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GNU/Linux

Tue, 06/19/2007 - 8:26pm — corfy

I have recently decided to test the computer waters and check out GNU/Linux (more popularly, although some would say inaccurately, known as simply "Linux"), a computer operating system that is an alternative to Microsoft Windows.

I have set up my home computer so I can boot off of either operating system, and I have been testing out Linux and running it through its paces.

Often, that experimentation has come up in conversation, and I get two questions all of the time. The first is "What is Linux?" And the second one is "Why would you want to install Linux?" Simple questions with not-so-simple answers. In fact, whole books have been written on those two subjects.

But when you only want a 30-second sound bite, you are not going to sit through a 2-hour lecture. So I decided to come up with my own answers for those questions. I will leave it up to the reader to determine if more research is needed.

Before I get started, I probably should explain what an operating system (OS) is. An operating system is software that runs between the hardware on your computer and the programs that you run on your computer. Microsoft Windows, DOS, Mac, UNIX, and Linux are all examples of operating systems. Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, and Photoshop are all examples of programs that run on the operating system.

What is and why Linux?

First, as I said, Linux is a low-cost, and often free, alternative operating system to Microsoft Windows. As I pointed out, it can be set up to run on the same computer as Windows, although that takes some planning. Linux is very stable and secure, and easy to use once it is set up properly.

Linux is also what is called "Open Source." That means that the source code, the code that computer programmers work with, is freely available. And you are welcome to change the code to your own liking, assuming you are a programmer. I took some programming classes in college, but it has been a long time ago. Although I have forgotten most of what I knew, I think I can pick it up again fairly quickly if I set my mind to it. I haven't gotten that ambitious yet, but I like the idea of having that ability.

One of the really nice things about Linux is it is complete. Most distributions come with all of the software you need already installed. This is in contrast to paying $200 for Microsoft Windows and then having to go out and spend several hundred dollars on the software to run on your computer.

Technically, Linux is available for free, but that is only if you are willing to download several hundred megabytes off of the internet and are capable of burning it onto a CD. I downloaded my copy from Debian, and I ended up with 6 CDs worth, which was nearly 4 GB. Even with high-speed internet, I set up the computer to download before I went to bed and left it running because it was going to take several hours. If you have a 56K dial-up connection, that just isn't feasible. There are several companies that sell Linux for a fee. Some will sell you just the CDs, some will sell you CDs with documentation, some will sell you CDs with tech support, and some will sell you CDs with documentation and tech support. Usually you can find Linux for under $100 with documentation and tech support. Although not every version of Linux has tech support, nearly every version has a user's forum where Linux users help each other out with problems. With all of the help I have gotten from forums, I haven't needed dedicated tech support.

For the most part, programs written for Windows will not run on Linux. However, you will find a large library of similar programs that are designed for Linux that will handle most of the tasks you are familiar with. And those programs are, like the operating system, free or very low cost.

Linux will also has less stringent systems requirements, so it can be run on older computers. Of course, that depends on how old the computer is and what you plan on running on it.

Although I am mainly thinking of Linux in terms of home use, Linux is a powerful business operating system as well, with web server, email server, MySQL server, file server, and FTP server capabilities built right in at no extra cost (although tech support is usually a bit more if you are wanting that).

Linux is less susceptible to computer viruses, adware, and spyware. Opponents say that is only because Linux has such a small user base it isn't worth targeting yet, with Windows installed on 90% of the world's computers. Supporters say it is because Linux is fundamentally different than Windows, and has safeguards built-in to prevent that, even if it is targeted. In either case, at least for now, you win. I will say this, though, 70% of all computers that hold web pages for the internet run Linux, so even if the sheer number of computers aren't Linux, some of the higher profile computers are. Even "the world's largest application", the Google search engine, runs on Linux.

Linux is also very stable. I have heard stories about Linux computers running for a year or more without having to shut down or reboot. I wouldn't dream of making my Windows computer run that long, even if it could make it that long without crashing. I make it a practice to restart the Windows servers at work at least once a month just to ward off problems, and even then I have to restart occasionally during the month.

Linux also comes from a variety of companies and organizations, some are more user friendly than others, some are more advanced than others, some have more options than others. There are even versions of Linux that run entirely off of a CD, giving you an easy way to poke around with Linux without actually installing it on your harddrive. Finding a distribution that suits your needs isn't that difficult.

Why not Linux?

But if Linux is so great, how come it isn't more popular? Well, there are a few reasons. First off, it can be a little difficult to install, although some are easier than others. Also, Linux takes some getting used to, especially to someone familiar with Windows. And not all computer hardware is supported by Linux, although you won't have problems with most of the common hardware. And as I said, most of the software you have won't run on Linux, and some people or organizations aren't willing to give up their software.

Another problem with Linux is games. Most of the really popular, main-stream games will not run on Linux, although there are lots of games available. Of course, that depends on your definition of "computer games." If you think of something like Solitair, MineSweeper, Tetris, or Mah Jong, then you won't have any problems with Linux. In fact, you may find more games than you know what to do with. If your idea of a computer game is Doom 3, Half Life 2, John Madden 2005, Sims 2, and so on, then you may run into problems with Linux. If you like something in the middle, Linux might be able to accomodate you, and it might not, it depends on the game.

Tux, the Linux mascot

PROs to Linux:

  • Very stable
  • Very secure
  • Little to no cost
  • Very powerful
  • Highly customizable
  • Can do nearly everything you want it to do
  • Requires less system resources than Windows
  • Tux, the Linux penguin mascot, is cuter than the flying Window.*

*=Ok, I know I am just being silly

CONs to Linux:

  • Can be difficult to install
  • Harder to learn than Windows
  • Software you have now won't run
  • Some hardware is not supported, particularly really new or really obscure hardware
  • No direct tech support

Common Linux distributions:

  • Ubuntu - This is my Linux of choice right now.
  • Debian - The Universal Operating System, this is what I chose first
  • Fedora, the OS formerly known as Red Hat
  • Mandrake I nearly chose this
  • SUSE currently making strides for businesses
  • Linspire currently making strides for home use
  • Gentoo is a highly customizeable distribution
  • Slackware not for the feint-of-heart, but good if you truly want to know everything about Linux
  • SAM a version of Linux that runs off of a CD, good way to test Linux without committing yourself
  • D.S.L. is one of the smallest Linux distributions in the world

This is by no means a comprehensive list. DistroWatch tracks over 300 different distributions of Linux.

The Software

And if you don't want to jump into Linux but want to try out some of the programs, you are in luck. Several programs written for Linux are available for Windows. A good example of this is office programs. The most common office package in the world is Microsoft Office. The standard edition of MS Office 2003 contains Word (word processing), Excel (spreadsheet), PowerPoint (presentations), and Outlook (email). Retail cost is $399, unless you have a previous version, in which case you can get the upgrade for $239. If you look hard enough, you might find a McIntosh version, but for the most part it is only sold for Windows.

On the other hand, OpenOffice.org is a free office program that is available for both Windows and Linux. It has Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheet), Impress (presentations), Draw (image and diagram editing), and database tools. Not only does OpenOffice.org have some of the same functionality of Microsoft Office, OpenOffice.org will also read and write most Microsoft Office files, making the switch relatively pain free. The only thing missing from OpenOffice.org is an email program, such as Thunderbird, which is also a free program.

This is just one example. There are hundreds more examples of open-source software. For a more complete list of Open-source software and a better explanation, check out the Open-Source Software page.

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