of this distribution is very easy and does not require special knowledge. Supports almost all PC hardware and fits any computer; about how to install this OS is written in.
Linux Mint– this distribution, in turn, is based on Ubuntu. These two distributions are fully compatible with each other.

The last two will be discussed in this article.

For the average user, to whom the article is dedicated, there are practically no differences between Ubuntu and Linux, except perhaps in design. Speaking of the interface, as I already said, it is simply elementary - along the left edge (Ubuntu) and the bottom (Linux Mint) there is a taskbar, which includes the necessary programs. These programs can be either added or removed. As in Windows, the taskbar has a “Start”, where you can find all other programs, documents, games, and also search on your computer or on the Internet.

Application Center on Linux (App Gird) and Ubuntu (App Store) has a lot of applications, 95% of which are absolutely free. In the application center you can find many useful utilities, various games and much other software. These applications are installed directly from the center, as well as uninstalled, which is very convenient. These distributions have built-in Flash Player, which saves you from long searches on the Internet, because the official Adobe website does not have a player for all versions of Linux, and for Ubuntu there is no player at all.

Another useful Linux utility is terminal. , to put it simply. With its help, you can do a lot in Ubuntu and Linux: install an application, move it, delete it, create files and directories, change the shell and much more. The terminal, of course, will be incomprehensible to an inexperienced user, but it is very easy to learn.

The last plus that will be told here is viruses. Or rather, their absence. Why there are no viruses in Linux is a long story, but if you are afraid, when using Windows, for example, of viruses that can erase important data, or simply slow down your computer so that it cannot be used, switch to Linux. A good antivirus for Windows is very difficult to find. By the way, ours is constantly updated with various reviews of popular and not so popular antiviruses, be sure to come and read.

An alternative to Windows can be the Linux operating system. In this article I will tell you how to install the Linux operating system on your computer or laptop.

The article will address such issues :

• Which Linux to install

• Installing Linux

• Is it worth installing Linux?

Which version of Linux to install

Today, one of the most popular versions (distributions) of Linux is Linux Ubuntu. It is this Linux distribution that is most often installed on sold laptops, unlike other types of Linux OS. At the moment, Ubuntu is one of the most progressive distributions, but many Linux users express the opinion that Ubuntu has lost its primary philosophy and is no longer as “simple” as it used to be. Yes, this is probably true - the innovations introduced over the last 2-3 years have made Ubuntu a rather resource-intensive system, and it no longer has the simplicity that it had before - that Linux philosophy.

Linux distributions that are more lightweight are Linux-Mint and Linux openSUSE. Both of these distributions are popular among users due to their simplicity, and most importantly, their lack of resource requirements. It is these three distributions that we recommend choosing. Which distribution should you choose? Decide for yourself after trying all these types of operating systems; besides, this can be done even without installation, by launching the OS from the installation disk.

We will build our Linux installation manual on the basis of Linux Ubuntu, due to its great popularity.

Installing Linux

First, let's talk about how to install Linux from a disk.
First of all, we go to the Russian-language Ubuntu website “ubuntu.ru” and download the latest system image from there. Then, from the list of proposed images, select the image that matches the architecture of your computer or laptop. Of course, it is best to install a 64-bit operating system, but if the parameters of your computer do not allow you to do this, then you will have to install a 32-bit OS.

Minimum Linux Ubuntu Computer Requirements

Minimum computer requirements if you want to installUbuntux32:

• Processor: 1 GHz;

• RAM: 512 MB;

• Free space on HDD: 5 GB;

• Processor: 2 GHz x2;

• RAM: 4 GB;

• Free space on HDD: 20 GB;

• Video adapter: discrete or integrated.

Linux Ubuntu Image
The link to the image should be in the following format: releases.ubuntu.com/13.04/ubuntu-13.04-desktop-amd64.iso.torrent, where 13.04 is the year and month of release of the OS version, “desktop” means that the version is intended for a home PC , and not for the server, and the last parameter “i386” is a 32-bit OS, and “amd64” is a 64-bit OS.

