Operating Systems

The change in popularity of open-source operating systems, particularly in the wake of Red Hat's decision to shift CentOS to an upstream provider (CentOS Stream), has been significant. This decision fundamentally altered the landscape of enterprise Linux distributions and led to the rise of alternative distributions such as AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux. Here's a closer look at the changes in popularity, the rationale behind them, and why people should consider switching to distributions like AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux.

The Shift in CentOS's Role and Its Impact

Historically, CentOS (Community ENTerprise Operating System) was a free and open-source distribution that closely mirrored Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), providing a stable, production-ready platform for users who needed enterprise-level features without the cost of RHEL's commercial support. Many businesses, hosting providers, and developers relied on CentOS for its stability and compatibility with RHEL, especially in production environments where software stability and long-term support were critical.

However, in December 2020, Red Hat announced a significant change to CentOS's role: CentOS would no longer be a direct downstream rebuild of RHEL. Instead, it would be rebranded as CentOS Stream, which is positioned as a rolling-release distribution that sits between Fedora (a community-driven, cutting-edge distribution) and RHEL (the enterprise version). CentOS Stream became a preview of what would eventually be included in RHEL, making it less stable and more volatile compared to the previous CentOS model.

The Response to Red Hat’s Change

Red Hat’s decision to shift CentOS to CentOS Stream was met with backlash from a significant portion of the community, especially from enterprises and developers who had relied on CentOS for its stability and RHEL compatibility. Many in the open-source community expressed concerns that CentOS Stream would not be suitable for production environments where stability and long-term support were crucial.

As a result, several organizations and community members started looking for alternatives to CentOS, leading to the creation of new distributions designed to fill the gap. These alternatives aimed to provide a stable, RHEL-compatible experience without the "rolling release" nature of CentOS Stream.

The Rise of AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux

In response to the change in CentOS, two major alternatives emerged as the most notable successors:

1. AlmaLinux

   • Background: AlmaLinux was created by CloudLinux, a company known for its work with enterprise Linux servers. CloudLinux promised to continue offering a free, open-source RHEL-compatible distribution, aiming to fill the void left by CentOS's shift to CentOS Stream. AlmaLinux is designed to be binary-compatible with RHEL, ensuring that users can migrate seamlessly from CentOS to AlmaLinux without compatibility issues.
   • Key Features:
     • Fully RHEL-compatible.
     • Long-term support (LTS) with regular security updates.
     • Free and open-source.
     • Backed by CloudLinux’s enterprise experience, providing extra stability for businesses.
   • Popularity: AlmaLinux quickly gained traction due to its backing from CloudLinux, its close alignment with RHEL, and its strong focus on long-term stability.

2. Rocky Linux

   • Background: Rocky Linux was founded by Gregory Kurtzer, one of the original creators of CentOS. Rocky Linux’s goal was to provide a community-driven, RHEL-compatible distribution that would continue the spirit of CentOS as a downstream rebuild of RHEL, with a focus on stability and reliability.
   • Key Features:
     • Full binary compatibility with RHEL.
     • Community-driven and nonprofit, with a focus on openness and transparency.
     • Long-term support and stability, making it ideal for production environments.
   • Popularity: Rocky Linux quickly attracted a strong community, particularly due to its connection to the original CentOS team and its focus on maintaining the stability CentOS users valued.

Why Switch to AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux?

Given the changes in CentOS, AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux have become the go-to choices for many who seek an alternative. Here’s why people should consider switching to these distributions:

1. Stability and Reliability:

   • Both AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are designed to provide RHEL compatibility without the rolling-release model of CentOS Stream. This means they offer stable, production-ready environments ideal for enterprise use, hosting, and mission-critical applications.
   • Organizations that need long-term support and a stable OS for their infrastructure benefit from the continuity these distributions offer.

2. Free and Open-Source:

   • Just like CentOS, both AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are free and open-source. They provide the same enterprise-grade features as RHEL without the associated costs of a subscription, making them an excellent choice for businesses with tight budgets.
   • This openness also ensures that users can fully audit, customize, and contribute to the distributions.

3. Seamless Migration from CentOS:

   • Both distributions are designed to be binary-compatible with RHEL, ensuring that software and applications that ran on CentOS will work seamlessly on AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux.
   • The migration path from CentOS to either AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux is straightforward, with tools and resources available to make the transition as smooth as possible.

4. Community-Driven Development:

   • Rocky Linux is a community-driven project, offering transparency and a strong emphasis on collaboration. It benefits from the contributions of the same people who helped build CentOS, ensuring that it stays aligned with the needs of its user base.
   • AlmaLinux, while backed by CloudLinux, also embraces community input and contributions, making it a robust choice for those seeking a free RHEL alternative supported by a company with a strong track record in the Linux space.

