Why use Linux?
Linux contributes to social harmony because it is owned by the people who use it rather than some faceless corporation. It is founded on the principle that sharing knowledge creates a fairer society where everyone can access and make use of high quality free software to improve their lives regardless of their background, colour or creed. Free software is a noble cause and a force for good in what has become a selfish and anti-social world. And last but not least it restored my faith in humanity when I thought it was faltering. These are just some of the reasons why I love Linux and to remind myself of this I maintain this list of compelling reasons for using it. Our day has come but we need to keep on nailing home the message that there is a much better way to think about computers and the vital role they now play in our lives. What we all ultimately want is freedom and choice. We have it already and it offers us a sound alternative but we may not have it for much longer if certain forces have their way. That freedom has to be defended and can never be taken for granted
Free software gives you back control over your computer
Community
Linux is
all about community and sharing information about how computers work - it's built and maintained by volunteers for the benefit of
those volunteers and anyone else who wants or needs to use the software for what ever reasons they like. Anyone who uses
Linux automatically has full access to a friendly, helpful and supportive community of fellow Linux users who are only too
happy to help solve someone else's problems. They genuinely like to help you out
With Linux everything is open and nothing is kept secret under lock and
key as it is in the world of proprietary software. This transparency forces Linux contributors to act with integrity and to
think and behave in a way that serves others as much as it serves themselves. Giving is just as important as receiving and most
of us would agree that we have all individually benefited immeasurably from the work of others at no cost to ourselves whatsoever.
Some people give their time for altruistic reasons and find it hugely rewarding because they have recognised that there is great value
to be gained in collaborating with others for the benefit of society. Computers are a social phenomenom and right now we are living
on the crest of a wave, technologically speaking, but the freedoms Linux gives us need to be defended. To do this we need more
people to support Linux and this is where you can help it happen
Philosophy
Software should be free and available to anyone to use, study and modify for whatever use they see fit. The world already has tons of high quality free software that is peer reviewed and tested to death before release and there is no excuse not to lever what is already there and use it in new software projects. Imagine the speed with which new projects could be completed if it were that simple. Free and open source software (FOSS) makes this a reality because you can get your software built rather than have to spend half your time with lawyers checking over patents to see if you are breaking the law. You can produce a better software product if you integrate pieces of high quality and well tested code to implement constitiuent parts of your project rather than invent the wheel from scratch every time you start a new project. This can be a smart way to work and can save time and money when either of those resources are scarce and is one of the reasons why lots of large software purchasers are looking to open source software now that we are in a recession. It makes perfect sense economically as well as technnically
Some entities want to dominate us and control our computers and the software we use because there are serious fortunes to be made by whoever can gain the most control. Governments want more control of the internet and there are rumblings that some powerful people intend to lock down all computers from here to Mars using a system called treacherous computing. This degree of control is the antithesis of everything Linux stands for and it should be resisted at all costs because it is a movement that wants to digitally handcuff everyone on the planet, spy on them and rule them by division, paranoia and fear from a centralised point of command and control. They do all this under the guise of intellectual property protection and anti-counterfeiting measures but the real intention behind all it is to create an even more repressive society where individials are under constant surveillance. Windows 7 and Vista, which are 'DRM ready' are already spying on people and if this knowledge is repeated often enough then we can drive people over to Linux in droves if we can make them see that Linux is the best way to rebel against oppression and preserve our hard won freedoms. These are freedoms that even Hitler could not take from us yet they are in real danger and Linux offers us a way out if more people catch themselves on
Linux is easy to learn and very pleasant to use
If you buy a Windows PC or a Mac you get an operating system and not much else. You will then want applications such as an office suite, jukebox, movie player, video editor and so on. The main problem is that you first need to search for them on the internet, download and install them, and often you pay serious money for them. Then there is all the hassle with driver hell and having to reboot your computer everytime you make the most trivial of system level changes. Linux is much different in this respect because it has a built in Software Centre where you go when you need new applications. Just like a catalogue it lists all the available applications and even includes user ratings and reviews for each. When you see one you like you simply click a button and the application is downloaded and installed along with any other pieces of software that are required. You dont need to reboot and you can just open the application up as soon as it is downloaded. It is that simple and this is one of many highlights that make Linux a far more pleasant experience than using Windows. Reading about this is fine but you will only grow to love this whole philosophy as much as I have if you actually download Linux and try it for yourself. I am sure you will love it too
Choice
There are dozens of Linux distributions available and there is a high level of compatibility between systems. Some versions of Linux are packaged for office work while others are bundled with applications for creative work such as professional audio recording, video production and digital photography. Learning one version of Linux means you can easily drive others because the skills you learn are transferrable and won't be obsolete in five years time. Linux offers many options for customising it's look and feel, and perhaps best of all, it's behaviour.
