10 Reasons Why You Should Adopt LINUX

Tech Zone ^ | 2005-08-20 | Hina Aman

[N3WBI3]

INTRODUCTION:

linuximgDeveloped by Linus Torvalds in 1991, Linux is a free operating system which “belongs to the world” and today, it has millions of happy users worldwide. Its being free doesn’t mean its being meaner than other operating systems. On the contrary, the industry experts are most impressed by its power and richness and more and more users are embracing Linux. Changing operating systems is definitely a big labor but this one-time labor is nothing if compared to all that one does to tackle those terrible blue screens of death, frozen windows, system crashes, viruses, data loss and spy wares. We are not destined to spend a quarter of our lives installing, de-installing and re-installing anti-virus tools or restarting computers and those geeks and non-geeks, who realize this, close their Windows, migrate to Linux and live happily ever after. And, I’ll give you just some of the reasons why.

1. FREEDOM:

The number one reason why Linux is the choice of many is the freedom it gives. It “let’s you do everything you want to do” but this is not the only aspect of this freedom. Linux liberates you from the yoke of vendors who hurl unwanted updates your way, and frees you from the sight of the horrible blue screens of death and its likes. This precious freedom doesn’t cost you a penny. You can download a free distribution of Linux from the internet. Otherwise, you can get a CD from the market after spending a minimal amount of money and without worrying about the licensing fees or about violating the piracy laws because Linux is open source and it comes with GNU General Public License. This is its true beauty and the reason why Linus Torvalds and the whole Linux community, working to make things better, have many admirers.

2. STABILITY:

Linux_vs_Windows

With Linux, your computer doesn’t freeze or slow down because of memory leaks. It has a high performance level and can run for years without causing you trouble. This actually means complete control as you will not find yourself pushing Ctrl+Alt+Del keys in sheer desperation. Problems pop up only when any of the hardware fails. Its excellent stability is another reason which attracts users.

3. SECURITY:

No OS can beat Linux when it comes to security. It’s a long debated issue and something which bothers Microsoft so much so it started its own campaign to make people believe Linux is not any safer but Linux users are already aware of the vulnerabilities of Windows and know Linux differs when it comes to it and can easily be termed as the most secure operating system. The design of Linux is different from that of Windows. This doesn’t make it an easy target and even if half of the world switches to Linux, the attacks will not cause much damage even though the source code of Linux is available for every Tom, Dick and Harry. The availability of the source code only means advantage. Millions of programmers have contributed to beef up the security of Linux. Bugs are fixed just as soon as they are identified. Linux is getting better and better every passing day. For a comprehensive report on the security of Linux as compared to windows, click here.

4. EFFICIENT NETWORKING

One of the most talked about features of Linux is its efficient networking capabilities. Reviewed, tested and strengthened by many programmers on the internet, Linux networking is well renowned for its reliability. Since networking is amalgamated deeply in the Linux operating system, it can bear heavy loads and exhibit persistent high-performance and is highly appreciated for its robustness. Linux supports different networking protocols which include TCP/IP, ISPX/SPX, ISDN, PPP, SLIP, PLIP, Apple Talk Protocol Suite, etc.

5. EASY INSTALLATION

use_linux

Linux has many popular distributions (flavours), for example; Red Hat, Mandroke, SUSE, UBUNTU. You can chose any version you deem appropriate and the best thing is most of them come with easy installation procedures, which give you complete power as to decide what you want your PC to do.

6. FLEXIBILITY:

This is yet another wonderful feature of Linux. You can customize the system as much as you want to fit your needs giving your computer a personal touch in the true meaning of the word. You’ll come to love your PC finding it the way you want it to be. It doesn’t go without saying, “Linux lets you do everything you want to do”.

7. FREE UPGRADES:

Yes, free upgrades. There is whole big dedicated community, which works to extend the capabilities and power of Linux. This is the real essence of open source. With so many brains together, the result is always impressive. Both major and minor Linux upgrades are easily available for download on the internet. If the configuration is done correctly, software don’t need to be re-installed on Linux when you upgrade.

8. FULL USE OF HARD DISK:

Windows’ performance slows down when you use most of your hard disk and you get ‘low memory’ errors. This is not the case with Linux though. It lets you use every single space on your hard disk and runs smoothly all the while. You are alerted only when there isn’t any space left on your hard disk.

