Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations
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I've been thinking about this for a day or so and searching to see what companies I can find that use a distro of Linux on their workstation computers (desktops / laptops). I've heard that Google uses a customized version of Ubuntu. I imagine Canonical and RedHat use their respective products on workstations.
I've heard that
$various_other_companiesalso use a Linux distro on the desktop, but aside from what I've listed and IBM, I can't seem to identify said companies. Have you folks worked with companies who use a Linux distro for their workstations? -
@EddieJennings I've implemented it. At a smaller company granted, but still. It was a very easy switch, as 100% of the work was already done either all online, or available online. We went with Fedora/KDE. If I have the opportunity to convert a company again, I'd go with Fedora/Cinnamon. When your users just need a browser, it's really easy!
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@EddieJennings said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I've been thinking about this for a day or so and searching to see what companies I can find that use a distro of Linux on their workstation computers (desktops / laptops). I've heard that Google uses a customized version of Ubuntu. I imagine Canonical and RedHat use their respective products on workstations.
I've heard that
$various_other_companiesalso use a Linux distro on the desktop, but aside from what I've listed and IBM, I can't seem to identify said companies. Have you folks worked with companies who use a Linux distro for their workstations?Most companies I have seen opt for Either MacOS or Windows.
Ive seen a few Companies "say" that they implement Linux. -
@EddieJennings said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I've been thinking about this for a day or so and searching to see what companies I can find that use a distro of Linux on their workstation computers (desktops / laptops). I've heard that Google uses a customized version of Ubuntu. I imagine Canonical and RedHat use their respective products on workstations.
Oracle
NTG
Pretty much every bank. -
@EddieJennings said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I've heard that
$various_other_companiesalso use a Linux distro on the desktop, but aside from what I've listed and IBM, I can't seem to identify said companies.Can you identity the ones that use Windows or Mac? Not likely. Normal companies don't advertise their attack vectors because 1) it is not of interest to anyone valid and 2) it's of a lot of interest to malicious parties.
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@travisdh1 said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@EddieJennings I've implemented it.
I've taken a school to 100% Linux.
We have a new customer looking at doing a full switch from Mac (most switch from Windows.) Tiny shop, but still, they asked about options.
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@WrCombs said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
Most companies I have seen opt for Either MacOS or Windows.
Ive seen a few Companies "say" that they implement Linux.Most companies do opt for macOS or Windows, but tons that "opt" for those also opt for a Linux variant, but rarely talk about it, even internally. It's not uncommon for larger first to have departments on Linux of some nature and have no idea at any "reporting" level.
If you think about it, who would know? Who in a large company can you "ask" what they use and would actually know? IBM, for example, doesn't even know what people use. They have no central IT. Every department uses their own things, from software to hardware.
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Unlike Windows and macOS where you have a central purchasing authority working out major enterprise level contracts with the vendor (Windows) or can just walk around looking for special purpose hardware (macOS), Linux just "hides". It doesn't pass through the normal channels. There is no purchasing element, no cost approval element. And nine out of ten IT people, let alone non-IT managers, even realize that what they have is Linux in the first place. They might have Ubuntu, Fedora, Suse, Arch, ChomeOS, Android, etc. and think it is "something else" and not know that it is Linux (likewise, lots of people confuse certain Windows deployments as Linux, basically people just don't know much.)
Linux tends to be deployed secretly, individually, by shadow IT, or by departments. Sure, some CIOs push it out intentionally as strategy. But more often, it "just happens." And there is often no central authority to be interviewed by Gartner or
or whatever to tell the truth and someone who is just a "buyer" reports on "what they bought" and nothing else.We as a company deploy Linux stuff all of the time (Servers more than desktops, but both for sure) and almost none of our customers would know to say that they were using Linux if interviewed, but they, not we, are the ones who would fill out surveys.
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I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
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@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
For the most part, yes.
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@scottalanmiller said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
For the most part, yes.
I'm looking for clarification - yes what?
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@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@scottalanmiller said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
For the most part, yes.
I'm looking for clarification - yes what?
