Fundamentally, why Linux?

If you truly enjoy working with computers, Linux is the operating system of your dreams. It is more fun than any other computer operating system around. However, the reason why Linux is truly revolutionary is that it is Open Software. Our science and technology works owing to the free availability of information and peer review. Would you fly a plane that was based on proprietary science and unreviewed design, a plane at the internals of which nobody but the manufacturer could look? Then, why would you trust a closed, unreviewed, proprietary operating system? Linux is ideally suited for a mission-critical application.

Making horseshoes was once a closely guarded trade secret. Science and technology exploded 500 years ago thanks to sharing the knowledge by the means of printing. In the early days of printing, many of those who dared to share were assassinated for revealing "trade secrets". Linux is for the computer age what Gutenberg was for writing. Hopefully there will be no assassinations this time :-) .

Is Linux for me?

Only you can answer this question. Linux is a mature, powerful and extremely versatile UNIX-like operating system. The power and versatility come with a price--you may need to be computer-literate in order to set-up and maintain Linux. Linux is relatively easy to use once the operating system and applications are set up properly. So, your mother will also be able to use Linux, if you set up an easy graphical account for her and put the proper icons/menus on her GUI desktop.? Linux is secure, so your mother will not be able to damage the system no matter how hard she tries--unless it's with a hammer :-) .

Linux is quite different from MS Windows, so do not expect that if you can get around MS Windows, Linux will be obvious to you. You may need to learn. On the other hand, if you come from UNIX, Linux will be easy for you. If you don't know much about computers or you don't enjoy them, chances are Linux administration is not for you. If you don't know your hardware, Linux installation may be a challenge for you.

Linux is difficult for newbies.

This may be true.? But the question is: do you really want to learn it??? None of the authors has any computing science background, yet we use Linux every day and we love it.

What are the benefits of Linux?

Linux can give you:

o A modern, very stable, multi-user, multitasking environment on your inexpensive PC hardware, at no (or almost no) monetary cost for the software. Linux is a rich and powerful platform--don't think of it as a "poor people" operating system.? Out-of-box Linux has as much capability as MS Windows NT with $5000 in software add-ons, is more stable, and requires less powerful hardware for comparable tasks.

o Unsurpassed computing power, portability, and flexibility.? A Linux cluster recently (April 1999) beat a Cray supercomputer in a standard benchmark.? Linux is VERY standard--it is essentially a POSIX compliant UNIX.? (Yes, Linux is a best-of-the-breed UNIX. The word "UNIX" is not used in conjunction with Linux because "UNIX" is a registered trademark.) Linux is most popular on Intel-based PCs (price), but it runs very well on numerous other hardware platforms, from toy-like to mainframes.

o A truly great learning platform. If you are a parent, you should be really glad your daughter/son does Linux--s/he will surely learn something of lasting value.? If you are a teacher, you should consider the installation of Linux at your school.

o Excellent networking capability built into your operating system. You think you don't need a network? Once you try home networking, you will never be able to live without it!? What about connecting the two or more computers that you have at home and sharing your hard drives, CDROM(s), sound card(s), modem, printer(s), etc.? What about browsing the net on two or more machines at the same time using a single Internet connection? What about playing a game with your son over your home network? Even your old 386 with Win3.11 may become useful again when connected to your Linux Pentium server and when it is able to use your network resources. All necessary networking software comes with standard Linux, free, just setup is required. And it is not a second-gear shareware--it is exactly the same software that runs most of the Internet (the Apache software runs more than 50% of all Internet web servers and Sendmail touches some 70% of all e-mail). The pleasure of home networking is something I was able to discover only owing to Linux.

o Connectivity to Microsoft, Novel, and Apple proprietary networking. Reading/writing to your DOS/MS Windows and other disk formats. This includes "transparent" use of data stored on the MS Windows partition of your hard drive(s).

o Dozens of excellent and free, general-interest applications.

