Quiero probar Linux, pero...

Últimamente, he estado conversando con varias personas que desean probar Linux pero les falta algo de confianza o han escuchado mitos sobre este sistema operativo, lo cual me recuerda a mí mismo en los tiempos anteriores a mi migración. Supongo que otros usuarios de computadoras se hallarán en la misma situación así que, si usted es uno de ellos, siéntase en la libertad de continuar leyendo. Es posible que encuentre información útil a continuación. Esto es para usuarios de computadora promedio que desearían darle una oportunidad a Linux.

Quiero probar Linux, pero...

1. ...No sé mucho de computadoras.

Si este es su caso, tiene poco que temer. Los aspectos básicos son bastante similares en la mayoría de los sistemas operativos; por lo tanto, aunque usted no sepa mucho de computación, puede empezar a aprender a partir lo que ya sabe. Al igual que con la mayoría de las experiencias de aprendizaje, se vuelve más sencilla si obtiene la ayuda de algún amigo con más experiencia sobre Linux en caso de que usted se sienta inseguro.


2. ...me da miedo que Linux dañe mi sistema.

¡Calma! No le pasará nada a su computadora si usted inicia Linux desde uno de los convenientes Live CDs. ¿Qué es un live CD? Se trata de un CD (aunque también hay live DVDs o hasta llaves USB) que le permite inicializar el sistema operativo por completo sin siquiera tocar el disco duro. Sí, no es necesario instalar nada para probar Linux si se inicia desde un live CD. ¿Pero cómo se reconoce un live CD? Bueno, no le pedirá instalar nada durante el inicio. Tenga presente que el sistema operativo estará funcionando desde la unidad de CD, por lo tanto será un poco más lento en comparación a uno que estuviera instalado.


3. ...temo que no encontraré los programas que necesito.

Si usted usa software bastante especializado, podría ser verdad. No obstante, si usted se halla en la categoría de usuarios que en su mayor parte necesitan una suite ofimática, programas de correo electrónico, clientes de chat, navegadores Web, software de multimedios y ocasionalmente uno que otro juego sencillo, no encontrará una gran diferencia al usar Linux. De hecho, justamente ayer una colega me contó cómo ella pudo convertir documentos a .pdf con facilidad usando Libre Office en Linux mientras que en Windows ella estaba totalmente confundida tratando de descargar, instalar y usar diferentes programas para realizar la misma tarea. No, no se trata de una gurú de computadoras; ella es una usuaria de computadoras común y corriente.


4. ...me confunde todo eso de las "distros" / distribuciones.

Bueno, véalo como ir al supermercado. ¿Prefiere ver solamente un tipo de productos? Probablemente no: entre más grande sea la variedad, mejor, ¿cierto? Imagínese que va a un supermercado y mientras ve la gran variedad de productos, alguien le dice "Todo esto es para que lo pruebe...¡TOTALMENTE GRATIS!" ¿Le respondería usted "No, gracias. Este supermercado es demasiado confuso. Por favor venda solamente la marca X del producto...y si es posible, cóbreme tanto como quiera."?

Las distribuciones de Linux (o "distros") existen para que probemos tantas como queramos...y para que escojamos la (o las...¡Nadie dijo que debemos escoger solamente una!) que más nos guste. ¿Quién estaría incómodo por eso? ¡Adelante! Tome tantas como desee, pero ponga atención: escoja las ediciones ya terminadas. Muchas personas se quejan de que Linux está lleno de problemas y errores, pero no se dan cuenta que han descargado e instalado una edición de pruebas. Si ve ñas palabras "alfa", "beta", o el acrónimo "RC" más un número del 1 al 4 (RC2, por ejemplo), se trata de una edición todavía en desarrollo. No la instale a menos que desee contribuir con la fase de desarrollo de dicha distribución de Linux.

5. ...He escuchado historias de horror sobre cómo Linux borra Windows cuando se instala.

