What operating system do you use?
For some, that question may as well be posed in Latin or Sanskrit.
For most, however, the answer will be a variation on Windows or Mac.
Or what about the inevitable virus or malware?
All the while, work is not being done.
That operating system is Linux.
Lets take a look.
So what exactly is it?
(Minix is a POSIX-compliant, UNIX-like operating system that saw its first release in 1987.)
That project eventually gave birth to what would come to be known as the Linux kernel.
In the most basic terms one could say, Linux is a free alternative to Microsoft Windows and macOS.
Now, not so much.
Modern computing tasks are most often relegated to a internet tool.
Each one of those browsers does a good job of enabling the user to do their thing.
Thats where Linux shines.
Open source, on the other hand, makes the code used to create the software freely available.
And as for that distribution, this is very often a point of confusion with new users.
As mentioned above, Linux is really just the kernel of the operating system.
so that actually use it, there are layers that must be added to make it functional.
In the end, the developers create a unique version of Linux, called a distribution.
To see a listing of which distributions of Linux are popular, take a look atDistrowatch.
Most users know what both Windows and Mac desktops look like.
Others, however, offer a rather unique look and feel.
Take, for instance, the GNOME desktop (pictured below).
Its a minimal desktop that delivers maximum efficiency.
The GNOME desktop as seen on openSUSE, showing the activities window.
But what exactly is the desktop?
Every desktop contains a mixture of these parts.
Linux is no exception.
When looking into desktops, youll want to consider your needs.
For example, the KDE desktop does a great job of functioning like Windows 7.
Cinnamon and Mate are similar, but less modern looking.
And again, GNOME is a minimalist dream, with very little getting in your way of working.
Are the software options any better?
This is one area that has been, in the past, a point of contention for Linux.
But thats not necessarily true.
This is not a perfect system, and its not for everyone.
But it does enable users to run many Windows applications on Linux.
Nearly all modern Linux distributions app stores can be found within the desktop menu.
Is Linux for me, and how do I start?
Believe it or not, Linux has that covered as well.
Most flavors of Linux are distributed as Live Distributions.
