Return of the Linux Quiz

Summary: This test is purely for your amusement and should not be used to determine if you're ready for your RHCE exam.

By Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols for Linux and Open Source | May 9, 2011 -- 07:51 GMT (00:51 PDT)

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Hi there, it's Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols again, ZDNet's resident Linux expert, with yet another Linux quiz. This test is purely for your amusement and should not be used to determine if you're ready for your RHCE exam. Instructions: Click on your answer and then see how many others agree with you. Then click to see the answer and the next question.

[poll id="129"]

The correct answer is... » What does RHCE stand for in Linux circles? Answer: A. It's also regarded as the most profitable certification for would-be Linux workers. If you answered B, you're better at bio-chemistry than you are at Linux.

[poll id="130"]

The correct answer is... » When is Linux's "official" birthday - according to Linus Torvalds? Answer: D. All of the above. And, for that matter, you can argue that October 5th might be a good date as well. See my interview with Linus for all the details.
[poll id="131"]

The correct answer is... » Debian Linux's name comes from... Answer: B. It's the combination of its first developer's name, Ian Murdock, with the name of his then girl-friend, Debra. I can't begin to count the times I heard the Star Trek and D&D versions of the name's history though.
[poll id="132"]

The correct answer is... » These days there are Linux and open-source trade shows and conventions everywhere. Which of these is not the name of a real Linux get-together? Answer: A. Caldera, once a Linux company, never had a Caldera Collusion. SCALE; Southeast Linuxfest; and POSSON are all the real deal. [poll id="133"]

The correct answer is... » Which company or group doesn't sell a version or derivative of Red Hat Enterprise Linux? Answer: A. Microsoft. While Microsoft did sell a Unix, Xenix, upon a time, it never has sold any version of Linux... yet. Oracle and CentOS do offer their own takes on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and, of course, Red Hat does as well. [poll id="134"]

The correct answer is... » Which of the following Linux distributions doesn't currently use Ubuntu Linux as its base distribution? Answer: B. MEPIS. It used to be based on Ubuntu, but its developer Warren Woodford switched to Debian a few years back. Mint is one of the best regarded of the Ubuntu variants; Kubuntu is Ubuntu with the KDE interface, and Canonical, Ubuntu's parent company has worked with Google on Google's Chrome OS. [poll id="135"]

The correct answer is... » Thinking of Ubuntu, which of these hasn't been a name for one of its releases? Answer: C. Hungry Hippo. Mind you a lot of people wanted Hardy Heron, Ubuntu 8.04, to be Hungry Hippo but it was not to be! Perhaps that was too silly a name... [poll id="136"]

The correct answer is... » Some people don't like any proprietary bits in their Linux. Which of these distributions has no proprietary drivers or code within it? Answer: D. gNewSense. Unbreakable Linux is a variation of the name for Oracle's Red Hat Linux; FreeBSD is, well, BSD Unix, not Linux; and Ubuntu includes a smidgen of proprietary drivers and media codecs. You don't have to use them, but they are there. [poll id="137"]

The correct answer is... » Before Novell got into the Linux business with SUSE, it was better known for another operating system. That operating system was: Answer: B. NetWare. I didn't consider this as a trivia question, but I just ran into a tech-savvy generation Y network administrator who had never even heard of NetWare! I must be getting old! NetWare was the network server operating system in the 80s and well into the 90s. Windows for Workgroups, was an early attempt by Microsoft to create a peer-to-eer network. It wasn't much good. MetaFrame was Citrix's Windows-based thin-client/server software application stack and OS/360 was an IBM mainframe operating system. [poll id="138"]

The correct answer is... » Ubuntu makes it possible to run Linux on a Windows desktop as if it were an application. The name of the program that does this is: Answer: B. Wubi. It works pretty well by the way and I've found a good way to get Windows users who would otherwise never touch a Linux distro, to give it a try. And, now for your results (correct answers): 10: Close friend of Linus Torvalds. 7-9: Friend of Tux, the Linux penguin. 4-6: Has met Tux. 1-3: Would know a penguin if he met met one. 0: Close friend of Steve Ballmer. Thanks for playing! Still looking for answers? Try my first Linux quiz. Previous quizzes

Topics: Operating Systems, Linux, Open Source, Software

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24 comments

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Problem with words

I'm guessing that this is the "I don't know how to say things properly" quiz. I'm sorry centos does NOT sell a rhel clone. Secondly, google chrome is NOT based on ubuntu so don't say it. My god this is stupid!

homeblend
9 May, 2011 11:55

Reply Vote
- RE: Return of the Linux Quiz
 
 @homeblend
 CentOS doesn't sell a RHEL but they do offer one (at one point they might have sold it in the beginning).
 ACTUALLY, Google Chrome OS does have a Linux kernal, GCC, Make, BASH, Apt-Get, and X11. Thanks for playing.
 
 Bates_
 9 May, 2011 12:24
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: Return of the Linux Quiz
 
 @Bates_
 
 Debian also has a Linux kernel, GCC, Make, BASH, Apt-Get, and X11, that doesn't mean its based on Ubuntu.
 