o Hundreds of specialized applications built by researchers around the world (astronomy, information technology, chemistry, physics, engineering, linguistics, biology, ...). In many fields, Linux seems like "the only" operating system in existence. The software in this category is typically not very easy to use, but if you want the power, it is the best software that humanity has in these areas. Doubtful? Have a look at: http://SAL.KachinaTech.COM/Z/2/index.shtml for examples.

o Thousands of free applets, tools, and smaller programs. "Small is beautiful" goes well with Linux philosophy.

o Scores of top-of-the line commercial programs including WordPerfect and all the big databases (e.g., Oracle, Sybase, but no Microsoft's).? Many (most?) of these are offered free for developers and for personal use.

o State-of-art development platform with many best-of-the-kind programming languages and tools coming free with the operating system. Access to all the operating system source codes, if you require it, is also free.

o Freedom from viruses, software manufacturer "features", invasion of privacy,? forced upgrades, licensing and marketing schemes, high software prices, and pirating. How is this?? Linux has no viruses because it is too secure an operating system for the viruses to spread with any degree of efficiency. The rest follows from the open-source and non-commercial nature of Linux.

o The operating platform that is guaranteed "here-to-stay". Since Linux is not owned, it cannot possibly be put out of business. The Linux General Public License (GPL) insures that development and support will be provided as long as there are Linux users.

o A platform which will technically develop at a rapid pace. This is insured by the modern, open-software development model which Linux implements:? "build-on-the-back-of the-previous-developer" and? "peer-review-your-code"? (as opposed to the anachronistic closed-software model: "always-start-from-scratch" and "nobody-will-see-my-code"). Even if the current "Linux hype" died out, Linux will develop as it did before the media hype started. Open source development does have its peculiarities: the development appears rather slow (vertically) but it proceeds on a very wide front, dangerous security bugs are fixed almost upon discovery, there are typically several alternatives for a program of similar functionality.

If you wanted to learn first-hand about the General Public License, check these famous GNU documents:
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/categories.html#TheGNUsystem

The license under which Linux is distributed is probably the most important part of it. Other important open-source projects include science and law, no kidding :), although the lawyers seem to be working to change this :(

To get a flavour of the value of Linux, here are some prices for commercial software as listed at www.amazon.com.? All prices are in $USA, as listed on 2001-02-03, with discounts. Roughly equivalent Linux software is included on almost any Linux CD (but with no restrictions on the number of clients).? In addition, the hardware for Linux is MUCH cheaper, since Linux can run all services on a single server.
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server (5-client)--$848.99; Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server (5-client)--$1,279.99; Microsoft Outlook 2000 (1-client)--$94.99; Systems Management Server 2.0 (10-Cals)--$994.99; Proxy Server 2.0--$886.99; Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition (5-client)--$1,229.99; Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition (1-user License)--$4,443.99; Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server 4.5 NT (Add-On 5-CAL)--$264.99;? Windows NT Server Prod Upgrade From BackOffice SBS Small Bus Server (25-client)--$558.99; Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server Upgrade (25-client)--$3,121.99;? Microsoft FrontPage 2000--$129.99; Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server --$664.99;? Site Server Commerce 3.0 (25-client)--$4,092.99; Visual C++ 6.0 Professional Edition with Plus Pack--$525.99; Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise 6.0 with Plus Pack--$1,128.99;? Microsoft Visual Sourcesafe 6.0 CD--$469.99; Microsoft Office 2000 Standard (1-client)--$384.99; Adobe Photoshop 6.0--$551.99; Microsoft Plus Game Pack--$19.99.

The word "free" has two quite different meanings in the English language, and it sometimes leads to misconceptions about the free nature of Linux. These two meanings follow the Latin adjective "liber" and the adverb "gratis", and they are often illustrated with the phrases "free speech" and "free (of charge) beer".? Most Linux software is free in both senses, but it is the first one which is essential to Linux.