Shift Basics

What is Shift?

Shift is a distribution ('distro') of Linux supported by Neowin and developed mainly by members of the Neowin community.

What is Linux?

Linux is a Free, open source operating system modelled on Unix. Technically, 'Linux' strictly refers to the kernel or 'heart' of the operating system, and it forms the bridge between your computer's hardware and the applications you use. You interact with the Linux kernel through desktop environments, window managers and shells.

Desktop environments, window managers and shells all have similar tasks. They take the commands you enter (through your keyboard, mouse, etc) and get the Linux kernel to act on those commands. And they show you on your screen in a more or less graphically pleasing way what you are doing and what is happening.

At the end of the day, it's probably easier to think of desktop environments and window managers as simply 'desktops'. Most people have a good idea as to what the standard desktops for Windows and Mac OS X look like. Each Linux desktop is like its own operating system in that sense. But with all Linux desktops, you've got the freedom to customise just about every aspect of your system, often in ways that simply are not possible with Windows and Mac OS X.

Shells are 'command line interfaces' akin to the command prompt in Windows, but much more powerful.

Like the Linux kernel, Linux desktops are normally Free and open source (all of the desktops that come with Shift are Free and open source). However, they each offer you quite different ways of working with your computer.

What desktops come with Shift?

Shift Linux comes in four versions, each with a different desktop and its own set of programs, many of which it shares with the other three:

Shift Gnome is simple and clean. It's the desktop many businesses choose, but many people find it an attractive, easy-to-use and customisable interface for their personal machines.

Shift KDE looks the most 'Windows-like' but is noted for easy customisation and a generous supply of eye candy.

Shift Lite - Xfce is like Gnome-light. In many ways it looks and acts like Gnome, but it is designed to work better with older hardware.

Shift Lite - Fluxbox provides a somewhat spartan appearance, but one with a great deal of speed. It is the least resource-intensive desktop here.

Whatever anyone says about any given desktop, the fact is that all are quite customisable and have their own advantages. Like all things in the world of Linux, it comes down to a matter of personal choice and freedom.

What is Free Software?

Most of the software available for Shift Linux is Free.

The 'Free' in 'Free Software' does not mean that that software costs nothing (although it may be free or virtually free in that sense--Shift Linux costs nothing for most people but the price of downloading and burning it to a CD). Rather, 'Free' means that you are free to do with the software what you like, put it on as many machines as you like, give it to anyone you like, etc. In short, Free Software is not encumbered with the sorts of typical licensing restrictions and 'genuine advantages' you find on proprietary, closed source programs, such as software from Microsoft, Apple, Adobe and the like.

'Free' also means you have access, should you want it, to the source code for that software (hence, 'open source'). If you know how, you can modify that source code and so modify the software itself to make it better or to make it do something new.

There is a catch here, though. When you modify the source code of Free Software and make the compiled, 'runnable' version available in any way publicly, you have also got to make the modified source code available. This is the price of Software Freedom, but a price well worth paying.

Shift Linux itself is Free in this sense, except for the name, logo and certain graphics the Shift Team have trademarked. In fact, Shift is an excellent example of Free Software in action. Although based on Ubuntu, Shift is not just a 'rebranded' Ubuntu. The Shift Team are constantly working to make improvements of their own on all parts of Shift, and these improvements are, of course, Free as well. This means that you can, if you wanted to do, base your own distro on Shift as long as you do not use those items trademarked by the Shift Team. It also means that the developers at Ubuntu are Free to include the Shift Team's improvements in upcoming versions of Ubuntu.

This 'sharing' model of software development has actually proved itself to be remarkably productive and innovative. It is providing real alternatives for people the world over and real benefits right here at Neowin.

What are the benefits of using Shift?

1. Shift is a great way to experience the world of Free, open source software.

2. It allows you to get more out of your computer by giving you the increased speed, security and stability of a mature, cutting-edge Linux distro.

3. If you want to learn more about all aspects of programming, Shift offers you the Freedom to tinker in ways you simply cannot do with proprietary, closed source software, extending and increasing the value of your computer skills.

4. If you need a cheap system, say for a computer-novice family member or neighbour, Shift can do everything they are likely to want to do with a computer, and it can make them virtually immune to viruses and spyware and all the problems those things cause users of some other operating systems (if you are the one they call on when their computers get borked, Shift can save you a lot of hassle).

5. If you are looking for a new way to increase your participation within the Neowin community, Shift can be that way--and you decide how (and how much or little) you want to participate.

How can I contribute to Shift?

Shift grows and improves from people helping out in many different ways. You can contribute by:

Using Shift and bringing any issues you encounter to the attention of the developers

Helping others in the Shift Forums here on Neowin

Telling others about the Shift project

Contributing to the Shift Wiki

Sharing with the developers your ideas on how to make Shift better and easier to use

Learning how to become a developer for Shift

Shift also comes with Folding@home so you can easily join the Neowin Team in helping find cures for diseases. In fact, Shift's Folding@home is already set to the Neowin Team--all you have to do is start it running!

How does Shift compare to Windows and Mac OS X?

Almost anything you can do with Windows and Mac OS X can be done with Shift. And you'll find, once you get up and running, that Shift allows you to do many things you simply cannot do with those other OSes without paying lots of money on third-party proprietary software. One big complaint about Linux in general is the relatively poor support from game developers, especially when compared to Windows. This, however, is changing (albeit slowly).

In terms of security, Shift and Mac OS X compare rather favourably to Windows. This is because the Linux security model is based on that of Unix, a family of operating systems built from the start to handle networked computers and so built from the start to protect against external threats to those computers. Most Linux-users find there is no need to install anti-virus software, and infections with viruses and spyware are almost unheard of. Mac OS X, itself ultimately based on BSD (a variety of Unix), also benefits from a similar security model.

Another reason for Shift's superior security is the open source nature of Linux and other Free Software. Developers all over the world working in all manner of environments have access to the source code. This means that flaws are discovered and patched with great speed. It also means that hiding 'devious' code within open source software is made very difficult, or even impossible. One of the things spyware and other programs that monitor your system rely on is the closed source model of proprietary software. Closed source allows such programs to hide what it is that they do. New forms of these programs can often only be detected by their effects, usually after they've already done their damage.

Shift is also faster than Windows and, common views notwithstanding, actually runs on a great deal more hardware 'out of the box' than Windows and Mac OS X combined. You may very well find that you have no need to hunt down drivers for your scanner, printer or digital camera. The main sticking point here is the availability of drivers for the latest 3D graphics cards, but this too is changing (a) with AMD's moves to open-source ATI drivers and (b) with nVidia's slow but steady steps to making Linux drivers available at the same time as those for Windows and Mac OS X. At the end of the day, the safest way to choose new hardware for your Linux system is to do an online search to see what will run before you buy.

Shift costs considerably less than either Windows or Mac OS X. In fact, Shift is virtually free, as is the bulk of the software people need to make their computers useful and productive, including applications for office, graphics and design, multimedia, internet, software development and gaming.

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