LINUX, THE LITTLE OPERATING SYSTEM THAT COULD

If you are using a computer with Microsoft Windows installed and you've never heard of Linux, then this is a very important article for you. In my humble opinion, from a security perspective, for financial reasons, for good computer technology reasons and for philosophical reasons it makes sense to change to Linux.

Please forward this to any of your Windows using friends.....better cut and paste tho' 'cause they'll likely be afraid to open an attachment!

In 1998 a virus killed my Windows 98 OS and hard drive. Like many, at the time, I didn't know of any alternatives to Microsoft. My Toshiba computer came with Windows installed. It was vulnerable to security breaches and I accepted the risks...but then I got lucky. My friend and neighbour is a computer scientist and when I told him my tale of woe he said "I don't use Microsoft, I use Linux".
When Dan (Starfish Systems ) introduced me to Linux, my personal computing environment changed forever.
I began to use a computer that is largely unaffected by viruses, spyware, malware and its operating system is free.
Yes FREE. Not only free to acquire, as in free beer, but free to distribute or modify, as in free speech.
In addition Linux is a lean and efficient operating system that doesn't necessarily require hardware upgrades each time a new version is released (I'm composing this message on my old 1998 NEC Versa LX, 366mhz, 256 RAM, 40gHD. I don't think I could run Vista at all on this old laptop on which I'm still running Linux RedHat 9.0. )
The processer, at 366mhz, is borderline obsolete, but the O/S , while old, is still very relevant for today, (it's five years old). This is not to say that updating isn't due. I also have 2.8ghz Acer Travelmate with a gig of Ram. Since I bought it used on Ebay, it came with XP installed but Ubuntu 8.04 partitioned my hard drive and I'm able to keep XP safely on the other side in it's cage. Of course my next move is to buy a new hard drive and get Windows off my computer altogether.

Here's a couple of links to two of the most well known operating systems that are based on the linux kernel.
Unbuntu is free because African billionaire, philanthropist and technologist Mark Shuttleworth is doing the world a big favour.
RedHat is almost free because it makes its money by offering support services. There are also many other versions of Linux that are available on line for nothing more than the price of a cd.
And the source code for Linux will always be free by the nature of its GNU license (thanks Richard Stahlman.)
It's exactly the opposite of the Microsoft/Apple ways of doing business. (Mac computers are great, no doubt about it. But Mac/Apple is not the subject of this article.) Linux is open source, community share ware. The former are proprietary products sold to maximize shareholder profits (the Bill and Melinda Foundation aside.)
Linux has been growing in popularity by leaps and bounds over the years and now counts its users in the millions worldwide. Servers, laptops, desktops and hand held devices all run Linux very well. Most popular software is available for Linux and major hardware manufacturers are offering machines with Linux as a native install. My most recent computer acquisition was a Nokia N8OO internet tablet that runs Linux.

Over the years my rage towards Microsoft subsided since my Redhat computer was unaffected by viruses and the like. And after a couple of years I finally got over the fear of opening attachments. And since XP came with a built in firewall that dampened the flames of the attackers somewhat I didn't hear about viruses so much from my friends and in the news. But then last month, a close friend told me that her XP computer had contracted many viruses and crashed her hard drive...OVER A DECADE SINCE IT HAPPENED TO ME!..
And guess what? my friend thinks it's her fault and that she should have been more careful. And now, two weeks later and down a day's pay, she's back up and running XP again with a clean install. And my sister recently bought a Vista laptop..she has a friend back east who's a Microsoft pro and she was up 'till late installing all the latest and required security and antivirus software.....that will likely be going on for a long time.

As I write this I'm listening to a news article on CKNW about the latest virus that is spread by Facebook...."the more things change the more they remain the same."

I think my computer should protect me not the other way round. After all this if you need three good reasons to switch to Linux, here they are.
1. Security
2. Security
3. Security

The following link is to one of the most important computer articles I've EVER read.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/10/06/linux_vs_windows_viruses/

The narrow path is often steeper as well. And of the many people that I've talked to about my Linux computer over the years I can only think of one who's switched from Windows. So why do I bother? I dunno....just tryin' to help.
Cheers,
JulianOnePlanet Publications copyright 2008

for those who understand, no explanation is necessary, for those who cannot understand, no explanation is possible.