Five Reasons to Use Linux

FOSSForce ^ | 28 May 2015 | Christine Hall

[ShadowAce]

I might be wrong, but I get the impression that my Windows friends — which would be most of the people I see on a daily basis — think of Linux as this incredibly geeky system from another planet. I think most of them don’t understand why I use it and why I don’t just stay in the known world — which to them would be Windows. Paradoxically, however, they do get why some folks use Macs.

Quite simply, most of us use desktop Linux because it’s superior to all other brands, including Windows and OS X — even including Unix and the BSDs. This is a fact, not an opinion. There are reasons why Linux runs a majority of the world’s servers and powers most big enterprises, and in an example of where the trickle down theory actually works, those reasons trickle down (or up — depending on your viewpoint) to the desktop.

Of course, just sticking your nose in the air and claiming superiority isn’t enough to convince most people, so here’s my list of five reasons to use Linux:

1. It’s free: Many people have trouble understanding why this tops my list. They get the part about how it costs nothing, but the finer points of software freedom seem to be incomprehensible to them. When I tell them that Linux users are free to look at and modify the code in any way they want, they shrug it off, evidently thinking that since they’re not code writing computer geeks, then this makes no difference.

   Well, I’m not a coder either, and never will be. But this is still near the top of the list of the software freedoms that I cherish. Why? Because each and every day, people are modifying Linux for one reason or another, usually to meet their own needs, and sometimes those changes find their way upstream and get incorporated into mainstream Linux, improving everyone’s user experience.

   To sum up the notion of software freedom in a nutshell: Free softwre such as Linux is yours to do with as you like, with no restrictions placed on you by any licensing agreement. The only thing you’re not free to do? Restrict the freedom of others.

2. It’s easy to use: This statement will probably have those who’ve never tried Linux scratching their heads and going “huh?”. Not so for those who use Linux daily. These days, the use of most Linux distros and desktops is no more difficult than using Windows or OS X — even easier after you learn a few tricks to make the operating system do what you want in the way you want it done.

   The days are long gone when you had to be a computer expert to sit behind the wheel and run Linux — even though computer knowledge comes in handy no matter what operating system you’re using.

3. It’s stable and secure: Granted, Windows is much more stable than it once was, but stability is still an issue and Windows’ users still must occasionally reboot to correct a stability issue. And it’s true that if you work at it, you can throw Linux into a panic, but I can’t remember the last time that happened to me.

   As for security, any Linux distribution, take your pick, is more secure out-of-the-box than either Windows or OS X, even without running antivirus software. It’s not completely free of security issues — no operating system is — but security holes in Linux are usually not as severe and get fixed quicker than in the name brands.

   Plus, Linux users get most of their software pre-vetted through software repositories and don’t have to put their trust in some download site operated by who knows whom.

4. It runs free and open source software (FOSS): Sure, these days you can install most free and open source software titles on Windows, just as some proprietary titles have been ported to Linux. But running FOSS on Windows is akin to building a castle in a neighborhood sitting close to a dump. Most days will be fine, until the sun comes out on a hot and humid summer day.

   What’s so special about FOSS? Well, it’s free, easy to use, usually stable, and secure and versatile — the same things that make Linux special.

5. It’s versatile: I couldn’t begin to make a list to illustrate the ways that Linux is versatile — at least not one that would be understandable to those who’re accustomed to using a system where there’s usually just one way of doing things — so I’ll stick with the most obvious: the desktop.

   The Windows desktop is pretty much a one-size-fits-all proposition. Not true with Linux, where there are many desktops from which to choose. And these aren’t merely skins or themes, offering a different look but with exactly the same functionality.

   Linux desktops are all completely different from one another, each offering its own user experience. Working with a old machine with a slow processor and not much memory? There’s are desktops for that. Do you have a modern computer with plenty of resources? There are desktops for that. Do you like a lot of whistles and bells and want a computer where absolutely everything can be configured to your liking? There are desktops for that as well. The list goes on.

This is just my list, and it’s nowhere near complete. Maybe you think I’ve left off something important — I probably have. What would you add to this list? Feel free to comment below.

[ShadowAce]

And--with Linux 4.0 just recently out--you can update the kernel itself without a reboot.

[ShadowAce]

[ShadowAce]

This is a duplicate thread of this one.

Please remove

[RayChuang88]

But there is one big downside: many of the newest hardware out there are NOT supported by Linux drivers. Besides, I would not be surprised that Microsoft may offer very generous pricing on even a new install copy of Windows 10 Home and Professional editions, and that could hurt the chances of desktop Linux.

[ShadowAce]

If price is an issue—and it typically is not—MS cannot compete with Linux no matter what price point they arrive at.

[Poser]

I use desktop Linux every day. It is pretty good, but I have to go to command line at least 10 times per year. As long as this is true, I suspect that Linux will not become mainstream. It also has to run Microsoft office pro without having to use some sort of Kluge to make it function. I would also like to see it run stand alone QuickBooks. I’m not really happy with the cloud version.

[ShadowAce]

many of the newest hardware out there are NOT supported by Linux drivers.

A typical claim that I've heard quite often, but not really seen backed up. Even the newest GPUs from nvidia are supported almost immediately by Linux.

[The_Republic_Of_Maine]

I have a ten eyar old desktop running XP, would I have to do much to start using Linux? Would I have to get rid of XP? Does it support older versions of WordPerfect?

