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4.0

The free, highly customizable Ubuntu operating system is easy to install and runs well. We wish more popular third-party apps were available, but it's still an excellent introduction to linux.

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at Ubuntu
By Michael Muchmore
Ubuntu Linux

If you’re fed up with Windows but don’t want to give up your PC games, don’t worry. These days, linux gaming is a lot easier than it used to be thanks to Steam, Proton, and Wine.

By Whitson Gordon
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If you're done with Windows 10 or don't want to (or can't) upgrade to Windows 11, install linux instead. Here's how to make the switch to an open-source operating system and install apps.

By Whitson Gordon
linux command line on a computer

IBM is adding a family of Granite LLMs to InstructLab, an open-source development platform.

By Kate Irwin
IBM text logo on a white building with blue sky behind.

A software suite for linux will take a page from Windows and add Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error messages to the OS.

By Michael Kan
BSOD screen on a laptop

No, really. Walk into any school now, and you'll see millions of linux machines. They're called Chromebooks. For a free project launched 30 years ago today by one man in his spare time, it's an amazing feat.

By Sascha Segan

Open-source GNU/linux operating systems, for all their complications and confusing nomenclature, span a universe of alternatives to Windows and macOS worth exploring.

By Ben Moore
What Is GNU/Linux?

If you want to go beyond the extensions and Android apps Chrome OS offers, there are a few ways to get linux up and running to make your Chromebook more versatile.

By Whitson Gordon

Liberate yourself from the control of Google and Apple with a free, open-source, and privacy-respecting mobile OS. Prepare to face unexpected problems and give up some modern smartphone conveniences along the way, though.

By Max Eddy & Ben Moore

It's smaller than a Mac mini, runs PureOS linux, and is focused on providing 'freedom, privacy and security.'

By Matthew Humphries
4.0

For consumers, coders, and enterprises, Ubuntu linux 18.04 is a free, customizable, and highly usable alternative to both macOS and Windows. However, getting started with Ubuntu is more challenging than with those mainstream OSes.

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at Ubuntu
By Ben Moore
Ubuntu

Torvalds took time off to address his nasty habit of berating other programmers over their contributions to linux, which is open source. To ensure developers aren't subjected to online abuse, the linux kernel has added a new code of conduct.

By Michael Kan
Linus Torvalds

Microsoft is shelving the threat of patent lawsuits against linux developers by opening 60,000 company patents to the operating system's development, the software giant said in a surprise announcement on Wednesday.

By Michael Kan
Microsoft Logo

Over the past two decades, the linux founder has gained a reputation for offering unfiltered views on technology. For years, he defended the behavior, but he's since had a change of heart and will take time off to address his issues.

By Michael Kan
Linus Torvalds

For those of us unwilling to pay the high price of a MacBook Pro and tired of all the Windows 10 updates, there's always linux! Dell just updated its premium XPS 13 laptop with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, which Canonical will support for five years.

By Matthew Humphries
Dell XPS 13 Developer Edition with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS

Microsoft decided to fix one of Notepad's longest running problems: garbled text files from other operating systems.

By Matthew Humphries
Windows Notepad 2018

It runs linux Mint 19, is passively cooled, and costs $300.

By Matthew Humphries
MintBox Mini 2 Linux Mint Desktop PC

The included Inventor's Kit and pi-topOS make this the perfect learning laptop for kids (and adults).

By Matthew Humphries
pi-top Raspberry Pi laptop

As well as the Centurion, Alpha is offering a very capable little desktop PC with Celeron or Core i5 configuration options.

By Matthew Humphries
Alpha laptop

The Raspberry Pi's preferred desktop environment can now be run on any PC or Mac with at least 512MB of RAM.

By Matthew Humphries
Raspberry Pi Pixel Desktop Environment