Linux.co.uk – Linux resources in the UK

Linux, Free your computer and your wallet!

Linux is the Free and Open Source computer Operating System upon which the Internet is built. Open your mind to the possibilities of Open Source software and the Open Source community, register Today!

Linux on Servers

96.3% of the top one million web servers are running Linux.

Linux on Devices

An estimated 35M desktop users, with 1.6Bn on Android phones

A resource for computer users in the UK

Just to be clear, LINUX is not a product, nor is it an organisation. It is a free and Open Source computer Operating System Kernel that generally comes packaged as a complete computer Operating System in the form of a "distribution". These distributions are typically also free and can be used as an Operating System on many computers in place of the system supplied with the computer. This Website is presented and managed by Linux enthusiasts with in interest in promoting the use of Linux in the UK. If you have been pointed at this website by your hardware vendor, please feel free to ask for help, but appreciate that we are not a commercial organisation with any affiliation to hardware vendors and hence not any kind of official support channel.

Performance

Linux is a powerful Operating System that performs well as a Server and on the Desktop

Packaging

There are many different Linux distributions available designed to meet a range of needs

Security

Unlike some systems, security is a fundamental design principle from the start

Customisation

The source code is all there, you can literally change whatever you want

What's new for Linux in the UK

06Aug

DreamQuest Mini PC – Review

Linux on a Mini-PC for under £200 with 16G RAM and 512G...

04Aug

News

Universal Bootloader v2

Version #2 of Mad Penguin's Universal Boot Loader for Linux has just...

22Jul

News

Wayland is here!

Over the last year or so distributions have been busily making "Wayland"...

1M+

Active Websites

1M+

Devices running Linux

1M+

OS Git Commits / year

Linux Applications

The Gnome Desktop

One of the leading desktops for Linux, Gnome has been around since 1999 and has evolved into a very competent and fully featured desktop that won't feel too Alien to users moving from Mac based environments. A good place to start for new users, runs on most hardware from Raspberry Pi 5's upwards.

Supports desktop Integration with Google
Desktop, Mobile and Tablet friendly
Includes an integrated app-store and curated app directory
Smooth beautifully crafted graphics and animations
Includes a wide range of loosely integrated applications

The KDE Desktop

The second of the two most popular desktops, KDE evolved as a part of the Qt graphics project and probably has a more familiar feel to Windows users. Historically a less focused on graphics and more on functionality it now compares very well to Gnome in all respects. Similar resource usage to Gnome, if not a little less.

Very tightly integrated suite of native applications
Great support for virtual desktops and multiple screens
Includes an integrated app-store and curated app directory
Range of standard applications like Chromium and LibreOffice
Hardware accelerated graphics, desktop animations

Move your Desktop to Linux

If you are currently running what might be called a commercial Operating System on your computer (as in one you had to pay for, or one you will have to pay to update) then consider that there maybe something better, and it might be free! The nay-sayers might tell you that nothing is for Free, but Linux was free when it first became available in 1991, and it's still free today!

Real-time Updates

Most Linux distributions offer free updates that are available individually as they are published. This usually happens in the background, takes place quickly and doesn't stop you from working while in progress.

Real-time notifications when updates are available
Choose which updates to apply and when
Process updates in the background
Update for free, don't be held to ransom
Always update, don't be told there is no path

Integrated App-Store

All distributions come with a library of packages applications which are designed to work with the distribution. The larger distributions include graphical front-end's for point and click package management.

Curated list of compatible applications
Search with point and click install
Automatic notification when updates are available
Unobtrusive background installation and updates
Many commercial apps also available

Apps for Everything

Well, many if not most things.If it's not available via the app store then there are many more apps out there you can download directly from the vendor. If in doubt, ask on the for forms and see what other people are using.

Web Browsers including Chrome and Firefox
Various office packages including LibreOffice
Virtualisation with Incus, KVM, Virtmanager
Games like Quake3, Warzone 2100, Pinball
Huge selection of server software

Powered by Linux

Whether you are running a domestic computer, a home server on a Raspberry Pi, an office Server on your own rack-mount servers, or as virtual machines in the Cloud, the default choice for most people is going to be Linux. The only real question is "which" Linux distribution best suits your server needs

Maximum Security

Linux has always been security focused which is more important than ever in online environments.

Maximum Flexibility

If you're looking for a capability, if it's available then it's likely supported by Linux

What makes Linux

The Origins of Linux are based on skilled programmers designing systems to solve their own problems. This is fundamentally why Linux is a free system, if you create something great for yourself rather than to make money, it's only natural to want to share it as something that will also be great for other people.

Linus Torvalds / Creator of Linux

The thing with Linux is that the developers themselves are actually customers too: that has always been an important part of Linux.