What is Ubuntu OS?

These days there is close competition between Windows and Linux operating systems, each of them has its fans among users; Most of us have experience with the Windows operating system, and some people can not replace other operating systems due to their mastery and familiarity with the Windows environment.

But recently, the talk of Ubuntu operating system popularity among Windows operating system users has attracted a lot of attention to Ubuntu. Of course, Ubuntu has a good position among Linux distributions, but it has been able to attract Windows users, so it has caused controversy.

Ubuntu is a Linux distribution based on Debian that is a free, open-source operating system with millions of users. This is a user-friendly distribution of commercial products that was developed with the aim of expanding the use of computers.

In this article, we will answer your questions about the reason for the popularity and use of Ubuntu by the majority of users. We will also explain the advantages of Ubuntu and its uses. be with us.

What is Ubuntu OS?

Ubuntu is a popular open-source Linux distribution developed in 2004 by Canonical and developers using Debian project code; Many operating systems today are based on Ubuntu, such as the popular Elementary operating system.

The operating system is compatible with any hardware or virtual platform, is commonly used for cloud computing, and is the most popular operating system for the cloud. Ubuntu is one of the user-friendly distributions; Contrary to many people’s beliefs that Ubuntu is intended for professionals; This distribution does not require technical knowledge; it can be said that it is even easier than Windows, and it is also elementary to work with, which is why this operating system is attractive to beginners.

Ubuntu, like other Linux distributions, can be run on servers and desktops, and uses two versions, Desktop Edition and Server Edition, the former for use on PCs and the latter for launching on servers.

The main purpose of the Ubuntu operating system was to enliven and engage the community with the world of computers. And also, the free and open-source Ubuntu operating system was developed by a South African-British developer and entrepreneur, Mark Shuttleworth, to provide a more user-friendly Linux distribution than Debian, which at the time was the most popular operating system among Linux users. And also, since Debian is open-source, Mark Shuttle Worth considered Debian as the basis for his operating system.

Ubuntu was founded to solve the complexity of installing Debian; Ubuntu is Taken from the ancient African word meaning humanity for others. It has a spirit of cooperation in its name, and with its open-source, it has allowed users to make changes. They can install any number of copies of it and distribute the program as they wish. This operating system can also be available to meet users’ needs regardless of language and without restrictions and disabilities.

This massive Linux-based project with millions of users offers all the features of the Linux operating system in combination with a customizable graphical user interface, and all Ubuntu software products are licensed under the GNU General Public License, Which allows users to create their own version by copying, modifying, and developing applications; In fact, users are free to customize and customize the software on the Ubuntu platform and can run proprietary software and make changes to the software.

Ubuntu is available with the professional support of the community and is fully committed to the principles of open-source software development; One of the best translation and access infrastructures provided to users by the free software community; makes Ubuntu usable for many ranges of people.

The release cycle of new versions of Ubuntu is stable and regular, with a new release every 6 months, which is supported for 9 months and every two years; And once every two years; the Long-term support version (LTS) is available that is supported for up to 5 years.

Ubuntu includes thousands of applications with Linux kernel version 5.4 and GNOME 3.28, as well as all standard desktop applications ranging from spreadsheets to Internet access applications, programming tools, web server software, Languages, email, and games supported.

History of Ubuntu

The first version of Ubuntu was introduced to the global market on October 20, 2004, as a Linux distribution by Canonical, a project started by Canonical using the no-name-yet.com domain; The company by; Mark Shuttleworth was founded with a capital of $ 10 million and launched the Ubuntu project to Linux users, which aimed to provide a popular operating system with an attractive appearance and reliable support.

This distribution is based on Debian code and commands, which is known as the oldest Linux distribution and is the beginning of the history of Linux and the basis of many Linux distributions; If you are curious to know more about Debian OS, Our article can be useful for you.  Ubuntu also relied on Debian code to release a new version of Ubuntu every six months, and Canonical, As a business model, has relied on the philosophy of free software.

How does Canonical support Ubuntu?

We mentioned earlier that the massive Ubuntu project is funded and managed by London-based Canonical. The company’s business goal is to provide professional services related to Ubuntu and technical support. Canonical has stated that it will not charge for Ubuntu licenses now or in the future.

Canonical offers a variety of cloud management tools and services for those using the Ubuntu server version. This company is not the only sponsor of Ubuntu; It is a member of the wider FOSS community. Anyone worldwide can share their knowledge and expertise to develop and support this Linux distribution.

9 Advantages of Ubuntu and Reasons to Use it

Ubuntu is a free and open-source operating system; It is not without reason that it has become so popular among users. This distribution is compatible with any hardware; In addition to the desktop environment, it can be run on server platforms, cloud services, and the Internet of Things (IoT); One of its most important advantages is its cost-effectiveness; By downloading the latest version of the Ubuntu server, it can be installed on any machine at no cost. In the following, we will point out why Ubuntu users prefer other distributions and why it is superior to its competitors.

