New to Linux? There is nothing wrong with that. Never fear, Linux is an excellent operating system!
After a while, you yourself will realize that you can no longer live without Linux. Now let's see some tips for new users on this beautiful operating system.
1. Start with Linux Mint, Linux Lite or derivatives
I advise you to start with easy-to-use distributions such as Linux Mint, Linux Lite, Zorin, Ubuntu, etc. They are easy to configure and use, and their intuitive designs allow even a housewife to understand how these systems work in just a few minutes. Their large user base means online support is available in abundance. They also come with a predetermined amount of useful software such as LibreOffice (free alternative to Microsoft Office), music player and Firefox web browser (of course, you can also install Google Chrome / Chromium). As you get more familiar with Linux, you can experiment with different distributions and working environments, but for now, just stick to these simple applications.
2. Dive inside
The best way to get to know Linux is to dive right into it and use it as your main distribution. Undoubtedly, at first it may seem a little strange and uncomfortable to you, but you will get used to it very quickly. Distros like Ubuntu and Linux Mint make the transition from Windows to Linux as smooth as possible. After a while, you yourself will wonder how I used something other than Linux before (but not everyone thinks so).
3. Don't be afraid of the command line
Distributions like Ubuntu and Linux Mint are designed so that you never have to touch the terminal command line if you don't want to. However, learning the command line is highly recommended and is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. In some cases, the command line is actually superior, and even more efficient, than the graphical user interface (GUI). What takes a lot of clicks and keystrokes in a GUI can often be achieved with a single terminal command.
4. Don't be afraid to search for information
It's inevitable, it's just a matter of time before you come across something in Linux that you want to do but don't know how to do it. This is where Google becomes yours best friend... More often than not, if there is something that you cannot understand, someone who has encountered this problem for a long time, you just need to enter the correct query. The official Ubuntu Wiki and AskUbuntu forums are likely to dominate your search results, but there are other forums that other Linux users would like to welcome.
5. Understanding the basics of the Linux filesystem
One of the biggest sources of confusion when moving from Windows to Linux is the difference in file systems. In Windows, it starts with a physical hard drive that has been assigned a drive letter, usually "C:", so all file paths start with "C: \ folder \ one more_folder". Whereas in Linux, the file system is "logical" and therefore not tied to any particular physical hard drive. You can even transfer the entire operating system to another computer, without losing data, and the OS will work just fine, but with Windows you can do that? Also, there are no drive letters in Linux, hard drives just known as / dev / sda, / dev / sdb, etc.
6. Alternative applications
Is there some kind of application on Windows that you need but don't know if there is a Linux version? Just search for “alternative to [Windows application] for Linux” and chances are you'll get at least one entry from Alternativeto.net, which is a great site for finding software alternatives between different operating systems.
7. Include additional software repositories, PPAs
Software repositories are part of what makes Linux not only more convenient, but also more secure. Rather than downloading various .exe virus files from the Internet, each Linux distribution has its own centralized software repository, or PPA, where all the available software for that distribution is stored. Software repositories maintained by application developers to ensure that it is compatible with the current distribution, is safe, and does not contain malware... So whenever you want to install new part software, just open the Software Center and search desired application... In fact, you are probably already used to this approach, because this is how Android and iPhone work.
Additionally, what a repository is, you can find out by clicking on the link below
By default, Ubuntu and Linux Mint come with the base repositories included, but you can also enable additional repositories to access more more software.
In Ubuntu, go to Settings> Programs and Updates, and under the Ubuntu Software tab, you will have the option to enable any additional repositories that are not already included, such as Universe, Restricted, and Multiverse. Then open the Other Software tab and enable the Cannonical Partners repository.
In Linux Mint, everything is included in the main repository, so there is no need to include any additional repositories.
Once you are more or less familiar with Linux, you can create your own repositories. I will definitely write an article on how to create a repository very soon. So don't go far.
8. Customization
One of the best things about Linux operating systems is the almost endless amount of customization, so you can customize your desktop as much as you like. You can not only change your desktop wallpaper and screensaver wallpaper, but also fonts; and you can even customize how the desktop environment itself behaves.
Ubuntu has the Unity Tweak Tool for this, which you can install by typing in a terminal
Sudo apt install unity-tweak-tool
Or you can just search for it in the App Store if you'd rather avoid the command line at this moment.
9. System update
Updates are critical to any operating system, be they updates to some installed packages software or for the operating system itself. The main reason for this is safety. As soon as new vulnerabilities are discovered that could potentially be exploited by hackers, updates will help fix and continue to maintain the tightest possible defense against nefarious security threats. Of course, you can also get new features and functionality from updates.
Automatic updates are probably already enabled by default in your installing Ubuntu or Linux Mint, but if you want to see them yourself, or customize the update behavior, go to the following menus:
Ubuntu: Settings> Programs and Updates> Updates
Linux Mint: Open the update manager and choose one of three options: "Just keep my computer safe", which only automatically installs security-related updates, "Let me see important updates", which will allow you to see any updates that are not related to security, so you can preview them before installing or "Always update everything", which allows you to automatically update everything without user intervention.