Yes, talking distros matters. Blanket Linux is too broad. But sadly no one reports distros.
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@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
Which is why I listed the specific distribution and desktop. imo, it should always be linux as it is a generic term. Kind of like Windows, which one?
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@travisdh1 said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
Which is why I listed the specific distribution and desktop. imo, it should always be linux as it is a generic term. Kind of like Windows, which one?
Only one Windows. Distros arent like versions.
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@travisdh1 said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
Which is why I listed the specific distribution and desktop. imo, it should always be linux as it is a generic term. Kind of like Windows, which one?
I read your statement like this "it should always be linux as it is a generic term.
HUH? so which side are you on?
Personally - I think the term linux should be dropped by everyone (well at least by 99.9%) because it's nearly meaningless.
Asking if something runs on linux is meaningless. Asking if something runs on Fedora or Ubuntu has meaning - because you know the actual OS you'll be running them on.
the generic nature of 'linux' is one of the most confounding confusers for laypeople. We should just drop it. it doesn't matter. We never talk about the Windows Kernel, or the Mac OS Kernel - We talk about Windows 10 (OK, we're starting to run into a problem here too because there are 7 versions of Windows 10 - and the same can be said for Mac OS). But if we drop the word linux, people can start talking about Fedora or Ubuntu, etc and suddenly the world becomes a smaller, much more manageable place.
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@scottalanmiller said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@travisdh1 said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
Which is why I listed the specific distribution and desktop. imo, it should always be linux as it is a generic term. Kind of like Windows, which one?
Only one Windows. Distros arent like versions.
Exactly - at least within Windows - they are basically building on one another from version to version. But Distros are more akin to Windows vs Mac OS only with potentially more overlap than those two - but definitely not required overlap.
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@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@travisdh1 said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
Which is why I listed the specific distribution and desktop. imo, it should always be linux as it is a generic term. Kind of like Windows, which one?
I read your statement like this "it should always be linux as it is a generic term.
HUH? so which side are you on?
Personally - I think the term linux should be dropped by everyone (well at least by 99.9%) because it's nearly meaningless.
Asking if something runs on linux is meaningless. Asking if something runs on Fedora or Ubuntu has meaning - because you know the actual OS you'll be running them on.
the generic nature of 'linux' is one of the most confounding confusers for laypeople. We should just drop it. it doesn't matter. We never talk about the Windows Kernel, or the Mac OS Kernel - We talk about Windows 10 (OK, we're starting to run into a problem here too because there are 7 versions of Windows 10 - and the same can be said for Mac OS). But if we drop the word linux, people can start talking about Fedora or Ubuntu, etc and suddenly the world becomes a smaller, much more manageable place.
Actually Linux should mean the same as Windows or MacOS anymore as you pointed out.
What specific build is what matters. W10R1510, W10R1809, Fedora, MacOS wtf ever those are called.
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@JaredBusch said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@travisdh1 said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
Which is why I listed the specific distribution and desktop. imo, it should always be linux as it is a generic term. Kind of like Windows, which one?
I read your statement like this "it should always be linux as it is a generic term.
HUH? so which side are you on?
Personally - I think the term linux should be dropped by everyone (well at least by 99.9%) because it's nearly meaningless.
Asking if something runs on linux is meaningless. Asking if something runs on Fedora or Ubuntu has meaning - because you know the actual OS you'll be running them on.
the generic nature of 'linux' is one of the most confounding confusers for laypeople. We should just drop it. it doesn't matter. We never talk about the Windows Kernel, or the Mac OS Kernel - We talk about Windows 10 (OK, we're starting to run into a problem here too because there are 7 versions of Windows 10 - and the same can be said for Mac OS). But if we drop the word linux, people can start talking about Fedora or Ubuntu, etc and suddenly the world becomes a smaller, much more manageable place.
Actually Linux should mean the same as Windows or MacOS anymore as you pointed out.
What specific build is what matters. W10R1510, W10R1809, Fedora, MacOS wtf ever those are called.
No - I disagree - Linux isn't like Windows or MacOS at all - Linux is not an OS - Windows/MacOS are OSes.
