Why Use Linux?

by on Apr 11, 2008 | 225 comments

The other day I got into a somewhat heated discussion about why Linux is a viable alternative desktop OS. Despite my best efforts, I was unable to move the other side past the rhetoric and myths that seem to surround Linux. It is because of this discussion that I am writing this…as a way to give accurate information. Let’s start by looking at some of the most common myths.

Myth 1: “Linux is hard to install”

This could not be further from the truth. Many Linux distributions are as easy, if not easier. to install as Windows. Ubuntu, Linux Mint and PCLinuxOS are but three of the most popular. The install is nothing more than a few mouse clicks and basic options like timezone, language and name. All these are explained well and you need to provide the same information when installing ANY operating system.

Linux Penguin

Myth 2: “Linux does not recognize my hardware”

Like all Operating Systems, Linux requires “drivers” in order to use a piece of hardware like a sound card or modem, etc. Also like other OSs, if your system is cutting edge with the latest and greatest, there may be challenges at first. This doesn’t happen with Microsoft Windows? A year after it’s release, Windows VISTA is still suffering from poor driver support! The fact is, if your system is 6 months old, hardware support is usually a non-issue.

Myth 3: “Linux is too complicated to use”

In what way? It has a graphical interface with a mouse and windows. It has an auto-updater to keep things current. It has software add/remove capabilities that allow you to install programs with a couple mouse clicks. It even has many apps found in Windows and Mac OS X like Firefox, Thunderbird, Pidgin, Audacity, etc. It’s as easy as Windows…just different. Let’s put it this way, if all you ever knew was Linux and you decided to try Windows for the first time, I’m sure you would find Windows complicated and hard to use too.

Myth 4: “There are no applications available”

One of the points thrown at me during my discussion went something like, “Walk into a computer store and try to find a single Linux app on the shelf…you won’t find any”. Until now I’m not sure what that had to do with anything. There are many thousands of applications available, for free, and are readily available for download. Many Linux distros even come with a point and click interface to download and install these apps without effort. To say there are no applications available is not only a myth but a flat out lie.

Some reasons to use Linux

There are many more “myths” hanging over Linux, but those were some of the more common ones. Let’s now look at a few reasons why one should consider Linux.

Reason 1: Security

Viruses are less of a threat on Linux. The very way a Linux system is designed makes it very difficult for a virus to function as it does in Windows. This also applies to spyware, malware, etc. The fact that almost no viruses are written for Linux also adds a nicer sense of warmth. Wouldn’t be nice to read the almost endless stream of security holes in Windows and know it does not apply to you?

Reason 2: Updatability

Linux is in a constant state of development and improvement by professional and semi-professional developers who donate their time and skills to the various projects. In addition, the majority of the system and available applications are Open source, so if you wish and you had the ability, you could add any feature you needed. Linux also has the ability to expand the life of many systems as it’s reduced overhead and need for system resources means that it will run great on older machines.

Reason 3: Support

Yes, support. As hard as it is to accept, you can easily get support when you do run into difficulties. In addition to the plethora of online forms, both independant and those provided by the distro supplier, there are also more and more 3rd party service providers that offer service contracts for Linux systems. Good to have in a corporate/business environment. There is also support offered by more and more traditional Technology names such as Dell, IBM, Novell, Sun and others. And finally, for support a little closer to home, most major cities have Linux User Groups that can and do offer help and advice. Help and Support IS available and does not usually mean spending hours on hold to speak to someone in a call center on the other side of the planet.

Reason 4: Self-improvement

Personally, this is one of the most important reasons why I switched. Linux gave me the chance to learn new skills, gain deeper insights into how computers work and provided an excellent platform to develop on. Some people may be satisfied with going through life with blinders on and living the “status-quo”. For those that enjoy the how/what/why of life, Linux is an excellent choice.

