Five good reasons to switch to Linux

[Osiris]

Source: Five good reasons to switch to Linux

One of the most oft-asked questions I get is “Why should I switch to Linux?” It comes to me either via inbox or sound waves attacking my aural system every day. This has been going on for over ten years now I've heard the question from different locations on the globe, in different languages, from all ages, and in some odd locales. What is interesting about this question is that the answers, over the years, haven't really changed that much. The order of importance has altered somewhat, but the answers have all pretty much remained the same.
So I thought I would bring these answer to the outstanding readers here at gHacks to inspire conversation on the topic. Without further adieu, let's answer that age-old question. I am going to apply the order to today's landscape, which of course includes the state of the world's economy (That'd be a hint at number 1).

1. Cost. This is one of the most hotly debated issues surrounding the debate between Windows and Linux. Which is cheaper? One of the reasons this particular point is so hotly debated is because a simple acronym: TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). Why this gets in the way is because it makes developing actual, real numbers rather fuzzy. This fuzziness occurs because of the assumption that all involved in the migration would have to be paid to be educated. In my opinion this is an issue fettered to past releases of the operating system that didn't enjoy nearly the user-friendliness that today's Linux enjoys. This issue could also easily apply to migrations from, say Windows XP to Windows Vista or Windows 7. Both are technologies unfamiliar to the users. But the metaphors are the same. The user will still recognize the task bar, start menu, right and left mouse click, notification area, drop down menus, keyboard shortcuts…the basic things an end user needs to know to work. Making a comparison between modern Windows and modern Linux and you see these fundamental issues are pretty much the same.
So now you can look at the issue of cost on more equal footing. Now the $0.00 price tag on every Linux installation you have in your enterprise starts to look really good. Top that off with the $0.00 price tag of OpenOffice and nearly every Linux app you will need to get by and you can see how the savings will quickly pile up. And in today's economy that type of savings means a ton.
2. Reliability. This ties in perfectly with the number one. The reliability of an operating system is directly proportional to the over all cost of said operating system. How? The more reliable your system, the less work will be spent keeping it running. The more reliable your system the more productive your users will be. And Linux has been proven, time and again, to be one of the most reliable operating systems available. A study was done by IBM to test the reliabilty of the Linux operating system in an enterprise envrionment. The results were very telling. Read the full results on the IBM Linux Reliability test page.
3. Security. I have said this so many times before. I have been using Linux for over ten years now and not once have I experienced a virus, a worm, a root kit, a piece of malware, or a hacker. Not once. I have also deployed countless Apache servers, mail servers, file servers, etc. and have yet to have issue. I have, on the other hand, had to deal with many, many Windows users who have suffered from malware, viruses, trojans, worms, etc. I have reformatted, re-installed, and trouble shooted (shot?) so many instances of an infected or hacked Windows machines I have lost count.
4. Freedom. From the beginning Linux has been about freedom. This freedom is all about the user and the freedom from software that offers no opportunity for the user to change the way the software behaves. Recently the Linux Foundation held a contest for a “We're Linux” video. The winning entry elegantly explains what software freedom is all about. See the video here. Freedom is one of the main reasons why I use Linux. When a piece of software doesn't behave in exactly the manner I want it to behave I change it. Open source allows me to do that. Try altering the behavior of a piece of Windows software (outside of the preferences window). The old Microsoft question “Where do you want to go today?” With Linux that question would be “Where do you want to go, how do you want to get there, do you want the scenic route, do you want a specific map for your trip (or do you want to wing it), and do you prefer first class or coach?”
5. Choice. Let's face it, with Linux you have more choice than you do with any other operating system. You can choose your kernel, your distribution, your desktop, your window manager, your package manager…the list goes on and on. You can mix and match and even run Windows applications if you want. The way I always explain the difference between the metaphor of Linux vs. Windows is that with Windows you are given a floor and a ceiling to keep you from going too high or? too low. With Linux you are given four walls (all of which can be moved or removed), no floor, and no ceiling so you can go as high or as low as you want.
And there you have it. The five top reasons you should considering switching to the Linux operating system. Do you have reasons, other that the above, for switching to Linux? Do you have reasons for not switching to Linux? Let us know.

 

[Jayce]

Aye-fricken-Men.