Next, click on the link we need and download the image to your hard drive. Please note that to download the image you must have a torrent client installed; for Windows this is uTorrent. Then we insert a blank DVD disc, preferably R, into the optical drive and burn the image to it. While the image is being written to the disk, start resaving the data.

Resaving data
If you have it installed, then dry out all your files from drive “C” in advance, especially the “Downloads” and “Documents” folders, since we will format this partition when installing Linux. Also resave all game saves (although you won’t need them on Linux, but still). Also go to your browser and save all your passwords and site bookmarks if you don’t remember them.

Preparing for installation
Now that everything is saved, insert the installation disk into the drive and restart the computer or laptop. After the reboot, when you restart the computer, go to Bios and set the following parameters in the operating system startup settings: primary boot – “CDROM”, secondary – “Hard Drive”. This is necessary so that the machine does not ignore the installation disk and boots from it, rather than starting to boot the system from the hard drive. Once you have made these settings, save your changes and restart your computer. In order to boot from disk, you may need to confirm this type of boot. After this, after a few seconds, the Ubuntu bootloader window will appear.
Next, you will be presented with instructions for installing Linux in pictures, where we will tell and clearly show how to install Linux correctly.

Installation process

Once you have selected your language, select one of the suggested actions: “Try Ubuntu” or “Install Ubuntu”. By selecting “Try Ubuntu” the operating system will boot from the disk, and you can test Ubuntu without installing it - this is very convenient. If you are already familiar with Ubuntu and you like it, then select “Install Ubuntu”.

Since our article is devoted to installing the Ubuntu OS, we will talk directly about its installation, and not testing. So, after choosing the Ubuntu installation option, you will need to make some settings.

First, the installer will check that your machine meets all the required parameters:

• Is there free space on your hard drive?

• Is the device (in this case a laptop or netbook) connected to a power source?

• Is your device connected to the Internet?

You can also choose to have the installed operating system immediately download the required package of drivers, codecs, etc. To do this, leave a checkmark next to the “Download updates during installation” item. Then click the “Continue” button.

Now we are asked to select the installation type. In the case when you have a new hard drive and there is no data on it, you can select the option: “Erase the disk and install Ubuntu”, but for experienced users we recommend choosing “Other option”.

If the installer detects previously installed operating systems, for example, then the options will be slightly different, the installer will offer to remove the previous operating system and install Ubuntu in its place, but keep in mind that if you select this option, the installer will format the entire hard drive, including the disk "D". In this case, we also recommend selecting “Other option” for the installation type. After we have selected this option, we go to the hard disk partition management menu.

If you have a blank and unformatted disk, then you need to create a “New Partition Table”. If there are already partitions, then there is no need to create a new table.

If the hard drive is not formatted, you will see the following.

Select free space and then click on the “+” button.

To create a partition, enter its desired size and the following parameters:

• New partition type: Primary;

• Use as: Ext4 journaled file system;

• Mount point: /.

Then click the “OK” button. Please note that if you install the operating system on a blank HDD, then, unlike Windows, you do not need to divide it into several partitions, since it has a slightly different architecture. Therefore, we make 2 partitions: the main one (OS and files) and the swap partition.

Next, create a swap partition equal to the amount of your RAM. If the amount of RAM is less than 2 GB, then set the size to at least 2 GB, but not more. If the amount of RAM is more than 2 GB, then the size of the paging file should be equal to the amount of RAM. The swap partition is created in the same way as the main partition. Select free space, click the “+” button and enter the following:

• Main partition type: Logical;

• Location of the new section: The beginning of this space;

• Use as: Swap partition.

Confirm the creation of the swap partition by clicking the “Ok” button.
If you have data on drive “D”, then select this partition and click the change button. In the window select:

• Use as: NTFS;

• Section:DO NOT format;

• Mount point: /media/“optional name in Latin” (for example: “/media/win”).

Click the “Ok” button. We perform the same operation with other NTFS partitions, of course, giving them different mount point names, for example: “/media/download”, “/media/documents”, etc. (the mount point is entered without quotes).