Reason 5: Cost

Most people would put this at the top of the list. For me, cost is one of the least important reasons to switch to Linux. However, the cost advantage of Linux is huge. In a nutshell, you get the complete OS, thousands upon thousands of applications AND support for the grand total price of….$0! We’re not talking a watered down, feature deprived OS either…we’re talking a full-blown, complete, enterprise ready OS…for free. “But my time is worth something and the extra effort needed with Linux cost me money.”, alright…and how much does it cost you when Windows bluescreens in the middle of editing a large report that hasn’t been saved? Or how about when a virus or spyware prevents you from even using your system…probably costs you a lot.

So you see, you are going to hear a lot about why you should not use Linux, and they are going to give you many reasons why you shouldn’t…just very few good reasons.

If you are interested in trying Linux, I would recommend Ubuntu, Linux Mint or PCLinuxOS. Download their LiveCDs. Booting to a LiveCD allows you to try and use a complete Linux environment without making any changes to your hard drive. Once down, just reboot and go back into windows as normal.

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  • http://mcdavey7@yahoo.com mcdavey

    ok honestly, if you use linux you almost HAVE to have a windows xp partition. Which is really quite simple considering all the computers are shipping with over 160gb hard drives now( at least those worth a damn). besides you can even tri boot on an 80gb hard drive with the normal app’s people use such as internet explorers, office programs, etc. Also It does have a great deal to do with the distro you choose of linux when it comes to your individual machine. Although Kubuntu and Ubuntu are becoming a very big norm now. Linux is just more safe to use for everyday tasks like on line banking, trading, etc. However, Windows is still very necessary. The point of this entire article was to say that Linux OS’s are a viable “alternative” to windows and often is much more “hacker proof”

  • Sidney

    I am also a new Linux convert after I got my Asus eeepc a while ago and I loved its linux system – fast startup, much less program crashing, use less memory – it is a really nice experience BUT I still need to say the fact, it is really un-user-friendly, or more clearly, un-noob-friendly.

    The first thing I would like to point out is language support. I know not many people speak as much languages as I do, but personally speaking, to install fonts and input method for Japanese, Korean and Chinese is really making noob away from Linux. There are forums that teach you how, but first, beginners won’t know how to check those, and even if they do, editing sources list and doing apt-get install in console scares them away.

    Installing new software has a similar problem. Some of them you will need to get from apt-get. While some is better, have installers. But I still experienced difficulty finding my newly installed program. Sometimes I have to eventually go to the root folder and find the link back – how many beginners will do that?

    The worst of all, Linux has a lot of different version created by different people – Xandros, Ubuntu, Red Hat, Gnome – to tell the truth, I still don’t know what differences they have. There isn’t a lot of advise a Linux virgin can get. But look at Windows, either XP or Vista, one newer one older, easy and simple. Or if you get a Mac book, you always get the one you need. And how many Linux laptop out there in the market except the one I am using? Correct me if I am wrong, I don’t find any. All these different Linux need to join together before they stand a chance.

    I mean, while Linux is really a nicely built system, trying to convince people (especially beginners) using them will definitely take a lot of time.

  • SSC

    Ubuntu Linux runs on 4 of 5 computers in my house. I’ve also installed it for about 15 different friends relatives and customers, including many seniors.

    Only two have switched back.

    One friend had to have XP installed (needed MS Office in school) after a solid year of using only Ubuntu.

    Suddenly XP wasn’t so easy for him to use anymore. Now he stays in Linux unless he has to use MS Office.

    Another friend bought a Microsoft Zune and as a result must have it hooked up to Windows. He is not interested in learning or using Linux until a way is found to interface with his Zune.

    So there you have it. Microsoft is only needed because of their proprietary apps and devices. And only because consumers aren’t aware of other choices.

    If MS Office ever loses the top rung as the defacto standard Office suite, it will never get back on top again.

    The fact that schools teach software from one company over others is just wrong. Schools should not support vendor lock in.

    Microsoft is no better than the IRS. Just a private company that has its hooks into our society too deeply for us to dislodge it.

  • Chris Grooms

    The fact is that Linux is still way behind. I’ve used it for 8 years. I do know what I am talking about, but I’m sure there will be plenty of comments after this one claiming that I’m a “noob”. Oh well, fact is, Linux is terrible. The only people that don’t seem to agree are people that are also pretty annoying and egotistical.