Thanks.

[JRandomFreeper]

That's the cool part of an open market system. You use windoze and I'll keep using linux and everybody is happy.

Personally, I avoid bleeding edge hardware, so your issue doesn't matter much, if at all, to me.

/johnny

[Dr. Sivana]

There is NO “best” operating system, that’s why we have several major ones. If you point out that Linux dominates servers and the Internet, the fact remains that Windows continues to dominate the desktop with Mac OS X a distant second and Linux making nary a ripple. There is no more best OS than there is a best motor vehicle. Some do better with a dump truck, others with a sports car with a manual transmission.

Poorly written software for Linux can have memory leaks. There is a lot of poorly written software for Linux. We have to reboot Linux environments at my workplace regularly, not as often as Windows Servers, but far from bullet-proof. Same goes for Mac OS X, on which my six year old was able to perform hard freeze-ups just with Safari and LEGO.COM. (Solution: ban LEGO.COM, but it should be impossible to kill the machine from the browser.)

A LOT of hardware does not work with popular Linux distros. I doubt I would get full use out of my Fujitsu ScanSnap s300.

A LOT of software for Linux is second-tier. Libre Office word processing is not as featured as Microsoft Word, let alone Corel WordPerfect. There is no Linux substitute for FileMaker Pro. A lot of the best tools for Linux have been happily ported to Windows without loss of functionality. There is no useable Linux equivalent of Adobe InDesign.

Microsoft makes a LOT of developer tools, and many programmers find them superior for their work to offerings in the Linux world.

For home users, while the OS is a significant portion of the cost of of a store-bought computer system, it amortizes very nicely. Windows XP Pro bought in 2002 was good for over ten years. I have gotten six solid years out of Windows 7.

Points about security are well-taken, and if Microsoft ever tries to force an Adobe-style subscription model on the customers, there will be an opportunity for Apple and the Linux distro-makers to seize.

The best OS is the one that works for you.

[fulltlt]

Try running puppy linux on a thumb drive on it. You will be surprised at how easy it is and how well it works.

[fulltlt]

Hey, JRF, Glad to see you up early posting on FR today.
I said a prayer for you.

[Bobalu]

A cheap intro to Linux is the 35 dollar Raspberry Pi 2 model B.

It has a quad-core ARM7 SoC at 1Ghz, 1Gb ram, GPU..etc

Microcenter has them in stock at 29.99 and 6 dollars shipping.

The operating system and storage is on a micro SD card. Extra storage can just be plugged into a USB port.

It's a very secure system as you can tweak everything to your liking and save an image of the uSD card... to set everything back exactly as it was just reload the image to the uSD or just have several uSD cards ready to plug in.

I have a version of Debian Linux running on my Pi, a wireless kbrd/mouse, USB WiFi dongle...

I just velcroed the thing onto the back of the HDMI TV :-)

[Covenantor]

bkmk

[ThunderSleeps]

Wife got a new laptop with win 8.1. It is so bad, so hard to use she, a long time win PC and/or mac user, asked me to put linux on it. (Dual boot) Mint with KDE is far faster to boot and load programs. It took her just a few minutes of fooling around to figure out where stuff is. Mint is now her primary OS on the laptop. She still needs win for a couple of things, and she likes her mac and OS/X for the familiarity. .. But I think Linux is slowly winning her over.

[bmwcyle]

Ubunto 14.10 is great.

[CodeJockey]

So is Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 running on an IBM Power 8. :-)

[BwanaNdege]

My brother-in-law is a corporate IT QA tester. He is a big Linux fan and runs it on his home PC. Whenever we visit them he & I will be talking various subjects and I’ll say, “go to this website” or “have you tried this?” Inevitably, he will reply, “oh, I’m having trouble with this driver” or some such excuse.

Nearly all of the small “tools” programs have been written for Windows (Android is gaining fast and anything to do with “the sophisticated set” is on OSx).

Linux just requires too much fidgeting. It reminds me of the days when you needed to tune up your car every 15k miles - Install new Cap & Rotor, new Points, set the Dwell, set the Timing (woe unto you with dual points distributors!), check the Plug wires, pull the Spark plugs, read the electrodes to see if you’ve been running the correct heat range for your driving style, etc, etc.

Nowadays it’s, “Oh, it’s been 100k miles, time for a new set of Platinum or Iridium plugs.”

Yes, I mutter curses at Microsoft as often as the next guy. But Linux would be like fumbling around learning a foreign language with 73 dialects and some aficionado telling me my problem is I’m speaking the wrong dialect.

[AppyPappy]

Funny, I have been using Linux for years and never ran into that problem. I do have trouble with Flash on my Windows 7 laptop.

[Stentor]

My brother-in-law is a corporate IT QA tester. He is a big Linux fan and runs it on his home PC. Whenever we visit them he & I will be talking various subjects and I’ll say, “go to this website” or “have you tried this?” Inevitably, he will reply, “oh, I’m having trouble with this driver” or some such excuse.

Based on this story, he either doesn't want to do what you want to do, doesn't spend much time on the computer at home or is incompetent. I have no formal training or coding ability, and can do everything I want to do using Linux. Spent last night doing DVD authoring using DeVeDe. Dude's probably sick of computer crap and just wants to drink a beer with you.