We double-check all the specified settings and click the “Install Now” button.

After this, preparation for installation begins.

The installer will ask you to select your location on the map, after selecting it, click the “Continue” button.

Then select the keyboard layout.

The next thing the installer will ask us to do is enter user account settings. You will need to enter:

• Your name – enter your name (in Latin);

• The name of your computer – preferably original (in Latin);

• Username - user nickname (in Latin);

• Enter your account password and its confirmation;

• Select the type of login: automatic or only when entering a password (encryption of personal data).

Let's say a few words about the password. Of course, the more secure the password, the better, but keep in mind that you will need to enter it very often, so come up with an easy input combination and remember it.

If your computer is at home and only you use it, then choose the option to log in automatically, without entering a password. We check the entered information and click “Continue”.

After this, the installer will show you a slide show about the new features and benefits of Ubuntu, we will not dwell on this in detail, since you will have time to familiarize yourself with these slides during the installation process. After viewing the slides, you will see a window where you will be asked to visit the official Ubuntu website if you still have questions regarding the operating system you are installing.

After the installation process is completed, a corresponding window will inform you about this.

Next, click the “Restart” button and the console will appear on the screen. When restarting the computer, we recommend returning the operating system startup parameters: primary boot – “Hard Drive”, secondary – “CDROM”. We recommend that you make just such a startup setting so that the operating system boots faster. We remove the installation disk, save the changes to the startup settings and restart the computer.

Congratulations! Linux Ubuntu is installed on your computer!

Is it worth installing Linux?

Quite a rhetorical question: to install Linux or not. It is impossible to answer this unequivocally, since there are quite a large number of advantages and disadvantages of Linux that affect this answer. Let's look at them.

So, the first advantage of Linux, compared to Windows, is that Linux is a free operating system and this is the main advantage. Thus, you save about $100 by choosing Linux over

The main disadvantages of Linux include Linux software. Most of the programs you are familiar with will not work in the new operating system, and therefore you will initially need to look for and select worthy analogues. Speaking of analogues, there are quite a lot of analogues of Windows programs on Linux, some programs are better in some ways, and worse in others, but, nevertheless, they exist and this is an undoubted advantage. Moreover, special versions of programs have been released for the Linux operating system, which are also released for Windows.

Thanks to special emulator programs, whose task is to virtually create a Windows shell, they can install quite a large number of versions of programs from Windows on Linux, for example: Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Apple iTunes and many other popular Windows programs that will are very necessary for working in Linux. As for programs for Linux, the vast majority of them are free and this is a definite plus.
As for games, the situation here is somewhat worse, since popular Windows games that are installed will not be available on Linux, except for online versions.
For work, Linux is also not the best option, since specialized software is written almost exclusively for Windows.

So, let's summarize briefly. Linux is the best option for a home computer if its purpose is: watching movies, listening to music and visiting Internet resources. In any case, if the thought of installing Linux came to you, then install it with a second system or test it from a disk, without uninstalling Windows, in order to draw a conclusion for yourself: is it worth switching completely to Linux or not.

There are many types of operating systems. One of them is the Linux operating system. What is this operating system? Where is it used? How is it structured?

Linux: what is it?

Linux is an operating system in which the user has a wide choice of software that will be installed on it. In this operating system, you can choose between several types of desktops and a dozen command line shells, which, by the way, is called a terminal and plays a rather important role. Due to the fact that this operating system is designed to run several programs at once, it is less susceptible to failures.

No program can be launched by default without the user's knowledge, so it is very difficult to encounter a virus written for Linux. If they infect computers, it is only because the user himself launched a suspicious application. Samples of this system can operate via USB or optical drives.

Linux: development history

The name of this operating system is not translated into Russian. It is named after its pioneering founder, Linus Torvalds. He presented his creation to society in 1994. Development of the system began back in 1991. Due to the fact that this operating system was open source and could be modified by anyone, it gained followers all over the world. Various companies producing paid distributions are beginning to use the developments.