10. Read Linux blogs
Not sure which icon themes or which system themes install? Don't worry, there are Linux blogs on the Internet with all kinds of advice and suggestions. Of course, the beauty of Linux is that you are always free to take your own path, even if it deviates from what everyone else is doing. And, of course, in order to receive
We will try to answer the most common questions that Linux newbies have.
Feel free to ask your own Linux questions in the discussions below, and we'll work with users to answer them, and keep adding new information to this article.
Is Linux really free to use?
If you succinctly answer this question, then in most cases yes. The vast majority of distributions intended for home users can be used for free. However, if you get interested in server environments, some specialized distributions are paid for. A prime example is the commercial RedHat Enterprise Linux distribution. However, one of key benefits the world of Linux is a wide range of choices.
As an alternative to Red Hat, consider the community-supported CentOS distribution based on RHEL. CentOS does not receive commercial support from RHEL, and most updates are shipped on a priority basis in RHEL, and only after some time appear in CentOS. Otherwise, there are no significant differences between these distributions.
Another example is the popular paid server operating system SUSE and its free version from the SUSE community, OpenSUSE.
What is the difference between Linux and UNIX?
This issue can be approached very deeply, but within the framework of this article for novice users, we will try to summarize as simply as possible only the very essence.
Linux is a clone of UNIX, however they have nothing in common real code... UNIX is commercial system and is copyrighted. Linux, on the other hand, is free system for those who can use, modify, hack, customize, etc. They have a lot common features such as desktop environments, the Init system (for those who haven't switched to systemD on Linux), the POSIX interface, etc. However, again, Linux is not UNIX, it is just a clone.
The main difference is that Linux is an open source system. Anyone can download the source code and do whatever they want. Windows is a closed and proprietary system. You cannot legally access the source code, although, as we know, leaks do happen sometimes.
One more significant difference is that there are many different Linux distributions, and each one has different functionality. On Windows, you get a pawned Microsoft recruitment functions. Of course, there are third-party programs that can make a difference, but either way you don't get the flexibility and customization you get on Linux.
What is the relationship between GNU and Linux?
Many newbies have a misconception about Linux. Linux is not what you see or what you interact with most of the time. Linux is not an operating system, Linux is the kernel, and GNU is an operating system.
The GNU operating system was not originally designed for use with Linux, but rather had its own kernel called the GNU Hurd. However, once the creator Linux linus Linus Torvalds released Linux publicly, the kernel was adapted by GNU users and became the standard for use with the GNU OS. Currently, 99% of the "Linux" systems you have dealt with are actually more like GNU / Linux systems. This is why some people choose to call open system it is GNU / Linux, and not just Linux, because the second option is incorrect when referring to the operating system. However, "Linux" is often used for simplicity.
What is a Linux Distribution?
Since GNU and Linux are both free, many communities, companies and individuals have chosen to develop their own OS GNU / Linux. Different systems use different package managers and different desktop environments, some are designed with minimal requirements and some are designed for specific purposes. Distribution is the term used to describe one of these various operating systems. Instead of saying, "I am using the GNU / Linux version Operating System called Linux Mint, which is based on another version of GNU / Linux created by Canonical called Ubuntu ", we can simply say," I am using a distribution called Linux Mint, which is based on another distribution called Ubuntu. "
What are the most popular distributions?
- Mageia
- PCLinuxOS
Linux Mint is becoming one of the most popular GNU / Linux distributions, so it has many derivative distributions of its own for various purposes. At the moment, the most popular current editions are:
- Linux Mint 18.2 "Sonya" Xfce
- Linux Mint 18.2 "Sonya" KDE
- Linux Mint 18.2 "Sonya" Cinnamon
- Linux Mint 18.2 "Sonya" MATE
- Linux Mint Debian Edition 2 "Betsy" is based on Debian, not Ubuntu
Ubuntu was, and remains, in many ways, the reigning champion of the GNU / Linux system. As with Linux Mint, there are many versions for different needs.
- Kubuntu - Ubuntu with KDE desktop
- Lubuntu - Ubuntu with LXDE desktop
- Mythbuntu - Used to create your own home theater using MythTV
- Ubuntu Budgie - Ubuntu with Budgie DE desktop
- Ubuntu GNOME - Ubuntu with the GNOME desktop
- Ubuntu Kylin - Ubuntu specifically for Chinese users
- Ubuntu MATE - Ubuntu with MATE desktop
- Ubuntu Studio - Designed for editing and multimedia, commonly used for audio / video production.
- Xubuntu - Ubuntu with XFCE Desktop
Where can I get Linux support?
The best places to get support are in the forums on your particular distribution's website, as well as the FreeNode IRC network (https://freenode.net/). This network has channels for almost every distribution, and the community is always ready to help!
Useful resources in Russian
Helpful Resources in English
- #Linux channel on Freenode and other special channels for your distribution
Conclusion
We hope this article will help newcomer refugees with Windows and future experienced Linux users learn some basic points. The GNU / Linux world is huge and confusing if you dive deep enough into it. However, many modern distributions are friendly and intuitive, and the need for additional assistance will rarely occur.
