Noobie Tech

While all  Linux operating systems  are the same at their core, there are also things which separate them somewhat. For example,  package managers  differ between each variation, as do other things. One large point of difference that many people will face is the way you actually get such a system onto your computer. Though many Linux operating systems these days are easy to install, if not even easier than Windows, there are some which buck this trend. They usually trade ease of use for flexibility and power out of the box. This might not be good for everyone, but for those who like it can be very, very appealing. What Makes an Installation Hard? In general, the more choice you get out of the box, the harder it is to set up. Through this list, you’ll see that trend, from a fairly easy learning curve, to something a little harder to grasp. There are a number of Linux operating systems which try to tailor themselves for specific users, and it sho...

Sick of Android? Don’t want to be part of a proprietary ecosystem? Security and privacy are becoming increasingly important for smartphone users, but what is the answer? For some, abandoning Android and switching to a phone that can run a Linux mobile operating system is the answer. With security improvements and a better attitude towards privacy and open source, Linux smartphone operating systems are available. They’re just not particularly well known. (Although Android is based on the Linux kernel, it cannot really be considered Linux.) Here are three Linux smartphone operating systems that are available to install today. 1. Ubuntu Touch by  UBports Although tainted by several false starts, Ubuntu Touch is currently being maintained by UBports. This means that Ubuntu’s abandoned mobile operating system lives on (as does Unity). Ubuntu Touch’s approach to smartphones is intelligent, dealing with the lack of apps by providing much of the data usually found in apps nat...

It’s safe to say that the Apple ecosystem brought “app stores” to the mainstream. Before the introduction of the iPhone, buying digital software was often full of trials like submitting your payment to the developer’s website, waiting for a license key by email, and negotiating refunds. You’d be forgiven for thinking that free and open source software (FOSS) is rare on the Mac, given Apple’s approach. In reality, the Mac is an excellent host for many of the community’s best free tools. MacPorts  is your “app store” for all this great software. Let’s take a look at how it works. What Is MacPorts? MacPorts is a package system for Macs. It’s very similar in function and use to the Red Hat Package Management (RPM) system and Advanced Package Tools (APT), which install DEB packages on Linux. Actually, it descends from the Ports system of FreeBSD. Did you know Mac OS X started its life as a fork of FreeBSD called Darwin? Even today macOS has a sol...

Linux is the most widely-used free and open source operating system in the world. Unlike commercial alternatives, no single person or company can take credit. Linux is what it is due to the ideas and contributions of many individuals from all over the world. Here are some of the big names behind Linux and the ethical movements that have caused it to spread far and wide. This list by no means includes  all  of the people whose work has made the free desktop what it is. Instead, these are the Bill Gates and Steve Jobs of the Linux world, figures who founded many of the projects and organizations we now depend on. Let’s start from the beginning. Richard Stallman In 1983, Richard Stallman started the GNU Project. This initiative sought to create a non-proprietary Unix-compatible operating system and is responsible for many of the programs we use today. Stallman founded the  Free Software Foundation  a couple years later and went on to become the most prom...