HackITLinux

© Adriano Gasparri

The following are some great gifts for people that love Linux. With the Linux Foundation Visa Card, the Linux Foundation, which supports Linux in all its forms gets $50 immediately and a percentage of all purchases as well. It is a great way to support Linux and can be used to by other Linux related gifts too. An Android tablet is a perfect gift for Linux-lovers, the Nook Tablet is quite soft on the pocket as well. The Chromebook, a lightweight netbook that runs on Chrome-OS is quite a steal at $299 and a lovely gift. For those that are a bit strapped for cash, there are a variety of Linux gifts available such as Linux T-shirts, mugs and other odds and ends. Additionally, CafePress, ComputerGear and Zazzle have a nice selection of low-priced gifts.

© felixp7

Ubuntu is the top Linux distribution world wide. It has enabled less technically sophisticated Linux users to easily run the open source software on their desktops for the first time. Ubuntu uses GNOME as it's preferred desktop solution, and this project has recently announced a major overhaul which is equivalent to a jump from XP to Windows 7.

Many people prefer Linux because with a little effort it is infinitely customizable. Enterprising hackers have packaged their own customizations into distributions which each have a distinctive flavor, including Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Crunchbang, E-Live, Debian, Fedora, Red Hat, and SUSE. The new version of GNOME, called GNOME 3.0, is currently supported by the openSUSE and Fedora projects. It has been under construction for five years, and there are major changes to the look and feel of the system which has been designed with the cloud in mind.

© Andrew Currie

Ninite is a small maker of bulk software installation tools for Windows and Linux. The company is newly profitable, and its co-founders continue to be its only employees. They run a lean operation out of their San Francisco office and are not interested in raising venture capital.

Their focus is on being the easiest way for people to get software. And they seem to be succeeding at that, because as one of the co-founders remarked, the most frequent feedback they get from users is "I love you." Ninite gives users the ability to install dozens of applications with just a few clicks, stripping out all the tedious navigation and hassle usually involved in software installation. The installer automates installs off-screen, always grabs the latest available version of apps, picks the most appropriate version and language edition, and auto updates installed software. Ninite's site now gets 2 million page views each month.