  • Jay

    Myths 1 & 2 are more truth than myth I feel. I have never been able to live-boot Ubuntu and have it “just work”. The wireless card won’t work properly on one laptop, and on the desktop it can’t see the hard disks because it doesn’t have the proper RAID driver. I know that people are quick to say “blame the manufacturer” and to be honest much of the fault does lie with them. But if popular adoption of Linux is to ever take hold on the average desktop Linux coders must start working on solutions to these problems without relying on the manufacturers for support.

    So why don’t I get involved with Linux, whether it be writing documentation or reporting bugs? Well, I’ve tried. When going into a newsgroup to ask for help, I get met with the “holier than thou”, “read the f—ing manual n00b” rhetoric. I assume that Linux coders and power users aren’t marketing majors based on this disrespect given to new users. Perhaps these people should begin supporting and helping people and, instead of flagrantly disrespecting new users, embracing them as welcome new members of a small but growing community.

    Fix the bugs, abandon the attitude, and Linux will be more popular than ever. Maintain the current course and Linux will continue to be associated with buggy applications and drivers, disrespectful users, and complete consternation.

  • James

    “It’s ridiculous the hassle you have to go through to install drivers or even programs. Exponentially harder and you know it.”

    Hmmm… I click on System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager, search for the package, right click and choose “mark for installation”, then click “Apply”. That’s “exponentially harder”?

  • Peter Short

    1) Upgrading is great, until the upgrade path does something bad. Then a normal user is stuck playing with obscure config files. Basically if you get in trouble then its hard(very very hard) to get out.
    2) Windows does have drivers for most things. Ive never been stuck at 2am at night scanning forums to find a driver to make my wireless lan work.
    3) Linux is easy to use, if you are only interested in mail / internet and basic office stuff.
    4) Linux is as free as your time.
    5) Gaming for linux is not free. Wine is dodgy and Cedega is a monthly subscription fee.

  • http://3magin8.com 3magin8

    I use linux at school. it is very easy to install. i used to think it was complicated. I was wrong.

  • John Smith

    I find it hard to believe that you call a forum, a means of support. If you are a semi-computer savvy person, you are well aware of online forums, however this is again something that only exists ONLINE. Window$, as well as most Micro$oft products have a number to call. As lame as to talk to a foreigner for tech support, that is what 70% of window$ users will use. As a ex-worker from GeekSquad, I spend 99% of my calls trouble shooting windows problems. When training my replacement all i had to teach was some simple windows fixes, and the occasional apple fix. It would have blown my mind to need to talk some one into reseting their network parameters, or installing some repositories , OVER THE PHONE. This is the my only problem, tech support. No average user will even think about going online for an answer, I know they are there, I helped write many articles for quick windows fixes. But no one will even spend the time of day to read them, they would rather spend 2$ a minute to talk on the phone to some one.

  • KEG

    Responding to 4 replies…

    1) Linux performance vs Windows performance…

    I’m glad you chose World of Warcraft as your metric, Jack D. I’ve run World of Warcraft under Windows XP and in Fedora using Cedega from game launch for over 2 years. I was a WOW addict like many are. I was in the second largest guild on my server and we competed to be the first to tackle areas like Molten Core and BWL, etc.

    I found my frame rates to be identical in XP and in Cedega. That’s right, the same. The game actually performed identically under BOTH platforms. One difference was, I had tweaked XP a lot to get it to run as fast as it could while still maintaining the highest visual quality settings. In Cedega I didn’t tweak anything. I did use identical visual settings.

    So if anything, you could argue Cedega was faster. That’s not a scientific approach however, even though it was testing the same application on the same hardware, the environments are obviously quite different. Nonetheless, your statement cannot be true.

