Gradually becoming a mature Linux operating system Desktop

Article Title: gradually becoming a mature Linux operating system desktop. Linux is a technology channel of the IT lab in China. Includes basic categories such as desktop applications, Linux system management, kernel research, embedded systems, and open source.

After a burst of Desktop Linux bubbles, Chinese GNU/Linux vendors have switched their marketing strategies to embedded system development, custom services, and OEM markets, we hope to make profits and wait for the market to recover. Because in terms of embedded and customized services

The advantages of GNU/Linux. OEMs replace Windows by preinstalling the GNU/Linux operating system of the desktop version on the customized PC, so many Linux vendors try to gain a place in the market that has been occupied by Windows for a long time. Recently, we have learned from data released by some Linux vendors that the growth of this OEM market is very impressive. We look forward to the bright future of Desktop Linux, and we have to calm down and think about the extent to which GNU/Linux has evolved? What other work does it need to do to achieve large-scale Marketization?

　　Advantages and disadvantages of freedom and Linux architecture

Regardless of the changes in the Desktop Linux market, developers in the Free Software world are always enthusiastic. They follow the GNU idea to develop GNU/Linux and many free software, and gradually become mature, just like the success of Linux in the server market. Freedom is the biggest advantage in Linux development and the biggest disadvantage. The advantage is that Linux development can be well developed without being influenced by too many external factors. The disadvantage is that developers often ignore the outside world, this makes it difficult for common users to accept software humanization, which leads to a lack of support from OEMs. No matter how many advanced features an operating system software has, it is difficult to succeed if it lacks user affinity.

Fortunately, from the very beginning to the present, the release of every new version of GNU/Linux and many recent signs indicate that GNU/Linux is constantly improving in the aspect of Software Interface humanization. Next we will analyze the development trend from a complete Linux system architecture. Before that, we need to understand the system architecture of Desktop Linux.

We can see that the graphical Linux is a Unix-like operating system. X-Windows must be used to bypass the core of the system and directly operate the hardware to achieve efficient graphics capabilities. Like other desktop operating systems, desktop-based Linux also requires support from a large number of applications. What Linux lacks is an easy-to-use desktop environment and applications on it, and support for various hardware commonly used in desktop systems.

　　GNU/Linux core changes

When the core of GNU/Linux was developed to version 2.4, its structure was very clear and stable. In the following time, GNU/Linux developers will constantly add new drivers and features, including support for input devices and multimedia devices. They hope that GNU/Linux will not only be able to show its skills in the server market, but also become an operating system that can be put on the desktop, that is, it will not only enhance the ease of use of the graphic interface, the underlying functions of the system must be able to keep up. This can be seen from the development of its core version 2.4.5 to version 2.5. While more clearly classifying devices and stabilizing existing code, it also coordinates Unix-like device access methods, the consistency between the system and software is maintained, and the types of hardware devices supported by the system are also greatly increased. As the bottom layer of the entire operating system, these have paved the way for better support for various applications based on the operating system.

　　Graphic Interface Optimization

In the early stages of development, the difference between GNU/Linux and Windows was that, as a Unix-like operating system, it did not focus on the ease-of-use of graphical interfaces, instead, it focuses on the basic components of systems such as memory management and process scheduling. Due to the traditional influence of Unix-like systems, GNU/Linux does not directly implement the graphics driver required by the desktop system at the core. For ordinary users who cannot do without the graphical interface today, it's incredible. Although the GNU/Linux kernel Versions later than Version 2.2 provide FrameBuffer Console devices, it can only provide some simple graphics capabilities. Fortunately, like traditional Unix systems, XFree86, the X Window System in the Free Software world, gives GNU/Linux the ability to implement graphical user interfaces.

XFree86 drives graphics devices by bypassing the operating system and directly accessing the hardware to achieve efficient acceleration. In this regard, XFree86 is like a Graphics Device Driver rather than a window system, however, it also provides simple ATOM management and message processing capabilities, so that developers do not work in the most primitive environment. The entire XFree86 is based on the TCP/IP C/S structure, which can easily distribute the processing of the system. At the same time, the industrial standard that X Window System opens is the reason why X Windows system is booming in the Unix world, however, XFree86 does not have the desktop management and quick interface functions required by most popular graphic operating systems. The development of applications under XFree86 requires developers to complete many details, which leads to the lack of application software on the GNU/Linux platform. Therefore, applications on XFree86 have been confined to some specialized fields. developers in the Free Software world have seen these shortcomings. during the development process, KDE/GNOME (the K Desktop Environment/GNU, s Network Object Model Environment, K desktop Environment/GNU Network Object Model Environment) came into being.

[1] [2] Next page