Introduction

SharkLinux is a full-featured Linux operating system and desktop environment designed for use in the cloud. The distribution uses Ubuntu Xenial LTS as the base and features MATE as the desktop interface. Features include a wide selection of desktop software, the use of swap file space in absence of dedicated partitions and the inclusion of many one-click installers for software such as Guacamole Server, WebVirtCloud and LinuxBrew.

Releases

SharkLinux does not version it s releases, but rather is a continuous live release and is frequently updated with new features and improvements. A single standard base build offers a gateway to multiple "versions" of the OS - Starting with a very standard system, you may then use the tools and installers to upgrade chosen software. The officially released install media (ISO) is updated after any major changes, updates to the apt repositories and for each kernel release.

Unique Features and Policies

Software

SharkLinux has multiple qualities that make it unique from Ubuntu and other derivatives. Unlike Ubuntu and many variants, SharkLinux does not have a strict policy regarding software being exclusively open-source. The distribution maintains its own exclusive software repo, thus some software not offered in any official Ubuntu Repo are either included by default in official releases or easily installed via command line. Examples include Google Chrome and MEGASync.

Relaxed Application of Sudo

A fundamental and controversial difference is the removal of the sudo password. While sudo is still used to run commands with root power and distinguish admin from user accounts, a sudoer is only prompted for password during login. Some users enjoy the relaxed sudo policy while many consider this to be a significant security risk. As a result this change is reversible allowing a sysadmin to re-enable the default sudo behavior via the visudo command.

Simplified Commands

A unique command set is also available while using the terminal. These often combine existing commands into a single action or simply shortening the command for convenience. Some shortened commands also incorporate the relaxed sudo policy. Most notably the apt-based commands usually can be executed by calling on the action and omit the need of added arguments. Install, uninstall (remove), purge and search can be executed as single word arguments. Combinations are also used within the package manager. For instance, typing “upgrade” into the terminal both updates the apt cache and performs any available package upgrades. While there are many commands exclusive to SharkLinux, none of Ubuntu equivalents are disabled and any commands used in Ubuntu would work in SharkLinux.

To illustrate the changes, some examples are provided below in comparison to the Ubuntu equivalent.

Contact Information

• Official Website: http://SharkLinuxOS.org

• Install Media and Tickets: SharkLinux on Sourceforge

• Wikipedia : SharkLinux on Wikipedia

• E-mail: dev@sharklinux.net

• Launchpad ID: SharkLinux

Audience

Being 100% cloud compatible in itself and the inclusion of many virtual machine and container utilities make SharkLinux an ideal environment for software developers, sysadmin testing and virtualization hobbyists.

Mission

“SharkLinux aims to provide a Linux computing environment focusing on virtual environments that is usable ‘out-of-the-box’ . SharkLinux will also continue to ensure that it remains fully functional when deployed within a cloud environment.”

- Marcus Petit

Founder and Developer, SharkLinux

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