Switching From Windows To Linux

Bob, One of your better articles trying to expand OS options. I have only dabbled with Linux, but wonder why the world has not switched to a free and flexible OS from an expensive and proprietary MS.

Bob, your articles on Linux are getting better every time. One thing I would add is that there are inexpensive (and even free!) sources for getting physical CDs of Linux distributions.

Three versions of the Ubuntu distro are available for free thru http://shipit.ubuntu.com, http://shipit.kubuntu.org and http://shipit.edubuntu.org (watch those .com's and .org's). Set up a Launchpad account at one, and then you can go to each of the other sites with the same account and add the others. Takes a month or two, but if one's on dialup, it could make the difference between getting 'em or not. There are also commercial vendors like http://www.cheapbytes.org that sell pre-burned CDs for a little bit of nothing.

I have some constructive responses to others' posts, but I'll make that separate. But I'll add an AMEN! to John Howard Oxley's post here--a major reason to use Linux is FREEDOM. That distinguishes Free Software from freeware. Open source, open standards, freedom to modify the code (or have it modified), no Microsoft trickery (like WGA, activation, DRM and whatever else they have hidden in their CLOSED source code). http://www.fsf.org/licensing/essays/free-sw.html explains the philosophy of free software. I'd encourage you to include this link in a future article. Keep up the good work! And thanks!

In addition to my comments on the article, I'd like to add some constructive info to the comments posted thus far.

1) To Shanx: Yes, you can run Linux WITH a GUI on older computers. There are lighter-weight GUIs available which are being used and work well. For example, I use Puppy Linux (http://www.puppyos.com) on an AMD K6/2 300 mhz clone with 256MB of RAM. With a swap file, you can go down to 64MB of RAM if necessary. And it runs like a greyhound!

2) To mel: http://distrowatch.com has more info on the different distros than anyone will ever be able to use. (Bob: consider this link, too)

3) To Kevin: Linux' security largely comes from its UNIX heritage. Like UNIX, Linux was designed with security in mind from the beginning, whereas MS Windows' security was "bolted on" as an afterthought. Bob's mention of the "many eyes make all bugs shallow" effect is also important. Bugs and security holes generally are fixed VERY quickly compared to Microsoft's track record. Hope this helps.

I'm happy to see a positive article on using desktop Linux. Linux is my primary operating system, though I also have XP partitions on each of my three computers.

It's a little misleading to imply a graphical Linux can run on a 486 with 256 megs and fit on 500 megs of hard drive space. The most popular and polished Linux desktop environments require a fair amount of computer power to run well, and with 256 megs you'll probably be hitting the swap file pretty often. It's hard to fit the Linux distros you mention on 500 megs of hard drive. Most require at least 2 gigs of space, and that's for a cut-down installation. Linux works tolerably on older hardware and offers the advantage of a current, aupported operating system, whereas the same hardware can't run XP, and the versions of Windows that will run well on it are no longer supported.

RedHat is a business distro. Home users would use Fedora, but Fedora is something of a test bed for features that will make their way into RedHat. Because Fedora tends to be cutting edge, I don't think it's a wise choice for beginners. You didn't mention Freespire, the free version of Linspire. I don't use Freespire, but it's entire focus is on ease of use and should be considered by people who want something familiar to Windows users.

I use VectorLinux 5.8 Standard, which is designed for speed, lack of bloat, and stability, as well as ease of use. Support is provided through a very friendly and responsive forum. Most Linux distros have user support forums, but not all of them are friendly to newbies.

You wrote that "While there is no version of Microsoft Office for Linux, you can download Open Office, a free suite of programs that includes a spreadsheet, word processor, slide show creator and database". Open Office is included on most of the popular distros.

You might also mention the live distribution Knoppix which comes on CD or DVD. The DVD has 10 GB of stuff on it, including Open Office.

The more full blown live distros run better w/250MB RAM minimum. Try Puppy, Damm Small Linux, Feather, for machines w/less RAM. These distros are about 50MB in size. If one does not work on your computer, try another.

Bob, you've got a great newsletter, but I disagree on your opinion on Linux. Microsoft is behind Ubuntu, so (a) Ubuntu gets press (because Microsoft promotes the coverage), (b) Ubuntu is designed to give would-be Linux users a terrible experience with Linux -- installation failures, slow operation, lack of really good applications, difficulty uninstalling. Indeed, Windows IS better than Ubuntu Linux -- by design.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Microsoft controls Ubuntu, and makes it bad on purpose? Quit your day job, you could make it big as a comedian!

I made the switch to Linux over three years ago and have never looked back. Not only the savings in money and time on using a secure and stable system, but also the great satisfaction in being an *active* computer user, capable of controlling my own computer environment; rather than a *passive* user, dependent upon the whims of Microsoft and their partners in crime, Symantec, for the latest patches (botches).
Linux is based on the Unix filesystem and security model (root password protection). From the outset it was designed as a multiuser system so was well-equipped to deal with the problems of Internet security.
DOS and Windows were originally conceived for standalone single-user PCs - hence Internet security was always a bolt-on rather than a built-in.

You mention installing the various products - one thing I found impressive is the suite that comes installed, and the inate ability of the OS to know about and be able to install so many other tools. For example, I thought OpenOffice was installed by default. And the Mozilla browser was just a click away in the installation interface. And through this same interface, all types of applications (both free and purchased) can be managed. A very well thought out environment.

Thanks Bob for excellent resources that you provide us all. The best thing to happen to Internet is your TourBus and making resources understood to all its riders over past several years.

i use suse 10.2 Bob, and is it safe not to have antivirus on a linux machine? i have seen free real time scanners offered by bitdefender.com for example, but do i really need to run a scan once in awhile? i mean, i do get fearful with all these viruses being created daily and it make me feel unsecure on a linux box sometimes. let me know what you think! thanks for any guidance. Mark

EDITOR'S NOTE: Anti-virus software is not common on Linux machines, but as they grow in popularity, virus writers will target them more. (Same applies to Macs) I'd run an occasional scan...