5. Long-Term Support:

   • Both distributions provide long-term support (LTS), ensuring that users receive updates and patches over the course of many years, just like RHEL. This is a crucial factor for enterprises that need reliable, secure platforms for their systems without frequent disruptions.

6. Enterprise-Ready:

   • Both AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are suitable for enterprise environments where uptime, security, and reliability are paramount. With RHEL compatibility, they can run the same enterprise software and applications, but at no cost for the operating system itself.

7. Growing Ecosystem:

   • As both distributions continue to grow, they’re gaining wider support within the enterprise Linux ecosystem, with many hosting providers and developers ensuring compatibility with AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux. As a result, businesses and developers can confidently use these distributions knowing they are supported by the broader open-source community and ecosystem.

Conclusion

The shift of CentOS to CentOS Stream significantly impacted the Linux ecosystem, particularly for users who depended on CentOS as a stable, RHEL-compatible platform. However, the rise of AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux has provided a much-needed alternative for those seeking a stable, long-term, free RHEL clone. These distributions offer a smooth migration path, strong community support, and enterprise-grade stability. Whether you're running servers, hosting environments, or mission-critical applications, switching to AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux ensures a stable and reliable platform that maintains the open-source principles of CentOS while filling the gap left by its change in direction.

As a system administrator, understanding the nuances of each Linux desktop environment is crucial when making an informed decision about which to deploy. Each environment offers distinct advantages in terms of system resources, customization, user experience, and compatibility with various distributions and use cases. Below is a breakdown of what system administrators should know about each of these desktop environments and window managers, along with insights into their popularity and relevance in the broader Linux ecosystem.

1. GNOME

• What to Know: GNOME is known for its simplicity and modern look. It prioritizes a clean, consistent user interface and workflow, often regarded as the "default" Linux desktop. However, it can be more resource-intensive, so it's less ideal for older or less powerful hardware.
• Popularity: GNOME is one of the most popular desktop environments, often the default in distributions like Ubuntu (GNOME Shell), Fedora, and Debian.
• Relevance: GNOME is a popular choice for users seeking a polished, user-friendly desktop, and for enterprises or professional environments where usability and consistency matter.

2. KDE Plasma

• What to Know: KDE Plasma is highly customizable, offering a rich user experience with advanced features. It's feature-packed but can be demanding on resources, although recent versions have optimized it significantly. Ideal for power users who want control over their desktop.
• Popularity: KDE Plasma is widely used and is the default for distributions like Kubuntu, KDE neon, and openSUSE.
• Relevance: KDE is suitable for users who need a visually appealing, full-featured desktop with extensive customization options.

3. Xfce

• What to Know: Xfce is known for being lightweight while still offering a traditional desktop experience. It's ideal for older hardware or users who want a fast, stable, and customizable environment without heavy resource usage.
• Popularity: Xfce is one of the top choices for lightweight Linux distributions such as Xubuntu and Manjaro Xfce.
• Relevance: It’s an excellent choice for low-resource systems and users who want performance without sacrificing essential functionality.

4. Cinnamon

• What to Know: Cinnamon is a user-friendly, full-featured desktop that provides a traditional desktop layout (similar to Windows). It’s known for its balance of usability and performance.
• Popularity: Cinnamon is the default desktop for Linux Mint, one of the most popular Linux distributions.
• Relevance: Cinnamon is great for users migrating from Windows who want a similar desktop experience with the power of Linux.

5. MATE

• What to Know: MATE is a continuation of GNOME 2, focusing on simplicity and stability. It’s lightweight but still offers a traditional desktop experience, making it a solid choice for users who prefer classic interfaces.
• Popularity: MATE is the default for distributions like Ubuntu MATE and is appreciated in the lightweight desktop niche.
• Relevance: MATE is perfect for those who prefer classic desktop paradigms without requiring significant system resources.

6. LXQt

• What to Know: LXQt is the successor to LXDE, designed to be a lightweight and fast desktop environment. It’s still evolving but has already gained traction due to its minimal resource consumption.
• Popularity: It’s the default for Lubuntu and is used by some lightweight distributions.
• Relevance: Ideal for low-end hardware, it offers a simple, efficient desktop experience with a low footprint.

7. LXDE

• What to Know: LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) is another lightweight desktop for low-resource systems. Though it has been largely superseded by LXQt, it’s still available and widely used for older systems.
• Popularity: LXDE is used in lightweight distributions like Lubuntu and Debian LXDE.
• Relevance: LXDE is perfect for users with older or resource-constrained systems.

