If you truly enjoy working with computers, Linux is the operating system of your dreams. It is more fun than any other computer operating system around. However, the reason why Linux is truly revolutionary is that it is Open Software. Our science and technology works owing to the free availability of information and peer review. Would you fly a plane that was based on proprietary science and unreviewed design, a plane at the internals of which nobody but the manufacturer could look? Then, why would you trust a closed, unreviewed, proprietary operating system? Linux is ideally suited for a mission-critical application.

Making horseshoes was once a closely guarded trade secret. Science and technology exploded 500 years ago thanks to sharing the knowledge by the means of printing. In the early days of printing, many of those who dared to share were assassinated for revealing "trade secrets". Linux is for the computer age what Gutenberg was for writing. Hopefully there will be no assassinations this time :-) .

0.2 Is Linux for me?

Only you can answer this question. Linux is a mature, powerful and extremely versatile UNIX-like operating system. The power and versatility come with a price--you may need to be computer-literate in order to set-up and maintain Linux. Linux is relatively easy to use once the operating system and applications are set up properly. So, your mother will also be able to use Linux, if you set up an easy graphical account for her and put the proper icons/menus on her GUI desktop.  Linux is secure, so your mother will not be able to damage the system no matter how hard she tries--unless it's with a hammer :-) .

Linux is quite different than MS Windows, so do not expect that if you can get around MS Windows, Linux will be obvious to you. You may need to learn. On the other hand, if you come from UNIX, Linux will be easy for you. If you don't know much about computers or you don't enjoy them, chances are Linux administration is not for you. If you don't know your hardware, Linux installation may be a challenge for you.

0.3  Linux is difficult for newbies.

This may be true.  But the question is: do you really want to learn it??  None of the authors has any computing science background, yet we use Linux every day and we love it.

0.4 What are the Linux benefits?

Linux can give you:

o A modern, very stable, multi-user, multitasking environment on your inexpensive PC hardware, at no (or almost no) monetary cost for the software. Linux is a rich and powerful platform--don't think of it as a "poor people" operating system.  Out-of-box Linux has as much capability as MS Windows NT with $5000 in software add-ons, is more stable, and requires less powerful hardware for comparable tasks.

o Unsurpassed computing power, portability, and flexibility.  A Linux cluster recently (April 1999) beat a Cray supercomputer in a standard benchmark.  Linux is VERY standard--it is essentially a POSIX compliant UNIX.  (Yes, Linux is a best-of-the-breed UNIX. The word "UNIX" is not used in conjunction with Linux because "UNIX" is a registered trademark.) Linux is most popular on Intel-based PCs (price), but it runs very well on numerous other hardware platforms, from toy-like to mainframes.

o A truly great learning platform. If you are a parent, you should be really glad your daughter/son does Linux--s/he will surely learn something of lasting value.  If you are a teacher, you should consider installation of Linux at your school.

o Excellent networking capability built into your operating system. You think you don't need a network? Once you try home networking, you will never be able to live without it!  What about connecting the two or more computers that you have at home and sharing your hard drives, CDROM(s), sound card(s), modem, printer(s), etc.? What about browsing the net on two or more machines at the same time using a single Internet connection? What about playing a game with your son over your home network? Even your old 386 with Win3.11 may become useful again when connected to your Linux Pentium server and it is able to use your network resources. All necessary networking software comes with standard Linux, free, just setup is required. And it is not a second-gear shareware--it is exactly the same software that runs most of the Internet (the Apache software runs more than 50% of all Internet web servers and Sendmail touches some 70% of all e-mail). The pleasure of home networking is something I was able to discover only owing to Linux.

o Connectivity to Microsoft, Novel, and Apple proprietary networking. Reading/writing to your DOS/MS Windows and other disk formats. This includes "transparent" use of data stored on the MS Windows partition of your hard drive(s).

o Dozens of excellent and free, general-interest applications.

o Hundreds of specialized applications built by researchers around the world (astronomy, information technology, chemistry, physics, engineering, linguistics, biology, ...). In many fields, Linux seems like "the only" operating system in existence. The software in this category is typically not very easy to use, but if you want the power, it is the best software that humanity has in these areas. Doubtful? Have a look at: http://SAL.KachinaTech.COM/Z/2/index.shtml for examples.

o Thousands of free applets, tools, and smaller programs. "Small is beautiful" goes well with Linux philosophy.

o Scores of top-of-the line commercial programs including Word Perfect and all the big databases (e.g., Oracle, Sybase, but no Microsoft's).  Many (most?) of these are offered free for developers and for personal use.

o State-of-art development platform with many best-of-the-kind programming languages and tools coming free with the operating system. Access to all the operating system source codes, if you require it, is also free.

o Freedom from viruses, software manufactures "features", invasion of privacy,  forced upgrades, licensing and marketing schemes, high software prices, and pirating. How is this?  Linux has no viruses because it is too secure an operating system for the viruses to spread with any degree of efficiency. The rest follows from the open-source and non-commercial nature of Linux.

