Articles about Linux

If you are a Linux user, you can never go wrong with a System76 computer. Its machines come pre-loaded with Ubuntu, but they can also run any Linux distro, such as Fedora or Mint, like a champ. Operating system aside, they come with excellent specifications and superb customer service.

Now, System76 is refreshing three of its laptops with some high-end parts. The Oryx Pro, Serval WS, and Bonobo WS are now all equipped with 7th generation Intel Kaby Lake processors. In addition, all three can be had with 4K displays and NVIDIA GTX 10 series graphics too. While the Oryx Pro already had the option of 4K and GTX 10, it is the 7th gen Intel chips that are new to it. In fact, all of the company's laptops now come with Kaby Lake standard.

Continue reading →

The Chuwi Hi13 is a very interesting proposition in the Windows tablet market. It has a display similar to that of the Microsoft Surface Book, support for a detachable keyboard and stylus, expansion ports, and competitive internals, but, unlike the devices that it has in its crosshairs, it features a really attractive price tag.

When I discussed the Hi13 earlier this year, I mentioned that Chuwi expected to sell the device for around $500 or less, which seemed like a fair price considering everything that it has to offer. However, as it turns out, the Hi13 will actually retail for much less -- $369 to be exact. The value proposition is hard to beat.

Continue reading →

Happy Valentine's Day, dear BetaNews readers! Please know that I love you all very much. On this day of romance, restaurants will be crowded with couples celebrating the holiday. If you have a significant other, I hope you have already purchased a gift or at least a greeting card by now. If not, you might be fighting over slim-pickings at the store this evening!

If you haven't yet picked up a gift, and that someone special is a bit of a computer nerd, I have some good news. The Linux Foundation is offering special training and certification discounts for Valentine's Day. Chocolate and flowers are fleeting -- education can last a lifetime. Using this special discount code, you can surprise your lover with the gift of Linux -- how cool is that?

Continue reading →

If you find yourself needing an operating system that respects your privacy, you cannot go wrong with Tails. The live Linux-distro can be run from a DVD which is read-only, meaning there is less of a chance of files being left behind. Heck, Edward Snowden famously used it to protect himself when shining a light on the overreaching US government.

Unfortunately for some users, Tails will soon not work on their computers. The upcoming version 3.0 of the operating system is dropping 32-bit processor support. While a decline in compatibility is normally a bad thing, in this case, it is good. You see, because there are so few 32-bit Tails users, the team was wasting resources by supporting them. Not to mention, 64-bit processors are more secure too.

Continue reading →

Businesses are increasingly aware of the need to protect their endpoint systems. However, they tend to concentrate most of their efforts on Windows which can leave other platforms vulnerable.

Cyber security specialist and digital certificate provider Comodo is launching a new version of its Advanced Endpoint Protection (AEP) product that extends availability of its default-deny endpoint security to Mac and Linux platforms, in addition to Windows.

Continue reading →

There are so many Linux distributions nowadays, that it can be hard to be excited by them. Linux Mint, for example, releases too many versions of its operating system; news of an update can become rather ho-hum. Major Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu and Fedora, remain exciting, however.

Some smaller Linux-based operating systems are still worthy of attention, however, and one such distro is Bodhi. Based on Ubuntu, the lightweight OS is very unique thanks to the Moksha desktop environment. Because of its familiarity, that DE makes Bodhi a smart choice for Windows users looking to switch to Linux. Today, Bodhi reaches version 4.1.0.

Continue reading →

Linux Mint is widely known as an Ubuntu-based operating system, but that isn't entirely true. Yes, the main version is based on Canonical's distro, but one version, LMDE, is instead based on Debian. In fact, "LMDE" stands for Linux Mint Debian Edition. Of course, Ubuntu is based on Debian which makes the entire thing even more confusing for users, but I digress.

Today, the Linux Mint Team releases refreshed BETA versions of the LMDE 2 "Betsy" ISO images. What does this mean? There have been many updates since the last version of the ISO was released in 2015, meaning that new installs were very outdated and needed many updates. The Linux Mint team is packaging all of those updates into the ISO so that it is more modern for those doing a fresh install.

Continue reading →

One of the big hurdles for people looking to switch from Windows to Linux or macOS is a dependence of software that requires Microsoft's operating system. This is becoming less of an issue, however, as more and more programs become cross-platform. Not to mention, a lot of software solutions are web-based nowadays, meaning they can run on any operating system with compatible web browser.

