As a service to you, our dear readers, and to us, the clueless morons, we’re going to explore Linux in all its guises this week, deciding once and for all if this crazy, hippy-dippy thing they call “Linux” is ready for prime time.
Just joking, fanbois. We know Linux kicks ass. It runs most web applications, powers millions of desktops, and is gaining traction in the average user space every day. Heck: OS X owes a debt to Linux and Open Source and Android promises to bring Linux-alike abilities to common smartphones. Linux is everywhere but it is, unfortunately, mostly invisible.
This week we’ll explore a number of distributions, talk about installing Linux for fun and profit, and discuss some of the fastest ways to start working with the OS without buying a manual. Stay tuned.
“OS X owes a debt to Linux and Open Source”
God yes. It’s not as if Linux borrows or mimics countless features and UI elements from OSX. No sir.
Yes, cranky, that’s true as well.
No crankiness here (aside the usual Monday malady). Just want to point out that Linux is a hotbed of imitation, err.. innovation.
i hear you, kent. However, I’m glad a group of young talented open source hackers are copying the magic of OS X rather than the magic of Windows XP. Linux is trying to grab the best of everything from everyone and most of the best comes from OS X
Hmmm Linux copying OSX? I remember OSX when it first came out…look at your history folks. Although there are many Linux features that imitate OSX..but wait…history shows OSX as being based on Linux. Not the other way around. Linux and Unix were the basis of OSX.
girls, let’s not fight. OS X and Linux are both great. It’s VISTA that sucks.
Correct.
@KDM
OSX is based on FreeBSD Unix, not Linux. So there is no relation other than the fact both foundations are open source. Other than that OSX has as much in common with Linux as gravel has with mashed potatoes.
@John Biggs
To quote Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove.. “Gentlemen, please! You can’t fight in here, this is the War room.”
We see eye to eye. Just wanted to squirt a bit of lighter fluid on the coals. I like my flame wars done to a turn. ;-)
THE OS-X LINUX CONNECTION:
http://ccrma.stanford.edu/guides/planetccrma/OS_X.html
“Mac OS X nowadays is based on Darwin and chunks of existing open source software from a large number of sources like BSD, GNU, Mach, … AND EVEN LINUX”…
http://www.stanford.edu
jb, when you guys get to any of the “live/minimal/better than windows tools” distros (knoppix, dsl, etc), mention slax.
best. distro. evar…
Hmmm. seems like I did say something about Unix in there…sorry for being so general. Freebsd Unix….and that is Unix. Picking nits are we? The comment was directed at the OSX user who didn’t have a clue where OSX came from. Oh,,he probably uses an apple, the machine that is smart so the operator doesn’t have to be.