En realidad, el sistema operativo que detesta compartir el disco duro es Windows. Linux no borra nada a menos que escojamos instalarlo sobre la instalación de Windows. Si hemos probado Linux y deseamos instalarlo, debemos asegurarnos de leer el manual primero. Si deseamos conservar el otro sistema operativo, debemos conocer lo que significa particionar un disco duro. No obstante, es posible utilizar los live CDs indefinidamente. Conozco una persona que literalmente destrozó su sistema Windows (por sí mismo...¡Linux no tuvo nada que ver!). Luego le entregué un live CD de Mepis Linux y él lo ha estado usando sin instalarlo hasta hoy porque no quiere pagar para que le reparen su sistema...¡y él no es ni un geek ni un fan de Linux, por cierto!

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La conclusión es que ninguna computadora va a explotar por probar Linux en ella. Es un sistema seguro y estable...más de lo que algunos creerían o desearían. Mientras no empecemos a borrar cosas por nuestra cuenta al probar el live CD, nada pasará. De hecho, al apagar la computadora y retirar el CD, será como si nada hubiera pasado. De nuevo, no olvidemos leer la documentación de nuestra distro si decidimos instalarla: nos ahorrará problemas y en la mayoría de los casos, nos dirá dónde pedir ayuda si nos topamos con algún obstáculo. Asimismo, tratemos de obtener la guía de alguien que use Linux y nos daremos cuenta de lo mucho que podemos lograr con este sistema operativo tan seguro y versátil.

(imagen obtenida de http://tecnosafeorg.blogspot.com/)

I Want to Try Linux but...

Lately, I've been talking to several people who want to give Linux a try but they lack some confidence or have heard several myths about this OS. That reminds me of myself back in the times prior to my migration. Thus, I guess other computer users out there may be in the same situation. If you are one of them, feel free to keep reading. You might find useful information here. This is for simple, plain computer users who feel like giving Linux a chance.

I want to try Linux but...

1. ...I don't know much about computers.

If this is your case, then you have little to fear. The basics are pretty much the same in most operating systems so, even if you don't know much about computers, you can start learning right off your knowledge base. As with most first learning experiences, it is easier if you get the help of a friend who has more experience with Linux in the case you feel uncertain.


2. ...I am afraid Linux will break my system.

Relax! Nothing will happen to your computer if you boot Linux from a handy live CD. What's a live CD? It's a CD (although there are live DVDs or also pendrives) that lets you boot the complete operating system without even touching your hard drive. Yes, you do not have to install anything to test Linux if you boot a live CD. How can you recognize a live CD? Well, it won't ask you to install anything during the boot up. Keep in mind that since the OS is working off the CD drive, it will work a bit more slowly than if it were installed.


3. ...I am afraid I won't be able to find the programs I need.

If you use quite specialized software, this may be true. However, if you are in the wide category of computer users who mostly need an office suite, e-mail programs, chat clients, Web browsers, multimedia software, and occasionally play a simple game, you would not find a great difference using Linux. In fact, just today a coworker told me how she easily converted documents to .pdf using Libre Office on Linux while on Windows she had been lost trying to find, install, and use different programs for the same task. No, she is not a computer guru. She is just a plain computer user.


4. ...I am confused by all this "distro" / distribution thing.

Well, think of it as going to the supermarket. Do you prefer to see only one kind of product there? Probably not: the more variety, the better, right? Now, imagine you go to a supermarket and while you are seeing its great variety of products, someone told you: "all this is for you to try...FOR FREE!" Would you say "No, thanks. This supermarket is confusing. Give me only one brand of X product...and if possible, charge me as much as you like."?

Linux distributions (or "distros") are there for you to try as many as you want...and for you to choose the one (or ones...nobody said you have to keep only one!) that you prefer. Who would be afraid of that? Go ahead and grab as many as you want, but pay attention: choose the actual final releases. Many people complain that Linux is full of bugs and problems but they don't realize that they have downloaded and installed a test release. If you see the words "alpha," "beta," or the code "RC" plus a number from 1 to 4 (RC2, for example), that is a release still in its developmental stage. Do not install that one unless you want to actually contribute with the development of that Linux distribution.

