Questions and Answers for Those Curious about Linux
People like me keep Microsoft's upper management awake at night: In 2000 I bought a new laptop, which came preloaded with Windows 98 and Microsoft Works. I paid around $400 more for a copy of Office 2000 Premium (with Front Page, Access, and Photodraw in addition to the regular suite of office programs). Windows did everything I wanted it to do, and I had no reason to change operating systems. Instead, one year later, I reformatted my hard drive, installed Linux, and liked it. I found Linux to be powerful, stable, inexpensive, and a lot of fun. There are still times when I revert to Windows to accomplish a specific task, but those occasions are less and less frequent and I'm now looking forward to the day when I can do away with Windows on my computer entirely. Here's why I made the change to Linux, why I don't regret it, and a whole lot of links, in case you're asking yourself the same questions about Linux I was (updated 14 Feb 2006) :
A Beginner's Question and Answer Guide to Linux
Last Updated: 14 February 2006
1. What is Linux? 2. Advantages of Linux 3. Disadvantages of Linux 4. What does Linux "Look Like?" 5. Where Can I Learn More? 6. Where Can I Get Linux? 7. Books Available to Help 8. Software 9. Open Source Software & GPL 10. Microsoft's Reaction 11. The Problem with Microsoft 12. The Future of Linux
What is Linux?
Linux is a computer operating system ("OS"). Other examples of operating systems include Windows, MacOS, Unix, VMS, BeOS, OS/2, and there are many others. The two most common OSes on modern computers are MacOS (on Apple Macintoshes) and Windows, while various types of Unix are more commonly found on servers, the high-powered computers that make up the internet.
Until recently, it was difficult to go to a computer retailer and purchase a computer with Linux (or any other non-mainstream OS) already installed. You would more likely find various models of Compaqs, Dells, Gateways, etc., all running the latest Microsoft Windows OS, or Macintoshes running the latest MacOS. But both those types of computers can run Linux, and many people consider Linux superior to the OS their computer came with from the factory. Plus, now you can purchase computers with Linux pre-installed, so the choices available to the consumer shopping for a new computer are growing. For Microsoft, which for so long has enjoyed a near-monopoly on operating systems for Intel-based computers, that makes Linux a competitor and a threat. That Macintosh folks aren't as concerned (in fact, Macintosh's new OSX is basically a first-cousin of Linux; at the fundamental programming levels they can share
Linux' roots are actually derived from the long-established UNIX operating system, from where it gets its elegance, power, and stability. The brainchild of Finnish computer scientist Linus Torvalds, Linux has been developed since the early 1990s by aficionados collaborating over the internet. To these folks it was nothing more than something fun to do, an entertaining and challenging project good for stimulating the brain, not for making a buck. Those two elements: the developers' attitude, and the development model, have epitomized the GNU/Linux project since the earliest days, and been its best defence from its fiercest enemies.
Although this was probably never the intent of Torvalds when he invited fellow computer programmers to join him on his project, the Linux operating system has made the corporate world rethink how it sells software, and computer products in general. Linux has been instrumental in demonstrating to computer users around the world what it means to "play fair" and keep the consumers' best interests at heart, and in the coming age of digital rights management, Linux will continue to support the ideas of open standards, fairness, and freedom.
Technically, "Linux" is nothing more than the kernel, the most basic, central element of the software that makes a computer work. The kernel is responsible for interfacing with hardware such as your harddrive, and other mundane tasks. Linux is more appropriately called "GNU/Linux" to recognize the importance the GNU ("GNU's Not Unix") project, which has provided much of the rest of the operating system's basics, like compilers, editors, and more. A computer using Linux also includes various other pieces of software, such as window managers, the XFree86 graphic subsystem, desktop software, and elements like email programs, web browsers, word processors, and so on. However, right or wrong, the whole thing is usually referred to as "Linux." You may assume, in the body of this web page, by "Linux" I am referring to GNU/Linux and all the software that a modern Linux distribution provides.
Links:
Linux- the Software Phenomenon (IT-Director: 10 January 2000)
What are the Advantages of Linux?
To the right kind of person, there are lots of advantages: strong, adaptable, dependable, stable, free ("as in freedom"), and much much more. Plus it's an awful lot of fun.
Links:
Want Linux on your Desktop? Nine Reasons to Forget About It (ZDNet: 12 June 2001 ) This is a great article not in itself, but because it gave Linux zealots a chance to sound off about Linux' strengths.
