Bruce Byfield

If you run Debian or one of its derivatives like Linux Mint or Ubuntu, sooner or later you come across apt-get and dpkg, the main commands for package management. However, these are only the most common Debian package tools. Over the years, Debian has evolved literally dozens of scripts and tools to make installing and […]

Twelve years ago, Linux distributions were struggling to make installation simple. Led by Ubuntu and Fedora, they long ago achieved that goal. Now, with the growing concerns over security, they need to reverse directions slightly, and make basic security options prominently available in their installers rather than options that users can add manually later. At […]

See an alternate opinion: Debian vs. Fedora by Bruce Byfield Debian Linux and the Fedora Project are among the most influential Linux distributions of all time. Not only are both Debian and Fedora among the top ten for page hits on Distrowatch, but many of the other top ten are derived from them. But why […]

See an alternate opinion: Debian vs. Fedora by Bruce Byfield Debian Linux and the Fedora Project are among the most influential Linux distributions of all time. Not only are both Debian and Fedora among the top ten for page hits on Distrowatch, but many of the other top ten are derived from them. But why […]

See an alternate opinion: Debian vs. Fedora by Bruce Byfield Debian Linux and the Fedora Project are among the most influential Linux distributions of all time. Not only are both Debian and Fedora among the top ten for page hits on Distrowatch, but many of the other top ten are derived from them. But why […]

Even for other Linux users, KDE Plasma can seem like a different operating system. Except for a few standards like LibreOffice, the apps are different, and so is the design philosophy, which tends to cram in every possible feature. As a result, once they install, users are likely to wonder what to do next. Experienced […]

From the revelations of Edward Snowden to the potential problems with the Internet of Things and the latest malware, security and privacy are constantly in the news. The trouble is, while everyone is concerned about security and privacy, few know what to what to do about them. Fortunately, Linux has endless tools to address these […]

Suddenly, after years of mistrust, corporate Linux is welcoming Microsoft in to its midst. Almost overnight, executives from Jim Zemlin of The Linux Foundation down have lined up at the microphone to explain how the lines between proprietary and free software are blurring, and how Microsoft has had a sincere change of heart. Nor is […]

The classic Linux desktop — a workspace, a panel, and a menu — remains the most popular design for a graphical interface. Unfortunately, however, modern computers include too many applications to fit on a single desktop. Many users respond by launching applications from the menu, often drilling down several levels and sometimes even relying on […]

Linux has always had a reputation for being difficult to use. Consequently, when developers began improving users interfaces, they concentrated on what they imagined that new users needed. They rarely had the actual opportunity to observe new users, but the new user they imagined became a standard figure among developers, often surviving to this day. […]