Operating systems and Linux distributions: Difference between revisions

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==Linux==
==Linux==


[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux GNU Linux] aims to be a free and open-source unix (or unix-like) operating system that will run on most types of computer hardware. Various [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_distribution distributions of GNU/Linux] exist that have different package management systems and other features. Most of these are ideal platforms for X-ray crystallography and other scientific computational requirements.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux GNU/Linux] aims to be a free and open-source unix (or unix-like) operating system that will run on most types of computer hardware and uses an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_System X11 graphical user interface]. Various [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_distribution distributions of GNU/Linux] exist that have different package management systems and other features. Most of these are ideal platforms for X-ray crystallography and other scientific computational requirements.


===Linux Distributions===
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_%28Linux_distribution%29 Ubuntu]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debian Debian]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux Red Hat] with its clones [[CentOS]] and [https://www.scientificlinux.org Scientific Linux] (binary compatible; produced from the source provided by Red Hat)
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fedora_%28Linux_distribution%29 Fedora]: see [[CCP4 on Fedora 12]]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opensuse OpenSuse] will run most Red Hat and Fedora packages
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandriva_Linux Mandriva]
These differ greatly in the time they support their releases:
* OpenSuse: 2 years
* Fedora: 18 months
* Ubuntu: 18 months
* Ubuntu LTS: Server 5 years, Desktop 3 years
* RedHat, [[CentOS]], Scientific Linux: 7 years
* Gentoo: less relevant; "rolling releases"
* Debian: 1 year after a new release; thus usually 2.5 - 3.5 yrs
* SUSE Linux Enterprise Server: see http://support.novell.com/lifecycle/lcSearchResults.jsp?st=suse+linux+enterprise+server; generally 6 years or more
===Useful Links===
* [http://xanana.ucsc.edu/~wgscott/xtal/wiki/index.php/Crystallography_on_Ubuntu Crystallography on Ubuntu Linux]
* [http://linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php/Repository Dell's RPMs for Linux machines, including BIOS-update stuff]


==Mac OS X==
==Mac OS X==


Mac OS X is a proprietary [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeBSD BSD]-unix-derived operating system that runs on Apple's computers. The BSD-subsystem, called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_(operating_system) Darwin], attempts to be open-source.
Mac OS X is a proprietary [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeBSD BSD]-Unix-derived operating system that runs on Apple's computers. The BSD-subsystem, called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_(operating_system) Darwin], attempts to be open-source. Unlike most other flavors of Unix, OS X is not based on an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_System  X11 windowing system], but instead uses a proprietary [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqua_(user_interface) Aqua] graphical user interface. For crystallographers and others who need the conventional X11 windowing system, an [http://trac.macosforge.org/projects/xquartz Xserver for OS X] is available, and can be easily installed on all versions of OS X.
 
===Links:===
 
* [http://www.apple.com/macosx/technology/unix.html Apple's Mac OS X Unix] page.
 
* [http://xanana.ucsc.edu/xtal/ Crystallography on OS X]


==Irix (SGI)==
==Irix (SGI)==
By all accounts, SGIs are now obsolete.  They are more expensive and perhaps offer higher productivity, but it is not worth the money when $500 Linux box takes 1/2 hour to calculate a simulated annealing omit map.  There are some examples of software (such as [http://wiki.c2b2.columbia.edu/honiglab_public/index.php/Software:GRASP GRASP]) that you can only run on SGIs, not Linux.  O is also wicked fast on SGIs.
Irix is a flavor of UNIX and is still supported by [http://www.sgi.com/products/software/irix/ SGI].
== See also ==
Linux [[filesystems]]

Latest revision as of 17:07, 12 March 2014

Operating Systems[edit | edit source]

Linux[edit | edit source]

GNU/Linux aims to be a free and open-source unix (or unix-like) operating system that will run on most types of computer hardware and uses an X11 graphical user interface. Various distributions of GNU/Linux exist that have different package management systems and other features. Most of these are ideal platforms for X-ray crystallography and other scientific computational requirements.

Linux Distributions[edit | edit source]

  • OpenSuse will run most Red Hat and Fedora packages

These differ greatly in the time they support their releases:

Useful Links[edit | edit source]

Mac OS X[edit | edit source]

Mac OS X is a proprietary BSD-Unix-derived operating system that runs on Apple's computers. The BSD-subsystem, called Darwin, attempts to be open-source. Unlike most other flavors of Unix, OS X is not based on an X11 windowing system, but instead uses a proprietary Aqua graphical user interface. For crystallographers and others who need the conventional X11 windowing system, an Xserver for OS X is available, and can be easily installed on all versions of OS X.

Links:[edit | edit source]

Irix (SGI)[edit | edit source]

By all accounts, SGIs are now obsolete. They are more expensive and perhaps offer higher productivity, but it is not worth the money when $500 Linux box takes 1/2 hour to calculate a simulated annealing omit map. There are some examples of software (such as GRASP) that you can only run on SGIs, not Linux. O is also wicked fast on SGIs.

Irix is a flavor of UNIX and is still supported by SGI.

See also[edit | edit source]

Linux filesystems

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