Linux is Extraordinarily Adaptable
Because anyone can have access to the source code of Linux projects, anyone can can adapt that code in ways that suit them (although they are typically bound to the Opensource GPL license - see below). That means most Linux software can be reused in ways the original authors had never envisioned. In this way, Linux software has been reshaped to fit many different environments. Its basic building elements ensure it "scales" well: it can be trimmed down to run handheld equipment like PDAs ("Palm Pilots" and the like), built up to run powerful servers, even run across grids of computers linked together, whose combined power can equal that of a mainframe computer (so-called "grid computing"). Linux's flexibility means it be tailored cleanly and easily to fit any conceivable need, and its openness means that tailoring and adapting can happen fast. Many opine Linux has a bright future in the 'embedded' world, where computer chips in things like calculators, PDAs, wireless internet-enabled phones, and such could run a lightweight version of Linux.
Links:The Beowulf Project: Linux for Grid Computing
Linux is Well-Scrutinized for Efficiency
Linux' code is highly scrutinized constantly by the hackers who are developing and improving it. Working and developing in consensus, there's no room for needless, sloppy, or inefficient code. The result is compact and efficient programming code, a major difference from "bloatware", software that's gotten bulky through the addition of extra code or features without good justification. Bulky or bloated software is slower, more prone to crashes, and takes up more space on your hard drive. Worst of all, it's difficult to debug when problems arise. One fix may cause another problem somewhere else, forcing the user to download and install endless patches that seem to make things worse, not better. Bulkier software also requires bulkier hardware, which may require you to spend more money than you're willing to. The latest version of Windows, Windows XP, requires 4 gigabytes of space on your harddrive. If you don't have it (hint: if you bought your computer longer than 18 months ago, you probably don't have it), have fun buying a new hard drive and possibly a new computer. Is it worth it, just to get the latest version of programs that you already use and whose new versions won't offer you any new functionality?
Linux is Extremely Stable
Somehow, computer users have been pursuaded that it's normal for their machines to crash frequently and give problems. Rebooting, crashing, lock-ups, freeze-ups, and so on are things that many computer owners complain about with a sense of frustration there's nothing that can be done about them. There is. Linux users don't understand why the rest of the world is resigned to believing crashes are normal and unavoidable. They're not.
Linux doesn't crash the way other operating systems do. That's not to say that some programs don't crash -- it means that even if your word processor crashes, all the other programs you're using will keep humming along, and you'll be able to restart the the word processor if you want. You'll reboot because you want to, not because it was necessary. The Windows 98 computer I used at the office from 2000 to 2002 crashed about once a day, often crashing so hard I had to hold the power button down and do a "hard boot." Specifically, Microsoft Internet Explorer is infamous for causing system-rocking crashes, but my office machine often crashes for tasks as ordinary as trying to print something, too.
Forget about the need to ever give your computer the infamous three-finger salute (ctrl-alt-del) to shut it down and reboot. In fact the famous Windows "Blue Screen of Death" (which Windows puts up on the screen before crashing) is such the butt of jokes of Linux-users that they refer to it frequently as the "B.S.O.D." There's even a screensaver that imitates it. Linux users measure their 'uptime' (the amount of time their computer is running without needing to reboot) in weeks and months; the idea of rebooting several times a day is a joke.
Links:
Linux' Open-Source Nature Means Bugs Get Fixed Rapidly, With No Hassles
This is the primary tenet of Eric S. Raymond's book The Cathedral and the Bazaar, which makes the following analogy: Closed-source software like Microsoft products are the cathedral; only Microsoft engineers have access to the source code that makes up their software, so if there's a bug, a conflict, a virus, etc., only they will be able to come up with a solution and help you. And in the meantime, because their own resources (time, programmers able to analyze the program) are limited, you'll wait. Moreover, because they're the only ones who can help you, they can charge you for the solution if they want to.
Open source software like Linux is the bazaar: there are millions of people using it, tinkering with it, analyzing it, and they all have complete access of the source code that makes up the software. When a bug is discovered, open source software has the advantage of all those millions of people looking for a solution, one of whom will be able to find it. Bugs are often fixed within 24 hours of being announced, and sometimes even more quickly than that. Open source programmers and hackers, if they are annoyed by some feature that doesn't work the way they'd like it to, are free and authorized to fix it themselves. They may then post the fix for others to use.