 According to Wikipedia Google Chrome OS is Gentoo based
 
 guzz46
 9 May, 2011 14:09
 
 Reply Vote
 - not ubuntu
 
 @Bates_
 
 Alot of distros have those components, but that doesn't mean they are based on Ubuntu. Canonical contributed to the project yes, but the project was well underway before that and is not a modified version of Ubuntu or based on Ubuntu.
 
 se_lain@...
 10 May, 2011 10:26
 
 Reply Vote
 - RE: Return of the Linux Quiz
 
 @Bates_ Novell NetWare had the fas<a href="http://www.tran33m.com/vb/">t</a>est throughput and fairly small memory requirement. Windows for Workgroups 3.11 was a vast improve<a href="http://vb.maas1.com/">m</a>ent on the IBM designed NetBIOS that when loaded into memory, wouldn't let you run Lotus 123. Novell was forced to play 'catch up' and eventually brought out a 'proper' Windo<a href="http://www.walah-m.com/vb/">w</a>s Netware client. But it was too late, M$ had the market to themselves by then.
 
 alasiri10
 9 July, 2011 12:11
 
 Reply Vote
- GOOGLE CHROME IS UBUNTU BASED
 
 @homeblend those refrences on wikipedia are POOR the first one says they are transitioning to portage that doesn't mean they are transition to gentoo . it is based on ubuntu 8.04 and uses portage system .
 
 Alaukik
 10 May, 2011 02:45
 
 Reply Vote
- RE: Return of the Linux Quiz
 
 @homeblend
 I disagreed with the RHEL question as well. In addition to CentOS, Red Hat does not actually sell a version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux either, they sell support for it. I can't say that I am familiar with the licensing terms of Oracle's RHEL clone; thankfully, I have nothing to do with that evil company.
 
 NetAdmin1178
 10 May, 2011 09:07
 
 Reply Vote
 - I have a cr48 Google Chrome OS Laptop
 
 @NetAdmin1178, @homeblend
 I have a cr48 Google Chrome OS Laptop. I got it free of charge from Google. I have developed for Google. Also, I have hacked and hacked and hacked on this machine. I can assure you it is based off of Ubuntu.
 
 Thanks for trying though.
 
 dtigue@...
 10 May, 2011 09:58
 
 Reply Vote
With all due respect, that Wubi question is wrong

There is NO way to run Ubuntu in Windows as an application without using a virtualization software. I've tried using WUBI and EVERY SINGLE TIME it simply installs Ubuntu to boot up ALONGSIDE my Windows 7 installation instead of Windows if I choose the Ubuntu bootup entry.

Lerianis10
9 May, 2011 12:33

Reply Vote
- Partially agree, partially disagree
  
  @Lerianis10
  
  I just looked at the Wubi page and it does indicate that it only sets up a dual-boot system.
  
  However, Portable Ubuntu (last version based on Ubuntu 9.10) does what he describes, letting Ubuntu actually run like a Windows program.
  
  Rick_R
  9 May, 2011 15:13
  
  Reply Vote
  - RE: Return of the Linux Quiz
    
    @Lerianis10
    
    Wubi also places itself in your add/remove programs list in Windows which is probably how it considers itself an application.
    
    athaki
    10 May, 2011 09:21
    
    Reply Vote
Um..... SuSE Linux was available from MS

We actually thought about purchasing our SLES Licenses from MS as they offered full Novell support vs. the HP Supported version we bought. The only reason we didn't is that you had to buy 200 lics at a time. Quiz -1.

LMAO.. Tracker -2. My comment is attributed to jbattisti. We work for the same Large Co. and therefore use the same proxy. We are not the same. ;)

jbattisti
9 May, 2011 12:35

Reply Vote
RE: Return of the Linux Quiz

Chrome OS actually used to be based on Ubuntu too, but since 2010 it's using portage as a build system, so it's probably based on Gentoo now.

Loony Gnoll
9 May, 2011 13:02

Reply Vote
RE: Return of the Linux Quiz

10 out of 10! Woot!

What is this Linux thing again?

tlmck
9 May, 2011 17:40

Reply Vote
RE: Return of the Linux Quiz

Q4 has a typo, last I checked the Palmetto Open Source software conference is spelled POSSCON. Answer D is not valid.

RASkelton
10 May, 2011 08:16

Reply Vote
RE: Return of the Linux Quiz

"Windows for Workgroups, was an early attempt by Microsoft to create a peer-to-eer network.

DAMN IT!!! No where did I put that "P" on page nine?

Who says we don't need Proof Readers any more?!

The Rifleman
10 May, 2011 09:35

Reply Vote
RE: Return of the Linux Quiz

I got the one wrong about the Linux sellers. And glad to do so, Microsoft did at one time sell certificates to Novel Suse. That does GPL bind them, still waiting for a suit though. As for selling that clearly could not be CentOS. lol

Brotherred
10 May, 2011 20:58

Reply Vote
RE: Return of the Linux Quiz

Novell NetWare had the fastest throughput and fairly small memory requirement. Windows for Workgroups 3.11 was a vast improvement on the IBM designed NetBIOS that when loaded into memory, wouldn't let you run Lotus 123. Novell was forced to play 'catch up' and eventually brought out a 'proper' Windows Netware client. But it was too late, M$ had the market to themselves by then.

john_brock@...
13 May, 2011 02:34

Reply Vote
question 5 has a typo I think...

you need to change question 5 from "sell" to "offer" otherwise there are multiple right answers.

doh123
21 May, 2011 08:52

Reply Vote
RE: Return of the Linux Quiz

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MACKENZI
10 September, 2011 21:13

Reply Vote