5. ...I've heard horror stories of how Linux deletes Windows when you install it.

Actually, the Operating System that dislikes to share the hard drive is Windows. Linux does not delete anything unless you choose to install it on top of your Windows install. If you have tried Linux and want to install it, make sure to read the manual first. If you want to keep your other operating system, you must first understand what partitioning hard drives is. However, you can use live CDs indefinitely. I know a person who literally destroyed his Windows system (by himself...Linux had nothing to do with it!) I then gave him a Mepis Linux live CD and he has kept using it without installing it until this very day because he does not want to pay to get his system fixed. And he is neither a computer geek nor a a Linux fan, by the way!

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The bottom line is that your computer will not explode for trying Linux. It is safe and stable...more than some would believe or want. As far as you don't start deleting anything yourself, you will not lose your files when trying a live CD and once you turn your computer off, it would be as if nothing had happened. Again, do not forget to read the documentation of your distro if you decide to install: It will save you some trouble and most of the times, it will tell you where to ask in case you have problems. Also, try to get the guidance of a person who uses Linux and you will see that there's lots you can do with this safe and versatile operating system.

(image taken from http://tecnosafeorg.blogspot.com/)

Slacko: not a Puppy but a Monster Dog!

Since I have more free time lately thanks to Easter, I have embarked on several learning projects. One of them is trying on my little Toshiba NB-100 netbook as many lightweight distros --and other OSs: I tested Haiku and gave Minix a quick look--as I can. I have gotten different results with them.

Right now, although I am not a dog person, I am trying Puppy Linux.

I had tried Puppy Linux on an older system quite a while ago but had mouse problems and I even got attacked and bitten like a cat by Puppies when I talked here about MiniNo. Yes, I'm a cat person, hehe!

But well, now I am trying Puppy Linux 5.3.1. This version is called "Slacko" and is Slackware-compatible. Hey! To me, this is important! From my perspective, you cannot say you love Linux if you don't pay due respect to the oldest Linux distro. Respect your elders and learn from them, kiddos!

Slacko is different from Wary (the traditional Puppy) in the sense that it is designed for more up to date hardware. That was another good reason for choosing it.

Well, I gave Slacko a spin on my netbook.

What happened? As usual, Puppy did its magic and loaded itself on RAM so that my external DVD unit got free. This is one feature that I find extremely useful and convenient and I'd say it's hard to disagree with that.

I chose Spanish, my native language, and noticed that the menus were still in English, but I got a warning that the locale file was missing. Interestingly, most of the dialog boxes did come in Spanish, although they need a bit more work. Perhaps I could contribute in that area.

After that, the biggest problem came: Wi-fi access. For some lightweight distros I tried, Wi-fi enabling was a no-go. Slacko tried, too...but did not enable it.

Wait! This puppy knows several tricks! It comes with different methods for configuring Wi-fi access. I tried another one and whoa! Internet enabled! In fact, I am typing this on Seamonkey, the browser that Slacko comes with!

Oh, another problem for other lightweight distros on this netbook was recognizing the HD. Puppy got that from the very start without any hassle.

What about software? To me, this little distro comes with everything you might possibly need. In fact, after much searching, the only thing missing was software to use the netbook's webcam. And that is not essential in my case.

Can it play video? You bet. Even with softsubs using Gnome Player.

Oh...I realized then that unlike regular puppies, this one had been too silent. That was weird since audio was enabled. Upon further checking, I learned that I could only hear sound if I plugged external speakers. Well, that's not a big deal anyway. I always use an external USB speaker whenever I need this netbook for work.

