Lifehacker’s Most Popular Linux Posts Ever


We’ve been covering all manner of open source-related topics this week as part of Linux Week 2011, but Linux is hardly a new topic for Lifehacker. Here’s the 10 most popular posts relating to Linux we’ve ever featured.

Picture by Matt McGee

As you’d expect, older posts (which have longer to attract views) dominate, which is probably why some more recent useful resources such as our Lifehacker Pack For Linux aren’t here. Nonetheless, there’s still plenty to improve your Linux productivity, as well as some food for thought.

10. Install Android On An Eee PC
The original Eee PC remains one of the most commercially successful Linux-based devices, though Asus moved on to Windows on many of its successor models. Either way, it’s also a popular target for installing alternative OSes. Android itself has evolved substantially since this post, but it remains an interesting option if you want to tinker with a netbook.[imgclear]

9. Unetbootin Creates USB-Bootable Linux
Unetbootin makes creating a ready-to-boot Linux USB stick about as simple as it’s possible to get: just choose your distribution, plug in your USB and let it do its work. Whether you want a portable OS or a recovery system, this is the best way to go about it.

8. Five Best Live CDs

Every version of Linux highlighted in this list has seen updates since, but all remain strong choices for creating a live CD. (Booting off USB is probably a better pick for many people these days, but a spare CD can still be handy.)

7. Install A Minimal Ubuntu Desktop
Ubuntu comes bundled with a lot of software, which can be a blessing if you’re a new user learning your way but a nuisance if you want a leaner system. This minimal install script gives you basic Ubuntu goodness but strips out a lot of the clutter.[imgclear]

6. First Look At Ubuntu 8.10 ‘Intrepid Ibex’ Beta

Time flies. Ubuntu has now hit version 10.10, but back in version 8 the exciting features were improvements to the partition editor, changes to file browsing and better network management. The controversial window control move also hadn’t happened.

5. Top 10 Ubuntu Downloads
While these options are handy for Ubuntu users, many of them are also useful tools if you favour a different Linux distribution.[imgclear]

4. Making Wireless Broadband Work On the Eee PC

This one would be difficult to pull off these days: the original Eee PC is long-gone, and most 3G broadband providers use a newer model of modem. But at the time, it was an absolute life saver for me, and apparently for many other people.

3. Portable Ubuntu Runs Ubuntu Inside Windows

This handy distribution has seen an update that makes it more stable. You can choose to run Portable Ubuntu direct from a drive, or install it on an existing machine.

2. Give An Old Laptop New Life With Cheap (Or Free) Projects
Not all the hints in the list relate to installing Linux, but it’s still one of the most sensible ways of getting more life out of an older notebook. [imgclear]

1. Lifehacker Australia Interviews Linus Torvalds
As the creator of Linux, Linus Torvalds remains the closest thing Linux has to a celebrity, even though it’s not a role he particularly wants to embrace. As you’d expect, this interview focuses on Linus’ techniques for getting things done (hint: phones are bad, plain text is good).


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