Linux has been around for a long time. It runs the internet. Software developers like it. Its cousin, Unix, is the basis for MacOS and it's been around even longer. Microsoft will incorporate some Linux components into the next big Windows update and you can activate it now if you know where the magic buttons are.
You could run the Linux shell (bash) on your Windows 10 computer right now.
So why not just set up a Linux computer? We’ve been down this path a time or two before. Over time, Linux has become easier for non-techies to set up. It’s gained some of the features people like about Windows and MacOS. It’s far more than adequate for anyone who needs to write letters (or books) calculate things, write programs, connect to other computers, and much more.
The impediment for me is the inability to run Adobe applications natively under Linux. There are ways, but I don’t care for any of them. But a lot of people would be likely to find the Linux, and the Ubuntu distro in particular, would serve them quite well – if only they’d give it a try.
Some things to ponder if you're thinking about switching to Linux:
If you have an older computer around the house, maybe a desktop system or a notebook that you retired, why not install Ubuntu on it and see what happens? The process is easy enough: Just download the ISO file, burn a disk, and then use that disk to boot the computer you want to install Linux on.
Linux can be installed to dual-boot with Windows, but the simpler installation is to make it the only operating system on the computer. Assuming you’ve retired the computer you’re going to use for the experiment, installing Ubuntu as a stand-alone makes sense. Just remember that the computer’s hard drive will be formatted and any previous operating system or data on it will be lost. But this is a system you retired, right? And you’ve transferred all the files you needed to the new computer.
The installation is straightforward and easy. Follow the prompts and answer the questions. If you’re not sure how to answer a question, just take the default answers. Early on, you’ll be asked how you want the disk formatted. One option will be dual boot and that’s probably what will be selected by default, so change the option to have Ubuntu take over the entire computer. A third option will let you specify some of the formatting details. These are decisions for a Linux pro, so pick either dual boot or Linux alone.
After that, the default answers are fine. You’ll be asked to connect to a network, create an account, to indicate your timezone, language, and a few other standard things. Ubuntu will ask if you want it to use some proprietary software from device manufacturers. This used to be a convoluted step, but now the installer makes it easy. Again, go with the defaults.
Unless the computer is ancient and underpowered, your new Linux system will probably be up and running in less than 30 minutes.
When Ubuntu Linux is running, you'll see that it looks a lot like any other graphical operating system. What Windows users would call the Task Bar and Mac users would call the Dock is referred to as the Launcher. It can be on the left side, the right side, the top, or the bottom of the screen.
For testing, I placed the Launcher on the left and
pinned several applications to it. The running applications include a web browser, Libre Office Writer, and a terminal window that's displaying the resources used by the running applications.
Ubuntu has a Settings panel that will look familiar to any Mac or Windows user.
Unlike on Windows or MacOS, most of the applications you'll use on a Linux machine will come with no cost. Many Linux distros (think of "distro" as "version" and there are dozens, if not hundreds of Linux distros) have a software store application that looks a lot like Mac, Microsoft, and Google software stores -- with the exception of prices.
You will need to create an Ubuntu 1 account to use the store, but then applications will be downloaded, installed, and updated automatically.
Linux doesn't have drive letters, so MacOS users will be more familiar with the way that Linux displays files and folders.
Files are still files. Folders are still folders.
Until recently, Windows often had problems connecting to network attached storage (NAS) drives. Windows 10 has eliminated the problem and Ubuntu has no problem at all.
The screen shots you've seen here were captured on an Ubuntu computer and then copied to the NAS drive so that I could use them on the Windows computer where I create TechByter Worldwide.
Ofir Chakon recently wrote a brief yet comprehensive explanation of his switch from Windows to Ubuntu Linux. He is a software developer, but many of his observations apply to non-developers, too, and the article thankfully omits the rabid partisanship that so often infests discussions of operating systems.
