Are you looking for an operating system that can help you unleash your potential in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or art? Do you want an operating system that is secure, reliable, open source, and easy to use? If so, you might want to check out Pop!_OS, a Linux distribution developed by System76, an American company that manufactures Linux computers.
Pop!_OS is based on Ubuntu, one of the most popular and user-friendly Linux distributions. However, Pop!_OS has its own identity and features that set it apart from other Linux distributions. It uses a customized GNOME desktop environment called COSMIC, which stands for Computer Operating System Main Interface Components. COSMIC is designed to provide a fast, fluid, and convenient workflow for users who need to discover and create.
In this article, we will explore some of the aspects of Pop!_OS that make it a great choice for creative and STEM professionals. We will cover how to install it on your computer, how to navigate its user interface, what software it offers, and how it performs compared to other operating systems.
Installation
Installing Pop!_OS on your computer is easy and straightforward. You can download the latest version of Pop!_OS from its official website, where you can choose between two ISO images: one for Intel/AMD processors and one for Nvidia processors. You can then use a tool like Etcher or Rufus to create a bootable USB drive with the ISO image.
Once you have your bootable USB drive ready, you can plug it into your computer and boot from it. You will be greeted by a live Pop!_OS environment, where you can select your language, locale, keyboard layout, and time zone. You can also try out Pop!_OS without installing it by clicking on the Try Demo Mode button.
If you decide to install Pop!_OS on your computer, you can click on the Install button and follow the instructions on the screen. You can choose between two installation options: clean install or custom (advanced) install. The clean install option will erase everything on your hard drive and install Pop!_OS as your only operating system. The custom install option will allow you to resize your partitions and install Pop!_OS alongside another operating system.
One of the unique features of Pop!_OS is that it provides full disk encryption by default. This means that your data will be protected from unauthorized access in case your computer is lost or stolen. You will need to enter a passphrase every time you boot up your computer to decrypt your data.
Another unique feature of Pop!_OS is that it creates a recovery partition on your hard drive, which can be used to restore your system in case of a problem. You can access the recovery partition by holding down the space bar during boot. From there, you can choose to refresh your system, which will reinstall Pop!_OS while preserving your user files, or reinstall your system, which will erase everything and start from scratch.
User Interface
Once you have installed Pop!_OS on your computer, you can enjoy its sleek and elegant user interface. Pop!_OS uses a dark theme by default, which is soothing for the eyes and reduces eye strain. You can also switch to a light theme or a hybrid theme if you prefer.
Pop!_OS uses COSMIC as its desktop environment, which is a customized version of GNOME. COSMIC has several features that make it easy and efficient to organize and manage your windows and workspaces. Some of these features are:
Auto-tiling: This feature automatically arranges your windows in a grid-like pattern, so that you can make the best use of your screen space. You can also resize, move, and swap your windows using keyboard shortcuts or mouse gestures. Auto-tiling is especially useful for large displays or multiple monitors.
Workspaces: This feature allows you to create multiple virtual desktops, where you can group related windows together. You can switch between workspaces using keyboard shortcuts or mouse gestures, or by clicking on the workspace indicator on the top panel. Workspaces help you keep your desktop clutter-free and focused on your tasks.
Keyboard navigation: This feature enables you to control your desktop using only your keyboard. You can launch applications, search for anything, move and resize windows, switch workspaces, and more using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard navigation is fast and convenient for power users who want to avoid using the mouse.
Stacking: This feature allows you to stack windows on top of each other like tabs in a web browser. You can switch between stacked windows using keyboard shortcuts or mouse gestures, or by clicking on the stack indicator on the top panel. Stacking is handy for keeping multiple windows of the same application or category together.
Display modes: This feature allows you to switch between different video modes on dual GPU laptops. You can choose between hybrid mode, which uses both the integrated and discrete GPUs for optimal performance and battery life; discrete mode, which uses only the discrete GPU for maximum performance; compute mode, which uses only the integrated GPU for power saving; and iGPU only mode, which disables the discrete GPU completely. You can switch between display modes using a GUI toggle in the system menu or a keyboard shortcut.
Pop!_OS also has a dock at the bottom of the screen, where you can pin your favorite applications and access them quickly. You can also access the system menu from the top right corner of the screen, where you can adjust your settings, manage your network, sound, and power options, and access other system functions.
Software
Pop!_OS comes with a wide range of software pre-installed, covering most of your basic needs. Some of the default software are:
LibreOffice: A free and open source office suite that includes word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, database, and drawing applications.
Firefox: A free and open source web browser that is fast, secure, and customizable.
Geary: A simple and modern email client that supports multiple accounts and protocols.
Files: A file manager that lets you browse, organize, and manage your files and folders.
Calculator: A simple calculator that supports basic and advanced operations.
Calendar: A calendar application that lets you manage your events and appointments.