    Even more amusing, during my entire time of high end 40 person raiding, several times my guildmates would experience a problem and they would all crash at once, and I wouldn’t. I’d be stuck in the game world, left to deal with a Molten Giant by myself. Everyone would later comeback and say “Did WOW just crash for everyone??” Everyone would say yes, except for me; the lone guy running Linux who didn’t experience the bug which triggered all the Windows clients to crash. I guess the W.I.N.E. team having made their own implementation of the WIN32 protocols, didn’t implement every mistake like Microsoft did. Wine Is Not an Emulator.

    2) DOOM3, Quake 4 are old games…

    Yeah, they are, but I see you left off ETQW, why? Could it be, because it came out late last year and it ruins your theory?

    3) I can’t go to the store buy brand new game X and be guaranteed it will work in Cedega or W.I.N.E…

    That’s true, no guarantees. If you’re 12 years old, like to buy a new game every weekend, play it for 3 days, then move on, Linux is not for you.

    You could always buy a console, like the PS3. Hey, you could put Linux on that too, bonus! ;)

    4) I didn’t pay for Windows so who cares…

    Someone said they never paid for Windows, implying they had less expectations or concerns as a result. First of all, you have paid for Windows if you’ve ever bought a new computer. The price is higher because you’re getting a licensed version of the OS. In addition to that, all that “great” “free software” that comes pre-installed is not really free. It’s just another reason for the vendor to boost the cost. An added cost you wouldn’t be getting if the computer didn’t come with Windows.

    Secondly, the entire world pays because of Microsoft. If you pay taxes anywhere in the world, you pay more because of Microsoft. The entire world is constantly in court, dealing with anti-monopoly issues resulting from their conduct and refusal to obey judgments that have gone against them.

    Thirdly, you pay more because of all of their decisions and the impact it has on the industry. They constantly fight against standards, keeping software and drivers less efficient than they could be. They use their power to shorten the life cycles of hardware products costing you more money for your computer.

    Vista is here, does anyone need it? No, but Microsoft is going to make you use it. You can’t stop them. You have no idea how much money they cost you.

    Regardless of that, if you use their products you should pay for them. I always have. Even though, I no longer use their products, I’ve paid for all of the ones in the past that I did. I’m an American. To pirate or steal software is to become un-American; if such a term exists. Our economy is based on companies reaping the rewards of their products. If you use it, you should pay for it. Of course you don’t have to, you can use GNU/Linux for free or pay for a Mac if you want an alternatives you can feel comfortable with.

    • Mark

      Wow KEG… You have some anger issues. Please seek help and soon!

      Apple = proprietary dictatorship

      Microsoft = big business who’s lost touch with the little people

      Linux = a bunch of geeks and WOW players who can’t find dates

      None of the three choices are great so let all just try to calm down and have some fun. We only go around once and getting all pissy really isn’t making this world a better place. :-)

  • Ferns

    I’ve carefully read every post in this thread and with just a few possible exceptions, all posters, for and against the arguement, appear to fit into the category of people “who know about computers”

    Until Linux, in whatever variety, installs and works easily for everyone “who doesn’t know much about computers”, and “who doesn’t particularly care to” other than switch on, check email, buy cd/dvd from Amazon, download cd/dvd not from Amazon, play game, switch off, which world wide is the far great number, then Linux is not going to be mainstream, no matter how much some would like it to be. Screen res and wireless are just two things that spring to mind right away as being stumbling blocks for mainstream take up.

    And it doesn’t matter if it’s free or not. If they were giving away free Ferrari’s, but people couldn’t get the engines to work, most people would stick to the same old clapped out rust buckets to get them where they want to be.

  • Vincent

    All these comments about how windows is better than linux are so ignorant? get some facts first please don’t believe everything you read in some website, go and try out things for yourselves. Linux has its great uses, just like how windows has. All these dumb arguments why one its better than the other are pointless if:

    1. you never use it
    2. your “friend* use it
    3. you don’t have any idea of how things work on the linux side
    4. you have no remote idea of how a OS works
    5. you have no idea of the internal differences of linux and windows and why those differences are there.

    At the end of the day its a tool, just like any other it has a time and purpose and linux serves it damn well, just like how windows does.

