Fact: Linux users love Linux.
...but is it a better choice than Windows?
06-28-2006: The lowdown on Linux. It's more secure than any version of Microsoft Windows, it's more stable with fewer crashes, is immune to the majority of viruses, and many distributions are completely free to download. Thousands of applications are available that are open source and free to download, and to many users, the strongest argument for using Linux is that it's notMicrosoft. I currently have both a Microsoft OS installed as well as a current Linux distribution (SuSE 10.1) on my AMD64 based machine, and I have to admit that the one standout element that I continue to enjoy in Linux is the abundance of freely distributed open source software, and unlike Windows, a complete absence of applications trying to connect theirselves to the Internet, prompts to "register" your software, other various annoyances. It's well summed up in this article from mostly-linux.com. Regarding the open-source software, Linux distributions such as SuSE, Mandriva, Kubuntu, Fedora (Red Hat), Debian and others come loaded with well thought-out and refined applications for everything you might want to do including web browsing, file-sharing, photo management and sharing, web page creation, games, chat, email, multimedia, video, photos, editing, creating, authoring,... you name it. You can even install Linux and Windows on the same machine (Linux installs a nice "bootloader" that prompts the user on startup to choose which system to boot). If you choose to load both, I would recommend each operating system have it's own hard drive. This means an actual second drive, not just it's own partition.
Not sure if you'll like Linux? This is a great thing... many Linux Distributions have what is called a "Live" CD. With a "Live" CD, you can put the CD into your drive, boot Linux, try it out for as long as you like, and it will not install anything because it will run entirely from the CD. If you don't like Linux, you simply remove the CD and restart your computer. No harm done.
Cost... Does cost matter? Of course. As I write this, Microsoft Vista has yet to be released (I just received notice from Microsoft that the Beta 2 is available to Beta testers), and what I have read indicates that when it finally hits retail shelves, the full featured "Vista Ultimate" version of Windows will cost $459. There will be other variations that cost less, however they lack certain security and multimedia features along with a friendly popup reminder instructing you how to "upgrade" directly through Microsoft. Linux however, can be downloaded for free, or alternatively, obtain install CD's for a few dollars in most cases. I wanted a 64 bit operating system (Win XP is only 32 bit) to take advantage of the AMD64 processor that is available now, I downloaded Open SuSE 10.1 and have also tried Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Mandriva, as well as an enhanced "security suite" version of Linux that includes a number of security, network, and capture & analysis tools.
Bottom Line... If you have had virus or security problems in the past, want loads of free software and programs, or are simply ready for a change, Linux has come of age with a very refined, user friendly install and user interface. If you're unsure, try one of the "Live CD's" that run Linux from the CD Drive and install nothing on the computer. If you're ready to make the plunge, here are a few useful resources.
Linux Links : : :
- Download Mandriva - A free download, and my recommendation for first time Linux users.
- Open SuSE - A very polished distro
- http://distrowatch.com - Info hub and news on the majority of Linux distros
- See it! - See a video of what SuSE 10.1 looks like and works like.
- www.osvids.com - See a video of almost any Linux distro and other OS's look like.
- Showdown! - SuSE10.1 versus Windows Vista Ultimate
- KDE - The Linux 'K' Desktop Environment
- Linux Today - A site filled with ads from Microsoft trying to convince Linux users why Microsoft is better.
- My SuSE 10.1 - My actual SuSE 10.1 desktop snapshot