At the same time, entire communities of developers have emerged who, on a voluntary basis, create and distribute their own builds. As of 2016, there are about a dozen popular versions of Linux operating systems. What does this state of affairs mean? This means that there is serious competition and diversity. In addition to popular versions, less common ones are also used, which are designed to perform a certain range of tasks. If you are interested in the Russian version of the Linux operating system, then it is worth noting that downloading it today is not a problem. For other versions, there are localizers that can translate at least some of the symbols.

Linux and Windows: differences

At first glance, these operating systems have serious differences. However, in reality everything is not quite like that. There are differences, but to see them you need to look a little deeper. We will focus on the Linux operating system, but since we will be comparing with Windows, we will have to describe this OS as well. We will consider the file system, graphical shell, system configuration, scope of application. At the end of the article, we will pay a little attention to distribution kits.

File system

It is worth noting first of all that in the usual sense, the Linux operating system does not have hard drives. What can this state of affairs indicate in the first place? Physical disks and logical partitions are saved, here they will be represented by directories. The OS connects to some folder, everything that is created will end up in it. Work can only be done with the files that are in it. The main folder is called the root folder. It is indicated by the sign /. User files are typically stored in the /home/username/ folder. The location can be changed if desired.

Graphic shell

After using the Windows operating system, moving to Linux may seem inconvenient at first. However, this only applies when using a terminal. There are graphical shells with which you can work with a familiar interface. The terminal is used either by very advanced users or on servers. The graphically designed shell is suitable for all other users who do not want to remember exact catalogs of information. Thus, we can say that the Linux operating system can appear in different forms. There are several options for customizing your desktop. Graphic design has hundreds of variations.

Configuration

In the Windows operating system, this information is located in the system registry. It is a kind of database. It is required so that programs launched in the program's operating system are configured correctly upon first boot and at the start of operation. If the registry is damaged, only a complete reinstallation can help. However, this also has a certain advantage: everything is in one place. In the Linux operating system, the developers decided to take a slightly different path. In this OS, each program has a separate configuration file, and maybe even several.

These files can be viewed and edited in any text editor. If there are several more files, then this has its advantages. If one of them is damaged, only part of the work will be lost. In the worst case, you will only have to reinstall the program. In addition, if the user wants to change the computer, he does not have to start all over again. He can simply copy the necessary files between machines, directly or using media. But what to do if the operating system was damaged? This is another important advantage of the Linux operating system.

The OS needs to be reinstalled and you need to do it. But the file settings will not disappear after completing this process. However, there is one small drawback: each program has its own configuration file format. You will need to have a good understanding of them before editing anything.
Areas of application

We have already talked about the Linux operating system and how it differs from the Windows OS familiar to many users. Today we will pay attention to the areas of its application. Alas, it will not find application everywhere. Linux, be it an office or home workstation, is close to ideal. The thing is that there are many games created or ported for this OS. There are also separate programs that run complex engineering programs or graphics packages such as Adobe.

With the help of emulation, this problem is solved quite simply in most cases. However, not all users require a computer that can solve specific problems. Let's take a look at the list of features of this operating system. The Linux operating system allows you to compose office documents, process texts, and create spreadsheets. It is also possible to view and edit photographs and images. You can watch videos and listen to music. You can even play simple games on the system. It is possible to carry out communication processes via the Internet.

It is worth noting that in this regard, the Linux operating system is significantly superior to its competitor. Linux is convenient for programming. The user can easily explore the Internet space. It is also convenient to remotely manage any operating systems. Email and various messaging programs are available here. File sharing is quite convenient.

About distributions

If you want to install the Russian version of Linux on your computer, then it’s worth talking a little about distributions. The user has the opportunity to choose the language and geographic focus. In addition, with the help of this operating system you can seriously study languages. But now we are talking about distributions. The main difference is that programs are located in the file system. This is not to say that one distribution is more convenient to use than another.

Here everything will depend on the range of tasks being solved. You can use a version that is convenient for programming, but has poor Internet support. This option is suitable for those users who need to concentrate on work instead of constantly being distracted by the Internet. There are also versions that allow you to best configure the power. This makes it possible to get maximum performance. In general, there is plenty to choose from, you just need to choose one version or another.