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The most popular operating system at the moment is the Windows operating system. This is due to a successful start, and the initial focus on working with her did not experienced users... But almost everyone who has had several years of using this OS behind them raises the question of what analogs can offer. Here is one of these will be considered within the framework of the article.
Linux: what is it and what does it consist of?
This is not an easy question. To fully familiarize yourself with the capabilities of this development, you need to read more than one book and spend a lot of time at the computer. The operating system itself is a set of programs with which it is possible to interact with a computer and launch other programs. There are several underlying important applications, which can be divided into the following groups:
- Allowing you to receive instructions from users and communicate with them.
- Making it possible to read and write data to HDD as well as their reproduction using a printer.
- Allowing to control memory usage and launch of other programs.
The most important part of an operating system is the kernel (called Linux). What does this device give you in practice? Currently popular temporary samples as another part of the operating system use various programs that were written for this project. By the way, the full name of this OS is GNU / Linux. Next, you will find out why she has such a name.
Creation
GNU / Linux is modeled after the Unix OS. From the very beginning, this operating system was designed to be multi-user and multitasking. This is already enough to make it stand out. But there are much more differences in it. The most important thing is that it is free (a significant part of the development was created by volunteers at no cost) and the absence of an owner. The first time something like this was created was the Free Software Foundation in 1984. Then a Unix-like operating system was developed, which was called GNU. Many basic functions were created with the help of which it was possible to solve problems of a wide range (when compared with what existed at that time). In addition to the fund, many working groups and individuals, which does not in the least detract from their work. But there are still some peculiarities. Thus, the foundation created most of the tools used, philosophy and community of enthusiastic users and independent programmers. It was through them that a debugged version of GNU / Linux appeared. But this is still the story of only the first part. The Linux OS kernel was created by a Finnish student in 1991 (the first stable version dated 1994). Then it was announced as a replacement for Minix. The creator has not retired since then and continues to lead a group of several hundred programmers who improve the operating system.
What does the operating system provide to users?
Today there is a lot of freedom in choosing the required software. So, there are a dozen command line shells, as well as several graphical desktops. Moreover, this does not mean visual design, but a change in the functional part. Also, due to the adaptation of the operating system for the execution of several programs, it is less susceptible to various failures and is better protected. Since its inception, Linux OS has slowly but surely conquered its audience. So, most of the servers are already running on it. She is just beginning her journey in the corporate segment and at home. Each distribution is different in its functionality, appearance and size. So, there are options that provide the broadest opportunities. There are some that can fit on a small flash drive or work on old computers. Also, immediately after it is given the opportunity to quickly install software packages to work in certain areas (which is valuable if an "office" computer is being created).
Terminal
This is an important part of operating the operating room. Linux system... What is a terminal? It is a powerful tool with tremendous potential. With its help, you can facilitate, or even completely shift all routine work to the machine. Using the terminal, you can:
- install and run programs;
- customize the distribution or configuration files;
- add new program storages;
- and many other things that this Linux overview will cover.
Basic use of the terminal, as well as installing programs
Start it up. To start the program, just enter its name. This way you can activate everything from simple timer programs to complex utilities. You do not need to enter the full path for this (which is strong distinction from Windows). Let's take as an example starting the Firefox browser and immediately opening the site. The latter must be placed in the arguments. Their types depend on the programs that are called. So, the desired command will look like this: firefox "URL of the site we want to visit". Also an important feature of the terminal is that there is a number of commands that are only designed to work with it. That is, they do not have graphical interface... And now it's time to talk about Of course, there are graphics applications who can help with this task. So, launch a terminal and enter the following: sudo apt-get install package_name. Not difficult, right? The word sudo is used here to gain administrator rights to install the program. With apt-get, the desired parameters for the application are read. And install directly installs the program. Moreover, the peculiarity is that you can work with several applications at the same time - for this you only need to separate them using a space.
The name and purpose of the installation packages can be easily guessed without using various tools. But if this is not possible, press Tab. When changing distributions, it is not necessary to do everything first - you just need to export the names of the packages used to text file to import its contents later. Here is such a simple Linux instruction required for the initial work.
Working with files and directories
There is a nuance here that will help you quickly understand the features of the functioning of the operating system. So, the work always takes place in the current directory. To do something elsewhere, you must first specify it. There is such a command - nano. Used to open a text editor. If you enter nano "document name", then a file will be created in the current directory with specified name... But what to do when it needs to be done in a different folder? We register the command as follows: nano / home / rabota / documents / "Document name". If the specified directive does not contain a file with the required name and extension, then a new one will be created and opened. And if you need to move from one folder to another? To do this, use the cd command. It can be specified by itself - with /, ~ or with a directive. The first three commands will move to the root directory. Use ls to list the files in the current directory. To create a new directory, use mkdir "Name or Path". The rm command is used to remove files. After it, it is imperative to indicate the name of the document or the directive for its placement.
To copy files, you must use the command cp "Document name" - "Path". Keep in mind that you must use it in the directory where the portable object is located. Mv works the same way, but it is already moving the file. So, it is necessary to indicate as follows: mv "Directory where the document is located" - "The path where the object is moved". It may look a little daunting from the outside, but a little practice will convince you that it just looks like it. Now you can basic Linux tweak to suit your needs.
