Intro to Linux
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Intro to Linux Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. What is Linux? 3. What should I consider before switching to Linux? 4. Which Linux distribution should I get? 5. Checking your system specifications 6. System requirements 7. Installation 8. Dual/Multi-boot setup 9. Official Distribution Websites 10. Further Reading 11. Glossary July 2020 1 Introduction In this class, we’ll focus on beginner-friendly distributions for people who use their computer mainly for internet surfing, email, and desktop publishing, perhaps on older computers that run poorly or not at all with modern versions of Window and MacOS. We will mainly cover versions (or ‘flavors’) of Ubuntu and Linux Mint that address these needs. What is Linux? While Linux can refer to the open-source kernel originally created by Linus Torvalds in the early 1990s, in this class we use it in its other common meaning, to refer to a family of operating systems also known as GNU/Linux distributions, which combine the Linux kernel with other software from the GNU project. Versions of GNU/Linux such as Ubuntu, Red Hat, or Linux Mint are known as distributions or ‘distros’ for short. The mascot for Linux is a penguin, known as Tux (pictured, page 1). What should I consider before switching to Linux? Two questions: does Linux do what I need? Am I ready for a bit of a learning curve? If there’s a program or app you depend on, you should make sure that there’s either a Linux version or a near equivalent available—unless you plan to keep your current operating system as well. It’s also wise to test out your chosen distribution before installing it, using a live USB or similar (we’ll talk about this later). Second, Linux is not quite like any other operating system, and you can expect that using it will be an adjustment even if all goes well. And if something doesn’t work, you probably got it for free, so you’ll rely on the community for tech support, not a paid professional. July 2020 2 Which Linux distribution should I get? The sheer variety of Linux distributions might seem overwhelming at first, but the beauty of most of them being free is that if the first one doesn’t work out for you, you can always try a different one. While there are many options available for any need, we’ll be focusing on two distributions, Ubuntu and Linux Mint, which are designed to be beginner-friendly and to include all the software an average computer user needs, such as a web browser and a desktop publishing program. Both are popular as well, meaning that it’s easier to find help if you run into an issue, because someone else has probably had the same problem. They also follow a similar release model, with a major release every six months, with some releases receiving three or more years of support. If you favor stability over the latest cutting-edge developments, I recommend choosing a long-term support (LTS) release of Ubuntu or Linux Mint. If you have at least 4 GB of RAM and a dual core, 2 GHz processor or better, you can run any version of Ubuntu or Linux Mint (see the next two sections for instructions on checking system specifications and minimum requirements). As of this writing, the most recent releases are Linux Mint 20 and Ubuntu 20.04, both of which are long-term support releases. July 2020 3 Above: Ubuntu 20.04 The original flavor of Ubuntu has more visual bells and whistles than some of the other flavors, which I’ll discuss below, but in exchange requires a faster computer. Above: Linux Mint 20’s desktop July 2020 4 Lubuntu and Xubuntu are lighter-weight flavors of Ubuntu, recommended for systems that don’t quite meet the requirements of Ubuntu, while Linux Mint Xfce is the same for Linux Mint. Note, however, that some older processors won’t work with Linux Mint, so Lubuntu is a better option in that case. As to other Ubuntu flavors, Kubuntu (which is based on KDE) is another solid, mainstream option. Ubuntu MATE, which I’ll be using for the demo, is a slightly retro version, not as visually fancy as Ubuntu but a bit lighter-weight—roughly comparable to Xubuntu. Ubuntu Studio comes preloaded with software for content creation. Ubuntu Budgie is a newer option with a minimalist interface and features Mac users may appreciate. Ubuntu Kylin is intended for users that read Chinese and has a very Windows-like look to it. If you have an older computer that cannot run any version of Ubuntu or Mint, consider antiX or Elive as even lighter-weight, actively updated distributions. If you only want to boot into Linux from removable media (USB stick/SD card), not install it on your hard drive, I recommend looking into Puppy Linux, which is small (about 300 MB), lightweight, and designed for exactly that purpose. Lastly, if you are an advanced computer user who wants a more custom experience and/or more cutting-edge software, you might consider looking into other distributions, such as Debian or Arch Linux. Note that Ubuntu is based on Debian and Mint is based on Ubuntu (unless you get the Debian version), so they’re similar ‘under the hood’. Checking your system specifications In order to determine what distribution is best for you, it’s good to know how powerful your computer is. The main things you want to look for are the processor/CPU, the RAM, and the storage (hard drive, etc.). On Windows 10: hit Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, then click the Performance tab. Under CPU you want to note down the ‘Base speed’ and ‘Cores’. Under Memory the number of MB or GB should be at the top. Under Disk look at Formatted. You can also open the Settings -> System -> About and scroll down to Device specifications, but it will not display the hard drive size. On Windows XP/Vista/7/8: try Ctrl + Alt + Del to open the Task Manager July 2020 5 On Mac OS X: Mac icon in the top bar -> About this Mac If you have a laptop, an all-in-one computer or a prebuilt desktop, you may be able to find a model number and search for that online to find what components it includes as well. For PCs, look for a sticker, usually on the underside (laptops) rear (all-in-ones) or side (desktops). For Macs, there is a number printed on the computer as well, but searching for the product line, screen size, and year may be enough. For example, “Mac mini 2018” or “MacBook Pro 15-inch 2014”. System requirements Name CPU RAM Storage Ubuntu 2 GHz/2 cores 4 GB 25 GB Xubuntu 1.5 GHz/2 cores (64 bit) 512 MB 20 GB PAE support (32 bit) Lubuntu Pentium 4 (2000) 512 MB Linux Mint (Cinnamon) 64-bit only. 2 GHz/2 1 GB 15 GB cores recommended Linux Mint Xfce 64-bit only. 2 GHz/2 1 GB 15 GB cores recommended antiX Linux Pentium II (1997) 256 MB 4 GB Elive Pentium II (1997) 512 MB 5 GB Note that 1 MB is about 1/1000 of a GB. In other words, if your system says that you have 2 GB RAM, that is about four times 512 MB, and you can run most of these distributions, if your processor is also fast enough. The Pentium II and 4 are not considered very fast by today’s standards, so for those distributions, if your computer was released with a different CPU at least a few years after the turn of the millennium, you should be fine. In general, the minimum storage/hard drive space listed above is calculated to allow you to install updates and a few additional programs, as well as some documents. If you like to keep lots of videos, music, and photos, you may need more space. On the other hand, if you don’t want any additional programs and only work with text/word processing documents, you won’t need much space at all. Most new processors are 64-bit, but some Linux distributions, other than Mint, exist in 32-bit versions which will run on older hardware. July 2020 6 PAE support allows a 32-bit processor to support more RAM. Installation I recommend, if possible, making a live (bootable) USB drive or SD card to test out how well your chosen distribution runs, and then, if it runs well, proceeding with a single-boot (Linux-only) installation. It is also possible to install Linux alongside Windows or MacOS X, so that when you turn on your computer, you can choose which operating system to use each time, but this is more difficult and more likely to run into issues. That said, if you do choose the Linux-only installation, it will wipe your entire hard drive, so you will need to back everything up, and you will lose Windows or OS X (though reinstalling them is often an option). For Ubuntu, there is a guide on creating a bootable USB drive here. For Linux Mint the equivalent guide is here. You will need a blank USB stick or SD card (if your computer has an SD card reader) with at least a 4 GB capacity, as well as some way of backing up your important documents. An external hard drive is ideal due to the good price to capacity ratio, but if you don't need that much space, cloud storage or a second USB stick might be good enough.