Articles about Linux

IBM and Red Hat have revealed the latest fruit of their tie-up with the announcement of general availability of Red Hat OpenShift on IBM Z and LinuxONE systems.

Red Hat is already a leader in hybrid cloud and enterprise Kubernetes, with more than 1,000 customers already using the OpenShift platform to manage containers.

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There are two types of Ubuntu users -- brave ones willing to use bleeding edge variants of the Linux-based operating system, and weak ones that stick with the Long Term Support versions. Of course I am just kidding; there is absolutely nothing wrong with using LTS variants of Ubuntu. In fact, it is actually quite wise -- especially for business users -- since it focuses on stability and compatibility. Even home users should probably stick with LTS, as long support can be preferable to having the new "shiny" version. Personally, I like to go with whatever is the newest -- support length be damned -- but I digress.

Now, Canonical is releasing the newest version of its LTS Linux-based operating system -- Ubuntu Linux 18.04.4. Yeah, it is just a point release, and not 20.04 LTS (which will arrive in April), but still, it would be a good idea to update your installation media. It isn't just the normal version of Ubuntu being updated -- which uses the GNOME desktop environment -- but other flavors too. For instance, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, Lubuntu, and Ubuntu Budgie are all being bumped up to 18.04.4.

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Windows 10 users have had a tough time of it lately, with updates causing all manner of problems, as well as the search function stopping working for many people.

If you’re thinking now might be the time to look into an alternative operating system -- perhaps one based on Linux -- but you’re not quite ready to jump ship from Windows, then Windows 12 Lite, discovered by a redditor at their local computer fair, could be the OS you’re looking for.

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A few days ago, we reported on an extremely serious sudo bug that impacted some Unix and Linux-based operating systems. While Ubuntu was not affected, two popular operating systems based on it -- Linux Mint and elementary OS -- were impacted, sadly. This was due to pwfeedback being enabled on those operating systems.

Thankfully, the folks over at elementary have already squashed the bug in the latest version -- 5.1.2 Hera. Even better, the sudo vulnerability fix is not the only improvement found in this version of the Linux distribution.

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If you are a Linux user that craves lots of processing power, you are undoubtedly familiar with System76's popular line of Thelio desktops. Hell, you have either already bought one of these computers or you daydream about owning one. These Thelio desktops are made in the USA, housed in a custom wooden chassis, and come with Ubuntu Linux or System76's own Ubuntu-based Pop!_OS operating system pre-installed. Thelio is what dreams are made of...

Depending on the model of Thelio you choose, you can get either Intel or AMD processors. While the standard Thelio model can be had with regular AMD Ryzen processors, the Thelio Major can be configured with Ryzen Threadripper chips. If you aren't familiar, Threadripper processors are multi-core beasts that are designed for hardcore users.

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Details of a nine-year-old security vulnerability with the sudo utility found in numerous Unix and Linux based operating systems have been revealed.

The flaw, which affects the likes of Linux Mint and Elementary OS, could be exploited to give users root privileges on a vulnerable system. Sudo versions 1.7.1 to 1.8.30 are at risk if the pwfeedback option is enabled.

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I am a huge proponent of using Linux-based desktop operating systems, and I try to convert people from Windows whenever it makes sense. Why do I do this? Well, Linux distributions, believe it or not, are often easier to use than Microsoft's operating system. With so many people living in the web browser these days, a Linux installation with Google Chrome is largely all an average user needs. More advanced users can install excellent free software such as LibreOffice or GIMP -- if needed. Not to mention, it can be argued that Linux is more secure than Windows. Overall, switching to Linux is a huge win for many.

Even installing a Linux distro is easy these days. Long gone are the days where the installation required a degree in computer science (except for Arch, maybe). The current Ubuntu installer, for instance, is more straightforward than the one found on Windows 10! So why in the hell is Canonical, the maker of Ubuntu, making it seem so damn hard? You see, the company has put out an installation guide that will make a person curious about switching to Ubuntu to instead run for the hills.

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It was just a few days ago that we shared with you a release candidate was released for OpenMandriva Lx 4.1. Well, things apparently went very well, as today, you can download the final release! Today is Super Bowl Sunday though -- surely people should be relaxing and watching the big game instead of messing around with Linux, right? Sure, if you enjoy football. If you don't like the sport, don't torture yourself. Instead, turn off the TV and install this new version of OpenMandriva!