Links:
Konqueror Smokes Microsoft in Bug Fix for Secure Web Browsing
Open Source Means Freedom
There are two uses of the word 'free.' One refers to price ("Free" as in beer); the other refers to liberty ("free" as in freedom). Linux software, while often free (as in beer) or at least low-priced, is without doubt free as in freedom. The best way to illustrate it is with an example:
Icelanders, the residents of Iceland, have their own language, Icelandic, which traces its roots back to the days of the Vikings. Icelanders are understandably proud of it. Microsoft provides its software, like Windows and Office, in many languages, but Icelandic is not one of them, Icelandic being too small a market group to be worth investing the time and money in. So if you're a resident of Reykjavik, you're forced to look at your Windows computer in English or German or some other supported language. Linux, until not long ago, didn't have any software that supported Icelandic either. So somebody in Iceland downloaded the source code for Linux software and translated the text into Icelandic. Now everybody can use it. Some of the languages rarely supported by commercial software include: Macedonian, Slovenian, Catalan, and three languages of South Africa not including Afrikaans.
The moral is this: if there's a feature you'd like to have, you are free to create it yourself (or have someone do it for you). This means a lot to companies with specific needs who would like to tweak their software so it suits them. With Linux, you are free to find or create what you want.
Linux Offers Better Protection Against Viruses
Using Linux is a good way to get out of the time-wasting and expensive rat race of updating your virus software everytime there's a new menace on the Internet (and by the way, the virus definitions and fixes don't come out on the market until after the virus is loose and causing damage). Linux has several natural defenses that make it less vulnerable to the threat of virus writers:
1. Restrictive Policies
Linux inherits its security model from Unix, the OS long-revered for its safety and stability. Basically, in Windows, if you want to erase some DLL file (or whatever) of the operating system, you can do so; Windows doesn't know enough to stop you. Have fun crippling your system. Next time you're messing around with your buddy's computer, open up the Windows Explorer, find the folder called "Windows" and erase it. Badda boom, badda bing: a crippled system. Worse yet, any punk who wants to write a virus that, when activated, erases one of those files, can do so. Even worse still, any virus writer savvy enough to tap into the completely vulnerable interface of Microsoft Office and Windows (especially the notoriously insecure Outlook email program) can use it to their advantage. And so it's no surprise we're seeing an explosion of viruses that screw up your computer, and email themselves to all your friends.
Linux assigns every user and every program 'privileges' that determine what that person or program can and can not do. Additionally there is a special user known as 'root.' Only 'root,' the system administrator, has access to the operating system files, executable files, drivers, and so on, so a normal user has no way of causing damage to the operating system. But more importantly still, everything that comes in off the internet is automatically and reliably tagged as 'unprivileged.' So a virus, which is nothing more exotic than a miniature computer program, can not be executed on your computer without your specifically instructing it to... which, of course, you won't.
2. Uniqueness
If all the tigers in the jungle are eating rabbits, it's a good time to be a walrus.
Virus writers enjoy attacking Windows for two reasons: as discussed above, it's easy, and because the vast majority of computers run on Windows. What's the fun of writing a virus to attack Macintosh users, if they (regrettably) only have around 5% of the market share? You get more bang for your buck for attacking Windows users. Bonus- Windows makes it easy for you! So, just by not being mainstream, Linux keeps you out of the gunsight of the virus writers.
3. Open Source Ensures the Code is Free of Vulnerabilities
If there are no bugs or loopholes, there's no way to sneak a virus in to someone's computer. And Linux' very open nature means the thousands of people who pore through its lines of code have a way to analyze if there are vulnerabilities. The alternative is the following: A software company distributes or sells a piece of software to the world; only they have access to the code. Some smart guy figures out how to attack that program, writes a virus that takes advantage of its weakness, and sends it out over the internet. People, when they start getting attacked by the virus, run begging to that company for help. That company, if it's responsible, works on a solution and may or may not sell it to you. The point is, the solution happens after the damage has been done.
Linux allows programmers to anticipate the attack before it happens, a defense policy any military planner would agree with.
Linux is Often Free of Charge or Far Less Expensive Than Propietary Software
You can usually obtain Linux without paying for it, often by means of a download from the internet. Even when it's not "free as in beer", it's still not so expensive. SuSE Linux 8.0 Personal edition cost me $35 in 2002; other versions cost more or less, and many companies allow you to download it for free (it's a big download though; purchasing the CD is worth it). And when you purchase a version of Linux, you're really paying for the manuals and support that come with it (SuSE for example offers 60 days installation support and more). What do you get for your money? The operating system, tons of software (email programs, word processors, image software, players for your MP3s, games, etc.), and support.
Windows, meanwhile, will cost you $150 or more (and if your computer came preloaded with Windows, don't worry, you paid it anyway- that $150 was added into the price tag for you). Microsoft Office 2000 can cost you an additional $300 to $600.
