Almost everyone who is familiar with computers will have used a version of Microsoft Windows at some point. It seems to be everywhere - at work and home, in libraries, colleges, universities and almost anywhere else you can think of. The problem with the ubiquity of Windows is that many people don’t realise that they have a choice of operating system when deciding to purchase a new computer.
Over the last decade or so, there has been an increasing amount of attention paid to something called Linux. However, a large majority of people do not know or understand what exactly Linux is. Here at Assured Systems we are seeing an increase in the number of systems requested with Linux installed. This blog post will help you become familiar with Linux, as a free alternative to the Windows operating system.
So, What is Linux?
In its simplest form, Linux is a free (as in beer and speech) operating system, designed to work on most modern computers. Basically, if your computer can run Windows, it should run Linux with ease – sometimes even better than it does with Windows. Like Windows, it has a graphical user interface (GUI) which you can navigate using your mouse and keyboard. Different versions of Linux (called distributions) come with different GUIs installed. Here, we will focus on one of the most popular Linux distributions (and the one we recommend for use with our systems) – Ubuntu.
Free, as in Beer and Speech?
Generally speaking, Linux is free (though there are some distributions which you must purchase to use.) Both free to own and free to do with as you wish. This means, that you can achieve an incredibly high level of customisation for your system, only including the components you require. You can change the GUI to any one of many different choices available to you, including Unity, KDE and Gnome, or even your own GUI if you have the resources to develop one!
The Ubuntu operating system is available for free as the company who are responsible for it (Canonical) provide services for which there is a charge. These included business support, hardware certification, installation services and merchandising. Together these services pay for the time, effort and resources required to continually develop a world class operating system.
Bundled Applications
One of the reasons for the popularity of Ubuntu is the number of high quality applications which ship with the OS. Productivity applications such as LibreOffice, web browsers such as Firefox and Chrome, social and email apps such as Skype and Thunderbird, media applications such as Rhythmbox and Banshee, and many more are all available in Ubuntu. More applications (both free and paid-for) can be downloaded from the Ubuntu Software Centre.
There is a high level of compatibility with files you will be familiar with, such as Microsoft Office documents, photos, music and videos. Ubuntu also provides compatibility with files formats out of the box which Windows does not support without extra software!
Unity
Unity is the latest GUI for Ubuntu. It provides a desktop environment similar to Windows, with a ‘launcher’ where you can create shortcuts to your most used applications, a search box to find documents and applications, and a menu to access your applications (similar to the Windows start menu)
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| The Unity Desktop Environment |
The Launcher
To the left hand side of the desktop is the Unity Launcher. It’s similar to the Windows taskbar in that you can pin applications and folders to it, to provide quick access to your most frequently used items. At the top of the launcher is the Ubuntu button. Clicking this gives brings up the Ubuntu ‘lens’, which provides you with a similar experience to the Windows start button.
The Ubuntu ‘Lens’
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| The Ubuntu 'Lens' |
Ubuntu has a menu bar across the top of the screen called the ‘global menu’. Similar in functionality to the Apple Mac OSX menu, the Ubuntu global menu provides access to your applications traditional menu options, such as file, edit, tools, etc., as well as the maximise, minimise and restore buttons. The options on the global menu change according to the application you are currently using.
Settings
Many of the system settings in Ubuntu can be changed, much like any operating system. The appearance can be changed to suit your requirements, along with the input methods, network settings, power options and more.
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The Ubuntu System Settings Panel
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The Terminal
Ubuntu comes complete with a terminal application, which allows Windows command line style access to the operating system. Unlike the Windows command line, the Ubuntu terminal is incredibly powerful. As well as the standard options for creating folders and files, moving things around and changing simple settings, the Ubuntu terminal provides powerful options for changing lower level system settings.
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The Ubuntu Terminal
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The Community
Ubuntu has an excellent community of developers, engineers and users who all contribute to each version of the operating system. Community forums are a great way of finding out more about Ubuntu, requesting technical support to resolve issues and providing help to new users who are unfamiliar with Ubuntu. The chances are that any question you have about Ubuntu will have either been previously asked and answered on a forum somewhere, or someone will be able to answer very quickly.
Quick Comparison
We have produced a chart of some of the most common features of Windows and Linux, to help you to easily compare the basic features of the operating systems.
Conclusion
Every computer needs an operating system, this is a prerequisite. However, what is now clear is that users have a choice other than Windows, and good choices at that. For commercial applications, sometimes the cost of a licence from Mr Gates can make up 50% of the cost of the actual system – this means the cost to the end user can be over-inflated before the system even leaves the R&D team. Whilst we still use Windows on the majority of our systems, we are seeing an increase in people requesting Linux for all kinds of applications. Some argue it’s more stable; some that it’s faster; some prefer the customisation possibilities; but everyone likes the fact it’s free. If you’d like to consider it on your application then give me a call and we can look to get some test hardware together.
Cheers,
Alan Shenton
Systems Engineer (and chief Linux aficionado)
+44 (0) 1785 879050
About Assured Systems
Assured Systems is a leading technology company offering high quality and innovative applied computing solutions to the embedded, industrial, and digital-out-of-home markets across the world. Headquartered in Stone, England and with offices in North America, our reach is truly global. Our impressive product portfolio includes a full range of Fanless Embedded Computer Systems, Digital Signage & Multimedia Computer Systems, Touchscreen Panel PCs, Human Machine Interfaces, Vehicle Mount Computers, Rackmount Computer Systems, Single Board Computers, Rugged Laptops & Tablets. Please call the numbers listed above or visit our website at www.assured-systems.com for more information.
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