8. Pantheon

• What to Know: Pantheon is a sleek, modern desktop environment designed for the elementary OS distribution. It’s visually appealing and focused on simplicity, providing a macOS-like experience.
• Popularity: Pantheon is the default for elementary OS.
• Relevance: It’s a great choice for users who prefer a simple, intuitive, and attractive desktop.

9. Deepin

• What to Know: Deepin is a visually rich and user-friendly desktop, designed to provide a modern, polished experience with deep integration of multimedia and system settings.
• Popularity: Deepin is the default for the Deepin Linux distribution.
• Relevance: This is an excellent choice for users who want a beautiful, easy-to-use desktop with strong multimedia features.

10. Budgie

• What to Know: Budgie offers a clean and modern desktop, focused on simplicity and efficiency. It provides a visually appealing interface and integrates well with the GNOME stack.
• Popularity: Budgie is the default desktop for Solus and is growing in popularity in other distributions.
• Relevance: Budgie is ideal for users who want a simple and beautiful desktop with a modern user experience.

11. Enlightenment

• What to Know: Enlightenment is highly customizable and offers a lightweight, minimalistic experience with advanced visual effects. It’s not for beginners due to its steep learning curve.
• Popularity: Enlightenment is used in some distributions like Bodhi Linux.
• Relevance: This is a good option for users who want to experiment and need maximum customization.

12. i3

• What to Know: i3 is a tiling window manager that doesn’t focus on a traditional desktop experience. It’s minimalistic, efficient, and highly customizable.
• Popularity: i3 is popular among advanced users and is used in distributions like Arch Linux.
• Relevance: It’s ideal for power users and those who want to maximize efficiency with a keyboard-driven workflow.

13. Sway

• What to Know: Sway is a Wayland-compatible replacement for i3, offering similar tiling functionality but with improved security and modern features.
• Popularity: It’s growing in popularity among i3 users who want to use Wayland.
• Relevance: Perfect for users who want the efficiency of i3 with the benefits of Wayland.

14. Awesome

• What to Know: Awesome is another tiling window manager focused on advanced users. It offers a high degree of customization, but also has a steep learning curve.
• Popularity: Awesome is used by advanced users and developers, particularly in minimalist distributions.
• Relevance: This is for users who prioritize performance and customization over traditional desktop features.

15. Openbox

• What to Know: Openbox is a highly customizable stacking window manager. It's lightweight and suitable for users who want a minimalist environment.
• Popularity: Openbox is used in distributions like Arch Linux, CrunchBang++, and others.
• Relevance: Openbox is ideal for users who prefer to build their desktop from the ground up with a focus on performance.

16. Fluxbox

• What to Know: Fluxbox is another lightweight window manager that focuses on simplicity and speed, similar to Openbox but with different configuration styles.
• Popularity: Fluxbox is popular in lightweight distributions and for experienced users.
• Relevance: Fluxbox is suitable for users seeking a minimalistic approach to their desktop environment.

17. Cwm

• What to Know: Cwm is a small, efficient window manager designed for simplicity. It has a minimalist design but includes some useful features.
• Popularity: It’s favored by users who appreciate simplicity and speed.
• Relevance: Ideal for users who want a no-frills, fast environment with minimal resource consumption.

18. JWM (Joe’s Window Manager)

• What to Know: JWM is a lightweight window manager with a focus on performance. It has a simple, classic interface and is suitable for older hardware.
• Popularity: It’s used in lightweight distributions like Puppy Linux.
• Relevance: JWM is ideal for users with limited resources and those looking for a minimal desktop setup.

19. Herbstluftwm

• What to Know: Herbstluftwm is a tiling window manager known for being scriptable and highly customizable, suitable for users who want to automate their desktop setup.
• Popularity: It’s used by advanced users and enthusiasts.
• Relevance: Great for users who want a highly personalized, lightweight, and efficient window manager.

20. Blackbox

• What to Know: Blackbox is a minimal window manager that provides a lightweight and basic environment, focusing on simplicity and speed.
• Popularity: It's used in lightweight Linux distributions and by advanced users.
• Relevance: Blackbox is for users who value simplicity and performance above all else.

21. Window Maker

• What to Know: Window Maker is a window manager that mimics the NeXTSTEP environment. It is lightweight and provides a simple desktop experience.
• Popularity: Window Maker is often used in older Linux distributions.
• Relevance: It's suitable for users who want a retro, efficient desktop with minimal resources.

22. IceWM

• What to Know: IceWM is a lightweight window manager that provides a simple desktop environment. It supports several visual themes and is ideal for older systems.

• Popularity: Used in lightweight

  Linux distributions like AntiX and Slitaz.

• Relevance: Ideal for users who want a minimalist environment on very low-resource hardware.

