For this article I’d like to take a different direction concerning Linux. Is it all too typical on the internet to hear a Linux user go full-on zealot style and say, "YEAH! I use Linux! F**k Microsoft! You people are sheeple! Down with the status quo!" Blah, blah, blah, frickin’ blah. Nobody cares. It’s as if a Linux user can’t possibly say anything about the operating system he or she uses without mentioning Microsoft and/or what most people use for their personal computing and how it’s "wrong/bad/evil", etc. To those zealots, I say unto thee: Shaddup. You’re not helping.

Truly happy Linux people couldn’t care less about Microsoft whatsoever. Instead, they just get down to business and make things work. Whether it’s for desktop, laptop, media center use or what-have-you, instead of bickering about Microsoft they’re getting things done, which of course is what matters the most.

The good Linux users I know don’t even talk about Microsoft. Never will you see a "windoze", "winblows", "M$" or "Micro$oft" in anything they blog about. To note, those that do write those childish things are morons because as said above, nobody cares. You don’t see me calling Linux users tux turds, penguin poopers or GUI-challenged, do you?

Good Linux users tell good stories about the things they’re doing now, such as:

"On my 32-bit system I can now access all 4GB of my RAM. Now I don’t have to buy a new computer!"

"I’ve been able to keep my computer running for two solid weeks straight without a single reboot."

"I really like the Evolution mail client. I really like the iCalShare connectivity too!"

"I love the games I’m playing. Great stuff!"

These are the types of stories I like to hear. And yes, they’re out there on the internet. Sometimes it takes a little time to seek them out but they do exist. You can find happy Linux users that say nothing of Microsoft because it simply doesn’t matter.

At no time from these folks will you see, "Well I was using Outlook.. what a PIECE OF CRAP THAT WAS.. I HATE MICRO$OFT! Evolution rulez!!11!1 KDE! GNOME! (penguins.. tux.. uh.. no mouse.. yeah!)"

No, no, no.. stop. Just stop.

I suggest a new line of thinking for fervent Linux users: Cut the anti-Microsoft crap. Cut it completely out of your conversation. Cut it out of your spoken word, your blogs, your videos and so on. Why are you giving Microsoft free advertising? People don’t care about your anti-Microsoft opinions because they’ve already heard them a million times by at least a million other people, so you are not adding anything new or helpful to the conversation.

Tell us what you do with Linux. Tell us the apps you use. Tell us why you prefer specific Linux apps over others. Give us useful information.

Computer use as far as operating systems is concerned is to the point where people will use what they use because that’s what they’re used to. Windows people will continue to use Windows. Mac people will continue to use OS X. Linux folks their distro o’ choice. Yes, very obvious, but that’s the way it is.

Those who are interested in Linux want to hear about (duh) Linux, and not your anti-Microsoft point of view. So please, try and be helpful, because after all, all computers are sh*t.

And to Linux zealots, fsck you.

More than a few PCMech readers truly don’t care about MySpace mainly due the reason they don’t see a purpose in using it.

I shall give you a 3 things you can do on MySpace that are easier compared to using other services.

Before I do, the thing to remember about that site is that it is a social tool. If you approach it as such it can work out quite well for you.

1. Easy scheduling with calendar app

MySpace does in fact have a calendaring app and it’s directly located off your profile’s home page. It’s easy to use and share event information with. It can also do reminders.

Reason why this is useful: If you have a group of people that need periodic notifications, this is one of the easiest ways to do it. Being that it’s in-system, the notifications are guaranteed to get to the people in your group (with e-mail, mail-outs can be flagged as spam by mistake).

2. Easy blogging

The blog application within MySpace is stupidly easy to use. This is one of the very few blog applications I’ve seen that anyone can use with absolutely zero experience. If you compare this to Microsoft Live Spaces, Yahoo 360 or even WordPress, MySpace’s way of doing it trumps them all in ease of use.

Reason why this is useful: Blogging should be easy and it doesn’t get any easier than MySpace. Furthermore the people in your friend list and groups can subscribe to you easily (there’s even RSS available).

3. Your bulletins will actually get read

When most people post bulletins on other social networks they rarely get read if at all. On MySpace for some magical reason the bulletins you post do get read by those in your friend/group list. Why do people read the bulletins of friends on MySpace but not other places? I have no idea – but it does work.

Reason why this is useful: Posting bulletins is not a waste of time because people will actually read them (for a change).

Still think it’s a big waste of time?

As said above, if you approach MySpace as a social tool you will find use out of it. The reason that site maintains its popularity is largely due to its easy-as-pie social connectivity. Use it to your advantage and you’ll be pleased with the results.

And if you still don’t like it, well.. it’s free so you can’t complain.