I'm a business major in college. I figured out that with what I want to to do for a living, a business degree will be better than a computer science degree.
The problem with being a business major in the United States is that the colleges here only recognize the existence of one operating system (okay, they do use Macs for certain programs, but not in the college of business). So for my degree program I am required to take a class that teaches how to use the components of a Windows computer system, unless I can test out of it this morning.
I have problems with that, both as a class and as a mindset. First as a class.
I know that most of the world is using Windows. And I know that most companies that business majors go to work for use that operating system. But I don't. I use Linux. That is all I will ever use again. I have installed over a dozen Linux operating systems, and I have used several others without installing them. I have tried out three or four (it is hard to keep track exactly) different types of Linux systems, from Ubuntu to Fedora to Salix. I am going to be building my own Linux operating system this winter (if you are interested, watch for an announcement here). And my business will not only run exclusively on Linux (even my web site is hosted on a Linux server) but is all about helping people make the move to Linux.
So I do not need to know the other operating system for work. I will not be using it. Which brings me to the whole mindset behind colleges teaching only that operating system. Already not everyone uses it. I do not even use their office suite. I am using Openoffice until Libreoffice is ready for prime time. It is free, it will do all the same things, and it works. So I do not need the expensive office suite that so much of the world seems tied to. But I have to take a class on it (actually another, because it was also required at the community college) unless I can test out of it.
And I have to know the components of the expensive operating system to test out of the class. I should do okay on the operating system, they are testing me on the version that I used for about two and a half years before I switched to Linux.
But whether I pass the test to skip the class or not, I still disagree with the school teaching only that operating system. And making the class about it mandatory for business majors. It is another piece of the domination of the computer world. And I do not think that they should be allowed to require that I take a class on a system I am never going to use again.
Update: So I passed the test to get out of the class. But I still think it is a horrible requirement, and a further detriment to our culture and country that Microsoft maintains such control and influence in our colleges and Universities.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Security
Linux is a very secure operating system. I have been using Linux for just over a year and I have not had a virus or spyware infection. Nor have any of the people I know who use Linux.
Estimates of the number of viruses that have ever been written for Linux vary, but the number that I have seen most is around five hundred. About five hundred viruses in the nineteen years since Linux was started. Some operating systems are tested by five hundred viruses a day.
Also, of those five hundred, I have read that over ninety percent of them were created in a laboratory environment specifically to test the security of Linux.
Even if viruses were out there for Linux (and I will not claim that there are none, but I do not know anyone who has gotten one), they would have a lot of trouble infecting a Linux computer. There are several reasons for this.
One of the biggest obstacles for a virus on a Linux computer is the fact that most of the time the user is not signed is as the administrator. The default for Linux is to sign in as a user, not as administrator (called root user in Linux). One popular operating system automatically signs a person in as administrator unless they take the time (and know that they need to) to set up separate user accounts. A virus cannot do very much if it is not allowed into the operating system. And Linux users have to give it specific permission.
Another obstacle for Linux viruses would be the difference in the way Linux operating systems handle software, or packages. Debian, and the operating systems based on it, including Ubuntu as well as all the operating systems with which I deal, uses .deb packages. Now, if you do not know much about Linux, that may not mean much to you, but it is important. Because software cannot work on a Debian or Ubuntu based computer unless it is in the right format.
And .deb is not the only format. Red Hat operating systems, including Red Hat, Fedora, CentOS, and others, use .rpm packages. They work differently and they work only on the systems designed for them. Slackware Linux uses something else, and other Linux versions use something else.
The point of all that information is that even if a virus is written for Linux, it may be written for only one kind of Linux packaging system. A virus packed into a .deb will not do anything on a system designed to use a .rpm. And a .rpm virus won't affect a system that uses .deb. They could not get in because the operating system would not have the software to install them.
So to affect as many Linux users as possible, a person writing a virus for Linux would have to write several different versions and put it into several different packages. And then a Linux user would not only have to open it, but then enter their password to let it in.
