| If you have any involvement with Information | | | | Messenger. |
| Technology, you're probably already familiar with | | | | This list is by no means complete. There are |
| Linux as a server operating system. Indeed, for | | | | thousands of open source applications for Linux; |
| many applications Linux is an accepted and even | | | | you'd be hard-pressed not to find one that could do |
| preferred platform. Google has built and is expanding | | | | what you need. But there are also many commercial |
| one of the world's largest cluster of Linux servers to | | | | applications available. |
| host its pervasive search engine system. Major | | | | Drawbacks |
| hardware vendors, including IBM and Hewlett-Packard, | | | | If Linux offers so much of the same functionality as |
| sell servers preloaded with Linux and provide | | | | Windows, why isn't it more widely used? Why do |
| premium support for the operating system. Oracle is | | | | many home and corporate users reject it? |
| the largest commercial database running on Linux | | | | Microsoft Windows, while it has many faults, has |
| with more than 80% market share. Successful | | | | become so widespread in its use as to be nearly |
| commercial applications like VMware ESX are built on | | | | ubiquitous. It has become the de facto standard by |
| Linux foundations. And many of the largest Internet | | | | which other systems are measured. For those people |
| hosting providers run on Linux. | | | | already familiar with and comfortable with Windows, |
| On the other hand, if your computer experience is | | | | anything else is a step back, even if it is faster, more |
| limited to your own home PC, you may never have | | | | intuitive, more stable, and more secure. |
| even heard of Linux and may be wondering what all | | | | Also, it must be admitted, there are still situations |
| the fuss is about. If that's the case, listen up because | | | | where you may need to venture into the cryptic |
| Linux may be coming to a desktop near you! | | | | world of the Linux command shell. For those used to |
| What is Linux? | | | | living with a mouse in one hand, typing commands like |
| Simply put, Linux is a computer operating system like | | | | awk and grep at a flashing cursor is unacceptable. |
| the Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows. The difference | | | | And, while there are enough applications to satisfy all |
| is that Linux is open source; anyone can view, | | | | but the most demanding of users, there are a few |
| modify, and redistribute the underlying code. Further, | | | | notable exceptions. Microsoft Office is not available |
| while OS X is designed to run only on Apple | | | | on Linux, and likely never will be. Adobe Photoshop is |
| hardware, and while Windows runs primarily on x86 | | | | also missing. In both cases, nearly all of the |
| processors from Intel and AMD, there are many | | | | functionality these two giants provide is available in |
| distributions or flavors of Linux, compiled to run on a | | | | other applications, but for some die hards, that's not |
| wide array of hardware, everything from high-end | | | | good enough. While there are ways of running some |
| corporate servers and mainframes, to home PC's, to | | | | Windows applications on Linux, they're not usually as |
| cell phones. | | | | fast or as stable -- or as easy to implement -- as |
| Linux began as a pet project of a Finnish university | | | | native Linux applications. |
| student, Linus Torvalds, in 1991 as an alternative to | | | | The situation is even dimmer for games. While the |
| the server operating system Unix. He made it freely | | | | console market -- PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox -- |
| available to anyone who wished to modify it and it | | | | is growing, the PC and Mac game market is shrinking. |
| was quickly adopted and grew. Still, it remained | | | | The commercial Linux game market is even smaller. |
| primarily a server-based system. Few home users | | | | Oh, there are plenty of games for Linux, but most |
| would have chosen its complex command-line | | | | are modest efforts, with few of the heavy hitters |
| interface over the comfortable and easy-to-use | | | | widely available on other platforms. Those that have |
| point-and-click GUI of the Macintosh or Windows. | | | | been ported to Linux are not always fully supported |
| However, Linux now also sports a graphical front-end | | | | -- if they're supported at all -- by the original |
| and a plethora of user-friendly applications. | | | | producer. For example, while you can purchase |
| Going GUI | | | | Quake 4 for Linux, don't expect id Software to help |
| Since Linux is all about choice, it's not surprising that | | | | you get it running, a task not for neophytes or those |
| there are a number of graphical environments | | | | who shy away from the command line. |
| available. The two most popular that come preloaded | | | | Vendors |
| on many distributions targeted for desktop or | | | | Despite any apparent drawbacks, some major |
| workstation use are Gnome and KDE. Both offer | | | | vendors are actively promoting Linux on the desktop. |
| features home users have come to expect: menus, | | | | Novell now offers the SUSE Linux Enterprise |
| icons from which to launch applications and | | | | Desktop, while Red Hat offers Enterprise Linux WS, |
| documents, desktop wallpaper, screen savers, trash | | | | both targeted at corporations. Since users in this |
| icons, and the like. | | | | environment are likely to have a fixed set of |
| Connecting to printers is a simple process of selecting | | | | applications without a heavy gaming need, Linux is |
| the printer type from a menu and telling the system | | | | often ideal. And a number of organizations are taking |
| where to find it, either on a local port or a network | | | | advantage of the potential savings offered by these |
| queue. To print from most applications simply select | | | | open source options. Governments especially, under |
| File, Print. No surprises there. | | | | scrutiny for how they handle the public purse, are |
| Sharing folders is equally simple and relies upon | | | | often quick to make the move. Among them are the |
| standard protocols that interface well with Macintosh | | | | cities of Largo, Florida, USA; Bristol, UK; and Bergen, |
| and Windows systems. | | | | Norway. They have each made their taxpayers |
| For security, you can create multiple user accounts; | | | | happy with significant savings over the closed source, |
| each user gets their own desktop they can | | | | proprietary systems they used to use. |
| customize as they wish. There's also a built-in firewall | | | | Choices |
| to protect you from Internet intruders. | | | | If you're a heavy gamer, then you'll probably want to |
| Of course, most people are more interested in the | | | | stick with Windows or a dedicated console. If your |
| applications they can run, rather than the underlying | | | | focus is advanced graphics and video editing, then |
| operating system. Here, Linux is in no way deprived. | | | | Linux may be an option, if you're willing to give up |
| Applications | | | | certain commercial applications. Otherwise, you'd be |
| For browsing the Internet, there's Mozilla's Firefox | | | | better off with a Macintosh. If you're just surfing the |
| and Konqueror. For e-mail there's Thunderbird and | | | | Internet, sending e-mail, writing letters, and editing |
| Evolution. The popular OpenOffice.org suite provides | | | | spreadsheets, then Linux and the open source |
| typical office functionality including word processing, | | | | software that comes with many distributions will do |
| spreadsheet, database, drawing, and presentations. | | | | everything you need. |
| The Gimp and Inkscape offer advanced graphics | | | | On the other hand, if you don't want to ever see a |
| capabilities. And there's a variety of utilities for | | | | command line or edit configuration files by hand, then |
| burning CDs and DVDs, listening to music, watching | | | | Linux probably isn't for you just yet. But it may be |
| videos, and chatting via services like AOL's Instant | | | | soon. |