The NSA developed SE Linux, and then merged what they had developed with the Linux kernel. Thats why if you ever get to the point where you enjoy compiling your own kernel, there are SE Linux kernel modules available. Its good to look into of you are really into security.

I have been using Linux for 5-6 years since I was in high school and have been hooked ever since. I mainly use Ubuntu 8.10 now, but I have used too many distros to count. I am amazed how far it has come in such a short time. It used to be that I had to hunt down drivers, modules, codecs and programs to make my Linux install act like a functional OS, but these days everything is auto detected and installed and there is no need to scour the internet for anything. Not to mention the advancements in 3D desktop environments. Lord only knows where it will be in another 5-6 years.

Delightfully Simple, huh? I always just called it Damn Small Linux.

i was going to put linux on one of my computers

but one of my must have programs

is only windows compatible


is there a linux plug in to handle those issues

So I can bug you with UNIX questions then? Will be working with Sun Solaris servers and Ab Initio in the new year, am enjoying the challenge of learning a new OS with no training from the company

What is the program?

sax and dotty

show hoster

the program company says it is only good with windows

That too! 50Mb. Boot off the thumbdrive! Surf with ease.
Want to run on any machine that is temporarily screwed up
with some other garbage? Sure. Why not? Bloatware Bye Bye.

Dig Slick Lightware! Thank you Knoppix!

Yeah, ultra small linux distros are amazing. Especially when your computer is messed up and you need to recover files and settings. Puppy Linux has to be my favorite small recovery distro, followed by Trinity Rescue Kit.

It may still work in Linux. The best thing to start of with is a Windows emulation program called WINE. You are able to set what version of Windows you are emulating and it integrates almost seamlessly into most distributions. www.winehq.com can help you with most of your questions on how to configure it.

Other than that, there are non-open source Windows emulators you have to pay for like "Cross-Over" that seem to work really well. For playing Windows games on Linux there is also another one called "Cedega".

Cedega and Cross-Over were once part of WINE, but forked many years ago. Cedega used to be called WINEX due to its use of Direct X for games.

thx i will check it out

np

Hello.

I worked at Microsoft, and had full code-base access. I've had my fingers in CE, XP, Vista, and Seven. I've used linux since it came out in the early nineties. I'm a US Navy cold war vet, and ex military programmer, depending on which of my job skills you can get the security clearances to examine.

There is constant FUD about linux, mostly coming from Redmond and spread through ignorance. Let me clear up a few things.

XP = NT5.5
Vista = NT 6.0
Seven = NT 7.0 ... You're not getting anything new. You're paying full price for upgrades.

Viruses:
Windows viri = millions. There are literally too many to count.
Linux viri = one. There has never been more than one, and that was in 2004. Linux is no longer vulnerable to that virus, which was exclusively developed and restricted to a linux security lab. It was never 'wild.' Even if every website had a copy of this "virus" it would be unable to infect any Linux machine then or now.
Mac OSX viri = See linux. The only things that can do squat on a Mac are the viri that run exclusively within MS Office, and they can only screw up the Office related data. If you have MAC backups of your Winblows data, you'll be fine.

Spyware:
Spyware are pretty well OS independent these days. However, security certainly hinders and restricts how they work and how far they can get.

Windows Spyware: Near infinity. The OS itself is qualified as spyware.
Linux spyware: There are only a few types that have any effect on linux systems at all, and these prey on weaknesses in new Firefox versions.
Mac/OSX spyware: See linux. Again, the only weakness added to Macs are due to the availability of MS Office for the Mac. Get rid of MS products on your Mac and you've just secured your Mac.

Everyone uses Windows: False.
More than 90 nations now prefer *nix versions and have ceased to license MS products. The US Army has gone over to linux, and since the Army is responsible for the spooks and military spying that protect our nation, I'd be willing to trust them.

Presence - Colleges:
More than 80% of Windows popularity is forced down your throat, and you just don't know it. The University of Washington in Seattle had to sign NDAs, and a License which prohibits the teaching, distribution, and use of linux or unix systems, in order to get Microsoft server licenses. I worked there. It sucked. This is why UW is a terrible CS college. No good college would refuse to teach the best systems.

Presence - Government:
The US Gov is one of the worst shills in the world. Any powerful corporation can easily dictate terms, and Congress will waive all penalties for wrong doing if you donate to their campaigns. Linux doesn't do this. People use linux because they love it, not because Congress signed an exclusive contract with MSFT.

Stability:
Linux beats MSFT in all categories, and has for years. Why else would most of Europe and all of China switch their military computers to linux servers? Chinese hackers are legendary, and our government fears them.

Security:
Microsoft - MSFT servers have three security levels: kernel, system, and user. Regardless of what anyone else says, I have military code clearances and I can assure you that this is true. Again, I've also seen the code for winblows.
Linux - 64,000 security levels.

You decide, mkay? No real viruses, 64K vs 3 security levels, and FREE.

If you'd rather pay 200.00 for each Microsoft upgrade to your crappy windows OS, than use something faster, better, and stronger, then who's the moron?

Marketing works because so many people are stupid. You tell them 'green is the new black', and next thing you know idiots are buying ugly green clothing by the truckload in overpriced mall stores.

~D

Have to say I agree 100% with this post. Very detailed. Another thing I might mention that prevents viruses from being developed on Linux is the fact that people are constantly changing their kernel versions, and to run effectively on a Linux system, the virus should be compiled to run on that specific kernel. It isn't because Linux isn't as popular, why there are no viruses. It is because it is a solid operating system. And there are ways to increase security to obscene amounts if you really want to. I also read an article yesterday about the Department of Defense talking about how much they use open source, and they actually called it a superior development model.

The day Adobe software like Photoshop, Flash and Dreamweaver run natively on Linux is the day I make the switch.

http://www.betanews.com/article/Titanium_launched_as_open_source_alternative_to_Adobes_AIR/1228837240

http://www.osalt.com/photoshop

etc. etc... it's coming...

There are alternatives in the Linux world. You can even have a free 3D modeling program (actually many) that would ruin you over 3000 dollars (at least) for windows version.

True- many free linux versions don't feel as polished and packed as the windows version software, but they continually being updated by a community. Given the fact that linux is having a boom in the past 2 years and continues to grow almost exponentially, I would say , soon you'll have your same quality photo editor/web design program in the very near future!
Ohh..and don't forget, Photoshop (and all Adobe software in core) is a crossover program from a copyrighted linux-relative (MAC OSX) !

Flash does run natively for Linux, and Adobe has been doing a decent job providing for linux users as of late, so its merely a matter of time.

Yes, blender is amazing. A very powerful open-source 3D design program. To see what it can do you should watch "Elephant Dreams". Strange movie, but beautiful, and made completely with open source tools. -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsGEWHNJ3s8

OR

http://orange.blender.org/

An I suppose MacOS would be like Linux's second cousin twice removed or something like that.

First thing to try is a program called WINE for Linux. it allows running some windows programs, and is free. if that doesn't work, look for Codeweavers. They do a commercial version of WINE and take requests for programs you want to run. Of course you have to buy their software, but if you want to run Linux and the windows app is mission critical.

http://shahidtech.blogspot.com/2007/04/with-take-over-of-macromedia-by-adobe.html