Get on board the Linux bus. Destination: expertsville!

If you`re looking for a way into the weird and wonderful world of Linux (by weird we mean being able to install what you want without being branded a pirate. We also mean no longer having to worry about viruses corrupting your expensive machine), LOOK NO LONGER! This issue holds your hand and guides you through those first tentative steps to software freedom.

The Jargon File is now available. With a bit of luck, we'll continue to update, expand and improve it as time goes by. Thanks for all your feedback and suggestions!

Update: The URL is fixed and now matches the magazine. The guide can now be found at http://tuxradar.com/jargon. Sorry to anyone who's already shared the link - but it's important the magazine and the website match if possible.

We're going to record our first podcast of 2012 later this week. And as we're feeling a little cold, we want to warm things up with our first open ballot question of the year. We’re asking whether you think it’s Google, Microsoft or Apple that represents the biggest threat to our freedom, and why. We’ll give our opinions in the next podcast. If you’d like to hear your own, sign out of your Google account, delete your cookies and leave a comment. Double points for those with an amusing name.

The best gamekeepers used to be poachers, so what better way to keep your security in tip-top shape than by learning the dark arts of the hacker? We`ll teach you to break into networks, exploit services running remotely, beat encryption techniques, crack passwords and more.

We just wanted to let you know that the latest issue of Linux Format goes on sale today.

On our disc double-pack you`ll find full versions of Fedora 16 and OpenSUSE 12.1. That`s 6330 packages alongside all our other great content.

Take advantage of our Christmas subscription campaign, saving up to 50%, by following this link: http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/content/lp/linuxformat

Issue 153 of Linux Format is due out next Thursday, the 8th December. It has a great cover illustration, and as a little preview of what's coming in that issue, we thought we'd share it on TuxRadar as a wallpaper for your desktops.

We'll be adding it to the pool of Linux Format cover wallpapers, where you can download this cover and loads of others.

Out of the staff here at Linux Format, only one of us actually has a Computer Science degree. The rest of us ended up in the job as a result of our hobbies, random hacking and volunteering in various open source communities.

This got us thinking, how worthwhile are Computer Science degrees? Many technology companies complain that graduates, even of Computer Science, arrive with little understanding of how to work in industry - knowledge of version control and the like - and often lack knowledge of basic coding paradigms.

Jon had never had a Pot Noodle. Mike was shocked.

Mike had never tried Arch Linux. Jon was shocked.

A bet followed...

Here at LXF towers, we're working hard to get ahead of ourselves so we can enjoy a well earned break over Christmas. As such, we've planned the content for Issue 155, to be published in January (keeping three issues in mind at once is very confusing!) and decided that for the cover story, we'd create the ultimate newbie guide to Linux - and your insights are the key to us really making this the 'ultimate' newbie guide.

The plan is to explain what Linux is, what free and open source software is, how to get started with it, all the cool things it lets you do, and so much more.

But, we were wondering, when you first started using Linux, is there anything you know now that you wish you knew then?

Please, let us know in the comments, and help us to make this the ultimate newbie guide.

Ahhh, lovely WebOS. It's Linux powered, it looks great, and it boasted fluid multitasking capabilities back when iOS users were still struggling with push notifications. Unfortunately, it hasn't managed to make a big impact in the mobile market, with Palm's smartphone devices and the HP TouchPad failing to get much traction. But it's sad when such great software dies, so many pundits around the net are speculating that a company such as Oracle will buy it up.

We'll be recording our next podcast on Monday, so we want to hear from you: who should buy WebOS? Which company could make the best use of this shiny mobile platform? Would it be safe in Oracle's hands? Or should we forget about it and focus on Tizen instead? Let us know in the comments below, and we'll read out the most intriguing musings in our upcoming episode.

We're having a bit of a clear-out here at LXF Towers, and we've come across some goodies to give away. We have three sheets of stickers (readers loved these) and six boxes of fridge magnets. If you fancy some of these goodies, simply leave your best Linux joke in the comments below (tasteful, please!) and we'll choose the best in a week or so. Please also leave your email address in ROT13 format (to avoid spambots) so that we can contact winners for their addresses.