Working with the system
Use Tab. It is extremely useful key... So, it can help with autocomplete. This works for packages, files and folders. If there are several options, the system will offer to choose one of them. Also remember that taking care of Linux will be on your shoulders. Although you can use the provided assemblies, if you do not want to build your own brick by brick (although this is one of the features of the system). But just in case, know that this is a simple matter, and in most cases the implementation this action won't be difficult. You can also use any of the freely available graphical interfaces for work (although the easiest way to manage it is the command line).
Installing "Linux"
What if you want to use this operating system? Then you need to know how to install and how to run Linux. Initially, choose the distribution that you will have. Popularly used are Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS and many others. We draw your attention to the operating systems presented, although the final choice is yours. To do this, you will need to acquire an .ISO image and burn it to disk. It is desirable to download the file from the official assembly site. Then you need to select the number of system bits. The 32 version has fewer compatibility issues and works better with drivers. But its analogue has a higher performance by 62. True, they will also cause troubles that you will have to deal with. Before you start, get yourself a backup copy all important data. Do not think that the system can spoil something for you. It's just that in most cases, the users themselves, unknowingly or in panic, delete important information... So, you have a disk with a system image. Before reinstalling, configure the base I / O system to work with You can now reboot.
Installing Ubuntu will be considered as an example. It is a popular operating system, and it is not difficult to find recommendations for working with it. So, initially a screen will load where you will need to select "Install Ubuntu". Initially, you will need to select the Linux language. Determine your time zone. Then you configure the keyboard to work. In the next step, you will need to prepare the disk space. At this stage, the solution to this issue can be shifted to the operating system, or you can define everything manually. The last option suitable for experienced users who know what a data sector is and how a computer works in general. Moreover, the level of awareness should be very high.
After the questions with disk space are exhausted, you will be prompted to name this computer, as well as create an administrator. It will be necessary to remember what was indicated here, otherwise the operation of the machine in the future without reinstallation or reset will be almost impossible. By the way, the password and username are needed not only to log into the system. After that, you will see a window of the wizard for transferring settings from other operating systems. If they are not there, then the step will be skipped. Otherwise, the operating system will offer to transfer files, as well as settings that were in user accounts. And at the end a window should appear in which the user's choice will be displayed. Check if everything is the way you want it. If there are no complaints, then click on the "Install" button, and the process will be launched. Depending on the configuration of the computer on which all these actions are carried out, the speed of replacement of operating systems changes. When all necessary actions will be executed, you will be prompted to press the "Enter" button.
Launching Linux
When you first turn it on, you will be greeted by a bootloader. V in this case running Linux will depend on the presence of extraneous OS. If it is alone, then Linux itself will boot. If this is not the case, then you will have three options:
- When you select the first, the operating system will boot in ten seconds.
- The second option is analogous to Windows Safe Mode.
- Testing RAM.
Also, depending on the number of installed operating systems, options for launching them will be added, and not just booting the Linux system. After activating Linux, you can start customizing its design, start using additional applications - in general, do everything so that the operating system is customized as much as possible for you. exist in a huge variety, and you can choose what you like. Some problems can arise only when using games and computational applications (AutoCAD and the like).
Removing and restoring Linux
The same Ubuntu will be used as an example. It doesn't matter why you wondered "how to uninstall Linux" - you didn't like the system or decided it was difficult. The main thing is how to do it. Let's consider two options. In the first, let's say you have a Windows fallback. In the second, we will assume that you do not have another operating system:
- Place the installation disc in your floppy drive. Boot from it, changing the priority in base system input / output. We open the command line. This can be done through the menu installation disk... Then select the "System fix" option. In English, it looks like Repair your computer. Correcting the entry about the system boot. To do this, enter the bootrec / fixmbr command. And on startup, you will no longer see the operating system selection screen when you turn on your computer, and Windows will always boot. Everything is ready. Now, for the changes to take effect, restart the machine. If you want to completely get rid of Ubuntu, then you need to do two more steps. First, open the disk management menu. In the window that opens, you will need to right-click on the section with the operating system and select the command to delete it. That's it, she's gone. Now right-click on the Windows partition and select Expand Partition. Free space needs to be added to it. But, recall, this can be done only if there is a spare operating system.
- Now, imagine you only have one Ubuntu. Then you need a disk with the desired operating system (Windows will be taken as an example). Insert it into the optical drive. Then it will be necessary to delete the section in which there is "Linux". After that, continue with the installation. If you do not do this, then you will not be able to use the computer. And then you have to create an operating system somewhere on a USB flash drive and perform the necessary actions from it.
Linux: so the same and different
Let's talk about what Linux analogues exist and give them a brief description. Only the most popular distributions will be considered:
- Ubuntu. Focused on ease of learning and use.
- OpenSUSE. A convenient distribution kit during setup and maintenance.
- Fedora. One of the most popular options that has won love for itself due to its versatility.
- Debian. This distribution served as the basis for many others. An extensive developer community is working on its creation. Has a rigorous approach to using proprietary software.