One of Chakon's observations parallels mine and he explains why we have taken different paths. My concern, and his, is the lack of Adobe applications on Linux. "Unfortunately, Adobe hasn’t released any of its products to Linux users. So it’s impossible to run them directly. The Ubuntu alternative is GIMP. This is a free software and has the basic features for a developer-designer."
I am not a software developer and I depend on Adobe applications, so GIMP is not really an option for me and most of the other Adobe applications have only weak analogs on Linux systems. There are ways to run Windows applications on a Linux system, but I prefer not to use them.
Those considerations are essential to making the right decision about which operating system to use. Chakon's essentials included speed and support for development tools and that makes Linux a good choice.
As Chakon writes, "Linux is not for everyone. Check to see if it fits your needs before you decide to switch. If you consider yourself either a technological entrepreneur, developer, data scientist, or programmer, you should definitely check out Ubuntu." If you're thinking about Linux, I enthusiastically recommend his article.
There is a way you can more or less have the best of both worlds, and more. VirtualBox is an open source application that makes it possible to install what's called a "guest" operating system on the computer's built-in ("host") operating system. It's not just for running Linux on a Windows computer. It runs on Windows, Linux, Macintosh, and Solaris hosts and supports guest operating systems such as Windows, DOS, Linux, Solaris and OpenSolaris, OS/2, and OpenBSD. So you could run DOS 6.22 on a Mac. The one you can't do -- at least not easily and without breaking the law -- is run the MacOS on any other computer. You can download it from Oracle's VirtualBox website.
So while we're thinking about why and how you might install Linux, let's consider a virtual machine. The big advantage of a VM is the ability to install multiple operating systems on a single computer and to access any of them without having to reboot. The big disadvantage of a VM is the amount of disk space it will take, the fact that it will consume a lot of memory when it's running, and the slower performance of any guest operating system.
Nothing is perfect, but the VM option might be right for you if you're OK with the trade-offs.
You'll find an excellent explanation of how to install an Ubuntu virtual machine instance on Lifewire. I'll repeat or amplify just a couple of points. After you've installed VirtualBox (that's also covered on the Lifewire site), you can create your first virtual machine.
You'll use the VirtualBox manager to create one or more virtual machines. The only option for Ubuntu is a 32-bit installation, so be sure that you download the 32-bit ISO file even if you have a 64-bit computer. The 32-bit system will be slower than a 64-bit system, but there's no option for a 64-bit installation.
Initially I set the base memory to 2048 MB. The resulting installation was beyond slow. It was positively lethargic, so I tried again and increased the memory to 3072 MB. That helped, but it's still not as fast as I'd like. I also allocated more memory to the video subsystem than the default setup provided.
Make sure you check the options to download updates during the installation process and to install 3rd-party software for graphics, Wi-Fi, Flash, MP3, and other media. These are not open source applications and a Linux purist would run from the room at the very suggestion of allowing these applications onto a Linux computer.
If you want the virtual machine to work, select them.
Here's the screen that will frighten most people.
The Linux installer is running inside a virtual machine and you have already created a virtual disk drive that is simply a file on one of your computer's disk drives. When the Ubuntu installer formats this disk, it will touch only the virtual disk.
In other words, if you've followed the instructions, the disk drives in your computer are safe.
You'll also need to set the name for the virtual computer and create an account for use on that computer.
I recommend using your Windows password as the Ubuntu VM's password because it's easy to remember.
Does it work?
Well, even with more memory and expanded video memory I consider it too slow for anything but experimental use. But it's good enough to allow prospective users to determine whether Linux might serve their needs.
My computer has two monitors. Ubuntu is on the left and other Windows applications are on the right screen.
After working with Linux for a while this way, you have a choice with several options:
Sometimes I think that people who fall for obvious frauds got what they deserved. Really, it's not that hard to examine messages for telltale signs that they were created by crooks. And yet, so many people don't. Consider these that arrived in my mailbox recently.
