Linux

Changing Your Linux Desktop Themes

The Linux operating system is quickly becoming one of the most popular types of operating systems. Many computer users enjoy using Linux because it allows them to customize the computer settings and get exactly what they want and need from the computer. The problem is that since Linux operating systems are open source operating systems it can often be very intimidating to customize your operating system to what you want exactly. However, with a little walk through customizing your Linux operating system to be user-friendly and to what exactly you want is not hard at all. Here’s a quick walk through on how to customize your Linux desktop.

Step one. In order to customize your Linux desktop you’ll need to boot into Linux. There are two ways to boot into Linux you can either run directly on Linux were doing dual-boot. Either way is fine for customizing your desktop.

Step two. The first thing you might want to change about your desktop is the image that shows. You can change the Linux desktop system to show a preinstalled picture or a customize pictures that you have taken. To do this you right-click on your desktop and select the option titled change desktop background icon.

Step three. You may also want to change your desktop theme. You can change your desktop theme and change the desktop colors, icons and fonts. To this new click on the preferences tab which is located in the system menu on your Linux desktop. You can then choose the tab titled themes icon.

Step four. Once inside the themes icon you can change the icons and colors to what you want. This can be done by choosing a pre-existing theme or you can choose the colors that you want. To do this go into the system then choose preferences and then choose customize. You will then choose one of the appearances and that will allow you to change.

Filed Under: Tips & Tricks Tagged With: Linux, Operating system

Linux vs Windows

Paying for an operating system can be expensive. It gets quite costly to buy a single copy of Windows for each computer in your home, not to mention the cost of updating the system.

Using Windows can cost you hundreds of dollars, whereas you can get Linux for free. Because of the low price, places can sell a Linux based computer for a much lower price.

Just because Linux is free doesn’t make it any less of an operating system. In fact, Linux can do many things that Windows can’t. With Linux you can do things such as update everything with one action, update almost everything without a reboot, keep your system secure without the type of software that bugs you and takes up your time, take settings with you, and much more.

With Windows Update, you are only updating a few things. With Linux, every piece of software is automatically updated. The only thing you have to reboot to update with Linux is your kernel. With Windows, you are required to reboot for many things.

with Linux you can take your settings with you. All your settings are in one location, where Windows has your settings in several locations.

when using Linux you can customize your desktop to almost any limit. There are so many possibilities when it comes to customization. This tends to be an aspect many people like. Compared to Windows, this is a large plus, because with Windows you are basically stuck with a small choice of themes.

Linux is much more easy to understand than Windows. With Windows, everything is inside the computer and you need someone from a Windows team to fix any problem you have. With Linux you can spot the issues by looking at the system log, and you can often fix them yourself.

Although both operating systems have their good points, we can find better things about Linux. The price is not the only good thing.

Filed Under: Operating Systems Tagged With: Linux, Microsoft Windows

Linux: Why a Penguin?

If you’ve ever heard of Linux and seen their mascot, you might wonder “Why a penguin?” A penguin may not seem like a likely mascot for a computer operating system, but it catches a lot of people’s attention and leads many people to ask that very question. “Why a penguin?”

Linus Torvalds selected the image of the penguin, which they named Tux, as the image that he relates to the operating system. Larry Ewing, who has allowed this image to be used to promote Linux, was the designer of Tux.

Linus is known to be an expert on penguins. The image that he is attempting to portray with Tux is a slightly overweight penguin that is stuffed with herring, he says. (He also says that if you can’t bear imagining an animal eating too much herring just imagine chocolate instead) Tux is meant to look somewhat like a beanbag. Contrary to the purpose of the image, many people believe Tux is just too fat to hold himself up. The idea, though, is that he ate too much. The entire image is supposed to be humorous and imaginative.

Linus says that some people don’t think that a fat penguin really shows the grace of Linux. He goes on to say that obviously no one has ever had a penguin charging at them at 100 miles per hour. Then he says, “They’d be more careful if they had”.

The picture in everyone’s mind is sure to be different, but with the picture of a violent penguin in mind, the new picture painted is somewhat of a fat penguin charging at you, ready to barf up herring before he gets to you. We’re not quite sure what this is supposed to mean in regards to Linux, but the penguin caught your attention and leads us all to wonder, “Why a penguin?”

Filed Under: Linux Community Tagged With: Linux

Linux: It’s Free!

When deciding on an operating system for your computer many people go with Windows or another popular one everyone has heard of. Windows is obviously one of the most common operating systems. People usually pick Windows or other popular operating systems because they have heard of them and everyone uses them. Just because these operating systems are popular, it does not necessarily make them the best.

These popular operating systems can be expensive. If you have several computers you may be required to buy a license for each separate computer.