- Slackware. One of the oldest distributions. Has a conservative approach to design and use.
- Gentoo. A very flexible distribution. Compiled from source codes. The end result may vary high performance and flexibility in task execution. Aimed at power users and computer technology experts.
- Archlinux. A distribution that focuses on the use of the latest software versions. Constantly updated. Suitable for those who want to have all the benefits and modifications, but do not want to waste their time.
In addition to all of these listed options, there are many other distributions. They can be based on the ones indicated above or created from scratch. In the second option, they are usually created to perform a limited range of tasks. Each distribution has its own concept, set of packages, advantages and disadvantages. None of them can claim to satisfy all users. Therefore, together with the leaders, there are successfully other implementations created by associations of programmers and firms. So, there are many designs that can function from a CD, and you don't have to install the system on the computer itself. If there are no specific goals, then any distribution can be used. If you want to assemble the necessary components yourself, I recommend that you pay attention to Gentoo, CRUX or LFS.
What do those who use Linux tell us?
In general, you can research the reviews yourself. But the article contains a certain "compilation" of them for those who have no desire or time to search and read various texts. O Linux reviews for the most part positive. As a positive feature, they call a small amount of RAM, which must be allocated for the operation of the operating system itself. She also earned respect among those people who need to focus on work, but they are constantly distracted by games. Not least of all, this is due to the fact that relatively few are released for Linux. entertainment programs... Of course, you can use the services of operating system emulators, but this always requires a lot of time and resources. Therefore, for lazy people, this is a good option. Linux is very popular among representatives of the information technology sector. Not least of all, this is due to the presence of various various tools. Programmers and technicians speak positively about this system due to its versatility and ease of doing the required activities. The negative traits are usually the need to have significant knowledge of computers, to be able to work with a scientific poke and a visual difference from Windows. These are the opinions you can find about Linux. The operating system really differs significantly from the familiar interface of most personal computers, but there is an opinion that this is more an advantage than a disadvantage.
Conclusion
It's coming to an end Linux description... The review presented many different aspects. You have learned, You have also studied programs for Linux: what are the features in their work, how to install and run the operating system itself. Also provided various teams, with which you can perform the main range of custom operations. It is hoped that the information about Linux - what it is and with what it is eaten - will be useful to you in practice.
I recently became the owner of a powerful and practical Asus X550JK laptop at a very attractive price. One of the main advantages of this model can be emphasized the fact that the X550JK is offered without a pre-installed operating system (at least in the XO031D modification), which makes it a good purchase for users who prefer to independently choose a software platform suitable for their specific needs - be it popular (but paid) Microsoft Windows; or one of the many (but free) Linux distributions.
One of the main arguments that usually goes in favor of Windows in such cases has to do with video games. Modern versions Linux are fully viable competitors to Windows for most everyday tasks (browsing the Internet, multimedia entertainment, office work etc.), but in terms of games, things are a little different.
It's no secret that most (almost 90 percent) of modern PC games rely on software interface DirectX developed by Microsoft. At the same time, the vast majority of computer systems in the world are running Windows. Therefore, it is not surprising that companies in the gaming industry create their products specifically for this operating system, and not Linux, which represents a very modest niche in the market.
However, Valve is the company that owns the digital distribution service. Steam games- has been making a concerted effort over the past two years to break (or at least undermine) this status quo. The main tool the company is counting on to achieve this goal is called SteamOS - specifically modified version Linux, which is available for free and is organized around the Steam platform.
At first glance, an attempt to popularize Linux as a medium for computer games not such a bad idea. Moreover, judging by the more than 1000 titles for SteamOS / Linux currently offered in digital store from Valve, we can conclude that the company has already achieved some of its goals.
This figure suggests that developers' attention has been grabbed, real games are present (including top-notch, high-budget titles, not just niche indie projects), and loss of windows its position as the dominant platform for games is only a matter of time. But is it? I decided to test it in practice. For this purpose, I used the one mentioned at the beginning of the text, which is not bad from a gaming point of view. mobile computer Asus X550JK, which were installed different from Windows operating systems, and with one main thought: games! Here is the result.
Of course, at first my choice fell on SteamOS for two simple reasons... First, its creators from Valve claim that in the face of this operating system, they offer an alternative to Windows, designed specifically for games. Secondly, because (again, according to Valve) SteamOS was designed to be as easy as possible to install, configure, and use, even for non-knowledgeable users.
SteamOS is currently only available as a beta version and can be downloaded for free from Valve's website. At first glance, it becomes obvious that the developers made sure that as many enthusiasts as possible gave their product a chance. For example, the installation process and initial setup described in detail and translated into several dozen languages, including Russian.
The installation itself does not pose a particular problem - everything is very easy and fast. You just need to extract the system files to a USB drive with the FAT32 file system and then boot the computer from it. The installation process took me a few minutes, and then I had a ready-made SteamOS machine at my disposal.
