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Good read: Windows is not linux
Read this article if you haven't checked it out yet.
The only slight difference I have with the author is he makes it sound like linux is just this power user platform, when in fact it powers a big percentage of the world's web servers, it's a serious production tool, much more so than windows when it comes to hosting websites etc. :: Quote :: A Windows user must realize that he's only an experienced Windows user, not an experienced computer user; just like a car driver is only a car driver, not an all-road-vehicles driver. A Windows user on Linux must realize that he has just become a novice again, just like a car driver on a motorbike. A Windows user must be willing to learn that there are different ways of accomplishing the same task, just as a car driver must get used to the handlebars replacing a wheel and the need for a crash helmet he never had to use before. And they have to be prepared to accept that "different" does not mean "inferior".
.... Linux is an alternative to Windows, but not a replacement. It will never be a replacement, because it has incompatible goals. Microsoft's goal is to get their software onto as many PCs as possible, as their priority is profit. Linux has no such goal, because Linux is free. It has a different priority. To understand this is to understand FOSS It's a good read, it's pretty sensible overall. If you've spent any time around the types of windows etc users he's talking about, you've heard the arguments he refers to over and over. It's worth thinking about the points he raises if you're interested in linux. I completely agree with his central point: :: Quote :: Before you decide you want to switch to Linux, ask yourself "Why do I want to switch?"
If the answer is "I want an OS that puts all the power in the hands of the user and expects him to know how to use it": Get Linux. You'll have to invest a substantial amount of time and effort before you get it to where you want it, but you'll eventually be rewarded with a computer that works exactly the way you want it to. BUT. . . If the answer is "I want Windows without the problems": Do a clean install of Windows XP SP2; set up a good firewall; install a good anti-virus; never use IE for browsing the web; update regularly; reboot after each software install; and read about good security practices. I myself have used Windows from 3.1 through 95, 98, NT, and XP, and I have never once had a virus, suffered from spyware, or been cracked. Windows can be a safe and stable OS, but it relies on you keeping it that way. If the answer is "I want a replacement for Windows without the problems": Buy an Apple Mac. I've heard wonderful things about the Tiger release of OS X, and they've got some lovely-looking hardware. It'll cost you a new computer, but it'll get you what you want. In either case, don't switch to Linux. You'll be disappointed with both the software and the community. Linux is not Windows. This advice I completely agree with. If you know how to use windows, malware is not a real issue. That's not the reason I'm interested in linux. And I don't want a replacement for windows without the problems, since Windows doesn't really give me any substantial problems. So why move to linux? It's what the guy says: control, understanding, power, flexibility, software that is good in a different sense than windows software is good. Give it a read, think about it, and try to keep it in mind. Back to top |
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