Essential software tools for the working scientist
The Scientist's Linux Toolbox
![© Lead Image © KrishnaKumar Sivaraman, 123RF © Lead Image © KrishnaKumar Sivaraman, 123RF](/var/linux_magazin/storage/images/issues/2020/241/scientist-s-toolbox/po-23015-123rf-krishnakumar_sivaraman_123rf-mikroskop_resized.png/777462-1-eng-US/PO-23015-123RF-KrishnaKumar_Sivaraman_123RF-Mikroskop_resized.png_medium.png)
© Lead Image © KrishnaKumar Sivaraman, 123RF
Linux and science are a natural fit. These are a handful of essential software packages both for getting work done and presenting it to others.
Although Linux still occupies a small niche on the desktop among the population at large, it is much more popular among scientists from all disciplines.
It's tempting to say that's just because scientists are smart! But it's easy for me to understand Linux's appeal for scientists when I remember the problems caused by the use of proprietary operating systems (OSs and software in labs where I've worked).
For one particular piece of software, we had a site license that only permitted a certain number of people to use the program at a time. It would actually spy on the network and count up how many instances of the program were running. If I needed to run it and it refused, I had to run around the lab to find out if someone had just forgotten to exit the program.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
![Learn More](https://www.linux-magazine.com/var/linux_magazin/storage/images/media/linux-magazine-eng-us/images/misc/learn-more/834592-1-eng-US/Learn-More_medium.png)
News
-
openSUSE Tumbleweed Ditches AppArmor for SELinux
If you're an openSUSE Tumbleweed user, you can expect a major change to the distribution.
-
Plasma 6.3 Now Available
Plasma desktop v6.3 has a couple of pretty nifty tricks up its sleeve.
-
LibreOffice 25.2 Has Arrived
If you've been hoping for a release that offers more UI customizations, you're in for a treat.
-
TuxCare Has a Big AlmaLinux 9 Announcement in Store
TuxCare announced it has successfully completed a Security Technical Implementation Guide for AlmaLinux OS 9.
-
First Release Candidate for Linux Kernel 6.14 Now Available
Linus Torvalds has officially released the first release candidate for kernel 6.14 and it includes over 500,000 lines of modified code, making for a small release.
-
System76 Refreshes Meerkat Mini PC
If you're looking for a small form factor PC powered by Linux, System76 has exactly what you need in the Meerkat mini PC.
-
Gnome 48 Alpha Ready for Testing
The latest Gnome desktop alpha is now available with plenty of new features and improvements.
-
Wine 10 Includes Plenty to Excite Users
With its latest release, Wine has the usual crop of bug fixes and improvements, along with some exciting new features.
-
Linux Kernel 6.13 Offers Improvements for AMD/Apple Users
The latest Linux kernel is now available, and it includes plenty of improvements, especially for those who use AMD or Apple-based systems.
-
Gnome 48 Debuts New Audio Player
To date, the audio player found within the Gnome desktop has been meh at best, but with the upcoming release that all changes.