"Comparing Operating Systems"

Package Manager:

Found in several modern distros, the package manager is a built-in utility designed to streamline app management. You can browse, install, and remove software right from this centralized station. The Package Manager is a convenient alternative to the tedious process of searching for a piece of software online, downloading it from shifty website, and tracking it down in the Add/Remove Programs section of the Windows Control Panel when you want to delete it.

GNOME:

is an open source desktop environment designed to simplify the navigation and operation of Unix-like systems for non-technical users. It offers a fully integrated environment complete with a graphical user interface and a host of useful applications many Windows users take for granted. The GNOME source code is at the core of several open source projects, including an OS distro its community recommends for testing and development.

Command:

tells the computer to perform a specific task. In contrast to Windows, manually executing commands is still an integral part of the Linux experience for many users. From printing documents to installing software packages, Linux commands do a little of everything.

tty command

A tty command in Linux and other Unix-like operating systems is a shell command that can be entered interactively or as part of a script to determine whether the output for the script is a terminal (that is, to an interactive user) or to some other destination such as another program or a printer.

Root:

In Linux terms, the word root holds several meanings. Windows calls a user with full system access and top-level privileges an administrator. In the Linux environment, that role is identified as the root user. The term also refers to the root user's home directory, which sits atop the file system that houses all other directories.

Enlightenment (E)

also called E, is a popular free and open source (FOSS) windows manager that can serve as a standalone desktop environment. E can also be used along with other desktop environments, such as KDE and GNOME.

Free and open source software (FOSS) or free/libre open source software (FLOSS)

also known as free/libre open source software (FLOSS) and free/open source software (F/OSS), is software developed by informal collaborative networks of programmers. The source code is licensed free of charge, encouraging modifications and improvements.

DEFINITION Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

is a distribution of the Linux operating system developed for the business market. RHEL was formerly known as Red Hat Linux Advanced Server.

Secure Shell Charter (SSH Charter)

is a set of papers produced by the Secure Shell Working Group (SSH Working Group), an organization dedicated to updating and standardizing the popular Unix-based interface and protocol known as Secure Shell (SSH or secsh). The SSH Working Group is administered by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), an international body that defines standard network operating protocols.

mobile Internet device (MID)

is a small Internet communications unit designed to provide entertainment, information and location-based services for the consumer market (rather than the enterprise). The MID is a larger form factor than a handheld device but smaller than the Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC). As such, the device has been described as filling a consumer niche between cellular telephones and tablet PCs.

IBM Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL)

is a specialty engine processor on IBM System z mainframe servers that is dedicated to Linux workloads. Operational efforts, software costs, energy use and hardware footprint are reduced when Linux is deployed on IFL rather than general-purpose processors.

sudo (superuser do)

is a utility for UNIX- and Linux-based systems that provides an efficient way to give specific users permission to use specific system commands at the root (most powerful) level of the system. Sudo also logs all commands and arguments.

Binary (Binaries):

is almost the exact opposite of a text file. While a text file can be easily read by humans, a binary file is considered non-readable because it can only be interpreted by an operating system, application, or other machine-based system. When used in the context of Linux jargon, binaries are often dumbed down to describe the executable files and applications you might download from an open source repository online.

IBM Watson supercomputer

is an IBM supercomputer that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and sophisticated analytical software for optimal performance as a "question answering" machine. The supercomputer is named for IBM's founder, Thomas J. Watson.

Host OS (host operating system)

is the software installed on a computer that interacts with the underlying hardware and is usually used to describe an operating system used in a virtualized server to differentiate it from the guest operating system.

Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE)

Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE) is a relational database management system ( RDBMS ) from Sybase, Inc. that runs on Linux and other Unix -based operating systems, Windows NT and Windows 2000 , and Mac OS .

Terminal:

Also known as the shell or command line interface (CLI), the terminal is the old school Unix environment administrators traditionally used to manually control the system by entering simple Linux commands. The terminal offers a faster, more powerful experience because it harnesses very little processing power compared to the GUIs that allow you to point, click, drag your way across the system.

Concurrent Versions System (CVS)

Concurrent Versions System (CVS) is a program that lets a code developer save and retrieve different development versions of source code . It also lets a team of developers share control of different versions of files in a common repository of files. This kind of program is sometimes known as a version control system .

CoreOS Linux

CoreOS Linux is an open source operating system (OS) that provides the functionality required to deploy and manage applications within software containers. Based on the Linux kernel, CoreOS is well-suited for server and clustered computing, a method that links several computers together so they operate as a single system.

Flavors:

Linux has distros. Unix has flavors, and Linux is one of them. These flavors are essentially different variations controlled by different organizations, associations, and individuals. Each version is based on the fundamental values of Unix, but tends to offer its own unique features, commands, and hardware specifications.

GNU:

The GNU's Not Unix (GNU) project was designed with a beauty like Linux in mind. In 1983, Richard Stallman sowed the seeds for an operating system that would possess the power and stability of Unix, yet with a source code that could be freely copied, tweaked, and redistributed. That idea led to the creation of the Free Software Foundation in 1985. In 1991, Stallman's concept came to fruition when Linus Torvalds designed the Linux kernel, the heart of the OS and final missing piece of the puzzle.

