If you need a reliable multitasking operating system or have mission critical objectives and need to run a Web server accommodating multiple users, think Linux. It's an incredibly robust operating system that's hard to crash. Even if you're just interested in keeping up with the latest, greatest thing in operating systems and you need something useful and fun to play around with, think Linux. You can even install Linux alongside Windows on your PC, and perform all your usual Windows activities while you're learning Linux and slowly making the transition. Even if you don't plan to switch over completely, the benefit of having Linux and Windows on your PC concurrently is the ability to switch back and forth at any time, using the OS that is best suited for the task at hand.
With Linux, you get thousands of dollars worth of software free of charge or at a fraction of the price, and you're not forced to buy multiple copies for a single corporate or home office. Zero licensing fees significantly lower the cost of end-user computing. Unlike the Windows kernel, which you have licensed, not purchased, from Microsoft, the Linux kernel is completely configurable. You can eliminate support for devices you don't even own and protocols you don't even use, so that Linux takes even less memory space and booting up is faster.
Linux works well with other operating systems on the same network via network protocols, and it's becoming the number one choice for as a server operating system due to its unusual stability. Samba allows Linux to emulate a Windows NT server remarkably, providing Windows file and print services. You can manipulate files on the Linux server with MS Explorer, even using the drag-and-drop method.
You'll still have to configure hardware and system devices such as printers, dial-up connections and networking using a bunch of command-line utilities and configuration files, but the payoff is, you generally have more power and more options when your program accepts command-line commands. Even so, you don't have to totally give up a graphical interface. Linux has support for a popular Unix interface called X Windows, as well as two new competing Windows-like interfaces called GNOME and KDE. If you absolutely need "Mr. Paperclip" popping up in the corner when you type a letter to your sister, then stick with Windows-- Linux doesn't come with all those superfluous bells and whistles. On the other hand, it's that lean core that allows Linux to run on the old 486 that's collecting dust in the garage or the company broom closet.
You don't need an advanced degree in computer engineering to get a basic Linux setup going, and you don't have to completely replace your existing OS to take Linux for a test-drive. You can have full use of your Windows applications while you dabble with or switch to Linux. The most common method for installing Linux side-by-side Windows on your PC is simply to partition the hard drive using a software package such as PartitionMagic. Then use a boot manager, such as BootMagic-- or LILO for Linux fans, or FDISK, an old DOS tool. The boot manager gives you a choice among the multiple bootable partitions or to default to one of them in particular. If this sounds daunting, distributions such as Corel's create the separate disk partition automatically and install itself in a few easy steps. One other method to obtain dual-boot capability is what's called the UmsDos method in which you install Linux as a file in a DOS directory, so that it boots after a few Windows command-line prompts (in the Windows safe mode).
When it comes right down to it, there's nothing holding you back from taking advantage of the benefits of adding Linux to your PC-especially if you're hosting a Web server, or need a hub for your home network. For the more mundane home computing tasks, Linux may be overkill, but is undeniably a bargain with such high quality and a low price tag. So go ahead and install Linux on your PC alongside Windows-you'll gain a powerful ally, and given its existing momentum, it might not be long before Linux replaces Windows at workstations and standalones just as it is replacing Windows servers today. |
