HET306 UNIX for Telecommunications

Unix as a Desktop OS

Desktop Operating Systems

What do we mean by Desktop
Computers we use for general UI work Keyboard, mice, monitors User Interface important

Up till now we have primarily considered servers

Generally only have CLI No UI devices Locked away

HET306 Slide Set 12 Unix as a Desktop OS jbut@swin.edu.au

Desktop Operating Systems

Most people think of Windows
Access Unix systems via:
ssh scp Network services

Convenient Graphical User Interface Support for multiple forms of Hardware Commonly used applications
Microsoft Office Web Browsers Chat and VoIP

HET306 Slide Set 12 Unix as a Desktop OS jbut@swin.edu.au

What About Unix?

Traditionally suffered in this arena
Too complex to maintain Difficult to install GUI not standard Knowledge of OS implementation often required

First efforts were woeful

Even against older implementations Windows 3.0 MacOS

HET306 Slide Set 12 Unix as a Desktop OS jbut@swin.edu.au

BSD as a Desktop OS
Not the ideal choice Many Open Source projects are geared towards Linux
More users, greater effort Uses OS specific features/APIs that are not necessarily compatible with BSD Not an issue for Server software typically uses basic functionality such as network and file access More of an issue for GUI based software

Most Closed Source projects are geared towards Linux

More users Companies typically release one binary compile Source code not available for users to try to make it BSD friendly
HET306 Slide Set 12 Unix as a Desktop OS jbut@swin.edu.au

BSD and Linux Compatibility

Linux Dynamic Link Libraries (dll) are installed on a BSD system
Allows Linux compiled binaries to run under BSD Doesnt always work Often requires tweaking to get it right

Examples
Acrobat Reader often takes a few days for somebody to fix the Ports Makefile to allow a functioning install with Linux Compatibility Macromedia Flash Plugin took me 8 hours to effect an install with Linux Compatibility

What does this mean

If you want a Unix based Desktop OS Use Linux

HET306 Slide Set 12 Unix as a Desktop OS jbut@swin.edu.au

Linux - Distros
So what is the difference between different Linux Distros
Not much Both use the exact same Linux kernel source code Kernel Makefile may be configured differently to have a different default compiled kernel
Can always recompile yourself anyway

/etc and in particular rc startup scripts organised differently Other software

Different software provided on installer CD Different system to download and install

HET306 Slide Set 12 Unix as a Desktop OS jbut@swin.edu.au

What About the Desktop

What software are we looking to replace?
What do we currently use now with Windows that we need to replicate Do we really want exactly the same software are some Open Source equivalents just as useful

What about using both

Can we install more than one OS on a computer Yes but can only boot/use one at any time

HET306 Slide Set 12 Unix as a Desktop OS jbut@swin.edu.au

Linux as a Desktop OS
Basic Requirements GUI
XWindows XFree86 or XOrg Window Manager KDE, Gnome, many more

Dual-boot
GRUB Grand Unified Boot Loader

Browser
Built into KDE Firefox for Linux

HET306 Slide Set 12 Unix as a Desktop OS jbut@swin.edu.au

Over To You

What other applications do you want

HET306 Slide Set 12 Unix as a Desktop OS jbut@swin.edu.au

Exam

HET306 Slide Set 12 Unix as a Desktop OS jbut@swin.edu.au