Get Off the Expensive "Upgrade" Treadmill
If Microsoft Word users save their documents as Office2000, users of Office97 can't read them. Why? Microsoft changes their file formats regularly to force you to upgrade. What does Microsoft recommend? That the user of Office 97 buy and upgrade. Companies drop support for older versions of their software products according to a timeline. Witness the new Windows XP: You can buy it for an "upgrade" price if you use Windows 98 and newer, but users of Windows 95 are punished for not having upgraded more recently by being forced to pay full price. Naturally users of Windows XP find they are unable to save their documents in Office97 format. There is no technical reason for those file formats to change. The only reason is to force you to buy the same software product again, in a newer version. You are on the infamous "upgrade treadmill" and will probably need to buy newer computers along the way to keep up with your software. It's a lot of money and once you start, you can't stop, because you've already saved all your documents in a propietary format. Microsoft knows once you have all your spreadsheets saved in Excel format, you'll keep buying new copies of Excel, because otherwise you won't be able to read your own documents. In effect, by choosing a propietary file format, your data has been taken hostage.
In Linux, extraordinary efforts are made to ensure forward- and backward- compatibility. File formats stay the same, and older versions of software are maintained by the same folks who use it.
Links:
The Linux Advantage: Locking Out the Lockout Artists (Linux Journal 7 July 2000)
Old Version of Linux Kernel Still Maintained by its Fans
Linux is International and Universal
Linux is developed 24 hours a day by volunteers and friends who work together over the internet. No one company owns it (companies like Redhat sell it and contribute to its development, and even offer support and training for it, but they don't own it). A given project may be worked on by volunteers working in a dozen countries, communicating via the internet and working towards a common goal. No one can make off with it, at the expense of others.
Although Windows has basically cornered the market on desktop operating systems in the United States, that's not true of the rest of the world. Linux has a strong presence in Europe and Asia, where it represents a way to level the playing field and not be held captive to American corporations or predatory pricing. The Chinese government in particular has made no secret of their mistrust for Microsoft and have gone the extra length to develop their very own brand of Linux (Red Flag Linux). Since the government has full access to the source code they have no reason to wonder if Microsoft has programmed any "back doors" into the software sold in mainland China; nor will they be further chastised or threatened for the existence illegally pirated copies of Microsoft software.
The Linux community sees the international scene as a way of making inroads into the desktop operating system market and has taken great pains to ensure Linux is available to the larger international community. There's great support for non-standard keyboards and character sets (characters like ñ and ç), braille displays for the blind, and more.
Links:
Red Flag Linux (in English)
Linux Catches On in the Middle East
Arabeyes.org: Linux for Arabic Speakers
Linux Can Be Installed Easily on Older Computers
Too many computer users find themselves purchasing newer computers because their current computer doesn't have the power to run the newest version of Windows. For example many people are still using Windows 95 on computers with smaller hard drives on which Windows 98 runs too sluggishly. Those people would be forced to buy a new computer even though the ones they have work perfectly if they want to move up to Windows 98, 2000, ME, or XP. Why bother? Linux works well on computers as old as 486's and with a surprising number of other old pieces of hardware, rescuing perfectly good computers from the trash heap, and rescuing you from having to spend all that additional money on a new computer you didn't want to have to buy. On older machines like the above-mentioned 486s you probably won't have enough memory to run a pretty graphical interface, but it can still be converted into a great file server, internet fire wall, router, and much more. But if you've got an early model Pentium computer and around 64 megabytes of RAM, you can have the graphical interface as well.
Links:
Linux Distros for Older Computers (Feb 2006)
Don't Throw That PC Away: Give it New Life with Linux (Linux Journal)
Seventeen Years Old and State of the Art Linux is the Perfect Catalyst for Computer Recycling (ZDNet 24 July 2001)
Linux is Fast and Powerful on Servers and Beats Windows
For the moment, there are many analysts who believe Linux is better suited to the server than the desktop. Leaving the desktop analysis out of the question, there's no doubt that Linux makes a phenomenal server. With the well loved Apache web server software, Linux serves up web pages with the best of them. According to Netcraft, as of July 2002, Apache has 59% of marketshare, ahead of Microsoft's 28%, and increasing steadily. For web pages, as a file server or an application server, more and more companies are discovering that Linux can do the job faster, more consistently, and less expensively than Microsoft.
Links:
Why we switched the Server to Linux
Linux Up Close: Time to Switch (ZDNet 25 January 1999)
Is it Time for Linux?(Network Computing May 1999)
What are the Disadvantages of Using Linux?
In the U.S.A, You're Still in the Minority for Now
Whether you think it was gained fairly or not, Microsoft still enjoys an undisputed stranglehold in desktop operating systems. In the U.S.A. approximately 95&percent; of desktops are running some version of Windows. That means that some products released for the mass market of Windows won't be available for Linux users until shortly afterwards, when the Linux community creates one of its own. However being in the minority doesn't mean being alone (and as mentioned above, in the world of viruses, it can be an advantage) - the Linux community, even if it's the minority, is enormous and growing rapidly. It presently consists of several millions of users and increasingly rapidly.