GNU GPL:

Though commonly associated with Linux jargon, the GNU General Public License (GPL) dictates how free software is to be copied, altered, and distributed. It is essentially the license that gives various Linux distributions, the Apache web server, and other software the right to be called open source. Like the GNU project, the GPL was created as part of the movement that gives users a flexible and often free alternative to proprietary software products.

Fedora

a popular open source Linux-based operating system. Fedora is designed as a secure, general purpose operating system. The operating system is developed on a six-month release cycle, under the auspices of the Fedora Project. Fedora is sponsored by Red Hat.

Google Kubernetes

is Google's open source system for managing Linux containers across private, public and hybrid cloud environments. Kubernetes automates the deployment, scaling, maintenance, scheduling and operation of multiple application containers across clusters of nodes. Kubernetes contains tools for orchestration, service discovery and load balancing that can be used with Docker and Rocket containers. As needs change, a developer can move container workloads in Kubernetes to another cloud provider without changing the code.

gOS (good operating system)

is a Linux distribution designed for use with Web-based applications rather than software that must be purchased and installed. The operating system was designed in that way to be lightweight and to keep costs low for the user. Walmart first offered the $199 gPC (a computer from Everex that runs gOS) in November of 2007 and quickly sold out of the product in all the stores that offered them. (However, the company subsequently announced that they would limit sales of the gPC to their online business segment.)

KSM (kernel samepage merging)

is a Linux kernel feature that allows the KVM hypervisor to share identical memory pages among different process or virtual machines on the same server.

Firefox OS

is a Linux kernel-based mobile operating system designed for smartphones, tablets and smart TVs. The operating system is developed by the open source community of the Mozilla Foundation, best known for the Firefox browser. Design and development are based entirely on open standards and non-proprietary technologies.

DRBD (Distributed Replicated Block Device)

is a Linux-based software component that facilitates the replacement of shared storage systems by networked mirroring. DRBD makes it possible to maintain consistency of data among multiple systems in a network. DRBD also ensures high availability (HA) for Linux applications.

TailsOS

is a LiveDistro-based operating system that is configured to run from removable storage and to leave no information stored on the computer after the user's session.

gzip (GNU zip)

is a free and open source algorithm for file compression. The software is overseen by the GNU project. In this context, compression is the deliberate reduction in size of data to save storage space or increase the data transfer rate. Gzip is most often used to compress web pages on the server end for decompression in the browser. The format is popular for compression of streaming media. Normally used to compress individual files (such as the executable programs for installing software), gzip can also be used to concatenate and compress several streams simultaneously.

kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM)

is a free, open source virtualization architecture for Linux distributions. KVM virtualization, which is supported by Red Hat Inc. and Canonical Ltd., uses a type-two hypervisor that resides within the Linux kernel. KVM virtualization is often compared with Xen, the open source hypervisor for Oracle VM, Citrix Systems Inc.'s XenServer and other platforms.

Apache

is a freely available Web server that is distributed under an "open source" license. Version 2.0 runs on most UNIX-based operating systems (such as Linux, Solaris, Digital UNIX, and AIX), on other UNIX/POSIX-derived systems (such as Rhapsody, BeOS, and BS2000/OSD), on AmigaOS, and on Windows 2000. According to a Netcraft (www.netcraft.com) Web server survey 60% of all Web sites on the Internet are using Apache (62% including Apache derivatives), making Apache more widely used than all other Web servers combined.

GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program)

is a freely available open source application for creating and manipulating graphic images that runs on Linux, other Unix-based operating systems, and also on Windows and Mac OS X. GIMP is distributed under licensing terms defined by the GNU project. You are likely to find GIMP as one of the optional applications that come in any large Linux package such as those distributed by Debian and Red Hat. You can also download it directly. GIMP offers photo retouching, image composition, and image authoring and is favorably compared by users to Adobe's Photoshop and Illustrator applications.

JeOS (just enough operating system)

is a highly customized operating system built for a specific application. The acronym is pronounced "juice." JeOS builds are popular with software vendors and developers who are creating test systems or virtual appliances. A virtual appliance is simply a virtual machine (VM) image file that has a preconfigured operating system (OS) and a single application. (The preconfigured OS is the JeOS.)

Puppy Linux

is a lightweight Linux distribution, one of several similar operating systems in a group called skinny Linux. Puppy Linux is most often run from a LiveCD or other removable media, which makes it easy to use on a computer that normally runs another operating system, such as Windows, without making any permanent changes to the system. This capacity, along with its compact size and ease of use, has made Puppy Linux a popular means of reviving old computers.

Open Source Development Labs (OSDL)

is a nonprofit corporation founded by IBM, Intel, and Computer Associates to support Linux developers and users. The goal of OSDL is to provide a place where Linux and other Open Source developers can work together and create standardized and compatible Linux platform applications. Plans for a state-of-the-art laboratory based somewhere in Oregon were announced in August 2000 by Scott McNeil, who is widely credited with the concept for OSDL.

