Oracle Linux 7 Update 1 is the first update release for Oracle Linux 7.
Oracle Unbreakable Linux 7 benefits from rigorous testing of more than 128,000 hours per day with real-world workloads. Oracle Unbreakable Linux is built from Red Hat Enterprise sources, with an emphasis on security, stability, and support. You can select from several levels of professional support, or no support at all. You can decide which, if any, support coverage is the best for each of your systems individually, while keeping all of them up-to-date and secure.
Here at www.On-Disk.com, I took Oracle Unbreakable Linux for a test drive.
Oracle Unbreakable Linux is only available as a 64 bit operating system. The desktop requirements are fairly low. I'd suggest a multi core CPU, and at least 2GB of memory.
I've never been an Oracle fanboy, so I really wasn't expecting to be impressed with yet another product of commercialized Linux. As it turns out, the reason we don't here Oracle Unbreakable Linux included in the lists of the most popular distributions isn't because it's not worth consideration, but because it's beauty is hidden beneath the layers of commercial product jargon on the Oracle website. It turns out that Oracle Unbreakable Linux is released under the GPL, meaning anyone can use it, not just server support customers of Oracle.
As a server platform, Oracle Unbreakable Linux is at least on par with Red Hat, and it should be because they are created from the same source code. In fact, repositories for Red hat can also be used under Oracle, allowing desktop installs a bulletproof solution worthy of strong consideration.
No sooner did I get started and the installer caught me by surprise. In my opinion, is the nicest I've ever used. It's clean and straight forward, extremely powerful. It's the easiest server setup option I've ever used, which does a good job of installing a desktop system as well. If you decide you'd like to experiment with an Email, FTP, Web, or even virtual host, the installer will certainly impress...just place a check next to what you want to include and the installer will automatically take care of the rest. If you want to take a sneak peek, see chapter 2 of the installation manual.
Although it's called a server OS, upon installing the "Server with GUI", you have a fully functional desktop. Here are a few pointers for setting up a desktop install:
You'll find most of the normal Linux software available in the Software Manager (just called "software"). There is however a limited selection. For instance, you won't find VLC Media Player in the list even though the browser plugin for it is already installed. LibreOffice is missing, as well as Adobe Flash Player, and the ability to play many audio and video files.
The good news is that being based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Oracle Unbreakable Linux can use online repositories designed for Red Fedora/Hat/CentOS, and we can use those repositories to give us a much fuller software library to choose from.
The first extra repository that is recommended is the "Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux" software repository, or EPEL for short. You can do this by clicking the link below and selecting the option to http://mirror.sfo12.us.leaseweb.net/epel/7/x86_64/e/epel-release-7-2.noarch.rpm and select to open it in the "Software install (default)".
The NUX repository can then be added in the same way from this link: http://li.nux.ro/download/nux/dextop/el7/x86_64/nux-dextop-release-0-1.el7.nux.noarch.rpm
Now you can open the Software manager and install VLC, and anything just about anything else you might want, including the MATE or Xfce desktop environments. One exception is LibreOffice, or OpenOffice. They both install the same way. Here's how I installed LibreOffice: A missing dependency for LibreOffice is mesa-libglu. You can search for that in the Software manager and install it from there. Youtube videos play out of the box, but if you want to play flash content as well, you can install the Adobe Flash player by visiting http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer and selecting "Yum for Linux". Again select to open in the software install (default). Then open the Software manager and search for flash and install the Adobe Flash Player. Next I downloaded LibreOffice from http://www.libreoffice.org/download/libreoffice-fresh/ you can get Apache OpenOffice from https://www.openoffice.org/download/ First I extracted the 64 bit RPM package with the file manager. Then opened a terminal in the RPMS directory and became the root user using the command "su" (without the quotes) and typed in the root password that I setup during the install. Then to install LibreOfffice I used the command below: yum -i *.rpm The reason I included all these notes was to make it easier to acheive a good desktop setup, because the little extra time is definitely worth it, and because I wanted an easy way to remember when I install Oracle Unbreakable Linux on my next computer. When it comes to judging how good an operating system is, I consider whether or not I would use it myself on a daily basis. In this instance the answer is definitely YES, and here is why:
I don't expect Oracle Unbreakable Linux to be for everyone, but if you're looking for that little something special in a solid, reliable operating system, and not just trying to replace Windows, it's definitely worth considering.
In addition to optical CD/DVDs, USB Flash Drives are very popular. They can be used in nearly any computer built since 1999, and are very useful on newer netbooks and computers without optical drives. There are currently two major types of USB Flash Drives we currently use. The standard USB 2.0 drives from Kingston shown on the left, and the next generation USB 3.0 Flash Drives from Kingston shown below on the right. Both types of drives can be used in any USB port from the early 1.1 specifications of the late 1990s through to the latest USB 3.0 specifications that came out in 2010. The only practical difference between the two is their speed when plugged into a USB 3.0 port, which allows the Kingston USB 3.0 Drives to save and read data 5-6 times faster than the Kingston USB 2.0 Flash Drives.