Links:
Hardware Drivers are sometimes Hard to Obtain
This is a deficiency recognized by the Linux community, which is writing drivers for popular hardware devices like monitors, RW CD burners, scanners, and USB devices at breakneck speed. The past five years have seen a tremendous increase in Linux' ability to recognize and automatically install drivers for popular hardware. Just because a driver doesn't exist though doesn't mean you're out of luck. Searching Linux discussion groups, the USENET, and other places where Linux junkies discuss their favorite operating system frequently yields "work-arounds" or other ways to get your hardware to function under Linux. The only exceptions to this are...(see following section)
Links:
Some Hardware was Created Specifically for Windows and Won't Work with Linux
"Winmodems" are the most famous examples of this. Some recent modems, particularly the cheap ones found in laptops, are built without their own processors (the chips that perform the thinking when the modem operates). Instead, the modem uses some of Windows' processing time (kind of like borrowing someone else's brain if you haven't got your own), slowing down your computer whenever the modem is functioning but saving the manufacturer a lot of cash. The majority of these inferior and cheap modems are unfortunately incompatible with Linux. A new, legitimate modem will cost you about $50.
Most manufacturers of hardware hope to sell to the Windows crowd because of the size of the market. So (for now) when you're using Linux you need to do a little extra work to make sure your new hardware is compatible before purchasing it. Macintosh users are no strangers to this situation either. There are many hardware lists available that show compatibility with Linux; just do a search before purchasing. Note that this situation too is changing fast as forward-thinking hardware manufacturers reach out to offer support to the Linux community. For example the scanner manufacturer Epson has taken great pains in the past few years to share information with the Linux community, hoping to be the scanner of choice for Linux users and ensuring that good drivers exist for Epson products. Other manufacturers will follow suit when they realize how much business they're losing from Linux users due to their failure to provide the information necessary to build drivers.
Links:
Using a Modem with Linux (Rutgers University document)
What Does Linux "Look Like?" Is it Ugly and Unusable?
The short answer: 95 out of 100 computer users could sit down in front of a Linux computer and know what to do immediately, plus they'd be amazed at how pretty it can look.
In the mid-1990s, working with Linux meant learning to use the command prompt ( "Green Screen Linux"). But that was a long time ago. Today Linux has not one but several graphical interfaces. And just about every aspect of the graphical interface can be customized. If you're familiar and pleased with the way your Windows machine looked, in terms of the layout, colorscheme, and button arrangement, you can make your desktop resemble that same look. Similarly, you can go for a Macintosh look if that's what you like, or get creative; there are lots of ways to customize your workspace to the way you like it. Click on the following screenshots (courtesy of www.themes.org) to see just some of the ways Linux users have adapted their systems. There are many graphic-arts-minded Linux users around the world who have designed custom "themes" that change the way buttons, icons, the desktop, and menus look, behave, and sound. Or modify those properties the way you like them. With Linux, you can make your computer look and feel any way you like it to.
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Of note are the KDE and Gnome desktop environments. These two projects provide the added functionality to the Linux kernel and GNU software to give a Linux computer a really attractive and functional desktop, with task bars, clocks, cut and paste functionality, menus, icons, background pictures, screensavers, and so on. Arguments rage back and forth about which is better, more soundly designed, and so on. I personally don't prefer one over the other, but rather enjoy the fact that I can switch back and forth whenever I get bored with one. On the surface, they're quite similar, and any computer user coming from a Windows or Macintosh environment will find them highly intuitive and easy to manipulate and be productive with. For the adventurous, curious, those who really enjoy tinkering with their computers, and those who enjoy experimenting with alternative interfaces, there are other options as well, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, such as the revolutionary Windowmaker interface, IceWM, Blackbox, Fluxbox, and more. Best of all, you don't have to choose one and stick with it; you can switch back and forth, as I do.
Anyone worried about having to learn about the command line prompt can take a look at the screen shots below. Linux is fully graphical, menu-driven, easy to use, and easy on the eyes.
Links:
Where Can I Learn More?
There's a lot of information on the internet, but it can be overwhelming if you don't know where to begin reading. Start with some of the links and portals below, to whet your appetite:
http://www.linux.com: A great place to start. News, advice, and links to LUGs (Linux User Groups) that can help you get started, or even help you install.
So You Think You Want to Use Linux: What Does it Take? : A Guide to Getting Started with Linux (Linuxplanet)
Linux Newbie.Org: This site explains things without using a lot of technical jargon.
