Questions: Should I use Linux? What is Linux? Is Linux for me?

If you’re a bit more than the average computer user, ‘chances are you have at least flirted with the idea of using Linux.

Linux, to me, is more than just an operating system: it’s a tool to helping you understand the true power of your computer.

Most of the people reading this article are probably running Windows; whether that be 98, NT, ME, XP, Vista, or 7. Windows has been around for a while, and the cries of it’s users just as long. Even with the problems associated with Windows, people still tend to stick with it. I am not sure if this is just because they don’t know that there is a perfectly good alternative out there, or if they do know there is an alternative out there, but don’t want to change because they are dependent on Windows applications.

Either way they still aren’t running Linux. I am not saying they every person running Windows should run to Linux. – That certainly isn’t true. In fact I still have Windows Vista on another hard drive on my computer just so as I can run applications that run in Windows, but won’t run in Linux.

What I’m saying here is that there are certain people who could easily move to Linux and people who can’t. Here is a small list of people who I think can and can’t move to Linux:

The Student

The student could easily move to Linux. As long as they do not have Windows-only applications that the school demands they run. They could type off their reports with OpenOffice, browse the web with Firefox or Chrome, IM friends with pidgin, and listen to their music with Songbird.

The Artist

The graphic artist will probably have the hardest time converting to Linux. That’s because industry standard programs such as Photoshop, and Illustrator are not supported in Linux. There are open source programs but they do not compare to the big guys. For example gimp is nowhere near as good as Photoshop, so unfortunately the graphics artist will be stuck in Windows or Mac land for a while longer.

The "Grandma type"

We all have heard of these people, the ones who have no clue how to use a computer, but still want to.

I think that Linux is almost perfect for them. (Some may disagree though, for Linux can be complicated.)

If you set them up with a web browser and a word processor; then they will have all that they need. – You may have to set up their wireless once, and their printer. – After that, though, they are set up and raring to go.

Also you don’t need to worry about them calling you up one night saying that they download a video and got a virus since Linux is almost virus free. [Sharron disagrees.] – So, for the "Grandma type", Linux can definitely work for them.

- These are only a few groups of people that Linux does and does not work for. There are plenty more people that Linux will be perfect for, and probably even more that Linux would be bad for. – It all comes down to choice: If you want full control of your computer with a little frustration, and lots of open-source applications then go Linux. If you want moderate control of your computer, with tons of good and major supported applications then go Windows… Or get the best of both worlds and dual boot.

Of course there are plenty of applications that people use that are not  Linux operating systems, but more utilities. – Such as Gparted (A bootable Partition editor.), Clonezilla (A great backup programs with clones your hard drive.), System Rescue CD ( A general purpose rescue CD). These are only a few of the applications that people use, that are really Linux underneath.

- So to the question: Can anyone use Linux? The answer is, in a way, yes!