Linux Mint computer software question!

Hey guys anyone know more about this software. I just got it for my new computer and my uncle told me it's virus free for the internet is that true? It's very different than windows I like it..Can someone inform me more about it.Thanks

 

Linux is an operating system descending from the historical family of professional Unix operating systems running on some of the first computers. Windows is an operating system as well, but totally different and born for personal computers, not large mainframes .

Linux is 'Open' and 'free' : the source is freely available, given for free (though you can buy the boxed disks and support for your linux distro from the vendor, that's how linux companies make money) and this means that thousand of experts and contributors browse its code looking to fix vulnerabilities and errors. Linux rocks totally because it is an OS built and mantained for free by a giant world community of highly skilled enthusiasts. most linux programs are free as well and maintained by the communities.

Linus Torvalds is the dad of Linux. the Free Software Foundation also contributed with his OS project GNU (Gnu's Not Unix) and with an enormous amount of crucial programs needed by linux users and software developers so some people call linux "GNU-Linux".

There are many «Linuxes» or Linux distributions . They are all built around the linux kernel (the core of a system) but do differ for the packets of software shipped with, for graphics and for belongign to the 2 families of Unix: 'Berkeley Unix' and 'System V' . but you don't need to know this for now.

There are a lot of linux 'distros' and yours is one. The most famous are Debian linux, Slackware linux, SuSe Linux, Ubuntu linux , Red Hat linux etc. each one has its own peculiarities.
i don't know Mint linux but it is based on Ubuntu, and i am using with satisfaction Ubuntu right now. Dunno how good is mint, but i guess it is a good choice since it shares a lot with Ubuntu and Ubuntu is derived from Debian. And Debian is good...

Your uncle has a point saying that linux is "virus free" because getting a computer virus with linux running instead of windows is really a rare event and the reason is that 99.9999% of the viruses around are designed fr windows (a few for mac) , thus incompatible with linux. this will surely improve your security on the net but remember that this is just half of the story: i suggest you to surf the web with Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox+the extension ScriptBlock (today many dangers are coming from malignant web pages and exploitation of browser faults) Both ones are internet browser applications, the equivalents of Internet Explorer, only a hell of a lot safer , faster and better than the microsoft stuff. and if you get competent there are many other things to do in order to improve security of your PC, using linux.

Linux also is more robust, stable and secure than windows, rarely or never crashes, has a built in firewall, but there is a big issue: with linux you have to expect some trouble with some peripherals like video cards, printers, some scanners but if your uncle did all the job your system should be working at 100% .
You need to apply a bit and read some tutorial to start with the linux philosophy. I suggest you to read something about the differences between Windows and linux file system, file permissions in linux and the Linux user policy.

For the same reason of viruses, you will not be able to use Windows programs with linux unless you use an emulator like "wine" or a virtual machine inside linux. not always this works, be aware.

but i strongly suggest you to stick to linux: think that Google corporation and some state administrations just dismissed Windows from their computers for the reason of safety !

 

Thank you so much!!Your a huge help!

 

Jagerhans thank you very much for taking the time to explain to me in detail!really appreciate it man

 

why not just get Ubuntu? Sorry if that is a stupid question...

 

you're welcome...

 

ubuntu 10.04 is the mutts nuts

 

Mint is basically Ubuntu
The interface is slightly tweaked but it's the same under the hood

 

Linux Mint is my favorite linux. Plays most media files right away instead of having to download codecs. Try it in livecd mode, it won't touch your hard drive that way.

 

The most beautiful thing about Linux is that it's free. I switched from Windows XP as soon as I heard about Vista coming out.

The only problem with Linux is usually compatibility with newer hardware like new printers, MP3 players, etc. That's because the manufacturers usually don't release drivers for Linux. For now, have faith in your uncle. In time, you'll learn to solve problems on your own and then when you tell people that you use Linux, some of them will look at you like you are the most amazing person ever. Then you can gloat about how computer savvy, and thereby quite awesome, you are. lol

 

And software that isn't compatible with Linux.