When you purchase a computer or a laptop, one of the big expenses that you will encounter is the operating system. Operating systems such as Apple’s Mac OS X or Microsoft’s Windows can cost hundreds of dollars, which is a lot of money. The operating system is the basic software platform that brings functionality, features, and usability to your hardware. If you want to avoid having to pay for your operating system, however, there are a few alternatives to big names such as Windows and OS X. One such alternative is Fedora, which is a Linux-based, Unix-like operating system that is both free and open source. Read on for the 411 on the Fedora Project and their latest release called Fedora 12.
The Fedora Project
The Fedora Project is a collection of community members who develop and distribute free, open-source software. The idea of the Fedora Project is to create partnerships to form a community that makes a collaborative effort to advance such software. Those who are part of the Fedora Project are not only software engineers, but the team is also composed of writers, artists, documenters, system administrators, translators, speakers, and web designers. The main platform that has been developed by the Fedora Project is the Fedora operating system, which is the second most popular Linux-based operating system (the first being Ubuntu). The Fedora Project is actively accepting members from around the world to help their cause.
Introducing the Fedora 12
Fedora 12, codename Constantine, is the latest and most feature-packed version of the Linux-based operating system produced by the Fedora Project. Here is a list of some of the best features of Fedora 12:
* Empathy instant messenger - This instant messenger allows you to communicate with contacts on Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, Jabber, Live (MSN), MySpace, AIM, and more. Empathy has support for regular instant messenger chatting, as well as both audio and video chat. The software also allows you to connect and share your desktop with others, giving a whole new level of functionality, communication, and connectivity.
* Support for Bluetooth audio devices - Fedora 12 has Bluetooth support that allows you to make use of Bluetooth audio devices and other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as your MP3 player or smartphone.
* NetworkManager - This software makes networking easy, giving you support for Bluetooth phone tethering, mobile broadband, LAN, IPv6 networking, and more.
* PackageKit - PackageKit is a feature that helps you find, download, and install software provided by Fedora, GNOME, and KDE. You can keep your system up-to-date and secure through this easy-to-use, intuitive software.
* Improved tablet support - Fedora 12 has a set of tools and features that allows you to get started using your tablet straight out of the box.
There are a wide range of other updates made to Fedora 12, so if you want to see a full list of changes and updates, you may want to visit the Fedora Project website to get more information on this powerful, new, free, open-source operating system.