Unfortunately, here I ran into the first serious problem - the system did not detect a discrete laptop video card (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M) and instead installed the driver for the in-processor only graphics core, which, as you yourself well know, is extremely insufficient for a comfortable game. On the Internet you can find various offers to solve this problem, including downloading and installing the driver manually, but this, in my opinion, is an impossible task for inexperienced users... Yet it comes about Linux - about working in a terminal window, entering complex commands, unzipping and recompiling a library - all these are things that a user who is accustomed to a simple, understandable and accessible graphical interface will find it extremely difficult to cope with.
Nevertheless, I decided to bring the experiment to the end and look (albeit with the help of the video core built into the processor) at the two games available for Linux / SteamOS: Civilization V and Metro: Last Light Redux.
The resource-demanding first-person action game from 4A Games flatly refused to launch, citing the fact that the system could not find a graphics accelerator compatible with OpenGL 4.0. It is appropriate to recall here that most modern 3D games on Linux rely on the OpenGL interface, since DirectX is available only in Windows environment.
The Civilization V strategy, unlike Metro, did not object to the presence of integrated graphics in any way and launched, but with minimal graphics settings.
To summarize: at the current stage of its development, the operating system from Valve left a mixed impression. Obviously, the company will have to work harder in terms of driver support, although at this stage I tend to think that the problems I am facing may well be due to the fact that SteamOS is currently only available as a beta. It is possible that Final version the system will handle the automatic detection and configuration of major hardware components much better.
Right now I cannot recommend SteamOS as a Windows alternatives especially for laptops, which often contain very specific hardware modules. Finding Linux-compatible (not to mention SteamOS) drivers for such components will be extremely challenging task.
There is another serious argument against SteamOS regarding the possible role of this platform as a worthy Windows replacements... This is a highly specialized Linux modification with enough limited functionality... In other words, SteamOS is designed solely as an environment that allows you to buy, download, and run games. The only other possibility is that the system allows you to browse sites through the built-in browser, which is also quite primitive.
Other tasks outside of video games are simply not provided. As a result, SteamOS effectively turns your computer into game console, but cannot be used for anything other than gaming entertainment.
Since my initial choice based on Linux disappointed me a little, I decided to continue experimenting with one of the most popular free OS distributions - Ubuntu. This is not a beta release, unlike SteamOS, but a platform with more than 10 years of history behind it. In addition, the developer company (Canonical) positions it as a full-fledged competitor to the ubiquitous Windows, which is just as easy to install, configure and use.
I downloaded the latest version (14.04.2 LTS) from the official website of the company, saved it to a flash drive using the Universal USB Installer tool, and then booted a laptop from it.
Then began extremely simple and fast process installation, after which I got a working system along with an integrated office suite (LibreOffice), a browser (Firefox), a multimedia player and a bunch of other useful programs - all completely free.
The problems started when I went directly to the Steam client. For some inexplicable reason, the Steam module categorically refused to start, explaining this by the mysterious absence of several system libraries... In the end, after hours of searching the internet and trying to overcome this problem, I gave up.
Although outwardly it looks and behaves (in some places) like Windows, Ubuntu quickly showed that under its surface hides a rather complex and not very user-friendly operating environment. Despite the pleasant interface, switching to Ubuntu requires a major change in the way you work and how you work. For example, each of the possible solutions to a problem with the Steam client that I have found in various discussion forums requires entering complex commands in a terminal window. This is a task that will intimidate most users without advanced technical knowledge.
This was my third (and final) attempt to prove that gaming on a Linux PC is as easy and affordable as fans and advocates of a free operating system claim.
I downloaded the distribution kit, put it on a flash drive (again with with Universal USB Installer) and proceeded to install the operating system on the laptop.
And again, for the third time, my experiment failed because, for reasons I could not explain, the Mint installer refused to complete the process of copying the system to disk, and repeated attempts to complete the installation invariably ended with an obscure error message that I could not resolve.
Conclusion
What did my hands-on experiment show in finding a free alternative to Windows for PC games? Currently, the most promising option (not surprisingly) is Valve's SteamOS distribution. If the company tries to provide really good and hassle-free support for a fairly wide range of computer hardware, it is possible that more ordinary users (and gamers) will decide to try SteamOS in the foreseeable future. The question is whether this will be justified in view of the fact that we are talking about highly specialized operating environment, organized exclusively around the idea of games and closely related to a specific service - Steam.
Nor should the question of the quantity and quality of game titles be underestimated - although Linux has grown in popularity lately, the operating system is still very far from the definition of a "mainstream platform." This is clearly evident in the still limited range of games that are available for this operating system.
Other older and more popular alternatives like Ubuntu and Mint offer much more functionality. But, unfortunately, even against the background of an already very rich history, they still do not leave the impression of a friendly and convenient (sufficiently) system for the user.
Of course, all of the above is my personal opinion based on practical experience, which is associated with an attempt to achieve specific goals using specific model laptop. Given that Ubuntu and Mint, and now SteamOS, have an ever-growing fan base, my experience may not be particularly telling in this regard. This is why I do not want you to view this material as some kind of attempt to belittle Linux or protect Windows. Both operating systems have their many pros and cons, and each user can decide for himself what is best for him.
Have a great day!