 1. User-friendliness and ease of use

Ubuntu is a great operating system for beginners in the Linux field, which is an advantage for many users; It is so easy to work with that, And with the least technical knowledge, it can be installed and used on your system. Ubuntu also adds visual appeal by Including GNOME and DE’s most popular desktop environments. Ubuntu offers features such as desktop customization that make it more user-friendly than Windows and macOS.

2. Security

Most of us know Linux is a more secure operating system Than other distributions because of its open-source and lack of targeted Linux viruses. Because with the help of Its open-source and users’ access to the source code and the possibility of making changes, Thousands of experts and developers can work together to solve security problems.

Ubuntu, like other Linux distributions, provides high security without needing antivirus users. Ubuntu also collects hardware information such as CPU, RAM, and data used, and you will not have to worry about your sensitive information and data during the installation or configuration process; However, in any case, it is better to take the necessary precautions to increase security so that you do not run into any problems.

3. flexibility

Ubuntu is a flexible operating system. In addition to taking advantage of the GNOME desktop environment, You can experience different types of desktop environments such as KDE, LXQt, MATE, and Xfce in Ubuntu; This feature is useful for beginners to be able to try other DEs.

4. Being free

Ubuntu is free compared to Windows and other competing operating systems; Being free does not only mean cost, but you can freely change the source code of Ubuntu with the help of the Open source feature and install as many copies as you want and use free software; Even distribute programs to your liking. The important thing is that you will not pay any fee for the license to use it, so in addition to the free download of Ubuntu, you are free in the Ubuntu environment in every way, and you do not pay to use its capabilities.

5. Excellent distribution for familiarity with Linux

Ubuntu is the perfect operating system for beginners. It has no complexity in the installation process and its work environment, and its high flexibility and compatibility with the most popular programs leave a good experience for beginners.

6.No need for powerful hardware

Ubuntu can be easily installed and used on a system with a 700 MHz processor, 512 MB of storage space, and 5 GB of RAM, and can be run directly through external storage devices such as USB and DVD. Also, the lightness of some Ubuntu distributions, such as Ubuntu MATE, Xubuntu, and Lubuntu, is an excellent feature for users with an old system and limited RAM. In this situation, such an old system can not tolerate the latest version of Windows; Also, considering the fact that older systems to use modern and heavy DEs like GNOME must have at least 2 GB of memory to function smoothly, we will find that Distributions of Ubuntu that require at least 1 GB of RAM How useful they will be to some users.

7. Softwares

Ubuntu has the Ubuntu Software Store to offer all your favorite software and most programs in Windows and macOS such as VSCode, Spotify and Chrome, etc. are also applicable in Ubuntu and if you do not find your desired program You will definitely find an alternative to it,  you may even like it more than the original program.

It should be noted that some Linux users do not run Ubuntu due to the installation of some software  In the form of Snaps, which has problems such as the need for large storage space and slow installation speed, so we must say do not worry about this, you are not limited to installing In the form of Snaps; Most Linux programs provide the DE file for installation, which can be easily installed by downloading and opening the file and then clicking Install.

It is also possible to install many programs from Ubuntu repositories, which makes the program installation process easier and has its advantages, especially since these softwares are free and secure from exe packages.

8. Support

Perhaps because Ubuntu is open source, you might think that a particular organization does not support Ubuntu. While an active community of users and the multinational software company Canonical develop and support Ubuntu in the field of business, engineering, and design to help users fix problems and shortcomings. The development team also provides long-term support services.

9. Automatic hardware configuration

One of the interesting advantages of Ubuntu; Automatic hardware configuration; Most hardware drivers are automated and already Embedded in Ubuntu. This advantage is palpable for those who have been looking for drivers for hours after installing the general version of Windows.

Disadvantages of Ubuntu

Each operating system has its advantages; It has some weaknesses and drawbacks that you should be aware of them.

• Poor stability
• Requires many updates
• Restrictions on apps compared to Windows and Mac
• Poor performance in games
• Incompatibility with some software

Types of Ubuntu versions

As we mentioned, Ubuntu, in addition to the desktop version, also supports the server version.

Ubuntu Desktop OS; It has a great and powerful performance compared to the server version. Its first version includes a set of desktop applications and a graphical user interface for Linux, designed for non-programmers and beginners. It is the best choice for people who are not familiar with Linux and are doing basic training.

This distribution is supported in two ways: Community, Professional, and Commercial. Ubuntu Desktop is designed using Gnome, which is one of the most popular Linux desktops.