Believe it or not there are operating systems out there completely free and Linux is one of them. Linux systems can be installed on any computer without it costing anything. Whereas, Microsoft licenses are expensive and you often have to renew your license.

Don’t let the price fool you though. Linux comes with great features aside from the cost. There is great security that comes with Linux, which is said to be stronger than Windows. This could be because Linux isn’t as popular, so it is not targeted as much.

Linux gives you freedom to choose things such as many varieties of desktop look and feel. You also get freedom of software choices when doing certain things. The software on Linux is full of features not found on Windows.

Linux is also great for old computers you hardly use. You can install Linux and use it as a backup. Plus the old computers have no problem installing Linux, where you might find it difficult to install Windows into these old computers.

Linux is great if you’re limited on money, which the majority of us are. You don’t have to hassle with keeping up licenses and paying for them. Don’t think that because it’s free it isn’t good. The price isn’t the only good thing about Linux.

Filed Under: Linux Community Tagged With: Linux, Microsoft, Operating system

Great points about Linux

When looking for an operating system for your computer you might first think of Windows because it’s the most popular. You may not have even heard of the other operating systems out there. Windows has good points, but there are so many more with great points about them too. Just because Windows is popular doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the best.

If you are searching for an operating system, you might consider Linux. Aside from the fact that Linux is completely free, there are more great points about the operating system. The system provides freedom, security, along with great features.

For one, there is more freedom to be found in Linux than Windows. You have a better variety of desktop themes than you do for windows. It can get annoying to only have a few choices, but with Linux you have more variety than other operating systems you will find.

One of the greatest features about Linux is the security. Perhaps Linux has great security because it is less targeted than other operating systems. The system has been around since the early 90′s and has managed to stay free of large viruses. Plus you don’t have to spend the extra money for virus protection.

There are also pluses in the software and hardware areas of using the system. Linux tends to have better features than Windows and are easier to use. Linux is also easier to use on old computers. If you have an old computer you may want to install Linux on that computer so that you have a backup computer.

Linux may not be the most popular operating system, but it has many good points about it. It has great security, great features, easy to use, and very cheep. Why wouldn’t you go with Linux when you can get it 100% for free?

Filed Under: Linux Community Tagged With: Linux, Operating system

Linus Torvalds Biography

Linus Torvalds is a Finnish software engineer, known for his development of Linux. He became the chief architect of the Linux kernel, and is now the project’s coordinator.

Born in Helsinki, Finland, on December 28, 1969, Linus Torvalds is the son of Anna and Nils Torvalds. He was named after Linus Pauling, who was one of the greatest chemists of all time. He had a happy childhood, despite his parents’ divorce, and lived with his mother and grandparents. It was in his early years that he began to enjoy computers. After his grandfather bought a computer, Torvalds became bored with the programs and began creating his own.

From 1988 to 1996 Torvalds attended the University of Helsinki and graduated with a master’s degree in computer science. After his first year of study he joined the Finnish army, which interrupted his studies. He spent 11 months in officer training to fulfill the madatory military service of Finland. He holds the rank of second lieutenant. He then resumed his studies in 1990.

It was in 1987 that Torvalds bought his own personal computer. His search for a better computer system failed. Torvalds then decided to create his own operating system from scratch, thus the birth of Linux. Linux was based off of MINIX and UNIX. The name comes from what he called Linus’ MINIX. He planned to call it Freax which was a combination of free,freak and MINIX, but it kept it’s name Linux.

Torvalds began working in California from February 1997 through June 2003. After moving to the Open Source Development Labs, which merged with the Free Standard Group, these two groups became the Linux Foundation, where he continues to work. Torvalds and his family moved to Portland, Oregon, where ironically Linus Pauling, whom Torvalds was named after, had lived his life, in June 2004.

Torvalds personal mascot is a penguin named Tux, which has been adopted as the Linux mascot.

Filed Under: Linux Community Tagged With: Linus Torvalds, Linux, Linux kernel

Linux is a Great Option for Many Computer Users

: Image via CrunchBase

Most people who have a computer use the Windows operating system, but some people choose other options like Linux or UNIX. People who have a lot of computer experience, like programmers and IT people, generally use these operating systems since they aren’t as user-friendly as Windows is. That doesn’t mean that Linux shouldn’t be used, though, because it can some things that Windows can’t. If you’re really into computers and you’re more interested in programming and similar activities, Linux can definitely be the way to go. Even if you’re not sure if you want to use it, it’s worth doing some research on.

Talk to friends or family members who use it, or check with colleagues in order to see if they use it and like it. Before you decide to switch to it, you’ll want to be clear about what it can and can’t do, and you’ll want to see if it will fit in with the things you use a computer for. If you’re just using the Internet to look for Los Angeles apartments, find a good restaurant or look at pictures of the place you’re going on vacation, Windows will be all you need.