An acquaintance who had not seen Linux in his eyes, but became interested in the open source, after the release of Ubuntu 10.10 asked him to write to him, “what is good, what is bad, what complications, what subtleties, how to improve relations with wine7”, so that he could decide whether he needed this happiness ... At first I thought “why am I going to write a text, when probably a hundred people have already written it - I’ll quickly google it, send a link, and then I’ll answer specific questions”. But then I found out that on requests like "migration to ubuntu" giant manuals with the intricacies of configuring compiz were thrown out, and a short text for "undecided" could not be quickly found either on the Internet at all, or on ubuntu.com and ubuntu.ru (that is, everything as I wrote in the previous post), not on Habré - so I thought that let it be at least on Habré now. Participants of "Ubuntarium" are unlikely to learn something new from the text, but they can supplement it in the comments (I do not pretend to be called ubuntuguru, so I probably missed a lot of important things), and then people who later enter into Google something like " transition to ubuntu ", will find happiness here.
I warn you right away that in the text a lot is given in a somewhat simplified version, so that the essence is immediately clear; if someone after this post decides to switch over, he will still read more detailed texts, so he will know the correct wording. I also want to say that I do not at all persuade everyone to switch to Ubuntu; The system has shortcomings, for someone they may well be critical, and in the text I tried to state everything impartially.
What is it all for (main advantages):
1. Practical plus: the system is free (like most programs for it). Windows, of course, can also be obtained for free in a known way- but she may suddenly find out about it, or (during installation at the workplace) those who came with the check may find out about it, or, finally, your conscience may know about it. In addition, under Windows, you also have to fool around, extracting each program in a known way - with some it can be difficult.
2. Practical plus: no viruses. You can safely stick any flash drives brought by your friends and go to any (including those you think of) sites. Update: in the comments pointed out that there is a theoretical possibility of infecting a computer, but in practice this is still extremely rare.
3. Practical plus: some things are more convenient to do (see below in more detail) than in Windows.
4. A practical plus for geeks: flexible customization. If you are ready to "work with the file", you can almost get the system of your dreams.
5. Plus for the curious: the outlook becomes wider. And not only quantitatively, but also qualitatively: when you see two different approaches to one thing, you start to look at the things themselves differently.
6. Aesthetic plus: the interface of programs, notifications and other things is designed in the same style. In addition, many adore the Compiz Fusion "add-on over the system" for both external effects and functionality (there is no full-fledged analogue of Compiz in Windows).
7. Ideological plus: you help create competition for Microsoft :) I have nothing fundamental against Microsoft, Windows 7 is a good operating system, but the very fact of competition would force both sides to work more actively, and in the end everyone would be better.
8. Ideological plus: bright ideals of open source code... True, if this tells you something, then you are a programmer, and if you are a programmer, then you yourself already know enough about Linux. But even if he does not speak - know that you are the very fact using Linux support a good cause.
What you need to know if "interesting, but scary":
1. You can not install Ubuntu right away "fully", there are three options that allow you to first look at it and understand whether you like it or not. One is installation using the Wubi installer, in which Ubuntu is installed inside Windows: then you do not need to bother with partitioning the hard drive (which eliminates the danger of accidentally demolishing everything) and can be easily removed. The second is to install the system on a flash drive (any size from a gigabyte will do): you can boot from a flash drive and look at Ubuntu without making any changes to your computer's hard drive at all. Moreover, if you like the system, then you can install it on your computer from the same flash drive. Some people generally make the system on a flash drive their main, so that, having come somewhere and stuck their flash drive into someone else's computer, they can work like at home, but I didn't do it myself, I don't know the details. The third way is to run inside Windows in virtual machine(Ubuntu in this case starts up as one of Windows programs, in the window).
2. With a "full-fledged" installation, Ubuntu fits perfectly "next to" Windows, and they can be used alternately, choosing which system to boot each time the computer is turned on. Lifehacker.com has a good English-language instruction on dual blocking Ubuntu and Windows 7. If someone really needs it, I will translate it into Russian.
What will raise the main questions for a Windows user during the transition:
1. Installing applications: in Ubuntu they are usually installed not from distribution files, but from repository servers. At first it’s unusual, but then most people start to like this approach much stronger than the Windows one; programs are put literally "in one click" without ten clicks on "next" and input serial number from keygen. The vast majority of programs are free, but there are also paid ones.
2. The structure of the file system is noticeably different from Windows, there are no "C and D drives"; it takes a while to get used to, but then the structure seems more logical to many. At first, the most important thing to know is that NTFS partitions and external attached devices like mp3 players can be found by navigating from the root to the / media folder, and each user's "personal" folder is located in / home / username. (There is another plus here: there is an opportunity for complete reinstallation systems, save a "personal folder", and then the settings of all programs will be saved.)