    So lets all have a nice cup of STFU tea and stop trolling because we don’t know how computers work. **Reminds me of christians trying to prove why/how Jesus is real**.

    - Vincent
    peace.

    • http://delaytactics.com Bernardo

      Read my post then – it’s right below yours. I like to think I have at least some idea of how computers work.

  • John Smith

    licensed version of a windows OS on a computer adds less then 10$ to the total cost for the OEM

  • http://delaytactics.com Bernardo

    Er, two myths I don’t agree with:
    1: Linux is complicated.
    It just is. I have encountered many more problems trying to install programs on Linux than on Windows. The software add/remove is bullshit, because half of it has some kind of compatibility error, which you then have to research on the internet in order to get it to work. If you don’t know what you’re doing, and get the wrong guide, you can fuck up your system beyond repair. I mean, come on. I agree that Linux is a lot better than many Windows users make it out to be, but it isn’t until you learn how to use it. Mac OSX has a more intuitive interface… Linux is only simple for users who want to use more basic functions like emails and the internet – for anything more advanced than that, it takes time to learn to use it. Time I don’t have.

    Also: a lot of the software for Linux is unfamiliar, and does simply not meet the standards of some software for OSX/Windows – eg Adobe. Sure, you can run it through WINE, but it will take up at least 1.5 times the resources – something which I can’t afford on my computer.

    As for your reasons for using Linux:
    Self improvement? I prefer improving my coding. I have Linux installed on my system, but I use it when I want to mess around – not when I want to do anything in particular.
    Cost is less of an issue than convenience. If it’s inconvenient it’s costing me.
    Updatability is great – can’t say anything negative about that.
    Security is great, of course, but then I don’t mind having an anti-virus program installed on Windows – it’s not hurting me, and I haven’t had a virus in years now. Any advanced user should not have a problem with Windows security – and for most Linux distros you need to be one.
    Support is abysmal. If I want to get flamed and made fun of for my lack of knowledge of Linux I can just go on a support forum and voila. If I’m trying to find a solution to something, and I google it, I tend to find 15 posts that MENTION the issue, but none that RESOLVE it. They don’t even link the poor user to the solution, but instead just tell him he’s an idiot for not searching. Furthermore, many explanations are hard to understand for average computer users (who have not been using Linux for who knows how long).

    On a final note: I found this site through Digg.com, and I am sick of seeing fanboys talk about how Windows is better than the rest, and then how OSX is better than the rest, and then that Linux owns all. You’re entitled to your own opinion, but stop holding those people who don’t agree with you in such low regard. Linux fans have got to be the most condescending fanboys after the Mac ones… ever. I’m sick of hearing how you’re “better than me” at computer skills. I’m sorry, but when I want to get stuff done, Linux won’t work for me – it uses too much of my time to get a simple f***ing application installed, let alone for me to be able to use the system flawlessly.

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  • Mark

    Lots of people mentioning security on here and how much more secure linux is. I use Ubuntu and every 15 minutes I have to enter my password to make any changes and every time I go to the terminal to issue a command I have to enter my password.

    One of the biggest complaints against Vista when it came out was that you had to click on “OK” to verify your choice every time you changed something. Imagine the crybabies if they had to enter their password all the time like in Ubuntu (and I expect, all linux GUIs). Security is only as good as the weakest link. You can’t have security AND freedom. You get one or the other.

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  • Random Tech Guy

    After reading all these posts and having minor experience with Ubuntu and SUSE, which i know isnt much; I’ve noticed that most of the users here that have expressed opinions more windows biased than linux, seem to understand a bit more of what they are talking about. Not that I care either way, I dual-boot Ubuntu 7.10 and Vista Ultimate SP1 on my home machine with little to no issues. Of course i get problems from time to time but it’s all really stable.

