This paper is to familiarize you with the Linux operating system. Some have heard of Linux before; however, they have never had the opportunity to utilize the operating system. This assignment is made to help you understand the similarities and differences between Linux, Windows, and Mac. Assignment Instructions Linux has a very unusual background and origin. The founder is very unique as well. This uniqueness has also led to the massive explosion of distributions of Linux. Unlike Windows®, where there are seven or eight different versions, there are thousands of distributions out there. The Linux Operating System- Linux Beginnings The Linux Operating System- Linux Beginnings The upper management of your company, Simply Something, has heard about Linux and is wondering why the company has not adopted it. The only thing they know is that it is free and can save the company large sums of money in licensing fees. The CIO needs you to create a briefing to present to management on Linux
The Linux Operating System- Linux Beginnings
The Linux operating system is one of the most popular open-source platform operating systems. It was first released in 1991 by Linus Torvalds and is a free and open-source platform that’s similar to the Unix clone platform. Currently, there are numerous distributions of the Linux operating system, including Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian, among others. Each of the distributions manages hardware resources, handles applications, and manages libraries & applications for the Linux OS. The Linux bootloader is responsible for starting the Linux Kernel, the core framework for the Linux operating system. The Linux kernel is the major component of the Linux OS and provides an interface between the computer processes and the hardware. The Kernel has four main activities, including managing device drivers, managing system processes, managing device memory, and managing system calls and security.
The advantage of using the Linux operating system is the enhancement with the packet manager software that typically adds, updates, and removes the software installation in the application distros and thus integrates into the Linux operating system to create a complete advanced platform for hosting the servers and mainframe computers.
Significance of Integrating the Linux Environment to the Organization
The Linux operating system is a popular version of Linux Kernel with an open-source framework designed using UNIX compatibility (Helmke et al., 2017). The basic features of the Linux Operating System include the following:
The Linux operating system distribution allows the installation of multiple software and applications. The Linux OS can have software preinstalled from multiple hardware and mainframe servers.
Open-source. The Linux OS is open-source, and the applications are within the distribution. The operating systems guarantees collaboration where multiple development teams can collaborate and enhance the capability of the operating system.
Multiple security mechanisms. The Linux operating system allows multiple security mechanisms using authentication protocols such as root access, password security protection, and access to encryption mechanisms such as salting.
Linux Operating System Selection and Justification
The best Linux distro to be implemented within the organization is the Ubuntu operating system. The Ubuntu Linux distribution is an open-source enterprise-grade operating system based on Debian and is mostly composed of open-source and free software. Ubuntu includes more than 40,000 software on its central server, with each software slightly customized and designed to integrate with the other software. Additionally, the official Ubuntu website offers a dedicated Enterprise open-source support page for queries on installations and operation of the Ubuntu system (Helmke et al., 2017). This makes Ubuntu a reliable and robust platform for the organization. Given the size of the organization’s workforce, the system will be made up of three servers running the Ubuntu Server operating system and 100 laptops running Ubuntu Desktop for each of the organization’s staff.
Available Software Alternatives
Microsoft Office
LibreOffice is a great alternative to Microsoft Office for Linux-based operating systems. The software is enhanced with mechanisms such as word processors, spreadsheets, presentation, and editing functionality. The cost for Microsoft Office Professional is approximately $ 149.99, while LibreOffice is an open-source application and thus cost-friendly. The approximate licensing costs for the 100 employees will be approximately $ 149.99 *100 = $ 14,999. Additionally, the learning curve for LibreOffice is extremely easy compared to Microsoft Professionals.
Adobe Photoshop
Gimp is an open-source, feature-rich alternative to Adobe Photoshop. The software has an enhanced GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program), allowing the end-user greater flexibility through numerous customization options and numerous third-party plugins (Raggi et al., 2010, p. 3).
An Adobe Photoshop license costs approximately US$52.99/month; hence, the organization spends about $ 5,300 for the 100 employees monthly. On the other hand, Gimp will be a cost-effective option since it’s an open-source application with community support. Additionally, Gimp is compatible with any Linux distros and both Mac and Windows platforms. Lastly, unlike Adobe Photoshop, Gimp doesn’t require extensive RAM memory space to operate.NotepadVim editor is a highly configurable open-source text editor and a great alternative to Notepad. Additionally, Vim integrates with numerous tools and has an extensive array of pl