Desktop Linux - Part 1, Basics
- 1. © 2009 IBM Corporation Desktop Linux Workshop Part 1: Introduction to the Linux Desktop Dan FitzGerald – z/VM Development April 19, 2010
- 2. 2 © 2009 IBM Corporation Desktop Linux Workshop I: Outline ■ What is Desktop Linux? ■ Advantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Open House” - Touring a Developer's Linux Rig ■ Disadvantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Where do I go from here?” ■ Questions? IBM Presentation Template Full Version
- 3. 3 © 2009 IBM Corporation Desktop Linux Workshop I: Outline ■ What is Desktop Linux? ■ Advantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Open House” - Touring a Developer's Linux Rig ■ Disadvantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Where do I go from here?” ■ Questions? IBM Presentation Template Full Version
- 4. 4 © 2009 IBM Corporation What is Desktop Linux? ■ “Traditional” z/Linux or UNIX experience – Powerful command-driven interface – Teletype or DEC-VT100 style terminals ■ You can still use that command line, or you can use the GUI. – Each is a different interface to the kernel, which contains the actual OS
- 5. 5 © 2009 IBM Corporation What is Desktop Linux? ■ The GUI is made up of two components: The X Window System and the Desktop Manager ■ X Window System – provides primitives for constructing a GUI – Controls windowing on the display (the terminal or virtual terminal) – Mouse/keyboard interactions – Very simplistic ■ Desktop Manager – Robust user interface – Provides the desktop... – ...“start menu”, “system tray” – ...tray applets – ...“control panel” – ...sound effects – ...graphics libraries
- 6. 6 © 2009 IBM Corporation Desktop Linux Workshop I: Outline ■ What is Desktop Linux? ■ Advantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Open House” - Touring a Developer's Linux Rig ■ Disadvantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Where do I go from here?” ■ Questions? IBM Presentation Template Full Version
- 7. 7 © 2009 IBM Corporation Advantages of Desktop Linux ■ Rapid boot time – Between 30 – 45 seconds with Ubuntu 9.10 ■ More secure – Very few viruses, malware, and adware in the wild than Windows – There has never been a widespread virus attack against Linux desktop • Citation: http://librenix.com/?inode=21 ■ More stable – You can have uptime of months or years – Anecdote: in college, I once left my Linux desktop on for three months ■ Hardware support – Supports thousands of devices out of the box with no drivers needed – Runs quite well on older hardware • My T60 running under Linux ran as fast in 4/2010 as it did in 6/2007
- 8. 8 © 2009 IBM Corporation ■ Its free! – “Free as in beer” – “Free as in speech” ■ Hundreds of thousands of free programs available – Downloader (Synaptic) is integrated right into the desktop – Synaptic reads from databases of safe, quality software • That means no malware! – You can find a tool for almost any need ■ And what's more... Advantages of Desktop Linux
- 9. 9 © 2009 IBM Corporation ■ ...IBM uses Synaptic for seamlessly applying software updates! Advantages of Desktop Linux
- 10. 10 © 2009 IBM Corporation ■ ...IBM uses Synaptic for seamlessly applying software updates! – Net effect: (ISSI) x (Windows Update) x (toolcat vmtools) ■ IBM maintains its own internal Synaptic repositories – IBM-internal tools – Lotus software – Software IBM holds licenses for (such as Symantec Antivirus) Advantages of Desktop Linux
- 11. 11 © 2009 IBM Corporation ■ IBM is a big supporter of Linux – Largest company to push Linux – Has Linux versions of many, if not all, Lotus tools – Lotus Symphony and OpenOffice are “first-cousins” • OpenOffice is the de-facto productivity suite for Linux • Lotus Symphony shares the OpenOffice code base • Lotus Symphony uses OpenOffice file formats – Tools to make your workstation WST, ITCS compliant • IBM Standard Asset Manager (ISAM) • Workstation Security Tool (WST) – Other IBM tools • IBM Global Printer Service ■ There are Linux tools for mainframe work – 3270 terminal emulator: x3270 – Jason Herne's EDL Workstation Advantages of Desktop Linux
- 12. 12 © 2009 IBM Corporation ■ Clearer, more featureful desktop environment – “Virtual desktops” – Panels • Like the Windows “Start” bar • Can be added and removed by the user – Panel applets • “Weatherbug” clone without the malware • Trash can • CPU load monitor ■ The Linux desktop is highly customizable Advantages of Desktop Linux
- 13. 13 © 2009 IBM Corporation Desktop Linux Workshop I: Outline ■ What is Desktop Linux? ■ Advantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Open House” - Touring a Developer's Linux Rig ■ Disadvantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Where do I go from here?” ■ Questions? IBM Presentation Template Full Version
- 14. 14 © 2009 IBM Corporation Desktop Linux Workshop I: Outline ■ What is Desktop Linux? ■ Advantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Open House” - Touring a Developer's Linux Rig ■ Disadvantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Where do I go from here?” ■ Questions? IBM Presentation Template Full Version
- 15. 15 © 2009 IBM Corporation ■ You'll have to learn the quirks of a new system – You will need to do this whenever you change operating environments – Learning how to use Linux will take some time ■ Some things aren't as “highly polished” as they are on Windows – Case in point: x3270 vs PCOMM • Difficult to change key mappings • Default key mapping differs from PCOMM ■ If something breaks, you'll have to fix it yourself – This is the most significant disadvantage to using Linux – Fixing problems can take a significant amount of time – No “official” IBM helpdesk support • Positive: large and active community willing to help you • Many VMmers are willing to help you: – Dan FitzGerald, Jason Herne, others Disadvantages of Desktop Linux
- 16. 16 © 2009 IBM Corporation Desktop Linux Workshop I: Outline ■ What is Desktop Linux? ■ Advantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Open House” - Touring a Developer's Linux Rig ■ Disadvantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Where do I go from here?” ■ Questions? IBM Presentation Template Full Version
- 17. 17 © 2009 IBM Corporation ■ “Lightweight Linux Development Desktop (L2D2)” DVD – Bootable Ubuntu Linux 10.10 DVD – Allows you to “look before you leap” • Runs Linux without installing anything on your workstation – Contains everything you need to work on Linux • AT&T Global Network Client • OpenOffice 3.1 • IBM Lotus Notes • IBM Lotus Sametime • x3270 • EDL Workstation • Ubuntu installer ■ Desktop Linux Workshop, Part II – For anyone who still wants to run Linux on their workstation – This will be an interactive workshop, where I will walk you through installing Ubuntu Linux alongside Windows on your workstation – Date TBD “Where do I go from here?”
- 18. 18 © 2009 IBM Corporation Desktop Linux Workshop I: Outline ■ What is Desktop Linux? ■ Advantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Open House” - Touring a Developer's Linux Rig ■ Disadvantages of Desktop Linux ■ “Where do I go from here?” ■ Questions? IBM Presentation Template Full Version
- 19. 19 © 2009 IBM Corporation ■ Jason Herne – Technical review and presentation concept ■ The z/VM desktop Linux crew, for their continued support – Kodin Taylor – Scott Coyle Acknowledgements