    They both have their bad sides and their good sides. Linux, on a business point of view, outside of being any kind of server, just isnt productive. Most business’s thrive on programs like Outlook, Exchange, etc… and openoffice just cant cut it in regards to features in ms office. Not that openoffice is bad, quite the opposite, its amazing for what it is. However, the fact that it rely’s on java, which is heavy and cumbersome, will be its crutch for all time :/

    Ubuntu has come a long way since the days when i tried Mandrake and I must say, I had an enjoyable experience… all up until i tried to play music right from a fresh installation. Not having native mp3 support? I understand that mp3′s are not open source but cmon, having to install extra stuff just to play a file that kids 9 and up are downloading off limewire and such each and every day… kinda sad.

    I do however, love the visual effects and speed of linux for the most part but its still like an infant in the world of home desktops and broadrange use, but im sure it will get there someday. Until then, much like intel dominating amd, windows will be on top because they have the money to do so.

  • http://Digg Anonymous

    Linux is free, and when I say Linux is free I don’t mean free as in price I mean free as in freedom, liberty. Dose liberty matter at all anymore, do any of you care about your right to free speech? I use Linux because I am garmented that I can use my computer how when and where I may, you can’t say the same about Windows or Mac OS. You can be 100% sure that the NSA forced Microsoft to put secret back doors into Vista. Or what about the design limitations that Adobe built into Photoshop, you are not allowed to scan US currency in to Photoshop. The Linux equivalent GIMP/Sane dose not suffer from the same deficiency, and you can rest comfortably knowing that there are no secret government or corporate root kits built in to the Linux kernel. These are just two examples, if you look closely enough you’ll find hundreds of other freedoms you must surrender to use Windows.
    Give it a try you will find that Linux equals liberty, or don’t and live out your lives as sheepeople, one thing is sure I’m not going to follow the Microsoft flock, you can have my Linux when you pry it from my cold dead fingers.

  • Ron

    I can’t help but throw my two cents in. I use XP and I use Ubuntu Linux. If my apps would run well on Linux or even on XP on top of Linux, I’d do it in a flash.

    Windows got slower and slower until 98. Then 2000 came out and was actually faster than the preceeding OS. That’s the only time in history I’ve seen a new M$ operating system faster than the one that came before. Then came XP and it was slower again by half. The same is true of Vista, and I won’t ever get anywhere near that OS.

    The apps I use forced me to XP, there was no choice on my part. I won’t ever allow any vendor to take that choice from me again.

    Ubuntu runs well. It feels faster than XP and doesn’t require a reboot nearly as often. That or OSX would be my choice. Trouble is that I have a working PC with XP or Ubuntu installed. OSX is outside my budget right now.

    ron

    • spuffler

      Is the solution to your problems that you should run your Windows software under an emulator which is running under Linux?

      Or is the real problem related to -not wanting to- or -not being able to- be different from a crowd? Does your IT staff understand Linux or do they cry that it is making life difficult for them? If your IT people make you think Linux is not worth the effort, then they are telling you what you have to choose.

      Me, I’m quite functional using Linux/OpenOffice/FireFox/ThunderBird/KPDF/Amarok/Hydrogen/CheeseTracker/Gimp/Scribus/CDparanoia/FLAC/Easytag/CUPS/Java1.6/KDE/K3B/memtest86/etc.

      At that job, I was able to use Linux from a LiveCD and I never missed an email, I edited and created many Word compatible documents, I made and edited Excel spreadsheets, I logged into a VPN using Opera and I ran their web based applications. That was back in 2002. And possibly because I first made friends with the IT people, so they let me. I made friends by not letting them argue that Linux was second class software. I educated myself, and they saw that.

      Going to geek out? Well, yeah but maybe you could use the pushbutton distributions first.

  • brianp

    im trying to make the switch slowly, I allready boycott Vista, every day im finding new games or apps. I may allways have a use for XP-like Team Fortress 2, but eventually, like 2 years from now, i can see myself as a Linux only user. I have Ubuntu on a separate HD on home pc, but am having problems making a dual OS laptop as my optical is dead, guess i’ll have to buy a big flash stick or make an external HD to get it on there. good article

  • rockface

    The truth of the matter is that most people here NEED Microsoft. They NEED to be told what to do, they NEED to be told how to do it and they NEED to be told when to do it.

