Introduction to Linux

You may or may not know what Linux is. It is an Operating System, the software you use to communicate with the different parts of your computer. Another, very well known OS (Operating System) is Windows, which has many different versions (Windows: XP, Vista and the soon-to-be-released Windows 7).

Linux, however, is not a commercial product, in the essence that it is not for sale, it is free. It is developed by on-line communities and, in some cases, software developers.

Windows is produced by Microsoft, by professional software developers, and is available to the user for a fee.

Linux is Open-Source software, meaning anyone can get the source code (the code that makes up any program) and change it and compile (create) it as they will. Thus it is all free to anyone who desires it, enabling massive flexibility, but also opening it up for compatibility problems as well.

Microsoft, however, have copyrighted their code for Windows and thus do not release it to the public. Fair enough though, they created it, why should they give it away for free? Also, being a commercial company, this minimises the chance of incompatibility (something Apple have got down to a tee).

Apple have a similar principle, as they are also a commercial company, however Apple OSX has been considered a pure version of Unix (an OS Linux was based on). They also do not release their code and make it more difficult for third parties to develop software so as to minimalise (if not entirely route out) the problem of incompatibility, which is the reason why Macs are growing in popularity.

Why Linux? Why Windows? Why Mac OS?

The age old question: Which OS do you use? As important to some people as football teams and has created many-a-internet flame war.

The Apple fan boys, who love Apple and anything said against it gets shot down immediately.

The Linux fan boys who behave in a similar way, except are usually more knowledgeable with computers and thus think they’re superior to others.

And then the people that just use Windows, because it’s there. Very few fan boys generally exist for Windows.

Windows

You always hear bad press about Windows: Doesn’t work, viruses, blah blah…

It does work. I’ll say that straight up. And this is difficult for me to say (*Has been using Linux for 2-3 years and hasn’t ever looked back*). It just has problems now and then. As I mentioned, people can develop software for it, anyone. You, your brother, sister, father, mother, anyone. So Microsoft have no handle over this. And it’s up to the user to decide: Is this a good thing to install? If you’ve paid for it; usually yes, as the company is probably professional; if it’s free, no, it could’ve been designed by anyone for any purpose and thus may mess with your computer.

Microsoft can do nothing about this as it’s not their stuff that’s messing up, it’s someone else’s.

Another element: Viruses. You always hear statistics about viruses: Windows has over X amounts of viruses, a new virus out. Windows only gets more viruses because it is more popular. A lot fewer people use Linux or Mac OS than Windows so why bother targeting them? Target the mass market. Though with the growing popularity of the other OS’s it’s bringing increasing amounts of new viruses for those OS’s…

Yes Windows is a bit buggy sometimes but you can’t entirely blame it alone, it’s down to a number of factors.

Why I don’t use it will come apart when I talk about…

Linux

I love Linux. There it is. It’s great. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan boy, it’s buggy as a lone light, mid-summer, coated with moths, but it’s great. It works. Simple as that. Well, after a little bit of work, and some tweaking. But it works.

Upon my recent (mandatory due to University) trips back to a PC running Windows I’ve noticed just how much it works compared to Windows. Windows was very slow and sluggish, took a lot of time to do things, didn’t work, sometimes crashed. In my 4 or so years of using Linux (2-3 being solely Linux) it hasn’t crashed on me one single time. Not once.

I should explain there are many different varieties of Linux (similar to the different varieties of Windows), each looking or behaving slightly differently, but all based upon similar principles (the Unix operating system). I use Ubuntu, a distribution funded by a rather wealthy man called Mark Shuttleworth. Although he funds it, the OS is still given away for free and makes money by offering support services and business services.

There are other distributions of Linux such as Red Hat Linux, FreeBSD, openSUSE, Debian, Mint, and many others out there. However Ubuntu is the most popular by far, and this is due to the fact that (and this may sound like a cop-out or contradiction here) it’s mild similarities to Windows. Don’t get me wrong it’s very different to Windows and took a little bit of getting used to but there are some similar features, and compared to some other distributions of Linux, it’s closer to Windows than they are. Though there is a main difference with the fact that the way Linux has been coded/created it is increasingly difficult (if not perhaps impossible[?]) to get a virus on Linux, and thus Linux users do not need anti-virus software.

Ubuntu is rather good though. Everything is very easy, and installing is a doddle (now). It used to be rather difficult but now they’re developed something called a Live Disc, where you can run Ubuntu off of a CD or USB Drive, without affecting your computer at all, to test it out, if you don’t like it, don’t install it, if you do, click install and follow the on screen instructions, easy as Windows ever was.