9. SUPERB TECHNICAL SUPPORT:

In 1997, InfoWorld awarded Linux the Product of the Year for Best Technical Support. Linux has an active community of users, developers and supporters who are always very willing to help. If you face any problem, all you have to do is just connect to the internet, search and see if your problem is answered anywhere. If it’s not, you can join a Linux forum and post it there to be scrutinized by the community members.

10. THE CHOICE OF THE GIANTS:

The popularity and power of Linux can be estimated from the fact that it’s the choice of the giants. Google, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, Panasonic, Royal Dutch/Shell, U.S. Postal Service are only a few names who use Linux plus the government of Mexico City uses Linux for everything and the money it saves by doing so is spent on welfare services.

I can not mention all the reasons why once should switch to Linux, for they are so many and I have not even mentioned some really important ones like multi-tasking, scalability and easy remote administration. The choice is yours. Save money using a product liked by the experts or buy the one which they shun. Linux rules the heart of its users. This is enough a reason why one should embrace Linux.

[Golden Eagle]

ROFLMAO, you mean the guy that ignored all the facts and launched a tirade of personal attacks? LOL, no wonder you like him, must be twin brothers. But here are some of those facts again, since neither of you have been able to refute any of them.

Oh, here's what you called "little evidence" again, since you still haven't refuted any of it. If you think you have something better I can show you how to paste the link, if necessary.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=torvalds+communism&fr=FP-tab-web-t&toggle=1&cop=&ei=UTF-8

And yes, the GNU is absolutely anti-capitalist. Did you read their "Manifesto"? Here it is since you can't seem to find it on your own.

http://www.gnu.org/gnu/manifesto.html

Here's their history and goals page, whose final statement is "to make all proprietary software obsolete":

http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-history.html

Here's the personal homepage of their founder, overflowing with anti-US rhetoric:

http://www.stallman.org/archives/2005-may-aug.html

And yes, Red Hat does follow the GNU manifesto and give their products away to communist governments, who love them so much they pass laws requiring its use.

China

http://slashdot.org/articles/99/11/10/1457205.shtml

Cuba

http://linux.slashdot.org/linux/05/05/19/1213245.shtml?tid=106&tid=219

Vietnam

http://slashdot.org/articles/03/10/30/1435248.shtml

Other radical governments like Iran

http://www.iranian.ws/cgi-bin/iran_news/exec/view.cgi/2/3822

There are also strong ties with the DNC and John Kerry, Howard Dean, Wesley Clark, etc just as I already posted in this thread but you conveniently ignored. Here they are again so you can't continue to plead ignorant:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x665385

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1617712,00.asp?kc=EWNKT0209KTX1K0100440

http://www.linuxlinks.com/portal/news/article.php?story=20050624042207848&mode=print

http://ianmurdock.com/?p=54

http://weblog.flora.org/article.php3?story_id=552

http://zgp.org/linux-elitists/p05210612bb7d87639a93@[192.168.1.101].html

http://slashdot.org/articles/03/05/01/1148227.shtml?tid=103&tid=99

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/print?TYPE=story&AT=2133230-39020381t-10000002c

[N3WBI3]

Only pansy liberals use so called "operating systems" like Linux.

So you're calling JimRob a pinko commie because he chose Linux to host this site?

[N3WBI3]

What Operating system host communism.org?

[Prime Choice]

I won I won!! He was in before 100 posts!!!!

NUTS! Looks like I'm buying the pizza tonight. N3WBI3, first round of beer and sodas is on your tab.

Darn that Brass Buzzard! He was supposed to be in before 75 posts! Dag-nabbit!!

[Golden Eagle]

Nope, I didn't, never have and never will because I have no reason to believe it. Probably just a practical man, using software given away for free. Doesn't seem to have a personal interest in it, nor does he spend every waking moment attacking me over those links like you do. He allows them to be posted, and I thank him for it.

[Prime Choice]

What Operating system host communism.org?

Ooo! Ooo! I know! I know!

$ telnet www.communism.org 80
Trying 216.109.153.77...
Connected to www.communism.org.
Escape character is '^]'.
HEAD / HTTP/1.0

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Server: Microsoft-IIS/5.0
X-Powered-By: ASP.NET
Content-Location: http://216.109.153.77/index.htm
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 16:09:36 GMT
Content-Type: text/html
Accept-Ranges: bytes
Last-Modified: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 15:55:49 GMT
ETag: "c8dcb65e3070c51:11b8"
Content-Length: 103270

Connection closed by foreign host.

