How and Why to Switch to Linux
There are many reasons to switch to Linux. One of these is security. Microsoft Windows XP Professional has had 169 security advisories, 32 of which have not yet been patched. This means that there are 32 ways that people can use a problem with the ways that Windows is coded to gain access to your system. Ubuntu Linux 6.10, has only had 32 security advisories, all of which have been patched. Older versions have had more advisories, but ALL security advisories in ALL versions have been patched. (data from Secunia)
Linux is also easier to use. Many people will deny this, because they know their way around Windows better. However, they neglect to notice that this is because they learned Windows. They will now have to learn Linux. However, for someone who has not ever used a computer, However, they neglect to notice that this is because they learned Windows. They will now have to learn Linux. However, for someone who has not ever used a computer, Linux is easier. Many things are more logical. For example, the CD drive is accessed from /media/cdrom, which makes more sense than D:. Is there anyone who can explain the clarity of D: over /media/cdrom? The shut down procedure is accessed from the System menu in Linux, instead of the Start menu in Windows. Why do you click Start to stop?
Installing software is also easier. In Windows, installing is reasonably easy if you know the name of the program you want. Just go to the website (or Google it), find the download link, download the installer, click through 20-30 next buttons, wait for it to install, click finish. In Linux, if you know what you want, you can open a terminal and type sudo apt-get install program. You can also use a program called Synaptic and search for the program, click it, click OK, click Apply, wait. If you only know what you want to do, you have to Google for what you want, look at each result, see if its free, decide whether or not to trust it, make sure its the best choice (look at more results, check if its free, check if you trust it), install. In Linux you only need to go to the Applications menu, click "Add Applications", click the category, choose the program you need, knowing that it is free and safe.
Linux is cheaper. Windows XP Professional SP2 Full is three hundred dollars. This does not include a productivity suite such as Microsoft office or OpenOffice. Since most people who use Windows will use Microsoft Office, that adds another four hundred and forty dollars , bringing the total cost to seven hundred and forty dollars. An older computer (which will still run the latest version of Linux perfectly well) can be purchased for less than fifty dollars. This means that Windows and Office combine to about fifteen times the cost of a low-end computer. Taking the money that would be used buying Windows and Office and buying fifteen computers with it to connect would result in a computer ten gigahertz system with 19.2GB of RAM, which is much more powerful than can be purchased by the consumer. Linux is free. (Software prices from Staples, computer from eBay)
Linux is also more stable. Windows often freezes, requiring a reboot. You also have to reboot after installing software or applying updates. Linux only needs to be rebooted after major updates that change the core of the system. Newly installed programs can be used without a reboot, and most updates allow the system to be used as if there is no update.
Linux is also faster. In Windows, the kernel (which is the most central piece of an operating system), the user interface, and the browser are tied together. If one crashes, which isn't too unlikely, the whole system crashes. In Linux, there are multiple layers. There is the kernel, the text interface, the graphical interface, and the desktop environment. Each one is. This means that if the graphical interface crashes, it can start up immediately. If an update makes the graphical interface unavailable, just use the text interface to fix it.
This means that Linux is highly customizable. For example, there are many desktop environments, each of which brings a very different look to Linux. GNOME is the default. It is simple and easy. KDE is more advanced, but serves the same purpose. KDE has more glitz. XFCE is similar to GNOME, but is more lightweight and will work better on older systems. There are also ultra-lightweight desktop environments such as Fluxbox. These environments are more difficult to use because they gain speed by losing features such as a menu bar.
To switch to Linux, it is a good idea to install programs that are used in Linux on Windows. For example, switch to Firefox for web browsing. Switch to OpenOffice for documents and presentations. Once you are used to these programs, switching to Linux will be easier because you already know some of the programs.
Once you have experience with Firefox and OpenOffice, you can install Linux. Although there are numerous distributions (versions with different software and settings), the best one for new users is Ubuntu (which has been the example for how Linux works). It is available from ubuntu.com. Download the CD image and follow the instructions. Once you have made the CD, reboot the computer. It should give you a menu where you can choose to start or install Linux. Choose this option. The system will take a few minutes to start Linux. You can look at the system and test it. Then double-click "Install". This will start installation. Follow the instructions, reboot and remove the CD, and you have a fully usable Linux system.