According to statistics, about 90% of personal computers run Windows. Microsoft made its product so successful that Windows became a kind of standard for desktop computers and laptops. The operating system allows us to perform almost any action on a PC.

Frequent ones make this OS even more powerful and convenient. Therefore, it is not surprising that most users do not even know about alternative operating systems. Are you too? In this article you will learn about one of the alternatives to Windows, its advantages and disadvantages.

Linux

Linux is a UNIX-like operating system developed by Finnish-American programmer Linus Torvalds. Linux is free software. This OS is distributed absolutely free under the GPL license, and its source code is available to everyone. For this reason, there are so many Linux distributions. These are unique versions or “builds” of the OS. Most distributions are developed by enthusiastic programmers, who thus contribute to the development of free software. But there are also large companies developing their own distributions.

A few years ago, there was a stereotype that Linux was only suitable for programmers and power users. Indeed, many actions were carried out in the Terminal (analogue) using various commands. Setting up the OS was also not an easy process for the average user. But now there are a large number of beautiful graphical shells that turn the “dark Terminal window” into a full-fledged operating system.

The most popular Linux distributions are Ubuntu, Mint, Debian, OpenSUSE, Elementary OS. All of them have a friendly graphical interface that even a housewife can understand. There are also special distributions for servers, distributed systems, for security testing, for example Kali Linux. (Installing Kali Linux). But we will look at the main advantages and disadvantages standard Linux distributions compared to Windows.

Pros

• Free distributions. As noted above, many Linux distributions are free. All you need to do is download from the official website and install it on your PC. Why do some companies choose Linux? Because Windows is a paid OS, and a pirated version can lead to prosecution. It is much easier to install a free Linux distribution and not have problems with the law.
• Free software. One of the reasons for the low popularity of Linux is the stereotype of the lack of software. Indeed, many of the programs that you are used to using on Windows are not here. But there is a lot free alternatives. There are a lot of programs for Linux, in most cases they cover all user requirements. And the main difference from Windows is that many useful programs are already built into the distribution. After installation there is no need - it is already ready for your use.
• Stability and customization. Linux systems are highly customizable. With some knowledge, you can fully customize this system, its appearance, and control each of its processes. Stability and reliability have made Linux the standard solution for servers.
• Safety. There are almost no viruses on UNIX-like operating systems, as well as anti-virus programs. No matter what files you open, Linux security will keep malware out. All Linux programs are stored in repositories - verified software repositories. The same cannot be said about Windows. Thousands of viruses that live on the Internet can penetrate your PC. - a common thing.
• Graphics. Some graphical shells look much more attractive than Windows. Linux allows you to change and customize the system's graphical interface, down to windows, panels, icons, animations, transitions, etc. Using themes, you can customize the appearance so that it is difficult to distinguish it from Mac OS or Windows. It is worth noting that different graphs can be installed on one Linux distribution. shells (KDE, Gnome..), which allows you to enjoy a beautiful interface even on weak computers.
• Working on weak machines. This alternative operating system is capable of running on weak configurations. Distribution kits that are undemanding in terms of resources allow you to work on older PCs without glitches. Do you have an old netbook, but Windows is slow on it? Install Linux.

These are not all the advantages of Linux (programmers will confirm), but it’s time to consider the disadvantages.

Cons

• No special programs. If you work with non-standard programs, you may not find good alternatives for Linux. There are very few adequate Linux programs for working with printed publications, text, architecture, and design, and it is not a fact that they will suit you.
• Difficulty of transition. Several years of working with Windows have developed some habits in working with the OS. After switching to Linux, you will experience some inconvenience at first. Many things are done differently, which can be intimidating for new Linux users.
• Terminal. Despite the advanced graphics, some settings and actions are still carried out through the Terminal. Therefore, it seems that Linux is a difficult alternative operating system for a beginner.
• Games. Linux is definitely not suitable for avid gamers. Most modern games only work on Windows. Developers do not make games for Linux due to low popularity. However, some games were able to be ported to Linux. Steam, for example, created its own distribution, Steam OS, to run games under Linux.
• Fonts. Modern website interfaces amaze with the number of animations, sliders, colorful transitions, including fonts. Some fonts are not included as standard on typical Linux distributions. Sometimes websites look bad because they don't have the right fonts.
• Support. Linux has a large community that is ready to help at any time. But you must admit, the number of Windows users is much larger. The chance that your problem will be solved is much higher. Programs released for Windows usually have good technical support. Microsoft itself responds to problems with the system and software. Linux programs cannot boast of high-quality user support. This phenomenon is quite natural - this is free software developed by altruists.

