System Administration

Live CD/DVD Linux Download

Live CD/DVD Linux Download

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In this article, we’ll cover and compare some of the most popular Linux distributions to use for a live CD/DVD. Furthermore, you’ll be given the information you need to make a decision about which one to use, as well as the links to the official Linux downloads pages for each Linux distribution.

Many Linux distributions offer an environment that you can boot your computer into without having to install anything to a hard drive. For some Linux distros, this is actually their main purpose. This is called a “live file system” and it allows you to boot into Linux like normal from a CD, DVD, or USB drive.

With a live file system, changes you make normally aren’t saved after a reboot. When you boot to a live CD/DVD/USB, system files and everything else are stored temporarily in RAM, and RAM is always cleared when a system shuts down or reboots.

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gitbook editor linux - how to start

How to run GitBook Editor on Linux

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Did you ever wanted to write and publish book? With GitBook you can create ebook using markdown syntax and with few clicks publish it in multiple formats such as PDF, EPUB, HTML or MOBI. GitBook also allows to split the workload among multiple contributors by using git distributed revision control. In this article we show how to run GitBook on Fedora and Ubuntu Linux.

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Trisquel LiGNUx running MATE desktop environment

Trisquel LiGNUx download

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Trisquel GNU/Linux (or “LiGNUx“) is a distribution built on 100% free software. It’s based on Ubuntu (and inherently Debian) but with all the proprietary bits stripped out or replaced with free alternatives. For other most popular Linux distributions please visit our dedicated linux download page.

Trisquel is geared towards home users, small businesses, and educational centers. It’s listed on GNU’s website as one of only a handful of operating systems that contain strictly free software. Among them, it’s one of the most popular. It’s also endorsed by the Free Software Foundation.

Trisquel’s flagship version comes with the MATE desktop environment installed. It’s similar to Ubuntu’s default GNOME environment but provides a more traditional feel and does a better job of supporting older hardware.

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PureOS LiGNUx with GNOME desktop environment

PureOS LiGNUx download

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PureOS GNU/Linux (or “LiGNUx“) is a distribution built on 100% free software. It’s based on Debian and is a distro that’s highy focused on privacy and security. For other most popular Linux distributions please visit our dedicated linux download page.

PureOS uses Purebrowser, which is based on Firefox and developed to follow PureOS’s privacy goals. It uses the DuckDuckGo search engine by default, which doesn’t track user data. PureOS also comes with many other enhanced security features enabled by default, such as the HTTPS Everywhere extension that encrypts your data with unsecure websites.

PureOS uses the GNOME desktop environment by default and only supports 64 bit CPUs. It’s listed on GNU’s website as one of only a handful of operating systems that contain strictly free software. It’s also endorsed by the Free Software Foundation.

PureOS is geared towards home computing. It promotes totally free software and user privacy. If you’re an advocate for those ideals, this distro may be a good fit for you. Trisquel LiGNUx is another similar choice that features only free software.

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OpenSUSE running KDE Plasma desktop environment

OpenSUSE Linux Download

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OpenSUSE is the free alternative to SUSE Linux, an enterprise level distro that goes toe to toe with Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Essentially, OpenSUSE is the non-commercial edition of the enterprise distribution.

For other most popular Linux distributions please visit our dedicated linux download page.

OpenSUSE naturally lends itself very well to servers and workstations, but also brands itself as a user friendly desktop operating system. OpenSUSE stacks up very well against similarly aimed distros like Red Hat and CentOS.

It’s a very stable, secure, and tested distro that’s been used by many small corporations and casual Linux users the world over since 2005.

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Puppy Linux desktop

Puppy Linux Download

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Puppy Linux specializes in being a super lightweight desktop distribution with user friendly features. The entire operating system only weighs in at about 300 MB and its system requirements are incredibly small.

It’s a great distro for restoring an old computer or providing a simple interface to casual PC users. For other most popular Linux distributions please visit our dedicated linux download page.

Puppy is simple and straight forward, similar to Ubuntu and Linux Mint in this regard. However, it comes with far fewer packages and leaves a much smaller footprint. Other distributions feel bloated when contrasted with Puppy.