Go on -- make us laugh!

If you've read Mike's farewell blog post on the LXF site, you'll know that he's heading off to Weißbier-land. Well, this opens up a new position at Linux Format Towers -- we're looking for a Digital Media Editor. In a nutshell, you'll be the next Mike, creating the multi-booting DVD, writing articles for the magazine, helping out with the websites and buying the odd round at the pub.

This revealing chart is causing a bit of a stir around the internet. Basically, it points out one thing: that Android phones aren't guaranteed to get timely updates, or even any updates at all. Many devices are released with previous versions of the operating system, and fall rapidly behind, never getting to sample the latest Android goodness. Compare this to Apple, where the situation is somewhat rosier (although iOS has its own limitations as we all know).

So as we stoke the boiler for our next podcast recording, we want to hear your opinion: is this a problem? Have you bought an Android phone, and dismayed when you can't get the latest Android releases? Perhaps you've very carefully chosen a phone with a guaranteed update lifespan, or you simply don't care, and just want the beeping gizmo thing to work well. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and we'll read out the best in the podcast.

When we asked listeners of TuxRadar to send in beer, we all thought we were being a little optimistic. Well, thanks to Wayne Rooney (not the football player, though he assures us that is his real name) our optimism and faith in our listeners proved to be well placed!

Hailing from New Zealand, where it's legal to own a still and make your own spirits, he kindly sent two bottles of his homebrew whisky. None of us expected to be whisky tasting on a Monday morning, but it was a definite plus.

Flamewars and controversies are ten-a-penny in the ever-changing world of computing, but Ubuntu 11.04's switch away from Gnome to Unity caused a particularly large dollop of anger to be spooned onto the internet. While some users cheered the new desktop design, many others felt frustrated by its limitations and glitches. So as we gear up to record our next podcast, we want to hear from Ubuntu users: how do you feel about 11.10's Unity? Has it changed sufficiently to fix any problems you had previously? Is it worse in any respects? Or has it made you simply switch to Xfce?

Let us know in the comments below, and we'll read out the best in our next podcast. Ta!

Love the UK's biggest-selling Linux magazine? Also have a secret soft-spot for shiny Apple gadgets? Well, Linux Format is now available on the iOS App Store, through both Newsstand and as a standalone application for older devices. You can download the most recent issue on its own, or take out a subscription. Click (or tap!) here to get the latest offer and carry info-packed LXF goodness on your tablet today.

By the end of the decade, you might not be able to install Linux on a random, off-the-shelf PC. At least, not easily. This is because the UEFI "secure boot" system is being pushed by Microsoft, and could restrict the installation of other operating systems. You see, in order to boot an OS, the bootloader will need to be signed with special keys, which causes complications for totally open, free-as-in-freedom GPLed software. There may be ways around it, but it'll be fiddly.

Silly babies. They can't talk about cricket, they have stumpy little limbs, and they don't know the difference between an Imperial Courier and an Imperial Trader. What's the point of them? Still, they happen, and the uncertainty of their exact arrival dates can cause problems in the workplace. So yes, due to the potential arrival of a new mini LXF crew member in the next few hours, we've had to delay the podcast by a bit. We're hoping to have it done by Monday or so - can you handle the excitement?

Well, after reading everyone else's favourite LXF moments from the last 150 issues, today's the day that issue 150 goes on sale! To celebrate, you get to enjoy these reflections from the newest member of our team, Jonathan Roberts:

I'm still relatively new to the LXF staff, but that doesn't mean I'm new to LXF. Before joining the team here, I was a reader for many years and enjoyed going in to Smiths once a month to buy the new issue - I'd then get it home and read it almost cover to cover.

It’s Graham Morrison’s turn to divulge his choice picks from his time at Linux Format:

There have been many memorable moments. And the vast majority have been positive. But inevitably, as I'm sure any Linux writer will concur, it’s the tough projects that stick in your mind.