There are other reasons a virus is unlikely for a Linux system, too. But this post is long enough already. I may write more about it later. Or someone may put something in the comments that helps. Just keep an eye out.
Estimates of the number of viruses that have ever been written for Linux vary, but the number that I have seen most is around five hundred. About five hundred viruses in the nineteen years since Linux was started. Some operating systems are tested by five hundred viruses a day.
Also, of those five hundred, I have read that over ninety percent of them were created in a laboratory environment specifically to test the security of Linux.
Even if viruses were out there for Linux (and I will not claim that there are none, but I do not know anyone who has gotten one), they would have a lot of trouble infecting a Linux computer. There are several reasons for this.
One of the biggest obstacles for a virus on a Linux computer is the fact that most of the time the user is not signed is as the administrator. The default for Linux is to sign in as a user, not as administrator (called root user in Linux). One popular operating system automatically signs a person in as administrator unless they take the time (and know that they need to) to set up separate user accounts. A virus cannot do very much if it is not allowed into the operating system. And Linux users have to give it specific permission.
Another obstacle for Linux viruses would be the difference in the way Linux operating systems handle software, or packages. Debian, and the operating systems based on it, including Ubuntu as well as all the operating systems with which I deal, uses .deb packages. Now, if you do not know much about Linux, that may not mean much to you, but it is important. Because software cannot work on a Debian or Ubuntu based computer unless it is in the right format.
And .deb is not the only format. Red Hat operating systems, including Red Hat, Fedora, CentOS, and others, use .rpm packages. They work differently and they work only on the systems designed for them. Slackware Linux uses something else, and other Linux versions use something else.
The point of all that information is that even if a virus is written for Linux, it may be written for only one kind of Linux packaging system. A virus packed into a .deb will not do anything on a system designed to use a .rpm. And a .rpm virus won't affect a system that uses .deb. They could not get in because the operating system would not have the software to install them.
So to affect as many Linux users as possible, a person writing a virus for Linux would have to write several different versions and put it into several different packages. And then a Linux user would not only have to open it, but then enter their password to let it in.
There are other reasons a virus is unlikely for a Linux system, too. But this post is long enough already. I may write more about it later. Or someone may put something in the comments that helps. Just keep an eye out.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
You may already be using Linux
Smart phones are everywhere now. Not everyone has a smart phone, but a lot of people do. And one of the most popular, and up and coming, systems for a smart phone is Android. While Android is not the top of the market yet (that I know of, but I might be wrong) it is rising quickly. A lot of people like their Android phones and a lot more people want an Android.
One of the reasons, in my opinion, that Android is so great is that it is Linux. Android is a Linux operating system developed by Google for cell phones. So if you, or someone you know, has an Android phone, and there are many to choose from, that is Linux. You may already be using it in your cell phone.
The Palm phones are Linux, too. As are the phones that are going to hit the market soon with webOS. Palm and webOS are Linux phone operating systems developed by Palm Pilot, and now being put out by HP.
I haven't used any of those because I am not ready for a smart phone. But when I am, I will be getting a phone that uses Android. It is not just because it is Linux, but it helps. Since it is Linux, I know that there is an entire community behind it, and that there will always be people helping to make it work.
Of course, a phone is not a home computer or a laptop. Android works for phones, not for full computers. So let's start getting Linux onto more computers, too. There are Linux distributions that will make your computer (desktop of laptop) run as well as your phone does on Android or webOS. Help spread the word about open-source computing (I'll give a better definition of that in a future post) and Linux operating systems. They work as well on computers as they do on phones.
One of the reasons, in my opinion, that Android is so great is that it is Linux. Android is a Linux operating system developed by Google for cell phones. So if you, or someone you know, has an Android phone, and there are many to choose from, that is Linux. You may already be using it in your cell phone.
The Palm phones are Linux, too. As are the phones that are going to hit the market soon with webOS. Palm and webOS are Linux phone operating systems developed by Palm Pilot, and now being put out by HP.
