From Sfvlug

Contents 1 Up Front 2 Brief History of Computing 3 Brief History of GNU/Linux 4 GNU/Linux 4.1 Advantages 4.2 Disadvantages 5 Common Uses of GNU/Linux 5.1 Server 5.2 Desktop Environment 5.3 Cross Platform Applications Available For Windows And Linux 5.3.1 Web 5.3.2 Office 5.3.3 Graphic Tools 5.3.4 File Tools 5.3.5 Educational 5.3.6 Fun 5.3.7 Development Tools 6 Selecting A Distribution 7 Selecting A Desktop Environment 7.1 Gnome 7.2 KDE 7.3 XFCE4 8 How to get help

Up Front

This is a work in progress, an attempt to make amends for a bad presentation. I've started with the original outline for my presentation but after getting a better idea of the types of solutions people new to Linux are looking for I'm in the process of revision and improvement. I will also add links to help make it a better resource.--Miasma 20:23, 23 February 2009 (PST)

Brief History of Computing

This section is included to give some background for understanding why open source software is important even to people that have no intention of learning how to program a computer themselves.
manual & mechanical calculating devices
WWII code breaking machines, Alan Turing
hard wire programming using patch cables
software (recipe, magic spell)
machine instructions (on/off switches representing ones and zeros)
high level instructions
interpreters, compilers, byte code
source code
open source vs proprietary
operating systems [1]
single task, single user
multiuser multi-task
common uses of computers
server
scientific educational
personal (desktop) computing

Brief History of GNU/Linux

GNU created as free alternative to UNIX [2]

Linux started by student as a hobby [3] [4] [5]

GNU/Linux

Advantages

free as in no or low cost
free as in freedom
can be modified easily by user
projects need not die with original author
options, customizable workspace
designed for usability not profitability

Disadvantages

incompatible with some proprietary software, mostly games
drivers for new hardware can be delayed and may lack features

Common Uses of GNU/Linux

Server

file server
web server
firewall/router

Desktop Environment

workstation
application server
kiosk
development (traditional programming)
user - system administrator - developer
Common User Applications
Linux Alternatives To Popular Windows Applications
http://www.linuxlinks.com/article/20070701111340544/Equivalents.html
http://goldgod.wordpress.com/2008/05/17/windows-equivalent-to-linux/
http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/Linux_software_equivalent_to_Windows_software
http://www.linuxrsp.ru/win-lin-soft/table-eng.html
http://www.linuxalt.com/

Cross Platform Applications Available For Windows And Linux

Web

SeaMonkey Web Suite (Browser, E-mail, HTML Editor, Chat Client) [6]
Firefox Web Browser http://www.mozilla.com
Amaya Web Browser http://www.w3.org/Amaya/
Thunderbird E-mail http://www.mozilla.com
X-Chat IRC Client http://www.xchat.org/
Pidgin Instant Messaging http://www.pidgin.im/
RSSOwl RSS Client http://www.rssowl.org/
Azureus P2P File Sharing http://azureus.sourceforge.net/
Filezilla FTP Client http://filezilla-project.org/

Office

OpenOffice.org Office Suite http://www.openoffice.org/
Abiword Word Processor http://www.abisource.com/
Scribus Desktop Publishing http://www.scribus.net/
Media Tools
VLC Media Player http://www.videolan.org/
MPlayer Media Player http://www.mplayerhq.hu
Handbrake DVD DVD to MPEG-4 Converter http://handbrake.fr/
Juice Podcast Manager http://juicereceiver.sourceforge.net/index.php
Audacity Audio Authoring http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Graphic Tools

Gimp Graphic Tools http://www.gimp.org/
Inkscape Vector Graphic Tools http://inkscape.org/
Blender 3D Graphic Tools http://www.blender.org/

File Tools

PeaZip Archive Manager http://peazip.sourceforge.net/

Educational

Celestia Digital Planetarium http://www.shatters.net/celestia/index.html
Stellarium Digital Planetarium http://www.stellarium.org/

Fun

BZFlag Game http://bzflag.org/
Battle For Wesnoth Game http://www.wesnoth.org/

Development Tools

XEmacs Editor http://www.xemacs.org/index.html
SciTE Editor http://scintilla.sourceforge.net/SciTEDownload.html
Eclipse Extensible Platform & Java IDE http://www.eclipse.org/

Wget Web Download Tool http://www.gnu.org/software/wget/
cURL Web File Transfer Tool http://curl.haxx.se/
TightVNC Control Remote Computer http://www.tightvnc.com/

Selecting A Distribution

The selection of a distribution depends on several factors but the two most important are the type(s) of work you intend to do and what type of support you will need. While it is possible to modify any distribution to accomplish virtually any task you could expect from any other distribution it is a good idea to start off with something already close to what you need.

Ten Things To Consider

Here are some of the best sites with information useful in comparing distributions.

DistroWatch.com
Wikipedia
ibiblio

Selecting A Desktop Environment

A desktop environment is the workspace in which you run GUI (Graphic User Interface) applications. It provides a consistent look and feel to applications that may not have been designed to work in the same environment. It accomplishes this by providing basic standards and libraries (prewritten code designed to be used by other applications) that help make it easier for developers to write programs that need a GUI. This also helps developers to write applications that can more easily share data with other programs that were written using the same standards and libraries. Wikipedia Article, Desktop environment

The basis of most current GNU/Linux distribution desktop environments is the X Window System which like many open source projects has split into two forks, XFree86 and X.org, with most recent distribution releases using X.org. The X Window System needs a window manager to help complete the proper display of a GUI application.

Finishing out a desktop environment is a window manager which draws the frames around the application's window and controls the window's placement. Some of the lines between the components that make up the total desktop environment are not distinct. Wikipedia Article, Window manager

There are virtually unlimited variations possible for the desktop environment, but many should be left to experienced users to install and configure. For beginners I suggest sticking to one of the following three choices. Then after gaining more experience you may want to experiment.

Desktops

Gnome

Gnome is one of the oldest and most popular desktop environments for the GNU/Linux desktop. The current philosophy of Gnome is minimalistic and basic. It is fairly easy to learn and master but lags in the capacity for easy customization, especially if you stick to the default Metacity window manager.

KDE

XFCE4

How to get help

manuals (man pages)
books (printed or electronic)
periodicals (printed or electronic)
online (wikis, forums, newsgroups, blogs)
Google (specific techniques, google.com/linux)
IRC (how to ask a question (favor) from a stranger)
schools
people (friends, co-workers)
LUGS, invitation to visit SFVLUG booth