Support
There is lots of first class support freely available on the internet for Linux users and that support is of a very high quality. My Linux experience has taught me that it is actually easier to fix a Linux machine than one of the other kinds and believe me I have built and fixed a lot of computersinb ym time. If really want to you can even buy telephone and email support for around €40 a year per desktop that covers any software related issues that prevent you from using your computer. Free support is just as good however and it can usually always help you fix your computing problems quickly. Newbies are always treated with respect in Linux forums and experienced Linux users always like to help you fix your computer. There is no such thing as a silly question
Easy Troubleshooting
Linux creates
log files of system events and tries to provide you with all the information you need if you encounter problems. This transparency
means that you can often find the source of problems by looking in the logs. In Linux forums you are often asked to post the contents
a log file so that people can help you diagnose the problem. Other operating systems deliberately obscure this information hence the
jokes about Windows needing to be re-installed twice every week - if you can't get at the right information you can't fix the problem
Unshackled licensing model
Linux is licensed in a way that works for the end user and not against her like a proprietary license does. This license is called the GNU General Public License (or GPL) and it works as a copy-left license meaning that you own and control your software instead of it owning and controlling you. You can install multiple copies of Linux on one computer or on one hundred computers without paying a single cent in license fees and you may change the software in any way you like. You can also legally give away copies of the software to your friends free of charge or in return for payment. It is your choice
Polished desktop environments
The refinements now seen on Linux desktops often blows away anything you would see on any other types of computer. Linux makers are now employing talented people who specialise in interface design, user interaction and graphic design to make Linux the coolest desktop available and with the release of Ubuntu 10.04 (The Lucid Lynx) they have struck a real blow in this respect. With Linux you have a choice of two main desktop environments - Gnome and KDE . Gnome desktop takes a restrained approach and is an ideal desktop for beginners but also preferred by some long term Linux users such as myself. KDE desktop is more like using Windows only better and has even had some of it's features poached by proprietary systems. There are also lightweight linux desktops available which allow you to comfortably run Linux on old or low spec computers and on notebooks. Both desktops are very easy to customize and there is a great choice of themes available for each
Driver support
Linux usually works right 'out the box' :-) with all your hardware. There is no need to hunt down and install drivers for common peripherals like monitors, printers and pluggable USB devices because the drivers are already built right into the Linux kernel. There are lists available of Linux friendly hardware manufacturers to consider when you need new hardware but generally you need not concern yourself with driver hell in the Linux world. Some people have had problems with mobile broadband dongles but this situation is improving all the time and many people now use mobile broadband on Linux
Security
Viruses and malware are rarely if ever found on a Linux machine and I have never found one. Rogue programs and processes are not allowed to run rampant throughout the system by default. You don't permanently operate a Linux computer as an admin like you do on other systems. If Linux needed lots of third party security applications then it would be defective by design and just another flavour of the centuries old problem / reaction / solution manipulation technique that is used to con people who don't know the truth. I've never used anti-virus software on Linux and I've never had a virus
Reliability
Linux was initially designed as a server operating system which would rarely if ever need rebooting. Even Google uses it. The core software in any stable Linux distribution (distro) is all thoroughly tested before release and does not freeze or crash although some of the newer desktop applications may be buggy. Linux was derived from the Unix operating system which has been continually developed and refined for over 40 years and it's proven reliability is the main reason why it often used a server operating system
Freedom
You can study
the Linux source code to learn exactly how the system works and modify it in any way you see fit. You can use it on any type of
computing device and freely experiment with your new system and it's various hardware concoctions and there is no-one who can stop
you doing this. This is what free software is all about and why open source software is great for people who want to innovate and
create things that are genuinely useful and in some cases even better than commercial offerings
Trust
People who make Linux are rarely motivated by money but instead do it for peer recognition, personal satisfaction and friendship through making personal contributions to projects that are worked on by individuals from all over the world. New software features are developed to meet the genuine needs of the users and not because the marketing department thinks so. Linux has no need for a marketing department because it is developed to meet the needs of it's users and there is no need to bullshit people about what it does and how it works
More potential for creating better software applications
All the software you need for work and play can be freely downloaded from the net and the applications are improving all the time as more programmers take up Linux development. More developers want the kind of freedom that only free software development can offer them rather than work for behemoths like Microsoft and Adobe Systems where all their good work gets hidden away under lock and key and where no one ever sees it. The alternative can be much more rewarding because all your work is highly visible and your name gets around thanks to peer recognition. If you know C# programming, like myself, and are familiar with writing Windows applications you can now develop C#.net and Visual Basic applications on Linux using monodevelop and port your applications to Linux, Mac and Windows. Huh. The Gnome desktop badly needs a decent photo manager and someday soon some college kid might make a name for himself by creating a Linux photo managment app in C# that blows us all away. Just watch
Usability
On the Linux desktop there is great scope for customisation and there is a wide choice of very good visual themes available. There are hundreds of tweaks you can make to get your system to behave in ways that can greatly help your workflow and productivity. A Linux system, while offering the ultimate in flexibility, rarely gets in your way and interruptions for system updates are very brief. You wont find a Linux box interrupting your work flow every hour to download megabytes of undocumented and secretive 'security updates' or 'bug fixes' for code that should have been properly tested in the first place
Ease of installation
Linux is now easier and faster to
install than Windows. It would be very difficult to cock up a Linux installation attempt because the installer's graphical
interface walks you through it step by step. If you have Windows installed, Linux will respect that fact and install itself beside
your Windows installation. Linux creates a system start up menu offering you the choice to boot up into either Linux or Windows. Other
operating systems are not as accomodating as this and Linux is much nicer
During the installation process Linux even asks if you want to import your Windows documents so that they become available to you on your Linux desktop. You can open, modify and save docs on your Windows drive, reboot into Windows and witness the changes
Final Thoughts
Once you start using Linux on a daily basis it becomes very familiar. Some try it and don't like it but many try it and never go back. I first toyed with Linux in 2002 but due to more pressing commitments I did not have the time back then to pursue my interest any further. Now I use Linux Mint every day for maintaining this website, running a local testing web server, C# programming, writing, digital photography and painting, instant messaging, youtube and so on. That is a lot of bang for buck from something that some closed minded people perceive as being inferior just because it is a community based project and free as in beer. For me the the real value comes from having the freedom to do what I want with the software and use it in any way I like. To rest my case I will leave you to ponder on a quote from the free software definition
"Free software" is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of "free" as in "free speech," not as in "free beer."
Links
Dell Recommends Linux
Ten Reasons to Dump Windows and Use Linux
Watch a video by Stephen Fry explaining the philosophy and importance of free software
A picture that says it all about the licensing model
Tons of support is available in the Ubuntu community forums
Ubuntu Linux paid desktop support