I haven't used any of those because I am not ready for a smart phone. But when I am, I will be getting a phone that uses Android. It is not just because it is Linux, but it helps. Since it is Linux, I know that there is an entire community behind it, and that there will always be people helping to make it work.
Of course, a phone is not a home computer or a laptop. Android works for phones, not for full computers. So let's start getting Linux onto more computers, too. There are Linux distributions that will make your computer (desktop of laptop) run as well as your phone does on Android or webOS. Help spread the word about open-source computing (I'll give a better definition of that in a future post) and Linux operating systems. They work as well on computers as they do on phones.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Desktop Environments
With the other operating systems, the desktop is set as part of them. Consumers get what comes with the operating system, and while some customization is possible, such as where icons sit on the desktop, for the most part the user gets what is there.
With Linux, there are many different options for the desktop environment. A Linux user can choose between Gnome, KDE (which can be made to look very familiar to most users), XFCE, Enlightenment, or my personal favorite, LXDE.
Some people may not understand what desktop environment means, or what the differences are between them. I know that I did not when I started using Linux. It is something that some people want to learn about, while other people just want to go with the desktop environment (or DE) that feels and looks right for them.
And that is the main reason for different DEs. Different people want different things out of their desktop, want it to look different or work different. One of the advantages of Linux is that users have the choice of what to use to manage their desktop. The different DEs look different and work different. Each one of them is right for someone, while it may be all wrong for someone else. I personally do not like Gnome or KDE, but some users will not use anything besides one of those. People like the way they work. I like LXDE and XFCE for myself.
Each of the DEs for Linux can also be customized and changed to suit the user the best, as well. Things can sometimes be moved to a better (for the user) place, and sometimes items can be removed from the menu. It is all a matter of taste.
And many distributions are available with several different DEs. Ubuntu is released on Gnome, KDE, XFCE, LXDE, and others. Linux Mint is available on Gnome, KDE, XFCE, LXDE, and Fluxbox. Even when a distribution does not come with a certain desktop available, like Peppermint, released on LXDE, other desktop environments can be installed and used.
If you are thinking of switching to Linux, or you want to learn more about the different desktop environments, there are places you can look. Or you can find someone who uses and knows Linux who can tell and show you the differences. That way you can be happy with the way your computer looks and works. It is important to like your computing experience.
With Linux, there are many different options for the desktop environment. A Linux user can choose between Gnome, KDE (which can be made to look very familiar to most users), XFCE, Enlightenment, or my personal favorite, LXDE.
Some people may not understand what desktop environment means, or what the differences are between them. I know that I did not when I started using Linux. It is something that some people want to learn about, while other people just want to go with the desktop environment (or DE) that feels and looks right for them.
And that is the main reason for different DEs. Different people want different things out of their desktop, want it to look different or work different. One of the advantages of Linux is that users have the choice of what to use to manage their desktop. The different DEs look different and work different. Each one of them is right for someone, while it may be all wrong for someone else. I personally do not like Gnome or KDE, but some users will not use anything besides one of those. People like the way they work. I like LXDE and XFCE for myself.
Each of the DEs for Linux can also be customized and changed to suit the user the best, as well. Things can sometimes be moved to a better (for the user) place, and sometimes items can be removed from the menu. It is all a matter of taste.
And many distributions are available with several different DEs. Ubuntu is released on Gnome, KDE, XFCE, LXDE, and others. Linux Mint is available on Gnome, KDE, XFCE, LXDE, and Fluxbox. Even when a distribution does not come with a certain desktop available, like Peppermint, released on LXDE, other desktop environments can be installed and used.
If you are thinking of switching to Linux, or you want to learn more about the different desktop environments, there are places you can look. Or you can find someone who uses and knows Linux who can tell and show you the differences. That way you can be happy with the way your computer looks and works. It is important to like your computing experience.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
A rant
Rants are not really the point of this blog. They are not what I had in mind when I started it. But every once in awhile, something really irks me, and I want to rant. This is one of those times.
