Posted on 01/14/2019 6:37:20 AM PST by ShadowAce
Fantastic article to start this off with!
Thank you!
Here is another option that can be done right away not needing the physical CD to try it out. It can be downloaded and put onto a bootable USB stick. This is how I got mine.
Here is an article about a good distro version for anyone brand new to Linux. This feels and functions just like Win 7 and will be very easy to use right out of the box.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/mint-18-3-the-best-linux-desktop-takes-big-steps-forward/?bhid=25275353122913214062959128115956&ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&loc=newsletter_large_thumb_featured
https://www.linuxmint.com/rel_sylvia_cinnamon_whatsnew.php
Make folder and download the Rufus and ISO files from the next two links into it.
https://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=246 ( I downloaded my mirror file from “Linux Freedom” site )
Go into your folder and the Rufus is executable file that will launch the stick builder with a ISO file search. Just point it to the Mint ISO you downloaded into that same folder and it will add it to the process as it makes the stick for you.
Pull this up in another tab and read these instructions carefully step by step for the proper setting options for the Rufus program to make your stick.
https://tutorials.ubuntu.com/tutorial/tutorial-create-a-usb-stick-on-windows#0
Then of course you can then boot it from your Bios set up screen to try it. My PC made me power up with the stick in the port before it would see it and give me the option to use it as a boot option. Took me a bit to figure this out. lol
Oh man... Linux is everywhere and most don’t have a clue!
More…
1. Linux is not an OS, but it is the kernel, GNU Linux is the OS and it comes in several hundred flavours.
2. Linux Kernel was written by a 21 year finnish college student as a part of his hobby. Yup! His name is Linus Torvalds.
3. Torvalds created Linux based on GNU General Public License (GPL). Perhaps Torvalds would have never written his own kernel if GPL would be having it’s own kernel and driver.
4. Major part of today’s Linux kernel is written in C programming language and assembly language and only 2% of today’s kernel contains code written by Torvalds.
5. A Standard Linux Kernel of today has over 10 Million lines of code and it grows at the rate of 10% every year. About 4500 lines of codes are added and 1500 lines of code are changed everyday. Initially in 1991, Linux kernel version 0.01 was released with 10239 lines of code.
6. A guy named William Della Croce Jr. registered the name Linux and demanded royalty for using its name and mark. However he agreed to handover the trademark to Linus, later.
7. The Linux kernel’s official mascot is a penguin named Tux, abbreviation of tuxedo. The idea that Linux had a pet penguin comes from Linus Torvalds himself.
8. The first commercial distribution of GNU / Linux was Yggdrasil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yggdrasil_Linux/GNU/X) and was launched in CD format in 1992. Red Hat was one of the first distributions to settle within companies and data centers in 1999.
9. Debian was one of the first GNU / Linux that was constituted and organized as a community of developers. Debian v. 4.0’s source code contains 283 million lines of code, $7.37 billion: projected cost to produce that amount of code in a commercial environment. Debian’s code base remains the foundation for other distros such as Ubuntu, Knoppix and Xandros.
10. 90% of the world’s most powerful supercomputers are using GNU/Linux. Top ten of supercomputers use Linux. 33.8% of the world runs on Linux servers compared to 7.3% running Microsoft Windows operating system.
11. Linux Torvalds has been honoured by naming an astroid after his name.
12. There are over 300 distributions GNU / Linux activities ranging from the well known Debian or Fedora distributions through governmental or educational level. And this list seems to grow with regional and personal distros being added frequently.
13. OK, Now the area of application of Linux – U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Navy Submarine Fleet, Federal Aviation Administration, Tamil Nadu for education purpose, Japan’s bullet trains, traffic control of San Francisco, the New York Stock Exchange, CERN, many air traffic control systems or control of nuclear reactors of submarines and ships, Russia, Brazil and Venezuela for interoperable management , cost efficient and technologically independence, Google, Cisco, Facebook, Twitter, Linked in, Toyota, TiVo, etc, server hosting the website of the White House (Drupal), federal government of Brazil favours Linux operating systems over all others in its PCs. Is Not Linux kernel the most widely ported operating system, running on a great variety of operating systems.
14. For those who think Linux can’t do Animation – Oscar-winning visual effects of the Titanic by James Cameron came from machines with Linux and Avatar was the last movie completely developed in 3D Applications on Linux platform using Foss Software. Exclaimed!
15. Believe it or not – In 2002, Microsoft had accumulated a $ 421 million cost of fighting the spread of Linux, according to The Register.
16. According to a study funded by the European Union, the estimated cost to redevelop the most recent kernel versions would be at $1.14 billion USD – Amazed.
17. Microsoft Windows and the Linux kernel can run simultaneously in parallel on the same machine using a software called Cooperative Linux (coLinux).
18. IBM choose Linux for what is expected to be the world’s most powerful supercomputer, Sequoia, due in 2011.
19. An unmodified version of the Linux kernel is called – “Vanilla Kernel”
20. Last year, 75% of Linux code was developed by programmers working for corporations. GOOGLE has contributed about 1.1% of the code in the current Linux kernel.
