Why do hackers prefer Linux?
Linux has much to offer any computer user, but it has proven to be particularly popular with hackers. A writer at The Merkle recently considered the reasons why hackers have so much love for Linux.
Remines Joseph reports for The Merkle:
Ever wonder why hackers prefer Linux over windows and other operating systems? If you’ve wondered, but never really understood the differences, it might seem like a lot of information to take in. Even I was a bit lost at first, but a little research can go a long way.
The first more appealing thing is the amount of control a hacker has when using Linux. Linux was designed around a strongly integrated command line interface. While you might be familiar with Windows’ Command Prompt, imagine one where you can control and customize any and all aspects of your operating system. This gives hackers and Linux more control over their system. If you’ve ever compared software and tools from either system you would have noticed you have far more control and capabilities with Linux based programs, this is why.
Ask a pro hacker or a security professional which OS is the most secure, and all will tell you Linux. Windows is popular because it reaches more mainstream users and programmers. It is more profitable for programmers to write code for Windows, because it is more popular. Unix distro’s like Apple, and Linux have become more popular as of late, and are becoming a bigger target now for cyber criminals, but to date, Linux still remains the safest OS out there.
The transparency of Linux also draws in hackers. To be a good hacker, you have to understand your OS perfectly, and more so, the OS you will be targeting for attacks. Linux allows the user to see and manipulate all of its parts.
The best Linux desktop for customization
One of the best things about Linux is the sheer number of desktop environments to choose from for your computer. But which desktop is the best for those who want to customize their system? Datamation has a helpful roundup of the best desktops for customization in Linux.
Bruce Byfield reports for Datamation:
Is customizing your Linux desktop important to you? Run Linux for even a few months, and the ability to customize a desktop environment according to your preferences can become a right.
Customization options start with the fact that more than one Linux desktop is available, and many of these desktop environments allow some customization of the desktop and panel. However, others include options for almost everything you can see or use.
Which degree of customization is right for you? To help you decide, here are the currently most popular Linux desktops, arrange from least to most customizable:
Unity
LXDE
Xfce
GNOME
MATE
Cinnamon
KDE
How Star Trek inspired people with technology
Star Trek movies and TV shows have long been a source of technology inspiration for viewers. A writer at opensource.com looks at the ways that Star Trek has affected its fans over the years.
Jeff Macharyas reports for Opensource.com:
Star Trek has inspired fans, technologies, and careers ever since its creation in 1964 and debut in 1966.
Fans use the original story, or “source code,” to create fan-made films, cartoons, and games. One of the more notable fan creations is the web series Star Trek Continues, which has faithfully adapted Gene Roddenberry’s universe and redistributed it to the world.
Mae Jemison credits her space exploration career to her love of Star Trek. In 1992 she became the first African-American woman to fly into space, aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. Then, a year later she had a role in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
In the early 1970s Martin Cooper, an engineer at Motorola, was trying to beat AT&T at the car phone game. He says that he was watching Captain Kirk use a “communicator” on an episode of Star Trek and had a eureka moment. His team went on to creat the first portable cellular 800 MHz phone prototype in 90 days.
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