o The operating platform that is guaranteed "here-to-stay". Since Linux is not owned, it cannot possibly be put out of business. The Linux General Public License (GPL) insures that development and support will be provided as long as there are Linux users.

o A platform which will technically develop at a rapid pace. This is insured by the modern, open-software development model which Linux implements:  "build-on-the-back-of the-previous-developer" and  "peer-review-your-code"  (as opposed to the anachronistic closed-software model: "always-start-from-scratch" and "nobody-will-see-my-code"). Even if the current "Linux hype" died out, Linux will develop as it did before the media hype started. Open source development does have its pecularities: the development appears rather slow (vertically) but it proceeds on a very wide front, dangerous security bugs are fixed almost upon discovery, there are typically several alternatives for a program of similar functionality.

If you wanted to learn first-hand about the General Public License, check these famous GNU documents:
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/categories.html#TheGNUsystem

The license under which Linux is distributed is probably the most important part of it. Other important open-source projects include science and law, no kidding :), although the lawyers might be already working to change this :(

0.5 What are the differences between Linux and UNIX?

Command-line-wise, almost none, although this has been changing (for better or worse). Linux has much larger market appeal and following than any commercial UNIX.  GUI-wise there are also no major differences--Linux, as most other UNICES, uses an X-Windowing system.

The major differences:
- Linux is free, while many UNICES (this is suppossed to be plural of UNIX), cost A LOT.  Same about applications--many good applications are available on Linux free.  Even the same commercial application (if you wanted to buy one) typically costs much more for a commercial UNIX than for Linux.
- Linux runs on many hardware platforms, the comodity Intel-x86/IBM-spec personal computers being the most prominent. A typical UNIX is proprietry-hardware-bonded (and this hardware tends to be much more expensive than normal PC).
- With Linux, you are in charge of your computer, whereas on most UNICES you are typically confined to be an "l-user" (some administrators pronounce it "loser").
- Linux feels very much like DOS/Win in the 80s/early 90s, but is much sturdier and richer, while a typical UNIX account feels like a mainframe from the 60s/70s.
-  Some UNICES may be more mature in certain areas (for example, security, some engineering applications, better support of cutting-edge hardware). Linux is more for an average Joe who wants to run his own small server or engineering workstation.

0.6 What are the differences between Linux and MS Windows?

Mouse-click-wise, almost none, once Linux is properly installed.  Linux installation can be a challange though, whereas MS Windows comes pre-installed with your computer.

The major differences:
- Linux is free, while MS Windows costs money. Same for applications.
- With Linux, you are unlikely to violate any licence agreement, all the software is happily yours. With MS Windows you likely already violate all kinds of licenses and you could be pronounced a computer pirate if only a smart lawer was after you (don't worry, most likely none is after you).
- MS Windows tries to be the "lowest-common-denominator" operating system  (for better or worse), wheareas Linux is built for more sophisticated, feature hungry computer users (for better or worse).
- Windows is based on DOS, Linux is based on UNIX. Windows Graphical User Interface (GUI) is based on Microsoft-own specifications. Linux GUI is based on industry-standard X-Windows.
- Linux beats Windows hands down on network features, and as a developers platform. MS Windows desktop has a more polished appearance.
- Linux is more feature-rich than you could imagine. Heard on the Internet: "Two big products came from the University of California: UNIX and LSD. And I don't think it's a coincidence."

0.7  I don't believe in free software, etc.

And do you believe in the Internet? The Internet and Linux share underlying ideas and have common roots. Do you remember the disbelief about the Internet a few years ago, the endless, seemingly unbeatable arguments that the free Internet cannot exist? "Who pays for that, anyway?"

The reality is simple.  Cooperation and good will can benefit many at the same time: your gain is not my loss. Internet works fine and is expanding at a rapid pace. So does Linux.

Here is an opininion of IBM executive: "The reason we are so excited about Linux is we believe Linux can do for applications what the Internet did for networks" (http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2000-08-17-001-04-PS-EL).

0.8 "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch"

Brett Bazant <bbazant@shaw.wave.ca> wrote in LinuxToday (http://linuxtoday.com/cgi-bin/showtb.pl?tbsn=12450&sn=5418):

The economic paradigm which makes this true depends upon scarcity of resources. Software resources are only scarce because we all keep software proprietary and secret. But not Linux! When I give you my software, it may create opportunity cost for me, but I get to keep it even after I've given it to you. It is a free lunch only rivalled in history by the loaves and the fishes.

0.9  I need high security. With commercial software, I can sue them if things go wrong.

Don't count on suing. Things go wrong on many MS Windows NT machines every day, and there are no damages awarded by courts.  Read your MS Windows license agreement to find out that there is no guarantee whatsoever that ANYTHING will work. Trying to sue would be a waste of your money.

