Meh !

Jul 18

Because I chose to !

Scribbled on Friday, July 18th, 2008

So what’s so good about Linux ? Why does an average Joe even need Linux ? Joe routinely browse web, listen to music, watch videos and play some games. Yeah sometimes do editing, writing and designing too. So why he care about Linux ?

I was a hardcore Windows user too. So what made me shift to linux lately ? Because I chose to. I had to use Windows when there was no other choice or a better alternative. Here are some points that I would like to shell out.

Why Linux ?

It’s FUN to use !
It’s not made to spy on your data. Your data is not public property, its precious.
It’s not prone to viruses, malwares and other malicious programs. Viruses fail in Linux. No paranoia of reinstall. No need to install every friggin antivirus, firewall and anti malwares.
You don’t need to defragment your hard drives. There are no slowdowns.
It’s as secure as anything can get. Nothing beats in security.
It’s as stable as inert elements. Remind you servers run on redhat.
All most there is no need to install extra drivers after install. Everything is already there. No need to pop-in the driver CD.
It’s not tainted with hideous EULA (End User License Agreement). You perceive a more clear picture. No stupid vendor restrictions.
It’s yours 100%. No one is going to repudiate the rights of using it in any case.
It’s got more eye-candy than any other OS with less resource usage. May be you want to see the PROOF . No need to install multiple programs and finding that at the end of the day you have screwed the registry or some system file.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4wB3GUemVw

It’s community driven. You have a say in every new features added or changes made. If you are a developer then you can contribute to the development.
You don’t have to wait for official patches or solutions. Updates are delivered in a brisk. Even community members come up with their own solutions to problems.
There is documentation for every little thing. You are never lost. Even if you are then there is always solution for it in community forums and members are more than willing to help you out.
It gives you freedom to customize. Freedom in altering and customization to your deepest desires. Configure any way you like.
It’s absolutely FREE (as in air). Even you can get 64 bit Linux free.
Centralized package management. You don’t have to search website for particular software. Everything is already in repositories and can be installed with in a jiffy.
You can learn more about Operating Systems. Its always good to know about what you have.
There are many flavors to choose to your liking. Be it multimedia oriented or bioinformatics oriented.

Linux is NOT for you if

You are happy with your current OS and love it more than your girlfriend.
You play a lot of games. You can’t live without Crysis, COD 4 etc.
You don’t feel like learning new things, a bit lazy or old…huh
You have a notion that if anything is paid then its surely worth using(or pirating) and better.
Linux is not Windows. So if you are seeking another windows then Linux is not for you.

An Open World !

There are no bars on what you can do with what you purchase. They won’t brick your gadgets.
No hidden deceit or breach to your privacy.
Immense improvement in coding and algorithms scrutinized by every good developer who across the world.
No royalty over a standard. You don’t have to pay extra while using open standards. Remember a part of sale goes to the man who patented mp3 format.
No old man in suits will take sick decisions to hamper your virtual presence in here. Remember DRM.
A crystal clear infrastructure wherein you see what you actually want to.

Which one is for BEGINNERS ?

So what is in for average user ? here are few Linux Distribution which are designed for newbies:
Remember Linux is community driven so you may need an Internet connection to get all the goodies. Since mp3 is a restricted format, you may be prompted to install the required codecs after installation. One more reason to support open standards.

Read on…