Linux is a very powerful alternative to Windows that can be of interest to both programmers and ordinary PC owners. It’s definitely worth trying, if only to look at working on a PC from a different angle and gain a new experience. This is not the only alternative operating system. In one of the following articles we will talk about another alternative to Windows -

Free. Perhaps a few years ago this issue was not so relevant, but now the attitude towards intellectual property is different. More and more people are realizing that a pirated copy of Windows can cause big trouble. And few people are ready to fork out for a paid licensed version of Windows. The same goes for purchasing programs that run under this OS. By installing Linux, you will receive a selection of thousands of free programs. Although they are not as familiar as Windows programs, they are absolutely functional.

Reliability. Correct operation of your PC hardware will allow Linux to work for years without reboots or freezes. And the Reset button will never be needed at all.

Safety. There are practically no viruses in Linux. The very design of the operating system excludes the operation of malicious programs. And because of this, you can do without anti-virus programs that slow down your computer and interfere with your work. There is no need to constantly update anti-virus databases and scan your hard drive for viruses, wasting valuable time.

Open source. This makes it possible to use and modify the code as desired. You can at any time correct any errors or shortcomings of the system, as well as expand its functionality by writing add-ons or programs that run under its control.

At the moment, a huge community of programmers has formed around Linux, who are constantly improving the system. They develop new versions and varieties of this OS, write a wide variety of programs that run under Linux.

This is the most powerful operating system in the field of server services.

Linux operating systems

Linux- the general name for UNIX-like operating systems based on the kernel of the same name and libraries and system programs compiled for it, developed within the GNU project. GNU/Linux runs on PC-compatible systems of the Intel x86 family, as well as IA-64, AMD64, PowerPC, ARM and many others.

The GNU/Linux operating system also often includes programs that complement this operating system and application programs that make it a full-fledged multifunctional operating environment. Unlike most other operating systems, GNU/Linux does not have a single “official” package. Instead, GNU/Linux comes in a large number of so-called distributions, which bundle GNU programs with the Linux kernel and other programs.

Development

Unlike Microsoft Windows, Mac OS and commercial UNIX-like systems, GNU/Linux does not have a geographical development center. There is no organization that owns this system; There is not even a single coordination center. Programs for Linux are the result of the work of thousands of projects. Some of these projects are centralized, some are concentrated in firms. Many projects bring together hackers from all over the world who only know each other through correspondence. Anyone can create their own project or join an existing one and, if successful, the results of the work will become known to millions of users. Users take part in testing free software and communicate directly with developers, which allows them to quickly find and fix errors and implement new features.

It is this flexible and dynamic development system, impossible for closed source projects, that makes GNU/Linux exceptionally cost-effective. The low cost of free development, well-established testing and distribution mechanisms, the involvement of people from different countries with different visions of problems, code protection under the GPL license - all this has become the reason for the success of free programs.

Of course, such high development efficiency could not help but interest large companies, which began to open their own projects. This is how Mozilla (Netscape, AOL), OpenOffice.org (Sun), a free clone of Interbase (Borland) - Firebird, SAP DB (SAP) appeared. IBM helped bring GNU/Linux to its mainframes.

On the other hand, open source significantly reduces the cost of developing closed systems for GNU/Linux and allows the price of the solution to be reduced for the user. This is why GNU/Linux has become the platform often recommended for products such as Oracle, DB2, Informix, SyBase, SAP R3, Domino.