As more people learn more about computers, though, they’re finding that they can do other things with them. Even the small, home computer that most people use will do more than they generally do on it. With Linux, you’ll have more options – and some people have enough memory on their computer and a large-enough hard drive in order to have more than one operating system on it. That way you can have both Windows and Linux on your computer and use whichever one is best for what you’re going to be doing. It’s one of the most logical ways to use Linux and get all of its benefits.

Filed Under: Tips & Tricks Tagged With: Linux, Microsoft Windows, Operating system

Great Aspects of Linux

You may have heard of the operating system Linux and it’s incredibly low price. That’s right, it’s free! People tend to go with more popular operating systems, either because they’ve heard of them or it is what came with their computer. Some people also think that because Linux is free it won’t have as great of features. While people are spending too much money on certain operating systems, they could be saving money with Linux. Not only is it free, but there are also several things Linux can do that you won’t find with other operating systems.

One thing that tends to be popular with Linux customers is the freedom that they have. With Linux, you have the ability to customize your desktop in a variety of ways. Linux hardly limits you to the possibilities you have when it comes to customization, while other operating systems will limit your ability to customize. This way, your desktop is just how you want it.

Linux is much easier to understand. When using other operating systems you have no idea what is inside your computer. With Linux you are able to see the system logs. Due to this, when you have a problem, it makes it much easier to fix the problem yourself.

With expensive operating systems, people tend to break the law by pirating software. Either you break the law, or spend thousands of dollars on an operating system. With Linux you don’t have to worry about pirating or breaking the law because its all free.

Linux tends to have more security than other systems do. This could be due to the system not being as popular, so people don’t target Linux. Whatever the reason, Linux has been found to be more secure.

Linux has other positive aspect about it besides its price and customization. Don’t let the big companies fool you, though. Just because Linux is free does not mean it is a bad operating system.

Filed Under: Linux Community Tagged With: Linux, Linux distribution, Operating system

What Is Linux?

What is Linux? While some people have heard of Linux, others have not. It’s not the most popular or most heard of operating system, so when people hear the name they are lead to wonder what it is.

Linux is an operating system created by Linux Torvalds. Linux started as Torvalds hobby at the University of Helsinki in Finland. In 1991 he released the first version 0.02 and continued working until 1994 when the Linux Kernel was released. It is from this that the entire operating system of Linux was developed.

Now we know that Linux is an operating system, but what makes it so great? Customers of Linux say they like the types of things offered by this operating system. Many people are attracted to the low price, the customization options, and how easy it is to work and understand the system.

The price of Linux is attractive because it’s free. While systems like Windows can be costly, you don’t have to pay to use Linux. Other operating systems can cost you hundreds of dollars to install, not to mention the price to renew your license. Also, many of these systems require you to buy a license for every computer you own. You are sure to save money when you use Linux.

People say they like the customization options of Linux because there is so much variety. You can customize the desktop in pretty much whatever way you want. Most people like this because they feel they are limited with other operating systems. With Linux your computer looks how you want it to look.

Linux is easy to use because you have access to see the inside of your system. This way, when you have a problem, you are able to fix a problem yourself rather than paying to fix it. People also say it’s easy to set up Java, where it can be confusing on other operating systems.

Filed Under: Linux Community Tagged With: Linux, Microsoft Windows, Operating system

The Cost Isn’t the Only Thing We Like

Some people may think that because Linux is free it means it’s not a good operating system. Contrary to that belief, Linux customers enjoy the features offered by Linux. Besides the price, there are other great things Linux has to offer.

One of the best things, besides the low price, is how easy the system is to work. Linux is very simple to install, which makes it great. You don’t have to restart your computer when doing certain tasks. Many people like this. With other operating systems you must restart your computer before you can continue. With Linux, this is not necessary.

When you have Linux, it’s easy to switch back to Windows if you need to. Plus, a Linux web site can be converted into a Windows site without problems.

Not only is it easy to customize your desktop, but you also get more options than with other operating systems. Linux offers a variety of customization options. This way, your desktop will always look the way you want it to look.

Linux is able to work on basically any computer. It will run on the old computer you have sitting in storage when you need a back up. If you install Linux on your back up computer, you won’t need to continue to update a different system constantly when you don’t use that computer.

Linux is a secure system, too. It’s been around since the early 1990′s and hasn’t had many problems with viruses. Plus, the annoying anti-virus windows rarely pop up.

Yes, Linux is free, but that does not mean it is a bad operating system. Linux users tend to find that Linux is easy to use and they enjoy the customization options given. You can use it for your everyday computer, or if you don’t particularly prefer it, you can install it on your back up computer in case something goes wrong with your primary one.

Filed Under: Tips & Tricks Tagged With: Linux, Linux distribution, Operating system