Puppy Linux is more accurately defined as a collection of distributions. There are multiple “puppies” available for download, including versions based on Slackware, Ubuntu, and Raspbian. That’s what has been officially released, but there are a slew of community “remasters” available as well, called “puplets”. As you can see, Puppy likes to coin a lot of their own terms.

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Solus Linux running Budgie desktop environment

Solus Linux Download

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Solus Linux is a desktop focused distribution built from scratch. It aims to present a clean and simple operating system experience for home computing. For other most popular Linux distributions please visit our dedicated linux download page.

The flagship edition of Solus features the Budgie desktop environment, which was developed in house. It offers a rather traditional desktop feel with a high focus on simplicity and functionality. Budgie has since become a popular choice even outside of Solus, for example being offered as an official flavor of Ubuntu.

Solus is similar to Linux Mint in many ways, as both distros are designed for home computing and have developed their own desktop environments to enhance ease of use. Unlike Mint, though, Solus only offers releases in 64 bit and has a rolling release schedule (more on that below).

Solus comes packed with support for everything you’d need on a home PC, including office apps, media editors, developer tools, and gaming software. Most tools are included by default but you can install other things quickly from the package manager.

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Linux Mint running Cinnamon desktop environment

Linux Mint Download

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Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu and belongs to the Debian family of Linux distributions. For other most popular Linux distributions please visit our dedicated linux download page.

Mint took the user friendliness of Ubuntu and kicked it up a notch. This distro was developed to specialize in being easy to use and welcoming to newcomers. As such, it comes preloaded with all the software and utilities that most desktop users will need.

After years with GNOME as its default desktop environment, Mint developers created their own desktop called Cinnamon. This marked a return to traditional desktop metaphor conventions and led to a less confusing desktop for new Linux users.

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Arch Linux running KDE desktop manager

Arch Linux Download

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Arch Linux is an independently developed Linux distribution geared towards experienced Linux users. Its main aim is on simplicity and minimalism. There are not many packages installed by default, basically just what the system absolutely needs in order to run. There isn’t even a desktop environment unless you install one yourself.

The result of this approach is a lean and mean operating system with a lot of options for customization. Arch is recommended for Linux veterans that want more control over their system. If you’re brand new to Linux, Ubuntu and Linux Mint are designed to give you an easier introduction. For other most popular Linux distributions please visit our dedicated linux download page.

Arch Linux sits close to the bleeding edge, making it more suited for a desktop computer or Raspberry Pi, etc. Arch Linux only has a command line interface by default, but there are a lot of desktop environments that it officially supports, including GNOME, Xfce, KDE, and many of the other most common choices for Linux users.

Manjaro is based on Arch Linux, taking its best features and adding a dash of user friendliness. It’s a good distro to check out if you appreciate Arch’s ideals but are a little intimidated by the complexity of configuring things from the ground up.

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Manjaro running Xfce desktop environment

Manjaro Linux Download

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Manjaro is based on Arch Linux and retains the same qualities of being simple and minimalistic. Manjaro and Arch both target desktop computers, but they both cater to different types of users.

Manjaro builds on Arch by making the distro more user friendly. It’s a clean and sleek operating system, sporting much fewer packages installed by default than other distributions like Ubuntu. It’s a good choice for users concerned with speed and simplicity. For other most popular Linux distributions please visit our dedicated linux download page.

Manjaro is only available for 64 bit CPU architectures. Manjaro’s website has several editions, including “official” and “community”, which both contain a number of different supported desktop environments. Manjaro also supports ARM and has a download tailored to Raspberry Pi systems.

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How to Encrypt and Decrypt Individual Files With GPG

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Objective

Encrypt individual files with GPG.

Distributions

This will work with any Linux distribution.

Requirements

A working Linux install with GPG installed or root privileges to install it.

Conventions

  • # – requires given linux commands to be executed with root privileges either directly as a root user or by use of sudo command
  • $ – requires given linux commands to be executed as a regular non-privileged user

Introduction

Encryption is important. It’s absolutely vital to protecting sensitive information. Your personal files are worth encrypting, and GPG provides the perfect solution.

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