Linux for Starters: Your Guide to Linux – Introduction

Linux Links ^ | 30 April 2021 | Steve Emms

[ShadowAce]

This is a series that offers a gentle introduction to Linux for newcomers. Let’s kick off this series with the very basics.

What is Linux?

The term ‘Linux’ strictly refers to the operating system kernel, a computer program at the core of a computer’s operating system that has complete control over everything in the system. The kernel manages the system’s resources and communicates with the hardware. It’s responsible for memory, process, and file management.

Think of the Linux kernel like a car engine.

Linux is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Anyone can run, study, modify, and redistribute the source code, or even sell copies of their modified code, as long as they do so under the same license.

How does Linux work?

When we talk about Linux, we are usually referring to one of the many hundreds of distributions (known as distros) that use the Linux kernel. A distro is analogous to an actual vehicle that houses the car engine.

A distro does the hard work for you taking all the code from the open-source projects and compiling it for you, combining it into a single operating system you can boot up and install.
While each distro has the Linux kernel at its heart, they differ in many respects.

A distro provides the user with a desktop environment, preloaded applications, and ways to update and maintain the system. Each distro makes different choices, deciding which open source projects to install and provides custom written programs. They can have different philosophies. Some distros are intended for desktop computers, some for servers without a graphical interface, and others for special uses. Because Linux is an open source operating system, combinations of software vary between Linux distros.

Popular distros include Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE, Debian, Arch, and many more. Some distros are more suitable for newcomers.

Why use Linux?

There are many advantages that Linux confers compared to proprietary operating systems like Windows and Mac OS X.

We’ll focus on the biggest attractions that Linux offers.

Here’s 8 great reasons why you might want to try Linux.

As Linux is published under an open source license, you have the right to choose your own destiny. You can change and use your machine as you see fit without any restrictive licensing. Install Linux on as many computers as you want.

No charge. Most distros are available to download without any form of payment. Users are free to donate their time, expertise, or money instead.

Stability. Linux machines are often up for hundreds of days compared with the regular reboots required with a Windows system. The crash of an application is much less likely to bring down the operating system under Linux.

Increased security. Linux is much more secure than rival proprietary operating systems. The open source nature of the system means that independent experts can help identify vulnerabilities and fix them. There’s also a significantly lower risk of nasties. For example, there are only a handful of viruses that can affect Linux machines.

A massive range of open source software is available. To whet your appetite see our Best Free and Open Source Software.

Variety – each distro offers a different take on the desktop. Some use very modern user interfaces, others offer a more traditional desktop environment.

Hardware support. Linux runs great on hardware regardless of its age. Hundreds of millions of people rely on PCs that are several years old or even older.

An excellent environment for learning to program. Most Linux distros include a complete programming environment.

What do I need?

A computer that meets a distro’s recommended minimum system requirements. The system requirements for successfully installing Linux are surprisingly low. Even a computer built over 10 years ago will happily run many distros.

For Ubuntu 21.04 the recommended minimum is: 2 GHz dual core processor, 4GB RAM (system memory), 25GB hard-drive space, and graphics capable of 1024×768 resolution.

There are distros designed to run with lower requirements that are fully capable of reviving older hardware.

If you want a dedicated machine for Linux (rather than dual booting) but don’t have one spare, there are quite a few options. One option is to purchase a refurbished (mini) PC. Pictured is a refurbished Lenovo M93 Ultra Small PC. This machine’s hardware far exceeds Ubuntu’s recommended minimum system requirements and is available for around £200 / $200. Obviously, the better specified the system you use, the better experience will be.

USB stick or DVD disc

There’s the option of running a distro directly from either a USB stick (pictured) or a DVD. It offers a quick and easy way to experience Linux and how it works with your hardware. It doesn’t affect your computer’s configuration.

But if you’ve decided that Linux is for you, install the distro onto a computer via USB or DVD. We prefer USB installation. If you don’t have a spare USB key available, they are extremely cheap to buy. Don’t buy a USB stick with a distro pre-installed as they are almost always extremely poor value for money. Most distros need a 4GB or larger USB stick/key. Here’s a useful tutorial which shows how to create a bootable Ubuntu USB stick.

DVD installation requires a blank DVD-R disc, and you’ll need a machine that has a DVD Writer so that you can burn the distro’s image to the disc.

Internet Connection

An internet connection is not essential to install a distro although some require internet access to download things like restricted extras. In any event, an internet connection is essential to make sure your computer stays up to date with the latest updates and patches. You’ll miss out on so much of the goodness that Linux bestows without internet connectivity.

[Openurmind]

Most webhosting servers are now Linux also.

[AppyPappy]

Converting from Unix to Linux was pretty seamless. You can throw hardware at Linux all day and it only gets better.

[Openurmind]

Yep, and the funny thing is, there are a lot of complaints and bad talk against Linux about hardware support. I think much of this could originate from past printer/scanner driver issues. These issues have pretty much been resolved now and most printer companies now offer the optional drivers for Linux. But having trouble with just a printer does not equate to “hardware problems” with all hardware as some would suggest. It is just not true.