3. Compatibility with Windows standards. Everything is different here. It is quite possible to communicate with vinduzyatniki via ICQ and Skype (although the Skype client is now crooked). With doc and xls at the everyday level, it works quite well in OpenOffice, but large documents with complex formatting in it may not look exactly the same as in Microsoft Office - it is better to write a diploma not in Linux, if you do not want the teacher under Windows to see skewed tables. There are problems with encodings in various situations (for example, Cyrillic in the names of files placed in a zip archive and Cyrillic in tags of mp3 files). There is almost always a way to cope with this, in some cases it is quite convenient, in others it is a "crutch". If this psychologically consolates those who are passing through, then know that it is in Ubuntu that Unicode is used, which is intended to solve all problems with encodings, and problems arise due to the fact that Windows has not yet fully switched over to it. There is also Wine, with the help of which Windows applications are launched under Linux - in the case of "heavy" programs this may be difficult or impossible, but with little things everything is much better (for example, you can run a Windows archiver in Wine and unpack zip without problems with Cyrillic names files).
4. Iron support. Let's be honest - not all hardware manufacturers think about Linux users, so it can get up on some hardware with problems, but for some peripherals it may not be official drivers... You can check in advance whether the system is working normally on your hardware using the aforementioned flash drive, and for some of the officially unsupported peripherals (for example, modems Yota) the drivers are written by the Linux users themselves. If you absolutely need the support of a certain piece of hardware, but you don't have it at hand, in order to check it in practice - google, about all the popular hardware Linux users on the Internet have already written whether it is supported. No iTunes - some alternative solutions for iPods and iPhones exist, but, of course, it's not the same at all. Update: in the comments they say that sometimes even with normal work systems from a flash drive have problems after a full installation, I myself have not encountered this.
5. Support for some popular things, including mp3, is not included in the system by default due to the fact that they are limited by patents and do not comply with open source rules. This is solved by installing one package ubuntu-restricted-extras.
6. It is an Internet oriented system; you can live in it without the Internet, but much worse. Therefore, if there is no normal access, this is an argument against transition.
7. There are several (you can choose the exact value) desktops, they look the same (icons-wallpapers are the same), and open windows can be scattered between them. At first it is not clear why this is, but then many people develop for themselves such an algorithm for placing windows, in which they become much more comfortable than with one table.
8. When switching layouts by Ctrl + Shift, hotkeys like Ctrl + Shift + X do not work. In Linux, hotkeys are triggered when you press the keys, but do not release, and it takes the beginning of Ctrl + Shift + X for a command to change the layout. There are workarounds, but at first it is easier to set the switch to Alt + Shift (in general, I recommend setting CapsLock to one layout and Shift + CapsLock to another, you don’t have to check which one is on now before switching).
9. Partitioning the disk during installation: I cannot describe in detail within this text, but it is not difficult to google the manual (for example). I will only say here that if you want to alternately load Ubuntu and Windows and use the same files in them, you need to allocate space when splitting, proceeding from the fact that Linux partitions are not visible from under Windows, so the "shared" files should be stored in NTFS partitions. Update: in the comments suggest that there is a way to see the Linux partitions under Windows.
10. New major versions of Ubuntu are released every six months, in April and October, numbered by year and month of release ("9.04" - April 2009). Every fourth of them is called LTS-version (from "long-term support": they have a longer period official support), they try to make them as reliable as possible, and those who value stability are advised to use only them and update them every two years. The latest LTS version is 10.04 "Lucid Lynx", non-LTS version is 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat".
Additional item. In practice, you will certainly encounter problems not mentioned here (in the comments they have already written that wired Internet it's unusual to configure after Windows - I always connected only to Wi-Fi, so I can't say anything). But disastrous for regular user among them practically none. Most of them can be dealt with in whole or in part by googling and reading the forums. It is possible that at first you will have to google pretty well, but you should not think that this is the case for life - if you perform approximately the same tasks at the computer every day, then it will settle down. And another significant point: while sitting under Ubuntu, it is advisable to realize that this is not a “different-looking Windows”, but a different system with a different logic - then some of the problems will become easier to solve.
Top myths about Ubuntu and Linux in general:
1. Linux is complex, it is for sysadmins, not normal people.
Basic tasks (surfing, music-video, etc.) are performed in Ubuntu as well as in Windows, and sometimes even easier (see the aforementioned software installation). Yes, there is a console, but most of the basic tasks can be performed through the graphical interface: for example, to install the VLC video player, you can enter "sudo apt-get install vlc" into the console, or you can go to the "Ubuntu Application Center", enter " vlc ", select it and click on" install ". The Linux console and hotkeys are often used not because it is very inconvenient in the system without them, but because it becomes very convenient with them (if you spend time and learn). Without a graphical interface, with one console, you can stay in the event that you want to do something atypical - but when you google by the name of the task you want to perform, you can often find ready-made commands on the forums that you can only copy to the console, even if you don’t understand what they mean. (Well, in fairness, atypical tasks in Windows are often even more difficult to accomplish.)
2. Linux is ugly, it is for sysadmins, not girls with a craving for beauty.
Firstly, Ubuntu doesn't look like the angular 90s console monster at all; many even think that it kind of mimics MacOS. Secondly, Ubuntu has much more system uniformity than Windows: applications follow the same design rules, display alerts in the same way, and so on. There are exceptions to the uniform look (usually these are cross-platform applications that look the same as under other systems), but skins can be pulled over some of them. Third, if you prioritize appearance, Compiz Fusion can make Ubuntu look like an effect. her Windows and customize her appearance for herself (there is, for example,