21. Linux has a strong following in Smart Phones – Palm’s WebOS, Google’s Android and Nokia’s Maemo smart phone operating systems are built on top of the Linux kernel.
22. Android’s Operating System is based off of Linux. The operating system is primarily based off of Linux kernel and Google has made several changes to make it go above and beyond the original basis of Linux kernel. The first Android Smart phone was launched by HTC! Though Samsung has captured much of the Android smart phone sector with its Galaxy series of devices.
23. Google names the code names of Android versions in alphabetical order. These names are not random but names of desserts. Can you guess the next versions of Android now? Android 5.0 K………..?!, Android 6.0 L………….?!!
24. Android mascot was stolen! Google didn’t originally create that mascot. The mascot was adopted from a character named Android! from a game called Gauntlet.
25. As of January 2010, Linux still only has a 1.02% market share within desktops.
More...
1. The New York Stock Exchange.
2. The Department of Defense of the US also uses Linux extensively. The Red Hat Linux runs the nuclear submarines of the State.
3. Scientific Linux controls the particle accelerator at CERN and all the computers associated with it.
4. The Federal Aeronautics Administration- FAA, NASA, Space X and JPL- Jet Propulsion Labratories.
5. The bullet trains in Japan use Linux to maintain and manage the sophisticated Automatic Train Control system.
6. The In-Vehicle-Infotainment technology (IVI) inside Toyota and other automobiles use Linux platform.
7. Out of the top 500 fastest supercomputers of the world, Linux or its variants power 498 of those.
8. Smartphones (Android, Maemo) are built on Linux kernel.
9. Linux has a special place in Hollywood as well. Visual effects of Titanic and Avatar were developed in 3D applications on Linux platform using FOSS software.
10. Linux is favored by the tech giants as well. For the web and cloud services, Linux is the first choice for Google, Amazon and Facebook.
11. Just about all webservers are now using linux/apache.
12. Spacewatch, a research group of Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona, named several asteroids (9793 Torvalds, 9882 Stallman, 9885 Linux and 9965 GNU) after GNU/Linux and their creators, in recognition of the free operating system which was instrumental in their asteroid survey activities.
13. Tamil Nadu educational software.
14. Traffic control of San Francisco.
15. Google, Goobuntu is based on the normal ubuntu versions, but is used by internal employees of Google. Its not currently available for general public.
16. The website of the White House.
17. North Korea’s whole state internet infrastructure. (obviously without the very secure linux kernel we use).
18. Many computer games are written on Linux, then ported to Windows, Mac or whatever console they are going to.
19. Linux runs many firmware TiVo and similar DVR devices, network routers, facility automation controls, televisions and smartwatches.
20. AND MICROSOFT it’s self like you say!
This is slightly out of date--as of November 2018, 100% of the Top 500 systems run Linux.
Some of the new distros like Linux Mint have a full Graphic User Interface along with Bundled GUI software programs and the command line rarely even needs to be used. They have finally made it very easy to use for those who are switching over from windows. The Mint feels and functions like Win 7 right out of the box but with many more very cool features. :)
If there is a Linux ping list, I’d like to be added as well. Thanks ShadowAce!
You’ve been added. Welcome Aboard!
Thank you! Yes... I got that from an older article awhile back. Just goes to show that it IS a very viable option! Apparently it WORKS, and well.
Tell you what... I’m about 8 months into it now and went simple with the Mint Cinnamon to start off with. I’m digging the heck out of it so far. Starting to get comfortable with the Command line when it is rarely necessary to use it.
I think it is fantastic to be able to download software directly using the desktop and the software manager, Synaptic, or just pasting code into the command line. And it comes with a great bundle of needed software.
So far not one glitch yet! Digging it! I have freed myself from the MS oppression and taskmasters!
Thanks again for getting this started!
I would like to mention that not all hardware is compatible with Linux.
I recommend that anyone who thinks they may wish to use it in the future make certain that any hardware/peripheral they are going to purchase now has Linux listed on the packaging as a supported OS.
Good advice. However, I do struggle to come up with something other than my 10-year-old laptop video card. While I run Linux on it all the time, some combinations of software cause it to go a little crazy, and I have to reboot.
2001: Steve Ballmer “Linux is a cancer”.
2014: Satya Nadella “Microsoft loves Linux”.
I’m so glad Ballmer is gone. He was the CANCER.
I haven’t had any problems yet even with brand new HP equipment which are pretty finicky.
But you make a very good point and it doesn’t hurt to do some homework ahead of time. One thing though... Just about no one will list linux compatibility because they have agreements with MS not too. Every equipment contract with MS discourages any increased popularity and use of Linux. Mac has enough clout to have their OS listed as optional and compatible with a lot of equipment though.
But here is a page with a list where you can check known compatibility issues by Linux users. And drivers are being updated for compatibility daily. :)
https://community.linuxmint.com/hardware
Simply not true.
1. Microsoft highly promotes Linux as an operating system.
2. Apple prohibits installation of iOS or OS X on anything other than Apple manufactured hardware. It is illegal to install OS X on non-Apple hardware.