Linux  also provides no guarantees, although it is far more secure than any version of MS Windows.  If you are really security-sensitive , you can use high-security tools built by companies that rely on the availability of the source code to design and test their security features (e.g., Kryptokom in Germany provides high security firewalls).  The "security in obscurity" implemented in MS Windows has repeatedly been demonstrated to be a naive approach.

Here is a quote from David Kastrup, Research Engineer, Bochum, Germany (after the "Internet Week", http://www.techweb.com/se/directlink.cgi?INW19990329S0050):

"Risk aversion is what dictates you use Linux and other open products, rather than NT. The risks with NT are entirely out of your control, and there is nobody you could sue if anything goes wrong. Why people still believe the myth that Windows in any form offers any bit of accountability "more" than Linux remains a complete riddle to me."

0.10 I need standards. Big software corporations (Microsoft)  provide standards.

Perhaps that's what people would expect from large corporations, but the reality is rather different.  Once, big companies loved inventing nuts that could be undone only by their own service shops. Did these nuts become standard? Hardly. They didn't because there was no public benefit involved, and they couldn't because they were patented. Luckily, now we have open and free standards for nuts.

An example from the computer field.  The "standard" MS Word file format has changed numerous times over the recent years. This keeps happening probably for a good business reason:  as soon as other companies "reverse-engineer" the current Word format,  Microsoft changes it. There are even sub-formats (a MS "fast-save" anybody?). It is also completely closed--Microsoft does not publish the specifications. How can the user benefit from this in a longer term?

Xavier Basora  (http://www.osopinion.com/Opinions/XavierBasora/XavierBasora47.html):
"... Microsoft's standards are both proprietary and arbitrary- the stealth incompatibility of Office 97 file formats with older versions of Office or the subversion of Open standards like XML with proprietary extensions that require Internet Explorer 5, MS Active server and so on, are sober reminders of what the company does to a market."

Wesley Parish (http://www.osopinion.com/Opinions/WesleyParis/WesleyParish10.html):
"... Microsoft's monopoly doesn't guarantee that your current MS Office will work with any previous or future MS Office. This is in spite of any number of Microsoft apologists arguing that the benefit of Microsoft's monopoly has been a standard for productivity applications."

To add to the confusion,  companies typically do not "standardize" on file formats but on applications that are supposed to produce them. It is like standardizing on a manufacturer of nuts instead of nuts. How this is supposed to work if the file format keeps changing?

There are a few text/document oriented file formats that are quite definitely more standard than MS Word file format:  ASCII, XML, HTML, SGML, LaTeX, TEX, PostScript, pdf, dvi ...  and all of them have excellent support under Linux. The MS Word file format can be also read/written very well under Linux by Word Perfect, Star Office, Applixware, etc. to cover your today's needs.

The story is similar with other proprietary computing "standards" (*.giff vs. png anyone?).  Linux, by its very nature, is based on true, published and free standards because "open source" makes the full specifications available to everybody (competitors or not).

0.11 MS Windows popularity insures that it is "here to stay".

This is likely true. Nintendo is probably also "here to stay". However, I like computing so I choose a real computer with a powerful operating system, not a lowest-common-denominator piece designed for "everybody".

Linux is quite positively here-to-stay because of its open-source nature (Linux cannot possibly be put out-of-business).

0.12 Linux sux etc.

Then do not use Linux. You don't do anybody a favour by using Linux. GNU/Linux is free and powerful software, but only for those who like or need it.

There are alternative operating systems for you to choose from and they may better suit your needs. For example: MS Windows 95 or 98 (popular, comes pre-installed, easy to use, lots of applications), BSD (high-performance, free UNIX), MS Windows NT (it crashes much less than Windows 98, but has fewer applications and drivers), DOS (really good for simple needs, or for low-end hardware), Apple/McIntosh (nice and easy, used to be expensive but no any more), MS Windows 2000 (3 different systems, depending on what services you require, might still be a bit buggy, but it is brand new and perhaps the future), Sun (this one will impress even biggest snobs; it runs the most busy websites), OS/2 (still great design, although abandoned by IBM), Irix (best of Silicon Graphics), HP Unix (I cannot think of a better UNIX), MS Windows CE (the tinest and fastest of Microsoft, perhaps the future), SCO (more proper UNIX than Linux, its performs better in many areas than Linux does), VAX (most reliable operating system I have heard of, but it is really OLD), and many many more. No need to have the attitude of the British soccer fans.

In this context, it maybe worthwhile to briefly summarize Linux strengths and weaknesses: Linux is owned by its fans (your piece of ownership comes free with your free subscription to the fan club), powereful and feature rich, highly configurable, as flexible as you want it to be, low on the cost of hardware, comes with any networking bell and whistle known to man, requires a computer literate administrator, some essential desktop applications still quite a bit behind commercial offerings on other platforms (particularly spreadsheet, word processing), a number of excellent end-user appplications come "standard" and free with the operating system, graphical user interface is very nice but still not as polished as Apple or MS offerings, highly standard (UNIX), open file formats used all along, thousands of programs available for free download (althought the ease of use and quality of these varries vastly).