To start with, I am having problems with voice mail. The number that I am supposed to call to check my voice mail has not been working. So I called the company that provides it, and I have not been able to get it working on the phone yet. I can, however, check the voice mail on-line, which I had not known. Great. Only one problem, I cannot listen to the voice mail on my computer because their system is not compatible with Linux. So the web site is useless to me when I am on my own machine.
It is not just voice mail. Some of the web sites that I use for school do not like Linux either. I occasionally have trouble logging into the systems on which my classes are hosted. And every college class anymore has an on-line component. If I was using that other operating system, things like this would never happen.
When I call my ISP about an issue with their modem or other equipment, they always ask what operating system I am using, except they do not ask it that way. They ask "Is it this one or that one?" Some of the agents there do not understand that it is neither of the ones they named, but something entirely different. If they do understand that it is not one of the big two, most of them have no idea what to do or where to go from there.
I think it is obnoxious that so many large companies in the United States (and probably elsewhere) make their systems compatible with only the big two operating systems. It sometimes seems like few companies are geared to work with Linux (even though the vast majority of companies have a Linux operating system on their servers).
Please do not let the contents of this rant dissuade you from using Linux. And if you are thinking about switching to Linux, do not let this rant change your mind. USE LINUX! I run into problems like this very seldom. And besides, the more people switch to Linux, or even BSD or Solaris, the louder and stronger will be the voices demanding that all companies make their programs work with Linux and other Unix-like systems.
To start with, I am having problems with voice mail. The number that I am supposed to call to check my voice mail has not been working. So I called the company that provides it, and I have not been able to get it working on the phone yet. I can, however, check the voice mail on-line, which I had not known. Great. Only one problem, I cannot listen to the voice mail on my computer because their system is not compatible with Linux. So the web site is useless to me when I am on my own machine.
It is not just voice mail. Some of the web sites that I use for school do not like Linux either. I occasionally have trouble logging into the systems on which my classes are hosted. And every college class anymore has an on-line component. If I was using that other operating system, things like this would never happen.
When I call my ISP about an issue with their modem or other equipment, they always ask what operating system I am using, except they do not ask it that way. They ask "Is it this one or that one?" Some of the agents there do not understand that it is neither of the ones they named, but something entirely different. If they do understand that it is not one of the big two, most of them have no idea what to do or where to go from there.
I think it is obnoxious that so many large companies in the United States (and probably elsewhere) make their systems compatible with only the big two operating systems. It sometimes seems like few companies are geared to work with Linux (even though the vast majority of companies have a Linux operating system on their servers).
Please do not let the contents of this rant dissuade you from using Linux. And if you are thinking about switching to Linux, do not let this rant change your mind. USE LINUX! I run into problems like this very seldom. And besides, the more people switch to Linux, or even BSD or Solaris, the louder and stronger will be the voices demanding that all companies make their programs work with Linux and other Unix-like systems.
Monday, October 4, 2010
While most versions of Linux are free, many people still feel intimidated by them. Unlike operating systems that come pre-installed when you buy a computer (with the exception of the few companies that sell Linux computers), Linux has to be installed. Usually this involves downloading the Linux distribution in the form of an ISO, or disk image, then burning the image onto a CD or DVD, and installing it onto your computer. Some distributions, like Ubuntu, have disks available for order, but others do not.
PeppermintOS, my personal favorite among the many Linux distributions, is still small, and even they offer disks. Linux Mint sells disks of their operating systems, but for someone who does not know Linux, all the different versions of Linux Mint, with different numbers and different desktop environments (I will explain what desktop environments are in a future post, for those who do not know), can be confusing. Where would you start and which one would you choose?
BlackMarket Computers in Colorado Springs, CO, can help. My company is legal, I just like the name. My main service is helping people choose a version of Linux that will do what they need it to do, then installing it for them. I can show people up to four different options (although I will usually show them only one or two) that I think will serve their needs. I will install the operating system, then show the new users how to download and install different programs they need, like a productivity suite (office, word, spreadsheet), an accounting program, etc.
