You may also receive enhancements to the user interface and patches to components that run in the background. You can typically install updates via your distro's app store, the same place you go to download new software. Often it will have its own section, as is the case in Ubuntu. In Linux, not only do you receive free updates to your apps, but you can upgrade from one version of a distro to the next without paying a dime.
This isn't a limited time offer or a deal subject to special terms or conditions. Upgrades, like updates, are always free. You may never have had to think about codecs before. They enable various multimedia files, such as music and video, to play on your computer. This typically isn't the case whenever you install Linux yourself. This isn't a fault or flaw in the Linux desktop.
Instead, it's a legal matter. Many codecs remain under copyrights, and desktop makers must pay license fees in order to legally distribute them. Laws change from country to country. That's part of the reason why codecs are available as a free download on many Linux distros, such as Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
But there's also a paid version you can download if you want a clear license to play these files. When you replace the operating system a computer came with, things don't always go smoothly. Sometimes you will need to install additional drivers or codecs to make your experience complete. If you're experiencing graphical glitches or can't view Wi-Fi networks, you may need to install a proprietary driver.
This is software that Linux distributions aren't permitted to preinstall, so you have to do so yourself. How you do this can vary depending on which distro you're using. One of the first questions people ask when contemplating a switch to Linux is whether they can run a specific program. When we have only ever used one operating system, we tend to view apps as components any computer should be able to run.
But in most cases, an app is actually designed to run on only one operating system. In order to run on a different one, developers have to build a separate version. The Windows version of Steam doesn't run on macOS, and vice versa. Linux, too, needs its own version. Since not as many people run Linux on their desktops as Windows or macOS, developers often choose not to make a Linux version of software. Often enough, there's a free and open source alternative that does the same job.
But there are cases when people want to use a program that doesn't work on Linux and for which an alternative doesn't exist. While this can be a reason not to switch to Linux, it doesn't have to be. There may still be ways to make that program work. You may have heard of emulators, software people use to play console video games on their PCs. These work by running code that is similar enough to imitate or emulate the original machines the games were designed for.
You can do the same thing with programs meant for personal computers. The most well-known way to emulate Windows software on Linux is using Wine. While this doesn't always work, in the best case scenarios, a Windows app will run alongside your regular Linux software without any additional fuss. Because configuring Wine can be complicated, there are programs that try to do the hard work for you. The latter is a paid app that also exists for Windows and macOS.
Emulation allows you to run an app on an operating system it wasn't intended for. Virtual machines let you run an entire operating system inside your current one. So when you need to run a particular Windows program, you can fire up your virtual copy of Windows and open the program there. Unlike emulation, virtual machines are guaranteed to work. The downside is that you have to boot up a separate operating system in its own window, which can be time consuming and awkward. You also need to have a copy of Windows or macOS to run.
Getting one can be difficult or expensive depending on your circumstances. At this point, you've installed Linux, learned a new interface, and have installed the software you need to hit the ground running.
But your journey is just beginning. There is so much to see and do in the world of free and open-source software. For example, should a distribution fail to recognize your webcam and you want your webcam to work, then use a distribution that recognizes your webcam. If you've never installed an operating system before, you'll find most Linux distributions include a friendly and easy installer.
Just download a distribution they are delivered as ISO files , and download the Fedora Media Writer to create a bootable installation thumb drive. Installing Linux and using it as an operating system is a step toward becoming familiar and familial with it. There's no wrong way to use it.
You might discover must-have features you never knew you needed, you might learn more about computers than you ever imagined you could, and you may shift in your worldview. Or you might use a Linux desktop because it was easy to download and install, or because you want to cut out the middleman of some corporate overlord, or because it helps you get your work done.
I had a local UNIX box but a lot of the commands I was learning from books made less sense until I experienced a real live multi-user system. And besides, they're a lot of fun!
Great article. I learned some more things about Linux that I didn't know. I'll have to try Porteus. I was conscripted into teaching a Python course for high school students back at my old job at a university. I booted all the mac minis in the classroom to a live CD of Porteus with a bunch of custom packages on it. I had them save their data back to my laptop, acting as a shared file server.
At the end of each class, I'd just reboot the classroom machines. It meant a fresh Linux environment each class session, and the whole live CD ran in RAM, so performance was excellent. You've got the right idea! Ready to dive in and learn Linux? Try these 10 ways to get started.
Image by :. Get the highlights in your inbox every week. Here are 10 ways to get started with Linux. Try one or try them all. Join a free shell freeshell. More Linux resources. Our latest Linux articles. Topics Linux. About the author. He has worked in the film and computing industry, often at the same time. He is one of the maintainers of the Slackware-based multimedia production project Slackermedia.
More about me. Recommended reading 7 Linux commands to use just for fun. Transfer files between your phone and Linux with this open source tool. Why I use Linux to manage my yoga studio. If you are new to Linux and its command line interface, it may seem like a daunting task to get started with it. This series will bring you up to speed with essential Linux basics, and provide a solid foundation for working with Linux servers.
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