Linux Engine (Linuxplanet): Questions and answers directed specifically at people who are new to Linux
About.com: Focus on Linux : Plenty of links to user groups, articles, and more (including download sites)
Linux Planet's Search Engine: search the best sites on the net for people new to Linux
There's so much information on the internet about Linux that Google has dedicated a special search engine to gathering it all: http://www.google.com/linux
Where Can I Get Linux?
Remember that what we call "Linux" is really a collection of programs and applications all distributed together. These different distributions are all basically the same thing, yet slightly different in ways that users get used to. I use SuSE Linux, but it differs very little from the better known RedHat. Mandrake is known to be a distribution that installs with few hassles. The hardcore political folks like Debian for its stand on open software. Slackware was one of the first. There are hundreds more, and they're all basically the same. So don't lose sleep over whether one distribution is compatible with another. They're all Linux, and they're all compatible.
That said, it's easy to recommend Mandrake or SuSE to beginners, because the installation process is streamlined, professional, and simple. There are other specialized distros of Linux, of course, including a Thai distro, the Red Flag Chinese distro mentioned earlier, and more. Start here for a list of Linux distros and their websites.
If you're willing to spend many hours downloading the files you can get Linux off the internet for free. But it's a hefty download. You're better off buying a boxed set. Many computer stores, and Amazon.com offer Linux boxed sets at reasonable price. I was happy to find two versions of Linux for sale at Bestbuy, a United States computer retailer.
Or, try ordering your next computer with Linux pre-installed if you want to save some time and hassle. There are several companies that specialize in sales of computers with pre-installed Linux, including Emporor Linux, a company that specializes in laptops preinstalled with Linux. But the pleasant shock of the 2002 was when Walmart began selling lowcost Microtel computers running Mandrake Linux pre-installed. This is basically the first time in over a decade a computer retailer has been able to sell an Intel-based computer with any other OS other than Windows! The crowd went wild.
Links:
Emperor Linux Ultra Portable Linux Laptops and Portables
Walmart to Build LindowsOS Boxes, 17 June 2002
Walmart: OS-less and LindowsOS PCs by Microtel
Are There Books Available to Help Me Learn About and Get Started With Linux?
There are more books appearing on the shelves every day to keep up with the demand the public has for information about Linux. You'll find many times more information on the internet of course, but sometimes there's no substitute for a good old fashioned book. The following titles will be of interest to anyone just getting involved with Linux for the first time. A search under the word "Linux" at Amazon.com turns up 600 search results!
Good Books for New Linux Users:Running Linux Linux in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference Linux: The Complete Reference Red Hat Linux 7 Unleashed Red Hat Linux 7.1 Bible: Unlimited Edition Red Hat Linux 7 for Dummies Learning Red Hat Linux Linux Desk Reference |
Books that Describe the Open Source Revolution:Just for Fun: The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary Rebel Code: Linux and the Open Source Revolution The Cathedral and the Bazaar: Musings on Linux and Open Source by an Accidental Revolutionary Embracing Insanity: Open Source Software Development The New Religion: Linux and Open Source |
What About Software?
You don't have to worry about losing the functionality of your computer by switching to Linux. Odds are, the same things you enjoyed under Windows, you'll be able to enjoy under Linux. And the amount of software being developed every day by the Linux community is astonishing. There's a real passion amongst Linux aficionados to do all their computing without having to resort to a Windows machine, so the amount of software- and the creativity of the software- being developed is mind-blowing. The growing popularity of Linux on college campuses and among the scientist-and-research community has ensured a rapidly-growing body of software for science purposes- fractal generators and so on.
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If You're Used To: |
Try: |
Screenshot: |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Office Suite | StarOffice or OpenOffice.org Suites (see note 1 below) | |
| Microsoft Word | Abiword, Kword | |
| Microsoft Excel | Gnumeric, Kspread | |
| Power Point | Star Office or OpenOffice.org | |
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Kmail, Balsa, Netscape Messenger, Pine |
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Web Browser (Internet Explorer) |
Netscape, Opera, Konquerer |
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CD Player |
KSCD |
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MP3 or Wav Player |
XMMS, Noatun, and others |
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Palm Pilot hot-sync software |
Kpalm, Gpalm, Jpalm |
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Adobe Acrobat |
Adobe Acrobat, Kghostscript |
|
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Web page making software |
Quanta, Bluefish, Netscape Composer, and more |
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FTP Software |
GFTP |
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Graphics manipulation (Adobe Photoshop etc.) |
Gimp |
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Database |
Star Office, Oracle, DB2, MySQL, PostGreSQL |
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Games |
Dozens of strategy, roll-playing, action, and arcade games |
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Scanner Software |
SANE and others |
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CD Ripping and Burning Software |
XCDRoast, KonCD, others |
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Instant Messaging (AOL IM, MSN, Yahoo Messenger) |
Gabber, Kaim, others |
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IRC |
Xchat, BitchX, SIRC, others |
Note: Star Office, and OpenOffice.org deserve special mention. They are credited with making Linux palatable to a whole new audience, and will play a special role as organizations, businesses, and small enterprises consider leaving Microsoft Office. Star Office, originally developed by StarDivision in Germany, was purchased by Sun Microsystems. Sun generously released all the source code to the opensource community, who have improved it, streamlined it, and spent many many months ironing out the bugs. It is now sold by Sun as Star Office 6, and given away for free as OpenOffice.org. They're the same software. Sun provides support, some additional fonts and other propietary add-ons it's forced to charge for. OpenOffice is free, and the two groups work together.