23. AfterStep

• What to Know: AfterStep is a window manager that emphasizes simplicity and efficiency, providing a desktop that can be customized through configuration files.
• Popularity: Used in niche, minimalistic distributions.
• Relevance: It’s a great choice for those who prefer a very lightweight, resource-conserving setup.

24. Sugar

• What to Know: Sugar is designed specifically for educational purposes, with a focus on learning and child-friendly interfaces. It’s part of the OLPC project.
• Popularity: Mostly used in educational setups, particularly in the OLPC (One Laptop per Child) project.
• Relevance: Sugar is vital in contexts where the desktop environment needs to be tailored to educational and developmental environments.

Conclusion on Relevance of Having Multiple Desktop Environments in Linux:

The diversity in desktop environments and window managers for Linux reflects the flexibility and versatility of the Linux ecosystem. For system administrators, this range of options is crucial, as it allows customization based on the following factors: - Resource Constraints: Environments like Xfce, LXQt, and i3 are ideal for lightweight setups, while GNOME and KDE Plasma offer feature-rich environments. - User Experience: Linux provides choices that cater to different user preferences, from traditional interfaces (Cinnamon, MATE) to modern, minimalistic setups (i3, Sway). - Use Cases: Some environments like Pantheon and Deepin are perfect for users seeking a polished, modern look, while others like Sugar focus on specific purposes (education).

The broad array of desktop environments makes Linux adaptable for nearly any use case, whether for personal, enterprise, or educational purposes, while ensuring users can tailor their desktop to fit the needs of the hardware and workflow.

1) Ubuntu

– Ubuntu is by far the most popular Linux distribution with an intuitive GUI (Graphical User Interface) that is easy to learn and very familiar for Windows users.

– It is essentially Debian-based and easy to install with top-notch commercial support although this is largely irrelevant if you can point and click with a basic understanding of how to interact with applications as you do in Windows.

– Most preferred Linux distribution for non-tech people.

Ubuntu Project Home Page

2) CloudLinux

– CloudLinux is on a mission to make Linux secure, stable, and profitable.

– Based solely on the same platform as Red Hat Enterprise Linux for stable releases and usually command prompt based servers.

– License fees are reasonable for small businesses so it is still a go-to option in the Linux flavour world.

CloudLinux Project Home Page

3) Red Hat Enterprise Linux (a.k.a. RHEL)

– Another most famous and open-source Linux Distribution is Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). It is a stable, secure yet powerful software suited mostly to the server classification; however it does provide a wealth of tools, apps and other front end software, if not run headless.

– RHEL was devised by Red Hat for commercial purposes. It offers tremendous support for Cloud, Big Data, IoT, Virtualization, and Containers.

– Its components are based on Fedora, a community-driven project.

– RHEL supports 64-bit ARM, Power, and IBM System z machines.

– The subscription of Red Hat allows the user to receive the latest enterprise-ready software, knowledge base, product security, and technical support.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux

4) AlmaLinux

– Stable and open-source derivative of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, an easy way to run the commercial product in open-source format.

– A popular free Linux distros for VPS and operationally compatible with RHEL.

– AlmaLinux is a open-source distribution owned and governed by the community. As such, they are free and focused on the community's needs and long-term stability. Both Operating Systems have a growing community with an increasing number of partners and sponsors.

– Considered the go-to Operating System of choice since CentOS announced the end-of-life for CentOS 8, in favour of being an upstream provider to RHEL (releasing software before RHEL)

AlmaLinux Project Home Page

5) Rocky Linux

– Similar to AlmaLinux, this OS is a stable and open-source derivative of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Use open-source instead of paying license fees.

– A popular free Linux distros for VPS and operationally compatible with RHEL.

– Rocky Linux is of course open-source and while they don't have the backing financially like AlmaLinux, it's still a worthy community contributed effort.

Rocky Linux Project Home Page

6) SUSE

– The subsequent widespread distribution is SLES which is based on OpenSUSE.

– Both OpenSUSE & SUSE Linux Enterprise Server have the same parent company – SUSE.

– SUSE is a german-based open-source software company.

– The commercial product of SUSE is SLED and OpenSUSE is the non-commercial distro.

SUSE Project Home Page

7) Debian

– It is open-source and considered a stable Linux distribution.

– Ships in with over 51000 packages and uses a unified packaging system.

– Used by every domain, including Educational Institutions, Companies, Non-profit, and Government organizations.

– Supports more significant of computer architectures. It includes 64-bit ARM (Aarch64), IBM System z, 32-bit PC (i386), 64-bit PC (amd64), and many more.

– At last, it is integrated with a bug tracking system. By reading its documentation and content available for web related to Debian helps you in its support.

Debain Project Home Page

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