    They do not make a move in any facet of information technology without Microsoft approval. They cannot and will not think without Microsoft and Microsoft groupspeak.

    Without Microsoft they simply cannot be. With the Microsoft Nanny watching they feel safe and secure and are blind to other choices.

    Microsoft has made these individuals the way they are. ‘Point and click does the trick!’, can I have my milk and cookies now Nanny Microsoft?

    Some here are at least familiar with other platforms and judge Linux/FOSS on its merits. When Microsoft becomes just as IBM is now (just another big player), these people will flourish.

    Evolve or perish. Linux/FOSS, just like Microsoft, aint going away. Better to know both than to dismiss out of hand!

    • spuffler

      Yeah.

      Just like 4 years ago when a Microsoft advocate told me I was using a criminals operating system. Now I remind him that NASA and the US Navy seem to think like criminals, and that many of Pixars movies would not exist without Linux.

      Sadly, not all PC users NEED to be sysadmin level. Not all PC users need to be Linux savvy. As of recent months, KDE has enough similarity that a lot of folks are dropping Vistabomonation in favor of Linux in some form or another, usually a *buntu.

      I don’t mind if some folks can’t administer Linux (they couldn’t administer Windows 98 either), they can pay me for my services (I usually get about 500 calories per hour).

  • decon

    I use Debian (Etch) and Ubuntu (Gutsy) (as well as Windows XP…)

    My experience shows that there are a few things that need improvement in Linux (at least with the above distros I’ve tried):

    1. Better power management support. This is a common complaint from Linux laptop users: that the same machine runs significantly longer on battery in Windows than it does in Linux, even with all of the tweaks exploited. I really hope that the Linux development community pushes harder on this.

    2. Resolving network-related issues. I have had bad luck with getting various 16-bit wireless networking cards working right after installation (curiously, the installation itself was a network install, so it is extra annoying to have the same card I used a moment before to install Debian not recognized after rebooting). On another machine running Ubuntu, I can get a different PCMCIA networking card to work using wicd (rather than the default network manager), doesn’t auto connect after reboot. I’m sure I’ll resolve it eventually, but it will require me to geek-out on it.

    • spuffler

      1] Dell Inspiron 2200 Laptop here, power works fine, I can see battery charge percentage, shuts down properly, goes into low power mode… Bleeding edge laptops are harder to get working under Linux mostly because of 2 issues: 1] Linux is not installed on too many laptops. 2] Windows popularity all but forces driver development for the Laptop chipsets is to be made for Windows before all others.

      Network related issues: Try a different distribution, Debian is not a distribution I’d personally point a newbie at.

      PCLinuxOS MiniMe 2008 even has my 2 different unsupported Broadcomm wireless NICs working just fine here.

      • http://www.nospintalk.com Matt P

        Debian is what everybody should use. Ubuntu for noobs and regular debian distro for everyone else =) I was so happy to see a local kid in my small town running ubuntu. A lot of old admins make fun of the people using it, but personally, I’m happy to see something with so many ease of use improvemnets to help people shift to a better platform.

  • john

    Linux is harder to install
    Most computers come standard with Windows, so no installing is required.

  • http://www.nospintalk.com Matt P

    I posted an article about this same thing on my website. It’s on the front page if anyone wants to see it. In any case, let’s get to the point about hardware and drivers… because gaming aside from commercialism is almost ridiculous to argue about.

    Drivers for hardware often fall behind for linux where things like video cards, monitors and printers are concerned. The reason for this is the process one has to go through to get a driver approved for official distributions. When it is finished, the code is tight, it works and very rarely are updates or patches needed in comparison with ANY windows version, but most notably Vista and the old ME.
    There are notorious problems with nVidia. Many of those have been overcome, but some just never seem to work right. This is for the same reason that 56K winmodems were never right for Linux – Because the manufacturers were building them specifically for windows boxes, meaning less in the way of actual hardware and firmware and more reliability on things like dynamic libraries from windows.

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