Virtual PC

is a program that emulates Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, as well as IBM OS/2, or Linux on a Macintosh personal computer, assuming it's equipped with a sufficiently fast microprocessor. With Virtual PC installed, a Mac can show the desktop for the emulated operating system on one part of the display or it can take up the entire screen. You can run any program that will run under the other operating systems on "regular" (Intel microprocessor-based) PCs. Virtual PC works by converting Intel x86 instructions into PowerPC instructions on the fly.

Yellowdog Updater, Modified (YUM)

is a program that manages installation, updates and removal for Red Hat package manager (RPM) systems. YUM allows the user to update groups of machines without having to update each RPM separately.

Personal Home Page (PHP)

is a script language and interpreter, similar to JavaScript and Microsoft's VBScript, that is freely available and used primarily on Linux Web servers. PHP (the initials come from the earliest version of the program, which was called "Personal Home Page Tools") is a cross-platform alternative to Microsoft's Active Server Page (ASP) technology (which runs only on Microsoft's Windows NT servers). As with ASP, the PHP script is embedded within a Web page along with its HTML. Before the page is sent to a user that has requested it, the Web server calls PHP to interpret and perform the operations called for in the PHP script. An HTML page that includes a PHP script is typically given a file name suffix of ".php" ".php3," or ".phtml". Like ASP, PHP can be thought of as "dynamic HTML pages," since content will vary based on the results of interpreting the script.

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)

is a secure network communications protocol for Windows-based applications running on a server. RDP allows network administrators to remotely diagnose and resolve problems encountered by individual subscribers. RDP is available for most versions of the Windows operating system as well as Mac OS X. An open source version is also available.

K Desktop Environment (KDE)

is an Open Source graphical desktop environment for UNIX workstations. Initially called the Kool Desktop Environment, KDE is an on going project with development taking place on the Internet and discussion sheld through the official KDE mailing list, numerous newsgroups, and Internet Relay Chat (IRC)channels. KDE has a complete graphical user interface (GUI) and includes a file manager, a window manager, a help system, a configuration system, tools and utilities, and several applications. The most popular suite of KDE applications is KOffice, which includes a word processor, a spreadsheet application, a presentation application, a vector drawing application, and image editing tools. KOffice was released with KDE version 2.0 October 2000. On December 5, 2000, KDE2.0.1 was released.

LXD (Linux container hypervisor)

is an open source project designed to provide a set of Linux container management tools. LXD is an Apache 2 licensed open source project founded by Canonical.

Docker

is an open-source program that enables a Linux application and its dependencies to be packaged as a container. Container-based virtualization isolates applications from each other on a shared operating system (OS). This approach standardizes application program delivery, allowing apps to run in any Linux environment, whether physical or virtual. Because they share the same operating system, containers are portable among different Linux distributions and are significantly smaller than virtual machine (VM) images.

Hardy Heron (Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Server Edition)

is the code name for version 8.04 of Ubuntu, the open source Debian-based Linux distribution. It is widely recognized as one of the most easy-to-use desktop Linux distributions for novice users. Canonical Software, the sponsor for Ubuntu, has released Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Server Edition to target the enterprise IT market, competing with Red Hat and SUSE Linux.

bash (Bourne Again Shell)

is the free version of the Bourne shell distributed with Linux and GNU operating systems. Bash is similar to the original, but has added features such as command line editing.

copyleft

is the idea and the specific stipulation when distributing software that the user will be able to copy it freely, examine and modify the source code, and redistribute the software to others (free or priced) as long as the redistributed software is also passed along with the copyleft stipulation. The term was originated by Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation. Copyleft favors the software user's rights and convenience over the commercial interests of the software makers. It also reflects the belief that freer redistribution and modification of software would encourage users to make improvements to it. ("Free software" is not the same as freeware, which is usually distributed with copyright restrictions.)

principle of least privilege (POLP)

is the practice of limiting access to the minimal level that will allow normal functioning. Applied to employees, the principle of least privilege translates to giving people the lowest level of user rights that they can have and still do their jobs. The principle is also applied to things other than people, including programs and processes.

operating system (OS)

is the program that, after being initially loaded into the computer by a boot program, manages all the other programs in a computer. The other programs are called applications or application programs. The application programs make use of the operating system by making requests for services through a defined application program interface (API). In addition, users can interact directly with the operating system through a user interface such as a command line or a graphical user interface (GUI).

Distros:

refer to different variations of operating systems based on the original Linux kernel. Each variant usually comes complete with its own desktop environment, software, and update releases. Since the source code of the kernel is open source, anyone with the resources can follow in the footsteps of Debian, SUSE, or Ubuntu and build out their own distro.

Free Software Foundation (FSF)

was founded in 1983 along with its demonstration GNU project. Richard Stallman, an MIT professor, had worked as a student on projects where software was freely exchanged without copying or modifying stipulations. Why, he asked himself and others, should software users be prohibited from copying it for friends, looking at the source code and copying it, and redistributing the results? Taking this idea to the group level, Stallman and others created the FSF and set out to demonstrate that an entire operating system could be developed and shared freely. The result was the Unix-like GNU, which, in August 1996, became complete by adding a kernel.