Star Office contains a powerful word processor (like "MS Word"), spread sheet package ("Excel"), Presentation program ("Powerpoint"), and image manipulation program. Its features and interface will be instantly understandable by anyone accustomed to Microsoft products. Best of all, Star Office is able to read and write Microsoft documents flawlessly, meaning you can share documents with all the people who continue to use Microsoft Office. Star Office isn't just for Linux users, either: Sun has released versions for Windows and several other operating systems as well (including for MacOSX soon), meaning Star Office users can enjoy file compatibility across several platforms. It is the only truly free office software, usable without cost by anyone without fear of having to spend money on needless "upgrades."
Besides the software listed above, the obligatory address books, calculators, text editors, screen-savers, and more are all available: Take a look at the sites below to get an idea of how much software is being developed and available- usually without charge- for Linux.
Links:
What is Open Source Software and the GPL?
Open source software is software whose code is available for inspection, modification, and redistribution. The alternative is the distribution of binary software- software that has been compiled and if examined looks like series of ones and zeros. Your computer can understand it but you can't. Open source means you can legally do what you like with the software you acquire- adapt or modify it to suit your needs, copy it, redistribute it, whatever you like. To some it's a movement that has almost a religious element to it; to others it's simply convenient. While not all of Linux software is open source, most of it is, meaning if you know computer programming languages you can modify the programs to suit your whim (and if you don't, someone else can do it for you). This is a powerful advantage. Being able to inspect the source code to a popular program also means being able to inspect it for security problems or bugs. This is one of Linux' strongest advantages- if there's a problem, everyone who knows how to program has a change to help solve the problem.
The GPL is the GNU Public License, which determines how the software may be distributed. The GPL license states that if you distribute GPL software you must also distribute the source code and you may not subsequently change the license. In essence, if you choose to use GPL software you have the right to inspect the source code. If you know how to program, you can even change that source code so it better suits your needs. If you distribute that program, for example by selling it, you must then also make your changes available. A common misperception is that you can not sell GPL software- you must give it away for free. This is not correct. Under the GPL license you are encouraged to sell your product, but the above two rules apply: even if you sell it you must provide the source code, and you must license it under the GPL. This is a license that lets everyone win.
Links:
The Open Source Initiative : home to the legal underpinnings of the open source movement
Why Should You Care About Open-Source? (Publish: 6 July 2001)
What is Microsoft's Reaction to Linux, GPL, and Open Source Software?
Linux is generating a lot of buzz and its success in the server market threatens Microsoft's long term ambitions to monopolize the internet. Unfortunately Microsoft has discovered they can't squash this competitor the way they conquered others. Linux isn't a "company" that can be bought, crushed, or excluded. It's even been able to put up good resistance to Microsoft's traditional strategy of "Embrace, Extend, Extinguish", in which Microsoft adopts some an open standard technology, duplicates it but includes some additional functionality that makes everyone flock to Microsoft's product, and causes everyone to standard on a non-standard, non-open technology only they have the rights to.
Unable to extinguish Linux by this means, Microsoft has reverted to a high intensity campaign of "FUD" ("Fear, uncertainty, and doubt") to discredit Linux and cause potential converts to be unsure about switching. It's a dirty game that many analysts think has backfired, drawing more attention to Linux and making Microsoft look threatened and defensive. Two internal Microsoft documents leaked to the public and known as the Halloween documents indicate just how concerned Microsoft is about Linux' growing popularity.
Links:
IBM Exec: MS "arrogant" on Open Source (ZDNet: 5 July 2001)
Microsoft and the Big Lie (LinuxToday: 1 June 2001)
Two Pronged Open-Source Attack (ZDNet: 2 July 2001)
Wininfo: MS Executives Trash Linux (Linux Today: 1 February 2001)
Why Microsoft is Wary of Open Source (Cnet: 13 June 2001)
What's the Problem with Microsoft, Anyway?