Hell, if you are invited to a Super Bowl party today, you should not only bring with you snacks or beverages, but a flash drive containing OpenMandriva Lx 4.1 too -- you can then install it on your host's PC. If they are running the unsupported Windows 7 in particular, you would be doing them a huge favor.

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Today, there is some great news for the Linux community -- OpenMandriva Lx 4.1 is RC now available! Yes, there is a new version of the KDE-focused Linux distribution.

Before you get too excited, please know that RC stands for "Release Candidate." What does that mean? Well, it should be more stable than an Alpha or Beta, but it is still pre-release software. Essentially, with an RC, the developers are proposing that this version could be stable enough to become "final" or "gold."

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If you are still using Windows 7 on your computer, you are making a huge mistake. Running an unsupported operating system is pure foolishness -- there will be countless exploits in the future for which you simply won't receive patches. In other words, your data and overall online safety is now at major risk. If you insist on sticking with Microsoft's operating system, you might as well upgrade to Windows 10 -- either by installing the operating system on your current computer or buying a new PC with the OS pre-loaded.

Understandably, many people are scared of Windows 10 -- Microsoft's data collection through extreme telemetry can make it feel like your own computer is spying on you. In that case, a Linux-based operating system should be considered. Today, Canonical releases an official guide for those thinking of switching to Ubuntu from Windows 7. Not only does the guide address potential hardware incompatibilities, but it provides a handy list of popular Windows software and its comparable Linux alternatives.

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There are too many Linux distributions these days, but as long as many of them are of high quality, I suppose that isn't such a bad problem to have. Many people in the Linux community know of the common ones, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, and Manjaro, but there are some lesser-known distros that are actually worth consideration, like Deepin and Solus.

Speaking of the latter, there is a new version of that operating system available for download. While technically just a point release, Solus 4.1 Fortitude is chock full of updates, fixes, and more. You get Linux kernel 5.4.12 and Mesa 19.3.2. The operating sytem comes with many quality apps pre-installed too, such as Firefox 72.0.2, LibreOffice 6.3.4.2, and Thunderbird 68.4.1 -- three essential productivity tools. Once again, there are four desktop environments to choose -- Budgie, GNOME, KDE Plasma, and MATE. All four are great, but Budgie is considered the default for this operating system.

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Rocket League is one of my favorite PC games. Not only is it extremely fun, but it runs well on average hardware and is very easy to play. Seriously, folks, the learning curve is so low that almost anyone can just start playing right away. If you aren't familiar with Rocket League, please know it is essentially soccer with cars -- you drive into a giant ball and try to get it into the goal.

Another cool aspect of Rocket League? It is cross-platform, running on Windows, Mac, and even Linux. Sadly, this is changing, as the game's developer, Psyonix, is killing support for all desktop PC platforms that aren't Windows. That's right, if you are a Linux or macOS gamer (yes, they really exist), you will get one final patch before March -- when support officially ends. Sadly, this update will remove the ability to play the Mac and Linux versions online. And no, you cannot avoid the patch and continue to play online. In other words, you will soon be limited to offline play. Laughably, the game will continue to work fully on the now-unsupported Windows 7.

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When it comes to running Windows applications and games on Linux and macOS, Wine is the go-to tool for many people. Now Wine 5.0 has been released and it includes significant changes that make it even more useful.

After a series of betas and release candidates, the stable version of Wine 5.0 is here. It features multi-monitor support, numerous fixes for problematic games and applications, Vulkan 1.1 support, and more.

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Many people publicly deride Chromebooks, but that is largely because of their ignorance. For instance, some will say the computers are nothing more than a "glorified web browser." Actually, Chromebooks run a secure Linux distribution called "Chrome OS." While the operating system does focus heavily on the web, that really isn't a problem nowadays. Since Wi-Fi is ubiquitous these days, doing all of your computing on the web is actually ideal. Who the heck isn't constantly connected to the internet anyway?

But OK, if you have a need for offline computing, that is totally possible too. Not to mention, Chromebooks can now run both Android apps and traditional Linux desktop programs -- there is a huge library of useful software just waiting to be installed.

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Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux-based desktop operating systems in the world. Why? Well, it is easy to use, preloaded with useful software, and has one of the best online communities.

Not everyone likes the default GNOME desktop environment, however, so some folks opt for different flavors of Ubuntu, such as Xububtu (which uses Xfce) or Kubuntu (which uses KDE Plasma). Speaking of the latter, today, you can buy an official Kubuntu laptop. Called "Focus". It is an absolutely powerhouse with top specs.

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