Contacts: A contact manager that lets you store and manage your contacts.
Photos: A photo manager that lets you view, edit, and organize your photos.
Videos: A video player that supports various formats and codecs.
Music: A music player that lets you play and organize your music collection.
If you need more software, you can use the Pop!_Shop package manager to install additional software from the Ubuntu and Pop!_OS repositories, as well as Flatpak applications. Pop!_Shop is a graphical user interface that makes it easy to find, install, update, and remove software on your system.
Pop!_OS also offers some software that are tailored for creative and STEM professionals who need to use their computer as a tool to discover and create. Some of these software are:
Blender: A free and open source 3D creation suite that supports modeling, sculpting, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, and video editing.
DaVinci Resolve: A professional video editing software that supports color correction, visual effects, motion graphics, and audio post production.
OBS Studio: A free and open source software for video recording and live streaming.
Inkscape: A free and open source vector graphics editor that supports SVG format and various drawing tools.
Lightworks: A professional non-linear video editing software that supports various formats and codecs.
Natron: A free and open source compositing software that supports 2D and 2.5D visual effects and motion graphics. Natron is a powerful tool that can handle all of your compositing needs, whether you are working on a film, a TV show, a commercial, or a personal project. Natron is based on the OpenFX architecture, which means that it can use hundreds of plugins from various developers to enhance its functionality. Natron also has a robust OIIO file format support, which allows it to read and write many image and video formats. Natron has a node-based interface, where you can connect different nodes to create complex effects and animations. You can also use Python scripting to customize and automate your workflow. Natron is cross-platform and runs on Linux, Mac, and Windows. You can download Natron for free from its official website or from SourceForge. You can also learn more about Natron from its Wikipedia page or from this article. Natron is a great alternative to other commercial compositing software, such as Autodesk Flame or Adobe After Effects.
VS Code: A free and open source code editor that supports various programming languages, debugging, testing, version control, extensions, and more. VS Code is a versatile and powerful tool that can help you develop, debug, and deploy your code. VS Code is integrated with Pop!_OS, which means that you can launch it from the Pop!_Shop or the launcher, and use it with the Pop!_OS keyboard shortcuts and display modes. You can also customize VS Code to suit your preferences and needs. You can download VS Code for free from its official website or from the Pop!_Shop. You can also learn more about VS Code from its Wikipedia page or from this article. VS Code is a popular choice among developers who work with various technologies and platforms, such as web development, data science, machine learning, cloud computing, and more.
ROS: A free and open source software framework for robotics that provides libraries and tools to help you create robot applications. ROS stands for Robot Operating System, but it is not an operating system in the traditional sense. Rather, it is a collection of software components that run on top of an existing operating system, such as Linux. ROS allows you to communicate with your robot hardware, control its sensors and actuators, perform complex tasks, and visualize its state and environment. ROS also has a large and active community of users and developers who contribute to its development and provide support and resources. You can download ROS for free from its official website or from the Pop!_Shop. You can also learn more about ROS from its Wikipedia page or from this article. ROS is widely used in research and industry for various types of robots, such as drones, autonomous vehicles, humanoid robots, industrial robots, and more.
These are just some examples of the software that are tailored for creative and STEM professionals who use Pop!_OS. There are many more software that you can find in the Pop!_Shop or online that can help you with your projects and goals. Pop!_OS is a Linux distribution that caters to your needs and preferences as a creator or a learner. It provides you with a stable, secure, and customizable operating system that can handle any challenge you throw at it. Whether you are a gamer, a developer, a designer, a scientist, or an artist, Pop!_OS has something for you.
Conclusion
In this article, we have seen some of the aspects of Pop!_OS that make it a great choice for creative and STEM professionals. We have seen how to install it on your computer, how to navigate its user interface, what software it offers, and how it performs compared to other operating systems. We have also seen some of the unique features of Pop!_OS, such as full disk encryption, recovery partition, COSMIC desktop environment, display modes, and more.
Pop!_OS is a Linux distribution that is designed to help you discover and create. It is based on Ubuntu, but has its own identity and features that set it apart from other Linux distributions. It is developed by System76, an American company that manufactures Linux computers. It is free and open source, which means that you can use it without any restrictions or limitations.
If you are interested in trying out Pop!_OS for yourself, you can download it from its official website or from GitHub. You can also visit the official website or GitHub repository for more information or support. You can also join the Pop!_OS community on Reddit, Twitter, Discord, or Telegram to share your feedback, suggestions, questions, or experiences.
Pop!_OS is a Linux distribution for creative and STEM professionals who want to unleash their potential in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or art. It is an operating system that is secure, reliable, open source, and easy to use. It is an operating system that is fast, fluid, and convenient. It is an operating system that is stable, secure, and customizable. It is an operating system that is Pop!_OS.