[June2]

Bkmk for tech stuff

[TomGuy]

I’m sad to see that there isn’t any GUI free accounting software on the list.

Depending on how extensive a program you need, you might check MoneyManagerEX. It is a basic software. I have been using the Windows version for years, but they also have a Linux version.

https://www.moneymanagerex.org/

[Gnome1949]

I recently installed Linux Mint 20 with Cinnamon. I had never used Linux before.

Right now, I am using the software in a Lenovo ThinkCentre box with a 500 GB Samsung solid state hard drive. The processor is an Intel Core2 Duo.

This system is so fast, it’s hard to believe its immediate response.

My PC is connected to a DSL ethernet cable.

The open source apps for Linux used for various purposes are superior to Windows 10 choices.

Linux Mint needs NO ANTIVIRUS.

Older computers like mine can become hot rods with the installation of Linux.

[PersonOfNo Consequence]

Also, it is suggestive of the name of its creator, Linus Torvalds.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus_Torvalds

[PersonOfNo Consequence]

Also, it is suggestive of the name of its creator, Linus Torvalds.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus_Torvalds

[Pollard]

I run Kubuntu 20.04 on a 7-8 year old ThinkPad W530. i7 2.70GHZ and 16gb of ram and it will take anything I can throw at it.

I run dual boot because I do have a couple of programs that are windoze only and have no Linux equivalent. Win7 Pro is the other OS. Last decent version imho. It never connects to the web and updates are completely turned off so it works just as good as it did when installed. Every update seems to slow windows down a little more all the time. In a few years, it’s so slow that you have to wipe and reinstall or upgrade to the next version which is what Microsoft’s plan/hope is.

Love updates on Linux. Hardly ever a restart needed on on those rare occasions, it’s almost as fast as a regular restart.

Win10 is just ridiculous with it’s updates that take 15-60 minutes, multiple restarts and often no choice or foreknowledge of the update and a few of which break the system.

[Silentgypsy]

Thanks.

[Openurmind]

Good for you! Isn’t the new Linux capabilities and ease of use pretty cool? Until you do you just don’t know what you are missing. And all with only 2 gigs of well aimed OS rather than the bloated 18 gigs of Win 10 for the machine to pick through and bounce around. Sometimes less does much more. :)

I am running that very same version myself right now, have any questions please do not hesitate to holler at me. Been using Mint Cinnamon for 5 years now and found most of the cool features it truly does have hidden in there. Pretty cool that it comes out of the box being so similar to Win 7. Comfortable right from the start for anyone already familiar with Win 7. :)

[Openurmind]

I have never had to update my mint 18.3 in 5 years now. I check for app updates but have never had to update the OS. So the “update, update, update” mentality from windows just doesn’t apply to Linux.

For me the coolest thing is how it checks for any extra dependencies an app or utility might need that you do not already have. Then it goes and fetches these too and adds these to the download and install as one combined operation. This is far superior to the “windows experience”.

[aquila48]

Is there a “best” distro for non-geeky general use?

Mint, kubuntu, others?

[bobbo666]

And, don’t back off because you have a Windows-only program that you must run. I’ve linux Mint on a couple of PC’s in a dual-boot scenario. For those M$ progs I can run them on a virtual box on top of the linux operating system. Easy peasy. First, install a linux flavor on your old machine. Then install a virtual system on top of linux. Then, install any version of M$ within the virtual box — the virtual box will “translate” any M$ commands so that there are no conflicts with your base hardware no matter how out of date it might be. Run your M$-only programs from within the M$ system.
I would not go on the WWW from the virtual box, save that for the M$-only programs. Instead, visit the WWW from the linux system — it is practically virus and malware proof even without protective software.

[Paal Gulli]

"LINUX" is an acronym: Linux Is Not UniX

No, it isn't.

You're confusing Linux with GNU, which is an acronym for "GNU's Not Unix!"

Linux is a portmanteu of Linus (as in Torvalds) and UNIX.

[Openurmind]

Absolutely... I can testify that the best for a new Linux user coming from Windows is the newest version of Linux Mint Cinnamon. It comes pre-boxed with all the apps you will most likely end up needing to download later anyhow. And if you are familiar with Windows 7 it is almost the same thing. The layout and functions such as right click menus for files Etc. are the same. It really is the most comfortable for a new user coming from windows. I tried out several in the last 5 years and went back to the Mint Cinnamon. :)

[Pollard]

Smaller footprint on the hard drive too since the programs aren’t compiled into exe files and they use a lot of shared libraries. You can see it when you install what you think of as a pretty heavy program and it only downloads 2,000kb.

[Openurmind]

Absolutely... I get a kick out of that too. Blows me away how small pretty powerful utilities actually are and how fast they download and install themselves. Even though rarely needed anymore, terminal command line installs are actually fun to watch. lol

[Openurmind]

Oh, I see what you are saying. Because some of the dependencies are already there it doesn’t need to download these again as a separate whole package. It only downloads anything extra that you do not already have. Sorry, didn’t catch the “shared libraries” part.

[Pollard]

Exactly. It may be a program that uses 5,000kb of files but only 2,000kb need to be downloaded.

That’s when you’ll see; “somefile already latest” over and over during the install process.