TUX, the LINUX Mascot
Linux today is a much improved desktop computer operating system suitable for todays Internet based computer use functions. I highly recommend it as a free alternative system of choice for general purpose tech and non tech users.
I started working with the Linux computer operating system (OS) a few years after it was first developed as a free version of MINIX. Nearly forgotten MINIX was an educational use only minimal UNIX-like OS. Linux has come a long way in what must now be over twenty years. (Late 1991.) I started using it in the early days (about 1994+) when every install had to be compiled from source code. I used it with data systems on amateur radio (packet BBS) Check HERE for the full story of LINUX development.
Linux always seemed good to me for running applied (single purpose) or personally written software. Linux made an excellent OS for web server use like running Apache. I was not very enthused at using it as a standard desktop operating system to replace MS Windows. One reason was software used to be very hard to install and get running with all computer hardware fully implemented. The first distribution I used was called Slackware. It was Linux source code and had to be “assembled” into binary to make an operational system Most experienced computer users know about getting correct drivers. With Slackware, every driver for every component had to be hand picked before assembly.
That has changed considerably. Install the operating system and it is just about a point and click operation with most Linux distributions. Of course it is much “fatter” with lots extra automation that is used maybe once and from what I see being loaded, much software (i.e. drivers) that will probably never be used. That’s the price paid for a brainless install.
However, for the developer and personal hacker (the good kind) the OS can still be trimmed down to bare necessities and as Dr. Dobbs journal of Calisthenics and Orthodontia said, “Running light without overbyte.” There used to be a lot of pride and competition in writing computer code to be as small (Light) as possible in it use of memory and processor cycles. It can still be done today.
Back to real life today, I have been busy updating no less than three of my computers to run the current desktop versions of Linux. Two installs of Ubuntu 11.10, one on a webbook which dual boots with Win7 Starter and the other is a single OS (Linux only) on a desktop. A third computer in my workshop now dual boots Windows XP and Fedora 16 (Linux).
I had Ubuntu 10.10 (server) running “headless” as a file server on my network 24/7 for more than a year without having to touch it once. It ran and did self updates automatically with no issues. I just converted the computer back to desktop service as I really don’t need a file server. Hard drive backup is all I used it for and a large USB drive can do that with much less power consumed than running a 24 hour server. I already have a Terra-byte of disk storage space in my main desktop computer (running Win7),
Linux will never replace my need and use of Microsoft OS systems. I have specific use programs that will certainly never be converted to Linux. That’s OK with me. My intent is not to defeat “The Windows Man”. I actually don’t “NEED” to use Linux except for the fact it is free. All my web sites run on Linux servers using Apache software so I do depend on that service.
My conclusion today. Try it, you’ll like it. For free you can’t go wrong. It is definitely the only way to go if you are setting up a used computer for a second life. Web service and a large host of easily installed freeware software will make you very happy. Don’t pay for a new OS unless there is a very good reason.