The Mobility Kit, shown here on the left, consists of a small "Micro" SD Card which inserts into a small USB Flash Drive adapter, or standard SD adapter. This allows it to also be used as a standard SD Card, or USB 2.0 Flash Drive. This is a great option if you want to be able to use it in the widest variety of computers and hand-held devices, or if you just want a nearly invisible USB Flash Drive that doesn't stick out.
When ordering flash media it is strongly recommended to select either the Priority Mail or Express Mail delivery option. Although you are allowed to select first class mail at checkout time, we will not replace any items lost in the Postal System. In most instances undelivered orders are returned to us and we can contact the customer, let them know, and arrange re-shipment, but not always. Priority and Express Mail packages can be tracked Online so if something goes wrong we can track them down.
Flash Drives and Media Kits are ordered from Distribution on Mondays and Thursdays, with shipments generally taking three days to arrive. Please allow up to a week for these items to be processed, pre-tested, and shipped to you from www.On-Disk.com.
32 Bit, and x86 refer to Intel, and Intel Compatible, computers. These include computers using Intel, AMD, and VIA processors.
64 bit, x86_64, and AMD64 designations refer to a 64-bit extension to the existing x86 architecture. A 64 Bit Intel, or Intel Compatible, computer can run either a standard 32 bit operating system, or a 64 bit optimized version.
The performance gain from using a 64 bit operating system is virtually imperceptible in most instances. Where we could possibly notice a difference would be when the computer is under a heavy load such as when running high-end applications which may require massive system resources, or a highly over-tasked Internet Server. This is because the majority of the performance gain is due to the road the internal data travels on being twice as wide as on 32 Bit hardware, as well as newer/faster hardware that supports it. In normal computing environments, very little performance increase can be attributed to the CPUs enhanced 64 bit instruction set itself.
One remaining drawback to using a 64 bit operating system is that there are still instances where hardware support or software may not be available.
PowerPC, often abbreviated as PPC, was used by Apple's Macintosh lines from 1994 to 2006 (before Apple's transition to Intel). If you have an older Apple, or Apple Compatible, computer from this time period look for products offering PPC options.
The computer type option on software pages (not operating systems) is fairly easy to select. Just match the computer type with the operating system installed on your computer. If you are not sure if you have a 32 or 64 bit installation use one of the methods below:
Microsoft has a guide for Windows 2000 and newer versions: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;827218 All older versions of Windows are all 32 bit.
Under Linux run uname -a in a terminal window.
Computers without a working operating system: Pay attention to the display when the computer is turned on, it will normally show one of the designations listed above. Otherwise you may need to press whatever key it tells you to use to enter the BIOS (AKA startup options). Once in the BIOS the type of CPU should be displayed.
Orders ship out twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. They are processed in the order in which they are received, not based upon the shipping option selected during checkout. Please Remember, every item is custom made for you after you place your order. It's not like purchasing a copy of Mirosoft Windows at a retail shop where all they need to do is put it in a box and ship it to you. We do not work weekends or holidays. We are a small family business, with the emphasis on family.
Orders ship out twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays. They are processed in the order in which they are received, not based upon the shipping option selected during checkout.
Please Remember, every item is custom made for you after you place your order. It's not like purchasing a copy of Mirosoft Windows at a retail shop where all they need to do is put it in a box and ship it to you.
We do not work weekends or holidays. We are a small family business, with the emphasis on family.
(note: Orders of 3 or more items will be slightly more. Their actual cost is shown during checkout.)
USPS First-Class Mail to US addresses - $2.37US for 1 disc in basic package, $2.66 for 2 discs. Delivery for most addresses is within 4 business days. Military and outlying possessions may be longer.
First Class Mail International to Canada - $2.37US for 1 disc in basic package, $2.66 for 2 discs. Most orders will arrive within 7 business days, but a minimum of two weeks should be allowed for shipping.
First Class Mail International to anywhere else in the World - $3.60US for 1 disc in basic package, $3.85 for 2 discs. Most orders will arrive within 2 weeks, but consideration should be given to the distance, Customs and the postal service in your country.
Flash Drives, SD Cards, and CF Cards are ordered from distribution weekly, and normally ship from www.On-Disk.com in anywhere from 1-7 days. When ordering flash media it is strongly recommended to select either the Priority Mail or Express Mail delivery option. Although you are allowed to select first class mail at checkout time, we will not replace any items lost in the Postal System. In most instances undelivered orders are returned to us and we can contact the customer, let them know and arrange re-shipment, but not always. Priority and Express Mail packages can be tracked Online so if something goes wrong we can track them down.
Flash Drives, SD Cards, and CF Cards are ordered from distribution weekly, and normally ship from www.On-Disk.com in anywhere from 1-7 days.
When ordering flash media it is strongly recommended to select either the Priority Mail or Express Mail delivery option. Although you are allowed to select first class mail at checkout time, we will not replace any items lost in the Postal System. In most instances undelivered orders are returned to us and we can contact the customer, let them know and arrange re-shipment, but not always. Priority and Express Mail packages can be tracked Online so if something goes wrong we can track them down.