[N3WBI3]

So looking at the first thing its a yahoo search on Thorvald's and Communist...

The first was about Linus's father, not Linus

Wow You mean the father of Linus Thorvald's was a communist, I wish you had mentioned that before.. the exact quote is "Thorvald's was active in the Communist Party while he was a college student during the 1960s. His political beliefs developed after learning of the atrocities committed against communist sympathizers in Finland. In his son Linus' book, he is reported having lost enthusiasm for Communism."

The second links contained an article titled "Community, not Communism, please give it a read...

The third is a list of quotes from various people the person who mentioned communism was not Linus. The quote from Linus was quote was "In a way they were right the basics of operating systems, and by extension the Linux kernel, were well understood by the early 70s; anything after that has been to some degree an exercise in self-gratification.""

The Fourth was a moderator on some gaming site talking in a flame war like this one..

And the fifth is an interview with Linus where he says "Some people think this open-source thing and giving away the operating system for free somehow is tied to communism. These people think that Microsoft is a good company, not because they're making good products, but because "It must be good if the richest man on Earth owns it." These are people who don't look at anything except commercial success. I've actually gotten e-mail (not often, but occasionally) from people who say "Go home to Finland and don't take away these American jobs." But these people completely ignore the fact that capitalism is based on being able to compete in the marketplace."

Sorry chuckles a links to a search engine who's first five results yielded nothing more damning than a quote about Linus's father is hardly evidence of anything worth talking about

[Prime Choice]

So you're calling JimRob a pinko commie because he chose Linux to host this site?

I'd say ol' Brass Buzzard is doing just that.

'Course, he also claims he was on "the web" and FR during times before either existed.

Ol' BB has issues, man.

[N3WBI3]

The quote you so enthusiastically agreed with was "Only pansy liberals use so called "operating systems" like Linux." Jim Rob uses Linux.. I know you send a good deal of time critiquing my spelling and grammar, perhaps your time would be better served working on your own reading comprehension..

[N3WBI3]

You know, I go middle last time and I lost, so I go late this time and I lose... Im starting to think you guys are rigging this... I also call no fair because SWC pinged him to the thread..

[Golden Eagle]

Communism.org refers to Linux as a perfect example of it. Of course you already know this. The fact they outsource the hosting to another company has nothing to do with the content.

[Golden Eagle]

Only pansy liberals use so called "operating systems" like Linux."

Ok, I'll agree that statement is not 100% correct. Maybe something more like "only pansy liberals argue till their blue in the face there are absolutely no connections between the DNC and GNU open source." Like that better? BTW you're face is turning from blue to purple.

[Golden Eagle]

YOUR face. Spending too much time around guys who are still learning English.

[Golden Eagle]

THEY'RE blue. Again, think I'll go find some better company to hang with for a while. OUT.

[Rurudyne]

I would add "You don't have to give alot of money to Microsoft" but you seem to have inferred it in your "free upgrades" comment.

[N3WBI3]

Red from laughter at the awful grammar you have in this post... you're = your, and their = they are... That and you're complete lack of reading comprehension from the first five hits of your 'evidence' that Linus is a communist makes me wonder if Ill see you in an ESL course sometime..

[softwarecreator]

I also call no fair because SWC pinged him to the thread..

LOL ... true.  Maybe the guys should share the beer and pizza with me too for the assist.  

Of course, you can't really call a victory if the other team fails to show up ... a forfeit maybe, but it's not quite the same.

Next time I'll be sure to ping before that so you'll have a fighting chance to win the next bet.  =)

[softwarecreator]

What Operating system host communism.org?

Ooo! Ooo! I know! I know!

ROFLMAO!!!  I needed a good laugh today ... thanks!!

[N3WBI3]

Of course, you can't really call a victory if the other team fails to show up ... a forfeit maybe, but it's not quite the same.

The bet is not what he is going to say, we can all took at the tripe list on my profile for that. The bet is when hell find his way here to say it... How many post into a thread until GE says 'X' by pinging him you brought him here a bit earlier than he might have otherwise shown up..

[Codename - Ron Benjamin]

Aaaahhh... you had to. Well, here we go...

The propaganda site says "...the core of which was created by many thousands of people--all working for free."

Now, to believe that you must both a) first, agree that "communism" means "thousands of people, all working for free" and b) prove that the Linux kernel was "created by many thousands of people, all working for free".

Good luck attempting to prove either one.