“1. Microsoft highly promotes Linux as an operating system.”
Really? In what cases would they do this? From my years of experience with the microsoft monopoly greed and forced dependency on their products I have not seen this. But I live on an island and not up on MS news. Do they now have a version with their name on it? This I could see them monetizing and promoting.
As Russinovich said years ago, when Microsoft started its turn toward open-source software and Linux, it's being done because it's a "practical business decision."And yup, last year at Microsoft Ignite, I picked up a handful of Microsoft loves Linux stickers shaped like hearts. I'd send you one if I had any left (gave them all out except one on my Surface lid!).And that's because, as Microsoft CTO of Data Raghu Ramakrishnan recently explained, "We meet customers where they are, and in particular if you want Linux we'll give you Linux; if you want MySQL, well we'll give you MySQL; you want NoSQL well we'll give you NoSQL -- that means you need to be part of open source; open source by nature is a community thing."
Guthrie expanded:
"It started more than 10 years ago when we open-sourced ASP.NET. We recognized open source is something that every developer can benefit from. It's not nice, it's essential. It's not just code, it's community. We don't just throw code on a website, now we publish our roadmap and work with outside contributors."
For example, Guthrie added:
"There are now more than 20,000 Microsoft employees on GitHub. We now have over 200 open-source projects. We're now the largest open-source project supporter in the world."
That's a long way from former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who said, "Linux is a cancer." But even Ballmer, who's departed Microsoft's helm five years ago, now said he loves Linux.
Holy cow... Thank you for sharing that! But I have to be honest and say that I am always very skeptical when MS claims to support anything that they cannot make money off of. If MS promotes it then they have plans to somehow gain financially as at least a third party at some point. Or STEAL IT and then monetize it or squash it so that there is no competition.
When you have been bitten by the dog over and over it is hard to trust the dog when it promises not to bite anymore.
Know what I mean? lol
Here is a question that raises curiosity about the MS greed and modus operandi. Do you think they will allow Win 7 to become “Abandonware” when they quit supporting it and no longer care about it? Or will they legally prevent others from distributing it and supporting it as a base for a third party clone?
This will be the test of their true integrity. :)
I have inherited an HP laptop whose former owner was the dodgey type. Heavily into porn and a known drug dealer. When I got the laptop it was without thepower cord. Enough charge remained to determine it was password protected.
I can get another power cord for about $20 bucks. No problem there.
My landlord works at a university maintaining the servers the students are working with while he studies for his masters.
He offered to install any OS I wanted when I get it powered up.
And this will be a second computer for me until I decide which one I like.
I have heard a bit about Linux and had thought about trying it out.
My computer knowledge is zilch.
I can turn it on, off, install most commercial programs....just don’t ask me to go near command line stuff, I walk away.
Suggestions.
Should I go with a Windows7/Linux combo or what.
Or a straight up Linux machine?
What Linux distro?
As I said the computer with the Linux would be secondary for a while at least.
Any and all help/suggestions appreciated.
#!/bin/sh
OUTF=rem-duplicates.sh;
echo "#! /bin/sh" > $OUTF;
find "$@" -type f -print0 | \
xargs -0 -n1 md5sum | \
sort --key=1,32 | \
uniq -w 32 -d --all-repeated=separate | \
sed -r 's/^[0-9a-f]*( )*//;s/([^a-zA-Z0-9./_-])/\\\1/g;s/(.+)/#rm \1/' >> $OUTF;
chmod a+x $OUTF; ls -l $OUTF
If you execute this from your home directory, you will end up with a file in that directory called "rem-duplicates.sh"
If you have no duplicate files it will be pretty much empty. If you do have some dups, you'll see something like this...
#rm ./books/BAEN/Linux_Journal/LJArchive/LJ/267/12046f9.jpg #rm ./books/BAEN/Linux_Journal/LJArchive/LJ/268/12046f9.jpg #rm ./books/BAEN/Linux_Journal/LJArchive/LJ/086/4682aa.jpg #rm ./books/BAEN/Linux_Journal/LJArchive/LJ/087/4730aa.jpg #rm ./books/BAEN/Linux_Journal/LJArchive/LJ/088/4795aa.jpg
So, what you have is essentially a generated shell script. In a bash shell script, anything to the right of a "#" is ignored as a comment. If I wanted to, I could delete the "#" from the front of line 1, 5 and 6, and save the file. If I then ran the resulting script, the filenames that I'd deleted the "#" from would be deleted with no fuss and no muss. Any line that I'd left the "#" in front of would be ignored.
Note that this dedupifier doesn't look at filenames, or access/modify dates. It is actually looking at a checksum of the file data itself. As such, it is pretty good, though if you have a lot of data and/or files, running the 'dedup.sh' program can take a long time to finish looking at your files.
Nice script. I also write script-generating scripts. I've got one that I run monthly to generate 2-3 different scripts (depending on the remote server) onto a remote server, with an Excel spreadsheet as the input. It has saved me weeks of time over the course of a single year.
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