Desktop Linux ready for prime time and on a screen near you

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Desktop Linux ready for prime time andon a
screen near you

• Peter van der Linden
• July 2005

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What we will cover

• Why Linux?
• What is Linux?
• Myths of Linux
• Example GUIs app's
• Summary
• QA
• Demo

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The Background

• Uncle Josh
• Viruses, Trojans, Spyware
• US CERT says dont use IE
• www. kb.cert.org/vuls/id/713878
• www. us-cert.gov/current/current_activity.html
• Shift sold for 5c per zombie
• www. news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5772238.html
• It will all be fixed in win98 ME NT 2K XP SP2
  Longhorn...
• The frog in the pot

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The Windows Security Tangohttp//securitytango.co
m/tango.php

• Delete temp files, empty trash
• Turn off system restore
• Download Ad-adware, Spybot, Stinger
• http//www .lavasoftusa.com/
• http//www .safer-networking.org/
• http//vil .nai.com/vil/Stinger/
• Reboot into safe mode
• Run stinger, your anti virus, adaw, spybot
• Check firewall is on
• Reboot normally
• Download latest updates, and repeat all!
• Run Windows update
• Repeat at least weekly, and after each attack
• ... Or... try Linux!

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Origins of Linux

• Began as student Project,
• opened up to the world,
• now backed by big business
• Scientific cooperation model
• open source implications
• Better security, anyone can improve,
• open to all, improved competition, cheaper,
  faster
• matured over 14 years
• WinXP (3-12 years),
• Solaris 2 (15yrs),
• MAC OS (26 years)

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Linux is like spiders

• Stanford/VW's robot car for the DARPA race 2005
• Seven Linux cpus drive the car

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What is Linux?

• Kernel
• cmds/libs
• apps
• installer a
  DISTRO

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Distros

• Business
• Embedded
• Webserver
• Home Desktop!

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Sweet Spot Linux Use

• Supercomputer clusters
• Web servers
• Firewalls, routers, caches
• File servers
• Mail servers
• What's the obvious next piece?
• PDA, cell phones
• Embedded real time (gas pumps, Tivo etc)

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Linux Myths

• Zero cost
• Difficult to learn
• Only for servers
• Less secure than Windows
• Invulnerably secure
• Always suitable

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Myths debunked

• Without cost
• A few distros free, most are commercial. Support
  is important
• Difficult to learn
• Linspire is easy for anyone to learn use
• Only for servers
• Linspire well-proven on laptops, desktops
• Less secure than Windows
• Linux has secure alternatives to IE, Outlook, and
  the registry 3 of the buggiest virus
  propagators around. Still should follow good
  security practices
• Always suitable
• Works very well for surfing/email/Word

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Reqts for a Desktop Linux

• Compatible with your data
• Popular applications
• Secure
• Easy to use
• Plays all media
• Paid support
• Reasonably priced
• Easy to install

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What is Linspire?

• What is Linspire?
• Linspire facts
• Linux distro focusing exclusively on the Desktop
• 85-person company HQ in San Diego, CA
• Offices partner-offices worldwide (Japan,
  Europe, Mexico, South America, Australia)
• Formed 4 years ago
• Mission statement
• To provide the world's easiest-to-use affordable
  personal computing solutions.

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Press Comments on Linspire
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Worldwide Linspire Light-ups
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Am I going to be OK with Linux?

• That boils down to 3 questions
• Can I learn Linux?
• GUIs are all the same these days
• Will Linux run the apps I need?
• What apps do I need?
• Can I install Linux OK?
• Buy it same way you got windows preinstalled
• www. linspire.com/featured_partner/featured_partne
  r.php

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Windows XP
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Vista

• Win release after XP (Oct 01)
• Desktop only release
• Currently in Beta
• Minor release scaled down from Blackcomb
• Originally 2004, now 2006
• WinFS (NTFS add-on) OUT
• Avalon 3D GUI layer, XML-based
• Based on .NET APIs WinFX
• Digital Rights Restrictions

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MacOS X
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Linux
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It's the applications!

• email
• web browser
• Office suite
• DVD playing
• cd burning
• image editing
• photos, MP3s, etc

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Popular Linux Apps

• Lsongs Music Manager - Rip your favorite music,
  organize it, play it, sync it to portable music
  players, and burn
• Lphoto Photo Manager - Download, organize, edit,
  save, and share your entire photo collection.
• Nvu Web Authoring - Create web pages and manage
  their web site with no technical expertise or
  knowledge of HTML
• And more!

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Office Suite

• You dont need to spend more for a complete
  office solution.
• Linspire comes with an Office Suite, included.
• Word processing
• Spreadsheets
• Presentations
• Compatibility - 100 compatible with other suites
  including MS Office and Corel Wordperfect.
• Demo Microsoft PPT and .doc file.

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What is the Click N' Run Service?

• CNR means Click and Run
• Online software warehouse with more than 2,000
  Linux programs
• Easy, one-click installation
• Automatic updates for your software and PC

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The 3 Big Wins of Linspire Linux

• Desktop focus, with commercial support
• Click N'Run Service for easy apps install
• Superb customer forums
• http//forum.linspire.com

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Summary

• Linux viable alternative
• Linux secure
• Linux lower cost
• Linux feature parity
• Linux no restrictions, activation etc.
• Choose a desktop distro like Linspire, for home
  use

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Next steps

• Live CD
• zero-effort experiment
• demo boot
• Try Linspire!