Every order placed at www.On-Disk.com is a custom made product. We make it specifically for you after you order it. With this in mind, once the media has been created it can not be returned, exchanged or canceled. Certain exceptions can be made depending upon the circumstances. This is left up to the sole discretion of www.On-Disk.com
If a disk or other media arrives at your location and is un-readable due to shipping damage or quality of the burn and or data load, we will replace the damaged items. If the damage is due to shipping, we may ask that you return the items to us in it's original packaging so that we can asses our shipping procedures to ensure disks arrive at their location safely. If it's not apparent that un-readable media was damaged in shipping it may be returned in any appropriate media packaging. There is no Replacement Guarantee for free Quick Ship discs, or other free promotional or courtesy items we may periodically offer throughout the year. We simply don't have the manpower to help troubleshoot or re-send free disc products.
You must notify us within 21 days (3 weeks) from the ship-to date if there are any problems with your order. There will be no refunds or replacements made after 21 days. If you're not sure what the ship date is, you'll find it within your order history. Simply visit the "My Account" link at the top of this page.
Help Ordering:
If you need help ordering please contact us so that we may assist.
More Information:
If you need more information about a product please contact the product Developer. Their homepage information will be linked to from the Developer box in the menu on the left.
In some instances items are added to our catalog per customer request. In such instances there will be no Developer Info box showing in the menu on the left, and any product information included in the listing was found on the product developers website, which you may want to visit for updated information. These Custom Requested listings are not maintained or updated by www.On-Disk.com.
Technical Support Options:
No-cost technical advice and support is available for nearly any piece of software, including operating systems. In many instances you will also have support available locally. The key is to know these options exist, and have enough basic information to be able to find them. Whether looking for assistance with a computer operating system, or software running on the computer, there are outstanding free options available. The first place we can begin seeking help is Online. Most operating system and software developers have Online forums in place specifically to assist you. These Online support forums allow you live and on-demand access to a wide range of technical guidance from industry experts. You can usually find support forums by visiting the developer's website. In some cases you can just do an internet search for the item you are needing help with, followed by the word "forum" to find relevant information. In most instances, for the products we have available, a link is provided for you under the "Support" tab on the listing page for that particular item. The advantage of support forums is in the numbers and expertise...your situation can be viewed by many people, and only one needs to know the answer for you to find a solution. Online support forums are also followed, in most instances, by those who actually write the piece of software, or have a hand in developing the operating system. These folks are the "real-deal", not just an hourly paid employee on the other end of a phone somewhere. Nearly every Linux, BSD, and Open Solaris distribution has a user forum to help with any problems that may come up. There are also several very good general content forums such as :http://www.linuxquestions.org and the Nixcraft Linux Tech Support Forum - great places to get help with just about every operating system other than Microsoft Windows, as well as applications that run on them. For the more technically adventurous there are forums such as The UNIX and Linux Forums and http://www.unixforum.co.uk/. MAC users have the great MAC OSX support forum available to them, as well as the Apple Discussions, and MAC Forums.
And don't feel left out if you use Microsoft Windows, you have Online support forums at your disposal as well, but you do need to be on the lookout for forums created just to sell you antivirus or spyware solutions. The most reputable is the Microsoft Forums. For assistance with a non-microsoft product under Windows you may sometimes get better results at other locations such as the Tech Support Forums. Another great place to get free technical support is through local user groups. Since the early days of computing groups of people have been getting together to explore all the geeky things they can do with their computers. In the past few years the number of user groups, and members of existing groups, has exploded fueled by the growing popularity of Linux and and open source software. There are several types of computer user groups, and to find ones that meet near you. A quick internet search can help find a group near you. For instance a simple search like linux user group gives excellent results. I selected Linux User Group (also known as LUG) because from my experience a Linux user group can, and usually will, assist with just about any computer or gadget related problem you might have. LUGs normally have regular meetings which everyone is welcome to attend, as well as "Install Fests" periodically throughout the year. An install fest is an event where they will even install your Linux selection onto your computer for you, as well as give you advice on which distribution may best suit your circumstances. Although it's great to have face to face conversations with the people who are helping you, the majority of assistance members give each other usually takes place on a mailing list, which offers real-time answers to questions. Using the mailing list for support can be a great lifeline if you happen to live some distance from the nearest group and can't attend regular meetings.
Product Licensing:
Product Licensing terms are set by the individual software developers. Please see the Developer's homepage for complete licensing information. Their Developer's homepage is linked to from the Developer info box in the menu on the left.
In some instances items are added to our catalog per customer request. In such instances there will be no Developer Info box showing in the menu on the left, and any product information included in the listing was found on the product developers website, which you may want to visit for updated information. Licensing terms of all Custom Requested items appearing in our catalog allow for re-distribution under their terms which we must honor.
Disclaimer (CYA)::
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE OWNER, DEVELOPERS, CONTRIBUTORS, www.ON-DISK.COM, OR WEBPATH TECHNOLOGIES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.