Back to the bugs I mentioned earlier. To use Linux you really do have to know quite a basic bit about computers, for instance, a bit above the average user, otherwise you’ll constantly be searching the web/asking friends for help. Some things do go wrong, or don’t work which you have to fix, small things, but still…

It’s not quite ready for everyone yet, but if you can use Windows well enough and are sick of it Linux may be a good option for you, however, if you just want a PC that works out of the box (although maybe slow and buggy at times), or are just an average user, stick with PC’s and Windows.

Apple OSX

Now, this is going to be a short article as I have very little (compared to the other two OS’s) experience in this OS. What I have used it for (conveniently) is video and sound editing, what they’re best at.

My relationship (when I used one and from what I know/have seen/have heard) with a Mac is a rather sour one. First of all you can’t just consider the OS, you must consider the Mac as well as they come as one, you cannot get Mac OS on another system (legally). Yes they look marvellous, and they have nice effects and the OS is very polished, but you’re buying a turtle just because he has cool go-faster stripes on his shell.

OK so that comparison was a bit of an exaggeration, Macs are usually quite decent specification. But still you can get a PC with a much higher specification for a much lower price. You’re paying for the brand and the style. However I may be swayed by my personal opinion as I would much rather get a free OS (Linux) buy a PC that’s just a black box with wires in and have that than spend more or a lower specification computer for the branding and style of it.

Back to the OS; OSX.

From what I’ve used of it (remember not much) I didn’t like it much. A lot of things seemed unnecessary and more difficult than they should be. The Dock at the bottom originally threw me off when I assumed I’d closed a program only to find it was still running in the Dock, and my only notification was an (extremely) small black triangle below the program icon. Also upon copying files, drag and drop did not copy, it merely moved them which ended with a lot of confusion.

However they’ve got rid of the old “There’s only one mouse button so it sucks” problem with the Mighty Mouse. And, in all honesty, they do look rather good. However you pay for the style as I said earlier. And I’m more of a power over looks kind of person. My car/PC may look bad but I’ll leave you in the dust.

The movie/music editing on the Mac though (which is it’s main selling point) was quite good. Though this leaves me to wonder, is this due to the software? And if so, a PC with the same software would surely do just as well? But then again the software is developed by Apple so I suppose it is down to them.

Upon editing a movie I had made, using the Mac to edit was easy. Connecting the camera, transfering the video, syncing the music, all quite simple, so it does do very well there.

Viruses. One of Macs main selling points is the fact that you can’t get viruses on it. Well that’s a straight up lie there. You can. Quite a few actually. And they’re growing every day. More and more are found. As I said earlier, the popular ones get targeted. Because more and more people are using Macs, more and more people see an open market to create viruses for them; and so more and more viruses are created. Though yes, admittedly, Macs are much less likely to get a virus than a Windows PC as it’s more difficult for them to get one, but still, they exist.

Conclusion

There isn’t really one conclusive result. It’s up to you.

If you do video or music editing, take pictures or generally deal with designing/artistic careers and have spare cash, then a Mac is for you. I mean it’d be quite good for general use as well, just the expense of it and the fact that PC’s are made for the most basic of users to use.

If you’re a bit into computers and technology and sick of Windows, want to try something different, or just want something free Linux is a good choice. It’s developed for free by communities on-line and it’s nearly at the stage for mass market. Some companies think it is, with many releasing Netbooks with versions of Linux on that are extremely similar to Windows (such as Linpus Linux Lite) to bridge the gap between Linux and Windows, and Dell are selling increasing amounts of PC’s with Ubuntu installed on them (also to reduce the costs of the PC’s due to Microsoft Windows Licensing fees). However in my opinion, give it a year or so and it’ll be nicely fine tuned. I mean, it’s come a long way in recent years…

And finally Windows. Basically this is for everyone. Everyone can use it, knows it, has used it if they’ve used a PC. It’s the most simple and basic of the three and it’s worldwide (Anyone smell a monopoly?). If you’re a general user, just want a PC that works out the box or can’t be bothered with sorting out changing your computer for a Mac or changing to Linux this is probably for you. I know for most of the people I know that use PC’s on a regular basis, changing wouldn’t really affect them too much so why bother? Also the fact that they couldn’t be bothered to learn to use a new system, why would they need to if Windows works for them? The general user of a PC just wants it to work, they don’t really care too much how it does it, just as long as it does. Windows generally ‘just works’ (most of the time) and so people are happy with it.

Though Macs are on the increase in popularity with Windows users getting tired of crashes and malfunctions and switching to Mac OS; and Linux is slowly and surely getting a small fan-base in the computing community, looking more and more ready for the mass market every update…