by Janet Pieterse

Created on: June 28, 2008   Last Updated: August 15, 2010

Windows has waved goodbye to XP in the face of considerable opposition from a loyal user base. The question now is, do we move on to the plethora of new Windows products in its various editions, or has the time come to consider Linux?

Linux has become a lot friendlier. It still lacks an advertising and marketing department, which is why the word is slow to get out. But if you take a few minutes to look at the advantages Linux has over Windows for general office and home use, you could quickly become a convert.

First and most important, Linux is free. You will not need to pay any licence or site fees to make the change.

Second, Linux is relatively safe. Very few people write viruses and other malware to attack Linux. So you needn’t to fork out for anti-malware software either for the moment.

The install that Ubuntu offers is easy to use and very friendly. Just download the latest version of the .iso file from the Ubuntu website, cut your own CD and you have an install disk.

The install process is an easy step-by-step process that the average computer user should find easy enough to follow. You don’t need specialised personnel.

Ubuntu installs a wealth of free Linux programs as well, including an OpenOffice suite which is compatible with Microsoft’s licence-fee-laden office products, Firefox browser, a universal IM client, a photo manager, disk-burning software, games and many more. When you start up, you’ll have everything you need, ready-to-go.

There are some changes you have to get used to. The close window button, for example, is on the left of the screen instead of the right. But mostly, it’s an intuitive interface that’s ideal for office and home use on a wide level.

Best of all, you can try Linux out without making any changes to your current system at all. Ubuntu will load Linux into memory, so that you can try it out and see how you like it. It runs without accessing your hard drives or any information already on your computer. When you close down and reboot, you get back to your normal operating system.

You can also choose to install Linux as an application in Windows, though this will run slower because the computer power is supporting two systems at the same time.

Businesses may argue that Linux is too expensive to support, as the majority of programmers and computer support staff have been trained in Windows. Staff with Linux skills are hard to find, and carry higher price tags. However, given that you will be saving on licence fees for the operating system and much of the general office software, you already have a down-payment on training. As more businesses change to Linux, and train up the skills, staff will become more affordable.

Hardcore gamers will have to stick with Windows for the meantime. Those who need a computer for Internet, entertainment, and general office routine should be taking a good hard look at Linux.

Learn more about this author, Janet Pieterse.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.