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I Love Linux

// March 4th, 2007 // Uncategorized

I’ve been watching the development of this Microsoft-alternative closely. Every few years for the past 12 or so, I’ve downloaded the latest, greatest linux attempt at actually doing what Microsoft does, only better. Not until this year was I convinced enough to keep a version of linux on my computer, in order to experiment with it and get to know it better.

I’m not ready to dump Windows XP, yet. But the open source movement seems to be quietly, carefully re-inventing its image so that hardcore coders and nerdy-geeks aren’t owning it as exclusive turf. As this progresses, the user-friendly and popular open source projects such as Firefox, Wikipedia, Wordpress (jimblog.net’s blog platform), bitTorrent, and Limewire are drawing in the Microsoft- and Apple-fatigued masses. Some, like web developers, have long been happy that the most powerful tools for Internet publishing are open source, free of charge, well-supported, and constantly improving: PHP, Apache, MySQL, Perl, and Linux.

Ubuntu (website here) is my current favorite flavor of linux. After testing the two top competing interfaces, I find that I prefer the one called KDE over the Gnome style desktop. Since ubuntu is friendly to choice, they offer Kubuntu, which is now installed on my home computer’s second hard drive, available from a boot menu which timer-defaults to Windows XP (in order to preserve user-friendliness should my wife or daughters need to restart, something Windows often needs to do, to all of our eternal frustration).

The power and flexibility of linux blows me away. Ubuntu has now made their installer so hands-free that it will even automatically partition a single hard-drive and a boot menu for the dual-booters. (I learned a tough lesson, though, recently: don’t install two versions of linux, one on Windows’ hard drive, the other on a different drive, without backing up ALL your critical data!)

The linux system recognized all of my hardware without requiring silly repetitive Plug’N'Play wizard games. It just recognized all my input and output devices, including USB thumb drive, HP Photosmart printer, scanner, DVD burner, Microsoft keyboard, and Logitech optical mouse, all without needing praise and thanks from me. The linux OS seems to know how to make the best use of my graphics and sound cards, again all without needing to be told to do it.

Now THIS is a system which is intelligently designed by those who use computers like I do- obsessively! This OS makes my computer really shine, and promises me the kind of server capabilities that Microsoft only gives to those with lots of spare $$$, and that Apple doesn’t even attempt without Microsoft’s help.

Microsoft had it’s important role to play, when IBM needed a simple OS (and Bill Gates delivered MS-DOS). And for pulling the software developers into graphical user-friendliness, I have endless thanks for the Redmond giant. (I also highly respect Mr. and Mrs. Gates for philanthropic pursuits which strive to meet the world’s most pressing needs with his billions of dollars).

However, I believe we are seeing the beginning of the end of the era of the Microsoft desktop monopoly. And Apple, by not even trying to court the vast pool of open source brainpower out there, is doomed by that stubbornness to an even hastier downfall than that prepared for Microsoft.

Long Live Linux! Long Live Open Source!