If you say, runs on Windows, you can be pretty damned sure it's going to run on Windows 10. if you say it runs on Linux, you have no clue if that's Fedora, Ubuntu, etc. And while we might be able to get it to work, the layperson would never even try with the requires to get onto a linux Distro it's not designed for.
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@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@JaredBusch said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@travisdh1 said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
Which is why I listed the specific distribution and desktop. imo, it should always be linux as it is a generic term. Kind of like Windows, which one?
I read your statement like this "it should always be linux as it is a generic term.
HUH? so which side are you on?
Personally - I think the term linux should be dropped by everyone (well at least by 99.9%) because it's nearly meaningless.
Asking if something runs on linux is meaningless. Asking if something runs on Fedora or Ubuntu has meaning - because you know the actual OS you'll be running them on.
the generic nature of 'linux' is one of the most confounding confusers for laypeople. We should just drop it. it doesn't matter. We never talk about the Windows Kernel, or the Mac OS Kernel - We talk about Windows 10 (OK, we're starting to run into a problem here too because there are 7 versions of Windows 10 - and the same can be said for Mac OS). But if we drop the word linux, people can start talking about Fedora or Ubuntu, etc and suddenly the world becomes a smaller, much more manageable place.
Actually Linux should mean the same as Windows or MacOS anymore as you pointed out.
What specific build is what matters. W10R1510, W10R1809, Fedora, MacOS wtf ever those are called.
No - I disagree - Linux isn't like Windows or MacOS at all - Linux is not an OS - Windows/MacOS are OSes.
If you say, runs on Windows, you can be pretty damned sure it's going to run on Windows 10. if you say it runs on Linux, you have no clue if that's Fedora, Ubuntu, etc. And while we might be able to get it to work, the layperson would never even try with the requires to get onto a linux Distro it's not designed for.
Actually if it says runs on linux, it will run on pretty much all of them.
The developer may only provide binaries or packages for certain specific distros. But if it builds on one, it will build on pretty much all of them.
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@JaredBusch said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@JaredBusch said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@travisdh1 said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
@Dashrender said in Companies that use a Linux distro on workstations:
I ask - does saying Linux really matter though? Isn't it much more important to actually list the distro? At least the OP asked specifically Linux Distro.
Which is why I listed the specific distribution and desktop. imo, it should always be linux as it is a generic term. Kind of like Windows, which one?
I read your statement like this "it should always be linux as it is a generic term.
HUH? so which side are you on?
Personally - I think the term linux should be dropped by everyone (well at least by 99.9%) because it's nearly meaningless.
Asking if something runs on linux is meaningless. Asking if something runs on Fedora or Ubuntu has meaning - because you know the actual OS you'll be running them on.
the generic nature of 'linux' is one of the most confounding confusers for laypeople. We should just drop it. it doesn't matter. We never talk about the Windows Kernel, or the Mac OS Kernel - We talk about Windows 10 (OK, we're starting to run into a problem here too because there are 7 versions of Windows 10 - and the same can be said for Mac OS). But if we drop the word linux, people can start talking about Fedora or Ubuntu, etc and suddenly the world becomes a smaller, much more manageable place.
Actually Linux should mean the same as Windows or MacOS anymore as you pointed out.
What specific build is what matters. W10R1510, W10R1809, Fedora, MacOS wtf ever those are called.
No - I disagree - Linux isn't like Windows or MacOS at all - Linux is not an OS - Windows/MacOS are OSes.
If you say, runs on Windows, you can be pretty damned sure it's going to run on Windows 10. if you say it runs on Linux, you have no clue if that's Fedora, Ubuntu, etc. And while we might be able to get it to work, the layperson would never even try with the requires to get onto a linux Distro it's not designed for.
Actually if it says runs on linux, it will run on pretty much all of them.
The developer may only provide binaries or packages for certain specific distros. But if it builds on one, it will build on pretty much all of them.
I gave you that out already - but I also said - normals will never do that. Which is the whole purpose of my comments... it's about normals, laypeople. Not IT pros.
