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| Operating
System: |
Linux
Last Updated: 28-Apr-2006
02:59PM
Linux, together with a set of GNU programs, is an
operating system. That is, Linux is not a single program or a
suite of tools. Most "versions" of Linux, known as
"distributions", are available to download free of charge.
However, there are some things you should know about downloading and
installing Linux:
First, you don't have to actually install Linux
in your hard disk to use the Linux operating system. There exist several
"versions" of Linux that can be downloaded an burned to a CD. These
variants of the Linux operating system, known as "Live CD" versions,
will boot Linux directly from the CD on systems that are capable of
doing this. (most PCs manufactured in the last 7 to 8 years will allow
this). Memory requirements vary, so please consult our list of Live CD
distributions on our
distributions page (choose the option 'Live CD' from the 'Category'
menu). There are several popular Live CD distributions, such as MEPIS,
Knoppix and Slax. Most major Linux distributors (SUSE, Mandriva, Ubuntu)
also offer Live CD versions of their products.
If you're interested in running Linux indefinitely or
permanently, you can also download versions designed to be installed on
your hard disk. Here is some information you should know.
- You should have a high-speed Internet connection
(T3, T1, xDSL, cable modem). Trying to download a major vendor's
version of Linux will most likely be a frustrating experience with a
dial-up modem connection.
- You'll need the ISO images or a DVD
image for the distribution you want to download which you must
then copy or "burn" into a CD or DVD.
- If you already run another operating system, you
must re-partition your hard disk in order to install a "standard"
Linux distribution.
- When you download Linux from the Internet. You
are not entitled to that particular distributor's technical support.
You will have to look for the documentation that you need in order
to resolve any problems you might run into or seek appropriate help
on websites or in other Internet forums.
In other words, if you don't have a high-speed
connection to Internet or a drive that writes to blank CDs or DVDs, then
downloading is probably not the best way for you to get a full-featured
Linux distribution. You can, though, depending on your location, get
Linux free in magazines or from
retailers that will sell you a distribution on one or more CDs at
very low cost. Distributions obtained in this way do not usually include
documentation or support. There are also many
books that include a Linux distribution.
If you don't know how to partition a hard disk or you
have very little experience with installing and maintaining an operating
system, you can still install Linux fairly easily by purchasing a boxed
set. In this case, the cost of Linux system increases, but on the other
hand, you will be provided full documentation, step by step installation
instructions and in many cases free technical support for up to 90 days
by phone or e-mail.
If you're still not quite sure you want to make the
leap to Linux, you may want to at least get a feel for how it looks.
This can be as simple as using your favorite Internet browser. The
O'Reilly website offers a
series of slideshows with screenshots that will give you an idea of
the look and feel of many Linux distributions. This can be helpful when
choosing which version of Linux is right for you.
Regardless of the way in which you obtain a Linux
distribution, we at Linux Online feel that switching to Linux will be a
positive experience. You will see your knowledge of computing increase
at the same time as your productivity. You will be able to do much more
with your computer and at a fraction of the cost of proprietary
operating systems.
For more information, we also recommend you read our
Linux Online FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions) and our page:
So You Want to Use
Linux? which talks about Linux migration.
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| Business
Suite:
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Open Office - (word processing, spreadsheet, etc)
As the name suggests, OpenOffice.org is the most
open office suite available:
-
no commercial
licences or software compliance issues to worry about
-
no language
barriers - if it’s not yet available in your language, the chances
are it will be soon
-
available on all
major computing platforms
-
the first office
suite to comply with the OASIS OpenDocument format
-
the source code for
the software is freely available under a full OSI certified licence
OpenOffice.org is synonymous with quality
-
the roots of
OpenOffice.org go back twenty years, creating a huge wealth of
experience
-
hundreds of
thousands of users have participated in the beta testing of version
2
-
with a fully open
development process, OpenOffice.org has nothing to hide - the
product stands or falls on its reputation
OpenOffice.org is friendly
-
the software looks
and feels familiar and is instantly usable by anyone who has used a
competitive product
-
it’s easy to change
to OpenOffice.org - the software reads all major competitors’ files
-
OpenOffice.org is
supported by a global community of friendly volunteers, only too
happy to provide assistance to newcomers and advanced users alike
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| Antivirus: |
AVG Antivirus
AVG Free Edition is for
private, non-commercial, single-home computer
use only. Use of AVG Free Edition within any
organization or for commercial purposes is
strictly prohibited. Your use of AVG Free
Edition shall be in accordance with and is
subject to the terms and conditions set forth in
the AVG Free Edition License Agreement, which
accompanies AVG Free Edition.
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| Linux
interface for Windows: |
Samba
Samba is an
Open Source/Free
Software suite that has,
since 1992, provided file and print services to all manner of SMB/CIFS
clients, including the numerous versions of Microsoft Windows operating
systems. Samba is freely available under the
GNU General Public License.
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| Free
Software Foundation: |
FSF
Free software is a matter of liberty
not price. You should think of "free" as in "free speech".
The Free Software Foundation (FSF), established in
1985, is dedicated to promoting computer users' rights to use, study,
copy, modify, and redistribute computer programs. The FSF promotes the
development and use of
free software, particularly the GNU operating system, used widely in
its GNU/Linux variant.
Read more about free software in our
essays section, in the
philosophy section of gnu.org, and in the pages of the
independently published
Free Software Magazine.
Find over 4,000 free software packages to use in our
Free Software Directory
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| GNU
project: |
GNU The
GNU Project was launched in 1984 to develop a complete Unix-like
operating system which is free software: the GNU system. Variants of the
GNU operating system, which use the kernel called Linux, are now widely
used; though these systems are often referred to as “Linux”, they are
more accurately called GNU/Linux systems.
GNU is a recursive acronym for “GNU's Not Unix”; it is pronounced
guh-noo, approximately like canoe.
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| Other: |
Drivers, Free, Shareware and Trial Software
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| Antispyware: |
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| Free online
scan: |
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| Free Network
Monitor: |
Publisher's Description:
VE
Network Catcher (Lite) - Network
Catcher, from Shunra Software, is a free network monitoring tool
that records and displays latency and packet loss between your
PC and any internet site. Use this freeware tool to monitor the
quality of your network link. You can save all your recordings
and send it to another user via email.
Network Catcher also integrates with Shunra’s network simulation
technology, enabling you to capture and import production
conditions directly into network simulation scenarios and test
applications under real-life network conditions. Network
Catcher’s production network recordings are also ideal for
baselining the performance of the production network, including
best case, worst case and average application performance –
giving you a great starting point from which to make informed
decisions on performance limitations and expectations for new or
existing applications that are about to be deployed over the
network.
Using production network parameters is ideal for testing
applications when the target network already exists, such as a
company’s corporate network or a customer’s network. However, if
the target network has not yet been designed or built out, you
can record a variety of different production networks and create
a library of production network conditions which you can then
use to test your applications and ensure that that they meet
performance expectations in any potential network environment.
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