3 of 3

Write now Article Tools

Goodbye Bill Gates. Goodbye Microsoft! The day I uttered these words, was the day I was set free from computer tyranny. After my 2nd Trojan in Windows XP on my desktop and numerous crashes and slowdowns, my hard drive gave up the ghost. I decided to research Linux. I was tired of feeling vulnerable despite having an arsenal of firewall, anti-virus, anti-malware and anti-spyware installed on my machine. I figured there had to be a better way!

Linux intrigued me as it was touted as much more secure than Windows. But it was described as for advanced users who were into programming and had need for mysterious features such as a command line and knew how to manipulate kernels. I was put off by all of this, but I persisted. Don't let anybody scare you off with such talk. I was practically computer illiterate and I figured it out.

I eventually stumbled upon www.eeebuntu.org, which offered a form of Ubuntu Linux for my new netbook. After about a month, I learned how to make a bootable USB drive to try out the system without installing it. It worked flawlessly and its appearance was very similar to Windows. I liked the system so much I decided to replace Windows completely. So I held my breath, took the plunge and have not looked back since.

What I have found in this brave, new Windowless world, much to my surprise and delight, is an operating system that is both easy to use and that provides complex options as well. Yes, you can engage with the terminal, which is a DOS-like environment that allows you to tweak your system to your own liking if you know what you are doing. You can also write programs for the system. But for Linux virgins like myself, the system restricts certain options so that it is very hard to harm your system simply by hitting the wrong button or choosing the wrong option.

I have also found a seemingly infinite number of office, photo, music, video and any number of other software. It is mostly free, constantly updated, and equal to and often superior to Windows offerings. They are available simply by going to my menu, selecting them from a list and hitting the "get" button. And of course, the security is built into the system. Windows viruses cannot survive in the Linux environment and there are very few infections for Linux itself. And there are always the trusty and tireless developers who promptly pounce on and fix any vulnerabilities. You can also download updates daily and add and subtract programs or get new ones, all from one place!

I am eternally grateful to the community of geeks who so democratically make available any information and help I may need to learn, or any problems I may have. I have gone to the Ubuntu boards, the OS that I installed and now use instead of EEEbuntu, several times when something wasn't working. I have never failed to find an answer. There are usually a ton of people that have asked the same question and the answers are right there. I don't need to wait for a patch or pay someone to fix the problem for me. It's all there, for free.
Linux is a system that functions without a centralized entity to dictate how it is run and it functions superbly. Anyone can contribute to its improvement. And when there is a problem, anyone can help solve it. Because it is free and open source, in fact, most problems are fixed in days rather than months or years as is the case with Windows. Every time I visit one of the many forums for Ubuntu, I marvel at the seamless interaction of experts and newbies. We are all there for a common cause; a better way of doing things. Linux users of all experience levels co-mingle and all contribute toward a better experience for everyone. Newbies can help spot problems and experts can fix them. No one is telling anyone else what to do. No one is telling anyone else how to do it. And it just works. Imagine that!

So, why switch to Linux? It's easy. If you want an open source, free system that functions better than Windows, is nearly impervious to viruses, spy-ware and mal-ware and that allows you freedom to do what you want with a ton of nearly real time support, switch now! Why wouldn't you? There are seemingly endless versions of Linux for all types of people and computers and more and more come out every year. It's no wonder the popularity of Linux is growing so quickly. So if you are fed up with Windows and the limitations it places on your relationship with computers, check it out. You just might love it as much as I do.

Learn more about this author, Aurora Anne Taylor.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Why you should switch to Linux now?
We want to hear your view. Write now!