If you are someone that depends on software that only runs on Microsoft's operating system, you should probably stick with Windows. I mean, why deal with headaches? But OK, if for whatever reason you would rather use macOS or a Linux-based operating system like Ubuntu, there is a solution -- Wine. This is a compatibility layer that can be used to run Windows software on other operating systems. With that said, it is not perfect -- it can be a frustrating experience.

Continue reading →

Donald Trump is US president now, and maybe you are happy about that. More power to you. Some folks, however, are terrified of the man. True, he only just started the job, but he has already declared war on the truth by lying about both inaugural crowd size and voter fraud. He has even publicly attacked the press for doing its job. Heck, Trump's FCC appointee, Ajit Pai, is a known opponent of net neutrality. With all of that said, it can be hard to feel that your privacy will be safe with such a curious administration.

If you are fearful that your online privacy could soon be under attack, you are not helpless. With the help of Linux, you can take steps to safeguard yourself. Edward Snowden famously used the Tails operating system to protect himself, and that could be a very good option for honest citizens looking to protect themselves from "Big Brother." Thankfully, a new version of the Linux distribution, 2.10, is now available for download.

Continue reading →

If you love Raspberry Pi, but require a little more power for your projects, then ASUS’s Tinker Board could be just what you’re looking for.

Although there’s no shortage of Raspberry Pi alternatives, the low-cost Tinker Board is better than most because its quad-core 1.8GHz ARM Cortex-A17 processor has the oomph to handle 4K video and 24-bit audio, and it comes with twice as much RAM as the latest Pi.

Continue reading →

Linux is arguably the most successful open source project in all of history. The success of the kernel -- and operating systems that use it -- are not due to any one man or woman. Actually, the achievements are thanks to the Linux community. In other words, it is a team effort -- developers, users, and more.

For a Linux distribution, such as Ubuntu, to continue its progress, Canonical needs developers to remain interested -- this includes getting new people involved and educated. This week, the company launched Ubuntu Tutorials -- based on Google's open source Codelab. No, it is not self-learning for new workstation users, but for programmers and developers.

Continue reading →

Microsoft and Linux used to be like oil and water. In more recent years, however, the Windows-maker has embraced that kernel and other open source technologies too.

Today, Microsoft announces the addition of Intel's Clear Linux OS to Azure Marketplace. In other words, users of the company's cloud platform can set up a virtual machine using this distribution in addition to existing Linux-based operating systems.

Continue reading →

A Beta release for Linux Mint 18.1 'Serena' KDE is here. There are already versions available featuring other desktop environments, such as Cinnamon, Mate, and Xfce. You'd think that would be enough, but no! Apparently a fourth edition is needed. Some people feel that a KDE version is a waste of resources, but either way, here we are.

So what is new? The KDE Plasma 5.8 desktop environment is the star of the show -- after all, if you do not want KDE, you wouldn't choose this version. The shipping Linux kernel is 4.4.0-53, which is surprisingly outdated. Ubuntu-based operating systems are never known for being bleeding-edge, however.

Continue reading →

Linux and Windows living happily side-by-side is not something many people would have predicted, but Windows 10 Anniversary Update saw the arrival of Bash on Ubuntu thanks to the Windows Subsystem for Linux. Not everyone was happy with Microsoft's choice of Ubuntu, with many preferring a different flavour of Linux.

Senior Product Manager for SUSE Linux Enterprise, Hannes Kühnemund, is -- unsurprisingly -- one of those whose taste buds were not tantalized by Ubuntu. He would rather you ran SUSE on Windows 10. In fact he doesn't just want this to happen, he tells you how to do it -- specifically with openSUSE Leap 42.2 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2 -- so you too can run Linux binaries natively on Windows.

Continue reading →

If you like macOS, you buy an Apple computer. Fans of Windows 10 can choose a Surface, HP, Toshiba or something else. If you are an Ubuntu user, and you want a machine pre-loaded with the operating system, however, what do you do? For those in the know, there is a company that caters to Linux users' needs -- System76. The company sells desktops, laptops, and servers running Canonical's Linux-based OS.

Not only are System76 computers both affordable and powerful, but they come with excellent support too. It is because of these things that the company has built a solid reputation and gained many fans. In 2015, System76 held a special "Superfan" event at its Denver headquarters. To pick attendees, it held a contest where fans could win a trip there. Because of the event's popularity, the company is hosting another. Dubbed "Superfan II", System76 is once again holding a contest, with up to eight trips to Denver (hotel and airfare) as the prize.

Continue reading →