Kroger wants me to be a secret customer. By itself, that is not suspicious. Many companies pay people to visit their stores, interact with employees, and fill out reports.
What is suspicious is that the offer is for $200 to $400 per assignment. A legitimate offer would be a specific set fee in the $20 to $50 range.
In short, this fails the sniff test within the first 5 seconds (10 seconds if you're a slow reader).
But then hover your mouse over the sign-up link or right-click and choose copy link address. Paste the link into a test editor (not your browser!) and see what it is.
This one is an IP address, not a domain. No legitimate company will do this.
So who owns this IP address: 185.29.11.209?
There are plenty of resources on the internet to find this information and I used one of them to learn that this would take me to a website that is registered in Belize (a small country in Central America) to an individual in Latvia.
Do you think that Kroger is using website services in Belize or Latvia?
Yeah, neither do I, yet people who think that they'll get as much as $400 just to visit a Kroger store and buy stuff might not take the time to consider that.
On the internet, trust nothing.
I use Google drive, but I wasn't expecting to receive an invitation to view a file from someone in Cleveland, but there it was. I had been sent an "Important document" (note the inappropriate capitalization of "important") via "Google' docs" (note the extraneous apostrophe and the fact that "docs" isn't capitalized.)
There's a link to view the document and "The Google doc' Team" tells me to "Enjoy!"
Again "doc" isn't capitalized and it includes a mysterious apostrophe. So this was created by someone who doesn't understand English -- in other words, it's something that would never see the light of day if Google's lawyers and public relations people had seen it.
In other words, this is a phishing attempt from a blithering idiot.
And where would the link take me? To "lovasoa.com". This is a domain that is registered to someone in Madagascar. Has Google recently relocated to an island off the east coast of Mozambique? You might be dubious. I was.
A Windows PowerShell function allows websites to be loaded without the danger of running any malware that might be served, so that's what I used to see what I might get.
There was no visible malware, but clicking the link would have displayed a page that looks a lot like the login page for Google Docs. I would have been prompted for my Gmail address and password.
And then my account would belong to a crook. I may have mentioned this before: On the internet, trust nothing. NOTHING!
Seriously, this isn't brain surgery, rocket science, or even rocket surgery. We can avoid most of this crap by simply paying attention to the obvious clues that creepy crooks show us. There are smarter crooks who use more devious methods, but there aren't as many of them and they tend to go after high-value targets.
If you're trying to keep your company's data secure, who poses the greatest threat? Maybe you're thinking it's the Russian mafia, Chinese cyberspys, or your competitors. But no. The most serious threat is employees.
This won't be a surprise to security officers at large companies, but it's often a surprise to owners and managers a smaller organiztions. In fact, negligent employees are the primary cause of data breaches according to a report from Keeper Security and the Ponemon Institute.
Researchers surveyed 1000 IT professionals and 54% said careless workers were the cause of cybersecurity incidents. More than half of the comapnies surveyed had experienced such an attack in the past year. Often the attack begins with a phishing email intended to trick the recipient.
This is particularly concerning in light of the increase in ransomware attacks. The report says last year "only 2% of respondents described the cyber attacks they experienced as ransomware. This year, 52% of respondents say their companies experienced a ransomware attack and 53% of these respondents say they had more than two ransomware incidents in the past 12 months. Seventy-nine percent of respondents say the ransomware was unleashed through a phishing/social engineering attack."
Although most companies have some protective measures in place, exploits and malware have evaded intrusion detection systems (an increase from 57% of respondents to 66%) and anti-virus solutions (an increase from 76% of respondents to 81%). Protective applications certainly should be used, but they cannot be depended on.
The cost of mitigating these attacks is enormous. The average cost due to damage or theft of IT assets and infrastructure increased from $879,582 last year to $1,027,053 this year.
To read the full report, which was sponsored by password management system company Keeper Security, visit the company's website.
