Tag Archives: Linux

What are the differences between UNIX and Linux, and what about all those choices within Linux?

What are the operational differences between Linux and UNIX? Why would a programmer choose one over the other? What about software selection and ease of programming (with already basic knowledge of programming, and wanting to dive in to open source)?

In terms of Linux, what makes things like Red Hat cost money and things like Ubuntu not? Is pay-for OS based on Linux better quality than freely distributed OS? What is the best choice for Linux-or-Unix OS for a budding programmer?

Novell Linux, Mac, PC

These Linux, Mac & PC ads are great!

Novell Marketing Video for Linux playing on the popular Mac vs PC videos. What is Linux? See: en.wikipedia.org Some points for Linux off the top of my head: – Free (as in speech). I have the freedom to tweak the system as I wish. – DRM Free – Superior method of software updates, installation – Solid stability (servers I run have been up for 1+yrs, my desktop 1+ month) – Can scale down to very old/obscure hardware (I have a Linux file server running an old 266, 24MB ram – Virtually Spyware/Virus free – Variety of system tools not available in Windows. Extensive programming interface. – Very cool eye-candy ahead of other Operating systems. Youtube search “compiz”, see the upcoming KDE, see the current version of Gnome. – I know exactly what my computer is doing. Can’t say the same thing with Windows, OS X – Although I agree gaming is lacking, I personally don’t game on PC but what I do see is the amazing benefit of being able to have access to the thousands of OSS packages out there. – Luxury of using technology backed up by contributions and usage by companies such as IBM, HP, Sun, Google, many governments, military orgs, NASA, universities, super computer research. Outside the desktop Windows presence is not the greatest. – Constant updates to all my software. You can choose to run cutting edge or run stable. – Ability to decide what to install and what not to (can’t say the same thing about XP) – Freedom of not depending on one single vendor. I know my needs will not be