Can somebody explain to me what Linux is?

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Can somebody explain to me what Linux is?
Tweet Topic Started: Feb 17 2011, 10:20 PM (482 Views)
ViperVenom128	Feb 17 2011, 10:20 PM Post #1
Channel Owner Posts: 90 Group: Members Member #3,293 Joined: Jan 15, 2011	TO GET LINUX DO YOU HAVE TO BUY A SPECIFIC COMPUTER LIKE YOU HAVE TO DO WITH WINDOWS OR MAC?



sdcpro	Feb 18 2011, 01:01 AM Post #2
Level 9 Posts: 2,243 Group: Members Member #1,460 Joined: Dec 21, 2009	Linux is an operating system. Any computer can run Linux, just as any computer can run both windows and mac operating systems as long as you install them correctly. I personally don't use Linux and do not know how to get it, however if you were to obtain it, all you would have to do is reformat your computer with the Linux operating software.



DizzyDial	Feb 18 2011, 01:47 AM Post #3
RPG Obessed Posts: 1,086 Group: Members Member #1,617 Joined: Feb 18, 2010	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux It's pretty underground, and usually only seriously techies understand the jargon behind it and know the intricacies, but most have never heard of it.



Andsy	Feb 18 2011, 01:50 AM Post #4
Hurf n' Durf Inc. Posts: 1,480 Group: Members Member #1,443 Joined: Dec 14, 2009	I don't mean to be rude, but if you're not too sure on what Linux is, I wouldn't worry too much about it. However, if you MUST use it, I'd say a good starting point would be Ubuntu - http://www.ubuntu.com/ You can either create a new partition on your HDD for it. So you can duel boot your choice of OS and Ubuntu. Fromat your HDD entirely, put Ubuntu alone on it. Explore software such as VMWare, which will emulate a Linux environment. You have a fair bit of reading to do, and this forum isn't the best place for it. Also, this doesn't belong in General Gaming, as no games consoles officially support linux any more. EDIT: It's by no means underground, alot of the cheap laptops, the small micro units ship with ubuntu to avoid MS license costs. Edited by Andsy, Feb 18 2011, 01:51 AM.
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DizzyDial	Feb 18 2011, 01:54 AM Post #5
RPG Obessed Posts: 1,086 Group: Members Member #1,617 Joined: Feb 18, 2010	Andsy Feb 18 2011, 01:50 AM I don't mean to be rude, but if you're not too sure on what Linux is, I wouldn't worry too much about it. However, if you MUST use it, I'd say a good starting point would be Ubuntu - http://www.ubuntu.com/ You can either create a new partition on your HDD for it. So you can duel boot your choice of OS and Ubuntu. Fromat your HDD entirely, put Ubuntu alone on it. Explore software such as VMWare, which will emulate a Linux environment. You have a fair bit of reading to do, and this forum isn't the best place for it. Also, this doesn't belong in General Gaming, as no games consoles officially support linux any more. EDIT: It's by no means underground, alot of the cheap laptops, the small micro units ship with ubuntu to avoid MS license costs. I know little to nothing about computers, so that's just me being dramatic Edited by DizzyDial, Feb 18 2011, 01:54 AM.



Sinderopen	Feb 18 2011, 01:56 AM Post #6
Level 4 Posts: 277 Group: Members Member #2,197 Joined: Jun 11, 2010	I have Linux on one of my computers and to be honest if you dont need it for some specific reason then I wouldnt bother with it just keep Windows or OS X to clarify I have the Ubuntu version of Linux. Edited by Sinderopen, Feb 18 2011, 01:59 AM.
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MrTechnoSqueek	Feb 18 2011, 03:46 AM Post #7
Mr. Sega Posts: 2,314 Group: Members Member #1,296 Joined: Oct 3, 2009	I know a little bit about Linux I use to use uh..Red Hat and its was cool but I wanted a Windows machine to play my games on so yeah



eSkilliam	Feb 18 2011, 05:40 AM Post #8
Gamer. Graphic Designer. Geek. Posts: 2,001 Group: Moderator Member #980 Joined: Jul 10, 2009 Currently Playing Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Dorrs Twitter @eSkilliam	If you know nothing about Linux and very little about computers, then i would advise avoiding it, unless you have a computer to put it on that you no longer plan to use. It's a really steep learning curve and takes a lot of research. I've been working with computers for over 20 years not, and every few years I dabble in some Linux and to this point it still makes absolutely no sense to me. If you really want to learn about it, start doing your research on it, and learn a lot, and I mean A LOT about computers. Good Luck in your endeavors. Edited by eSkilliam, Feb 18 2011, 05:40 AM.
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ctx47	Feb 25 2011, 11:39 PM Post #9
Level 4 Posts: 330 Group: Members Member #2,061 Joined: May 31, 2010	I thought linux was a music maker thing you run of your computer?
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Andsy	Feb 26 2011, 02:43 AM Post #10
Hurf n' Durf Inc. Posts: 1,480 Group: Members Member #1,443 Joined: Dec 14, 2009	ctx47 Feb 25 2011, 11:39 PM I thought linux was a music maker thing you run of your computer? Not quite.
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hooflung128	Feb 26 2011, 02:55 AM Post #11
Level 7 Posts: 1,369 Group: Members Member #1,853 Joined: Mar 31, 2010	Linux is not an operating system. Linux is a kernel. Operating systems need a kernel to function. Linux is a misnomer for Linux based distribution. Ubuntu is such a distribution. Linux is the kernel. GNU OS tools is the userland/userspace. X.Org Server is the software that makes a Linux based distribution like Ubuntu able to have a User Interface. On top of the X.Org Server you have Gnome, which uses a window manager. Linux proper is just a kernel. All it does is provide all the other software a way to access the hardware and keep track of memory. An Operating System proper is a composite entity made up of any number of bits to provide a user experience and toolset to someone locally or remotely accessing the computer. My personal favorite flavor of Linux, the misnomer, is Ubuntu. That is because I like Debian's package manager. However, Debian 6 has a flavor that doesn't use Linux as the Kernel but FreeBSD's kernel. See the Dichotomy? You have a Kernel Space and a User Space in an Operating System. GNU OS Tools doesn't need Linux. But nearly every Linux Distribution uses GNU Another example, would be Apple OS X, the pretty Operating System you find on every Mac. It uses Mach Kernel. It uses FreeBSD/NetBSD's usertools exactly how Ubuntu uses GNU OS tools. All the eye candy on top is just software running mostly in userspace on top of the OS tools. When they need hardware features they go to the device drivers, which interact with the Kenel and/or Hardware Abstraction Layer... depending how each is implemented. Anyways Linux is not an Operating System.
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