The Ubuntu server version can be easily installed and run on the server; Beginners who buy Linux VPS usually have concerns about the complexity and difficulty of working with a Linux server so Ubuntu can be a good distributor for them. because, in addition to being easy to work with, It offers special features such as email web hosting, cloud services, hosting websites, and a database server.

Ubuntu Distribution also offers several versions, such as; ubuntu Studio for multimedia applications, educational institutions, and home education, the Lightweight version for virtual applications, and other new versions.

Tips on Ubuntu Server

The Ubuntu server is not only used in the cloud but also the entire cloud. Ubuntu Server is the most ideal and cost-effective solution for small and large businesses; According to research, Linux covers 37% of global websites, of which 35.9% is Ubuntu; This statistic indicates that Ubuntu supports the majority of the sites you use.

The Ubuntu server owes its popularity to the containers and services offered in the cloud and has excellent performance due to its open-source; This server has tremendous performance for serving as an internal corporate server or scaling up to meet organizational level needs.

Speed ​​and the right combination of cloud services also play an essential role in many enterprise businesses to improve service delivery and meet customer needs. To achieve these goals, Ubuntu Server with cost-effective private infrastructure and unique features The individual is the right choice.

Features and capabilities of the Ubuntu operating system

Each of us chooses the operating system to meet our needs, and a series of capabilities are among each person’s basic needs in operating systems. It may seem simple at first, but some common services are not supported by Linux, such as Photoshop or any Adobe software; they must be installed using a virtual machine.

However, the capabilities that an operating system provides users; are important. Here are some uses for Ubuntu.

Office software

Microsoft Office is one of the software that does not run on Linux, but Ubuntu uses LibreOffice software to create documents; Spreadsheets are intended as an alternative to Microsoft Office. LibreOffice is an open-source office suite that is compatible with Microsoft Office, meaning you can open, edit, and share Word, Powerpoint, and Excel files on Ubuntu.

email

Ubuntu provides Mozilla’s popular Thunderbird software for users to access their emails. In addition to the email service it offers, it runs features such as Microsoft Exchange, Hotmail, Gmail, POP 3, or IMAP.

Web browsers

It is one of the most basic needs of any operating system is a browser. Ubuntu and Firefox are known for their security and speed; Recently, Ubuntu supports Chrome and other browsers in addition to Firefox.

Photo Editor

Naturally, all operating systems have programs for displaying, editing, and sharing images, and Ubuntu has plenty of free programs like Shotwell for organizing and editing images and tools like Gimp and Krita in their software store To create professional designs and edit images for users in this field leaves no room for worry.

Movies

Ubuntu has included programs such as Shotcut or kdenlive for video editing. It has also made it possible to watch movies with players such as VLC and OpenShot, or in browsers to watch HD videos.

Games

It is true that Ubuntu does not perform well for gamers, but it does support games; it Supports thousands of games on Unity and Steam platforms, such as Dota2, Kerbal Space Program, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.

  A full world of apps

A variety of programs can be run for free on the Ubuntu platform, such as; VLC player, Firefox, Chromium, Telegram, PyCharm, Skype, Spotify, Atom, Slack, and more.

Create virtual desktops

The possibility of using virtual desktops is similar to browsing web pages, which improves the efficiency and performance of people. In Windows, various third-party tools have been used to achieve this feature, as experience has shown; A small number of them have been implemented correctly and with high stability.

SSH Client

The presence of ssh Client in the operating system is a feature that is pre-installed in Ubuntu, unlike Windows, and also the existence of gnome-terminal has many uses for Ubuntu.

 

What is the future of Ubuntu?

It is not possible to say for sure about the future of Ubuntu, but it is currently playing an important role in the world’s technologies.

Ubuntu will undoubtedly progress in this field due to its popularity in the cloud computing space, and even in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning, it is considered a talented platform.

Ubuntu Core, which is a particular version of the Internet of Things(IoT), is also being developed in this area, and Ubuntu is likely to play a major role in the desktop and business world.

IBM, which develops the Red Hat Linux distribution, may use strategies to persuade former Red Hat and CentOS users to join Ubuntu.

In general, all indications are that Ubuntu is on the path to continuous growth in the business world and improving its capabilities, and a bright future awaits it.

FAQ

Conclusion

As we explained, Ubuntu follows the features and rules of other Linux distributions, Trying to use the operating system more efficiently and intuitively for users.

Ubuntu is an open-source operating system that supports a variety of media, communication, and productivity applications and has a graphical GUI interface that makes it look like popular operating systems such as Windows and macOS.

Finally, if you are looking for a practical replacement for your former operating systems, such as Windows, and you want to get acquainted with Linux, Ubuntu is the best choice for you; it has an attractive user interface and is one of the most powerful Linux distributions.

All we tried in this article was a comprehensive explanation of the Ubuntu Linux operating system; I hope you find it helpful.

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