Why I Use Linux

Almost Agree

I almost agree with your thoughts except the virus bit. Since most viruses are designed to either take control of or send information from your computer their is one catch and the part the most Linux advocates leave out. Due to the fact that the source code is freely available actually makes it easier to write virus code for Linux. Lets add the simple solution of getting pass the need for using root password is simple as writing the virus to load during boot and hacking grub to change the root password. Nifty little trick learned from my Linux instructor. The other point made is the main reason Linux is not attacked as often, it is the minority among the various Operating Systems there fore is not targeted by criminal element as often. Thanks for pointing that fact out.

One last thing is try using Fedora although it isn't as user friendly as Ubuntu, it is typically a great OS and fun to play with.

"there's no "right way" or

"there's no "right way" or "wrong way" of doing things"
Statements like that need anecdotes and qualifications. Windows is the same way. Some people like to use a static IP, some dynamic. Some people like to put a password on their login, some don't. What's an area you've experienced unreasonable restriction in Windows where linux made you feel liberated?

"If I don't like a particular piece of software, I can use an alternative."
Outside of a corporate IT environment, this holds absolutely no water. Open Office, Pidgin, Thunderbird, GIMP - you name it, there's an open source application (usually available in Linux as well) that comes near or often surpasses its closed-source equivalent. If you don't know about them, that's not Windows' or Microsoft's fault, that's yours.

"You should do things the way Microsoft tell you to!"
Again, outside of a corp IT environment, I can say with 100% confidence that I've never heard anyone that would say that. In fact, anyone I know would appreciate a good convenience/productivity hack.

Talking about DRM, there's only one place I've run into DRM. Blu-Ray on HDCP. That's IT. I've played more DVDs than I can count, more video files, more various audio files - self ripped and otherwise - and never had a problem with ANY of them. Show me a case where DRM actually affects you, rather than just a bullet point argument in the Anti-Windows Manifesto, and I'd be happy to hear about it.

Talking about community, it comes down to one thing. People are people. Windows and Linux users are exactly the same. A friend of mine is trying to get Ubuntu Linux to acknowledge his keyboard after resuming from suspend and it just. will. not. He's tried everything. He's even logged into the Ubuntu IRC channel and has his question ignored multiple times. Sounds like a proactive community to me! On the other hand, you have people like Mark Russinovich making some of the most in-depth and unique system tools for Windows you could imagine, as well as active forums for mods both aesthetic and technical.

With viruses: Any computer is safe until you connect it to a network. As long as you are behind a firewall and use safe surfing practices, you'll never get a virus. Last time I had a virus it came from download a keygen for a program I should've paid for. My fault! I went and bought a copy and gave the developer their due credit. Yes, there are more viruses for Windows, but using Linux and using Windows shouldn't have ANY effect on your level of vigilance as a competent computer user.

And of course, Windows gets major updates every year, and lately a wholly overhauled OS every three. And like any update on a PC, be it Windows or Linux, yes, the updates CAN break things. An Ubuntu update utterly broke my system last year. I fiddled with it, but suffice to say I eventually gave up and haven't gone back to linux since.

And yes, lastly, linux is free. It's all about what you value. I value my time. While many things in Linux are just as fast or slow as they are in Windows, it's the little nitpicky things like, why won't my mouse's back and forward buttons work, or why doesn't my touchpad function properly? Why does it lock up whenever I try to play a movie? Those things take substantially longer to fix in Linux and require you to go under the hood more frequently. And if you LIKE going under the hood, awesome. There are guys who would rather drive a car they built/restored, just like there are users who'd rather compile gentoo from scratch. There are people, though, who use a car to get from a to b to z, and users who use the computer as a tool rather than using it for the sake of configuring and fiddling with it constantly.

Linux is virus free?

Linux is virus free? Wow.

And you make a point about being able to turn off certain extensions and so on - for what reason? Would Windows suddenly be better if you could disable the ability to paste files? Or not force you to use "folders"? Sure, you can do whatever you want with Linux in a lot of ways, but to what end? For what purpose? In what way is this making you more productive?

Now, if you want to say its good that you can do it just so you can tinker, thats fine. But thats like converting your 2008 Chevy to a carburetor just so you can monkey with the jets. Sure it may be fun to a car nut who loves carbs, but is it useful, practical, or worthwhile to your average person who doesn't even know what a carburetor is? Of course not.

Bottom line, a lot of people use Linux because it lets them feel "holier than thou" about being able to monkey with the internals of an OS. And, theres nothing wrong with that if thats what strokes your cucumber. But, its not a good reason to not use Windows for the VAST majority of users, which is why for all of the proselytizing that Linux will put Microsoft under, it barely expands what is a niche user market.

Almost none of the above applies to Linux/UNIX on a server, however.

There are some people who

There are some people who simply don't understand what the author of this article is talking about when touting the merits and benefits of running Linux as a desktop platform.

The main point here is one of freedom. Linux is to computer OSen as the USA is to countries of the world. Linux is the OS of opportunity, there are no artificial limits or restrictions set on how you may use or modify your own personal computer system like there are with commercial OSen such as MS Windows or OS X.

I'm not bashing any OS here, all have their strengths and weaknesses. For instance, Linux users have to face facts that there just aren't alot of popular commercial software available for the platform. However, with Linux being the Open and Free platform that it is, there are still ways to run your favorite game or app from another platform on Linux. I do it all the time. Not to mention the thousands of free software I can download and install anytime.

Another fact of Linux that emphasizes its free and open nature, there are no software restrictions placed on how you use it. Suppose I wanted to run a server on my home pc, I can do so without fear that I may exceed some artificial limitation on connections that is hardcoded into a commercial OS for the purposes of getting you to pay for the "server" version of the same.

Yet another benefit of Linux, which some may see as a drawback. You can sit in front of justabout any system running a commercial OS and with minor exceptions they pretty much all look and act the same. You could sit in front of 10 systems all running Linux and they could all be completely different in style and looks. This is because Linux allows tweaking and customization way beyond any other popular OS in use today. Granted for some this may not seem like such a benefit, but for those who like their systems to look, act and feel just the way they want them to, it's a major boon.

Finally, the best aspect of a system running Linux is the stability, efficiency and security. As was previously mentioned, malware is not a major concern on the platform, which means no more "paranoid computing". A properly configured Linux system on good hardware runs like the Energizer Bunny, even under heavy usage. The system is true multi user - several profiles can all be up and running at once on separate screens simultaneously and can be accessed with a couple keystrokes, no need to logoff one to get to the other.

Linux stands on it's own merits, there's no need to put down or denigrate another OS to make it look good like the commercial OSen do. Linux and Open Source Software isn't about making some company rich, it's about making the best software possible with a whole community of people helping towards this goal.

And the best reason.....

I just like playing Frozen Bubble.