 

[Dumpy]

i like linux for what iv used. im slowly migrating the only thing thats keeping me on windows is my phone. I need to plug my phone into my computer to charge it ( lost wall charger), and installing programs although, im getting used to that in linux. Another reason i think should be up there is linux runs faster/better on slower machines

 

[Jayce]

What kind of phone do you have, Dumpy? My razr gets detected automatically and I often charge it via USB on my work laptop while running 8.10.

 

[Dumpy]

i have a rokr its not so much the charging thing, its the software for it.. if i could find something i could take stuff off/add then i would be almost a full switch over. but as for even recognizing iv never tried cuz i didnt think there was a point if there was no software but if there is id LOVE to knwo

 

[Osiris]

Over the last few years I have seen the general public go from a general ignorance of the existence of Linux to a general knowledge of it being an option on their computers. Over those same years I have seen the momentum building to this point…this point being the perfect time to make the switch from your current operating system to Linux.
Why, you ask, is this the perfect time to make the switch? I have five good reasons why. Read on to find out.
1. The tide is only going to continue to rise. The Linux movement is only going to continue to grow. I predict that in the next five years Linux is going to have grown to the point that it will start becoming an option even in big-box retail stores. As IT professionals, programmers, or even geeks-in-general you are going to want to have a solid understanding of Linux when this happens. If you don't, you will be left behind. Instead, embrace the open source flagship now and, by the time Linux has risen to power, you will have a better grasp of the operating system than your competition.
2. Economy. In my recent article “Five good reasons to switch to Linux” I made it fairly clear why the cost of Linux makes sense. But let me make this point a bit more immediate. The economy across the globe is quite bad. It will eventually find prosperity and companies will finally rise above the water to breathe again. This less-than-prosperous period is the perfect time to make the switch to Linux. Why? Job security. If you are the head of an IT department, how do you think the board of directors or the CEO is going to look upon you when you bring to them the figures showing how much you have saved them in software licenses? You're going to look quite the genius and it might save you from getting that fateful call to HR to hand your your pink slip.
Add to that the savings over time and, when you do float back above water, you will have saved enough money to put towards some new hires, or some new iron.
3. Microsoft is making up for another mistake. How many times are you going to read that sentence? The reports and reviews for Windows 7 are pretty much all positive. Isn't that to be expected after Vista? With the exception of Windows ME, Vista was the worst operating system Microsoft has released. They knew they had to recover from that with a hit. If they didn't, they were doomed. But is this going to be the last time? No. Because Vista is so bad, now is the perfect time to make the switch to show your users what a real operating system, with real power, is. Once they see the stability and speed of, say, Ubuntu over Vista they will welcome it with open arms. No more slowing down, no more UAC.
4. Ubuntu 9.04. I will be writing up a review of this newest release of Ubuntu very soon. But I can safely say, after less than 24 hours of use, that this release might well be the slickest operating system release I have ever seen. Introducting new users to this particular version of Linux will not only prove to them that Linux is a viable solution, they might finally see that Linux is the BEST solution. Ubuntu 9.04 is really that good.
5. What's the next big virus? Can you answer that question? If not, can you say, with 100% certainty, your anti-virus software will protect you and your data from whatever is about to come down the pipeline? If you were using Linux that certainty would certainly be much closer to 100% than it is now with Windows. And you're willing to risk that mission-critical data why? Malware, spyware, viruses, worms, trojans - they are only going to continue coming. And every time they do you have to hope the makers of your protection have pushed the definitions out to your machine to keep you safe. With Linux you're not going to have to worry about that right now. But the longer you wait to make the change, the greater your chances that you will be the next victim of whatever malicious code is next in line.
So, what are you waiting for? Games? Photoshop? Linux is here and it's only going to continue to grow. Now is the perfect time to either make the switch or add Linux to your arsenal of tools. Don't get left behind.

 

[Jayce]

i have a rokr its not so much the charging thing, its the software for it.. if i could find something i could take stuff off/add then i would be almost a full switch over. but as for even recognizing iv never tried cuz i didnt think there was a point if there was no software but if there is id LOVE to knwo

Maybe it's because I have a Micro SD card in my Razr since my onboard memory is non-existent, but once I plug mine in, it'll charge it and the memory is recognized as storage media and it'll show me a folder with the contents. From there I can drag mp3s to it and bam, they're on my Razr.