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The benefits of Ubuntu lie within just about every facet of its design. Not only is it reliable, but it is more customizable, programmable, and ethical than either Microsoft Windows or Apple's Mac OS X. There are numerous reasons to try Ubuntu, and one of these is the benefits it offers to any user.

Benefit #1 - Reliability

Most users of Microsoft Windows can attest to having experienced the infamous "Blue Screen of Death" more than once. As well, more than one Mac user has seen the dreaded "Kernel Panic" screen in twenty-something languages. Ubuntu, based on a solid, reliable Linux core does not suffer from these irritating problems. But don't take my word on it.

A reliability survey revealed that Linux-based products (including Ubuntu) were much more reliable than many of their counterparts. Kernel panics on Linux are very rare, one of the reasons that some Linux computers have been running continuously for years without problems!

Benefit #2 - Customization

Just about every facet of the Linux operating system is completely customizable. Desktop environments can be changed, along with themes, mouse styles, transparency effects, and every aspect of the user interface. Themes can be designed to replicate other systems, and even to replicate their functionality. There are no limits to what can be customized with Ubuntu.

Benefit #3 - Programmability

Just about every developer will agree that Linux is a wonderful platform for programming. As is the case with customization, literally anything is possible! Scientific applications, 3d games, office software and even virtual computers can be programmed with Ubuntu. The operating system can be tweaked to fill any requirement, and included scheduling programs such as "cron" allow the scheduling of tasks. For example, a simple script can be made to run at 5am each day to sort your documents according to date. The programmability of Linux far outweighs the usefulness of its competitors, such as Apple's Applescript.

Benefit #4 - Ethics

By using Linux, the user is reaffirming their rights to free and open technology. The freedom that is attributed to open-source projects such as GNU/Linux is much more than the lack of monetary cost. It is the freedom to access the code that built the operating system, and the freedom to have complete control over one's computer. Operating systems such as Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X are proprietary. In effect, they could be doing anything with your computer, and you have no right to know what is happening. An example of this in action is the concept of "Trusted Computing", where the consumer's computer resources are taken up to ensure no piracy takes place. As linux is completely open, nothing can be hidden from the user, allowing complete control and freedom. The face of computing is changing very rapidly with the successes of open-source software like Ubuntu. The ideals of freedom of information - an essential view of open-source - are strong with this operating system. Through the use of Ubuntu, a user is demonstrating their support for freedom of information, and freedom of choice - showing that commercial products are not the only solution.

These are only a few of the benefits of the popular Ubuntu operating system. If you haven't yet, give it a try! I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

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