Intimidation
I am sure that you have at least heard of Linux before. Perhaps it was mentioned by one of those geeky Linux rebels, or maybe you heard about it in some tech news site. Possibly you may have tried to download it and install it, only to be infinitely confused. Don’t worry – it’s not that hard.
The purpose of this series is not to “introduce” you to Linux, but to get you working almost exclusively out of it. You do not have to use Linux exclusively, but by the time you have tried all this stuff, you’ll probably want to.
Windows users often say, “I have gotten so used to my pretty little Windows interface … I have my desktop the way I want it … and I play games. I like Windows. Can I transfer my settings easily?” Of course not! There is nothing easy about making the switch, and it will take some getting used to.
With that in mind, take a deep breath. Linux can be intimidating at times. Yet, if you follow these instructions and have a good time, you may find yourself using Linux more than Windows.
What is Linux?
Simly put, Linux is an operating system. There are many other operating system (OS) choices out there. Windows is an extremely popular OS. MacOS is also another popular OS but which is used on the Apple platform. Each OS is usually developed for a specific set of architectures, systems, and environments. For example, you wouldn’t want to run DOS on your super-fast Pentium 4 system. Alternatively, your old Sparc box can’t run Windows XP at all because it is not written for the Sparc architecture.
Linux is also well known because it is a popular open source operating system. This means that the source code to Linux is available to all who wish to view it. More practically, however, it means Linux is free and open to distribution.
Why Linux?
Linux is proven to be faster, more reliable and more secure than Windows operating systems. Linux is based on UNIX but was developed by many programmers who stole no actual code from UNIX, only ideas. The result is not just free, as in beer, but free, as in liberty. With Linux, there’s no product activation, no Microsoft (M$) spies breathing down your neck. There is little risk in viruses and almost no risk in spy ware. Linux comes with enough free software to keep you occupied for a while and the commercial software base for Linux continues to grow. Linux is simply the best free deal you will ever have a chance to capitalize on.
But, I’m Happy With Windows!
Oh, so you think you are happy with Windows, eh? Do you have to run antiviral checks every few days? Has your computer been gradually slowing down? Do you get so-called “Blue Screens of Death” often? Did you have to fork over a lot of money for Office? Have you been hit by the MS Blaster or Klez worm? Are you tired of using Internet Explorer? All these problems and many more can be resolved by using Linux.
Not to mention that it is free while Windows pricing continues to rise. Not only that, but most software for Linux is also free. So, are you convinced yet?
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Oh, so you think you’re happy with Linux, eh? How about the half-day you spent getting the video to work and the new card that you had to buy? How about the assumption that you are an expert and the consequently shorthand instructions that are useless to anyone but an IT graduate? How about the instructions that are just plain wrong (“All you have to do is download it and burn a disc…”) How about having to go to four different forums to find an answer because the first two of them tell you that it’s easy and you should be able to figure this out after you klemtate the horgel and doesn’t tell you that it won’t unless you fleeg first, and the third one starts talking about some other issue like how evil Microsoft is for providing the world with OSes that work. How about unspecified dependencies? How about the whole attitude that people really want to spend their time solving puzzles instead of getting to accomplish the work that they got their computers to do?