This is not a service for computer gamers. Most of the popular games do still not work well, if at all, under Linux. But if you just surf the web, check email, do some social networking, and write an occasional paper or letter, then Linux can let you do that with a lot less hassle, and a lot less computer issues, than ever before.
Go to http://blackmarketcomputers.com to learn a little bit more (I have more info on the blog than the web site right now, this is a start-up company) or to email me.
PeppermintOS, my personal favorite among the many Linux distributions, is still small, and even they offer disks. Linux Mint sells disks of their operating systems, but for someone who does not know Linux, all the different versions of Linux Mint, with different numbers and different desktop environments (I will explain what desktop environments are in a future post, for those who do not know), can be confusing. Where would you start and which one would you choose?
BlackMarket Computers in Colorado Springs, CO, can help. My company is legal, I just like the name. My main service is helping people choose a version of Linux that will do what they need it to do, then installing it for them. I can show people up to four different options (although I will usually show them only one or two) that I think will serve their needs. I will install the operating system, then show the new users how to download and install different programs they need, like a productivity suite (office, word, spreadsheet), an accounting program, etc.
This is not a service for computer gamers. Most of the popular games do still not work well, if at all, under Linux. But if you just surf the web, check email, do some social networking, and write an occasional paper or letter, then Linux can let you do that with a lot less hassle, and a lot less computer issues, than ever before.
Go to http://blackmarketcomputers.com to learn a little bit more (I have more info on the blog than the web site right now, this is a start-up company) or to email me.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Purpose and general information
With this blog, I hope to help people understand the differences between Linux operating systems and other operating systems. I may not post very often, but I hope to post only relative information that will help people in choosing how to run their computers.
First, it should be known that you do not have to pay for an operating system. There are many choices for running your computer that are free. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of versions, or distributions, of GNU/Linux (hereafter referred to as Linux) operating systems. I will focus almost exclusively on Debian and Ubuntu derived systems, as those are the ones I work with.
Second, it should be known that Linux operating systems are more secure than others. There are virtually no viruses (some people say there are none whatsoever, but I will not make a blanket statement like that) for Linux operating systems. In future posts, I will show and explain why this is so, and why it matters to anyone with a computer.
Third, most, if not all, Linux operating systems can be customized to look however you want them to. Not only can you change wallpapers, but you can move the task bar from the bottom of the screen to the top, or even the sides. Or you can center it on the bottom or top. You can us different themes so that your workspaces look how you want them to look. And of course you can set whatever icons you want on the desktop and in the taskbar.
Last (for now), Linux will run on older computers that may be slow when running other operating systems. Many Linux distributions are made to work on older hardware. And many are written so that they do not use as many resources, in terms of RAM or hard drive space. This can be an advantage if you have an older computer with less RAM or older hardware and smaller hard drives.
First, it should be known that you do not have to pay for an operating system. There are many choices for running your computer that are free. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of versions, or distributions, of GNU/Linux (hereafter referred to as Linux) operating systems. I will focus almost exclusively on Debian and Ubuntu derived systems, as those are the ones I work with.
Second, it should be known that Linux operating systems are more secure than others. There are virtually no viruses (some people say there are none whatsoever, but I will not make a blanket statement like that) for Linux operating systems. In future posts, I will show and explain why this is so, and why it matters to anyone with a computer.
Third, most, if not all, Linux operating systems can be customized to look however you want them to. Not only can you change wallpapers, but you can move the task bar from the bottom of the screen to the top, or even the sides. Or you can center it on the bottom or top. You can us different themes so that your workspaces look how you want them to look. And of course you can set whatever icons you want on the desktop and in the taskbar.
Last (for now), Linux will run on older computers that may be slow when running other operating systems. Many Linux distributions are made to work on older hardware. And many are written so that they do not use as many resources, in terms of RAM or hard drive space. This can be an advantage if you have an older computer with less RAM or older hardware and smaller hard drives.
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