Then, I decided to go tough on the little dog. I opened Seamonkey, Gnome Player, Abiword, a game, and a painting program...all to see if Puppy would run out of RAM (this netbook has 1GB).

Everything worked. This puppy is not a puppy but a monster dog! As its developers say, Slacko is Puppy on steroids!

By the way, did I mention that this little distro is very user friendly, too? It explains everything so that newcomers to Linux don't get lost. This is one outstanding feature of dogs...they are very friendly to people! Check out the installer on the image as an example:



I am really tempted to install it and thus start slacking the Puppy way! Kudos to the Puppy community for this impressive distro!

Apple Malware and Security

Yesterday, I read an interesting article about "Flashback" malware infecting about half a million Apple computers.

While this is not new--Apple computers have been infected with malware before--, the article mentioned three elements that made the infections possible:

1. Apple's software management
When Oracle detected the problem, they issued a vulnerability fix. This fix, however, did not reach Apple users immediately because Apple keeps a tight control of its software. The official fix by Apple was issued two months after Oracle's. Two months is quite a long time, and even if you think it isn't, please remember that not all users apply updates as soon as they are ready. Maybe this is why 500,000 Apple computers are still infected. Of course, half a million computers may seem a very modest botnet compared to Windows botnets, which this year may reach about 10% of all Windows systems according to a Damballa Threat Report, but it is still a lot of computers.

2. Naivete of computer users
According to the article, the malware disguised itself as a Flash Player update. This means something like "If you want to watch this video, you must install this Flash Player update first." When users "updated" their Flash Player, they got a Flashback infection instead. Until when will computer users be easy victims of such social engineering tricks? The problem I see is that the current tendencies in computing are actually making users more and more naive. Now they just want to use the computer without thinking. That is horribly dangerous from my perspective. Any activity a person does without thinking is dangerous. If you don't want to use your brain, someone will use his/hers and will take advantage of you. If you don't want to take my word, then take a snapshot of the computer's wallpaper of any of your friends, attach any stupid error window message to it, then secretly replace the actual wallpaper with your creation, and see what happens when your friends see it.



At least one of them may fall for it because more and more people are being trained not to use their heads when they get near a computer. That is sad.



3. Overconfidence of users about their systems

Owners of Apple computers tend to believe they are immune to viruses and malware, so they take little precautions when being online. This is also true about Linux users. Again, a system may be rock solid, but the weakest part of security systems is the individual responsible for the security. If you believe that Microsoft, A/V companies, Apple, or Tux are the main, or the sole responsible for your computer security, you are the Achilles Heel of your system. That responsibility is yours!

Some systems may be stronger than others, but you must keep an eye open and learn about your system.

A Lightweight Distro for My Netbook

I have a small Toshiba NB100 netbook which I am very fond of. In spite of what many may say about netbooks and productivity, this tiny computer is my work machine when I am at the university. It is the computer I use for teaching, too.
It came preloaded with Windows XP, which I never boot, but I loaded this system with Mepis 8, Mepis 11, Pardus 2011, and Mandriva 2010.
I love the feeling of freedom I have whenever I turn it on. Although most of the distros use KDE (I also installed Gnome 2 on Mepis 8), booting into a different distro is a different experience to me.
This netbook also has a clean partition I use for my OS experiments. Yes, I know what virtualization is. Indeed, the small machine also has a VM, but I like to learn, and using a VM to install an OS, while convenient, is not the same as installing it on the actual machine.
Anyway, I now want to load a lightweight distro on this system, too. My desktop machine also runs antiX and MiniNo, which don't use KDE. I have learned from them what Fluxbox, ROX and IceWM feel like. I have SliTaz on a different system, so I also know a bit about Openbox.

Now, I have to decide which lightweight distro to install:

antiX
MiniNo
Puppy
Austrumix
SliTaz
Minix (this is not strictly a Linux distro, but I'd like to try it, too. Thanks to Linux, I came to appreciate different OS possibilities!)

Is there another lightweight distro I should try?