Better than just about anyone else to date, and certainly better than any American legislator, Congressman Villanueva of Peru understands what the problem is. His letter to Microsoft, in defense of a bill he drafted to authorize the use of open-source software in the Peruvian government, has become absolutely legendary. In my own opinion, it's one of the most important links on this page:
Congressman Villanueva's letter to Microsoft (8 April, 2002)
Microsoft Wants to Lock You In to its System with Proprietary Standards
Microsoft has been accused of changing its file formats repeatedly while dropping support of old formats to ensure you keep upgrading - and calling this "progress." Microsoft makes its money through the sales of licenses. But even though they drop support of older operating systems they refuse to budge on making you pay. And they're agressive about making sure they milk every dime out of their licenses, even to the detriment of schools, NGOs, and charities. If you want Windows you'd better pay, no mistake about it.
Links:
MS License Plan Opens Door for Linux (ZDNet 10 May 2001)
How Microsoft Licenses Hurt Kids in East Timor - and You!
Microsoft to Schools: "Give Us Your Lunch Money" (Salon.com 10 July 2001)
Linux Enables Safe Computer Donations to Schools
Product Activation and Anti-piracy Measures that Treat Legal Users Like Criminals
Microsoft's increasingly stringent processes for product activation treat legitimate customers like crooks, and it's going to get a lot worse with Microsoft XP's product activation mechanism.
Links:
Microsoft to Me: We're Turning Off your Office (ZDNet 26 June 2001)
What's Wrong With Product Activation?
Standards Bending - MS Doesn't Play Fairly
Microsoft's Embrace, Extend, and Extinguish strategy is particularly infuriating in the age of the internet, when cooperation and communication is essential to the internet as a whole. If you use Microsoft Front Page to develop a web page, it will bend the HTML code in a way that it looks better on Microsoft Internet Explorer than on Netscape; resulting in a plethora of web pages out there that claim "this page looks best with IE..." There's no reason for it to be that way, unless you're fighting for market share using under the table methods.
Links:
Kodak Tangles with Microsoft over WinXP (ZDNet: 2 July 2001)
Embrace and Extend (Davenet: 23 May 1996)
Microsoft's Attempted Hijacking of Java: (Sun 23 January 2001)
Microsoft Stranglehold on Computing is being Extended to the Internet
Microsoft's new "bet the company" product is .NET- a blanket of web protocols and products that will enable you to use the internet to purchase and deliver goods and services. Its implications are far-reaching and terrifying, if you believe the internet should be common and liberated, not subject to the whims of any one company.
Links:
Court Ruling was No Victory for Microsoft (Wall Street Journal: 5 July 2001)
What .NET Really Means to You in Plain English (ZDNet: 6 June 2001)
The Age of Internet Innocence is Over (PBS, 2 August 2001)
I Told You So, by Robert X. Cringely, A look at how Palladium robs you of your own computer (PBS, 3 July, 2002)
Crash Prone and Unstable
There are tales on every Linux web page about Linux' ability to stay running for weeks or months without crashing- thus its suitability for web servers. If you get tired of paying lots of money to Microsoft and then finding your computer crashes all the time, it may be time for you to take a look at some alternatives.
Links:
The Evil and Traumatic Side of Windows NT (CNN.com, 15 July 1999)
Microsoft "Incredibly Sorry About Goofed Fix" (ZDNet: 13 June 2001)
Engineered and Accidental "Back Doors" Leave Your Computer Unsafe
The following article says it best. In summary, Microsoft is not looking out for your security, and never was.
Links-- Who's Using Linux?
MS Admits Planting Secret Password (ZDNet 14 April 2000)
Break-in Cripples Microsoft Site
Microsoft Takes Heat for Code Red (CNet: 31 July 2001)
What's In the News? And Who's Using Linux?
You can see for yourself. I start mornings off at LinuxToday, a news site that collects links to articles elsewhere, and provides a place for comments. I have learned more about Linux and computers at that site than at any other.
Links:
Ford Looks to Open Source - Microsoft Gets Worried (Silicon.com: 2 July 2001)
Foreign Banks (22 April 2002)
Linux Makes Gains in US Government Market (3 July 2002)
Linux Gains Corporate Respectability (ZDNet 9 April 2001)
Linux use is growing rapidly in US Corporations (6 May, 2002)
HP Exec: Linux will be Desktop Champ (ZDNet: 28 May 2001)
Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS)? Look at the Numbers! by David Wheeler
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