Why Linux?
A L.I.F.E. member and former Windows user explains why you really want to use Linux.


  1. Viruses (Virii) - Ever had a virus on your computer? Linux viruses are very truly a non issue. There are very few viruses that can even slightly affect a Linux system. Because of the way that Linux's file permissions work you would likely never be harmed by a virus on your Linux system. For a more in depth explaination read http://sitereview.org/?article=43 .

  2. Stability (What blue screen?) - Linux is extremely stable. When you use Windows you believe that it is stable because those Microsoft geniuses at Redmond Washington have tested it right? Linux has a user/tester base of thousands of users who use thier computer like you do, for games, internet, office applications, etc. . These users/testers report bugs and problems of the Linux kernel and various Linux applications while they are still in the Alpha or pre-release state. Also because many Linux users are also programmers the fix for the problem is usually reported along with the problem itself by the user.

  3. Speed (How fast does a computer need to be?) - Linux runs, and runs well, on computers from 386 to the fastest processors on the market. Linux out performs Windows 98 by 50% on my home system (Cyrix 6x86 366 160mb RAM) on applications such as Opera, Netscape, games which are available in both, etc. .

  4. Support ("Thank you for calling MicroSoft, may I have your credit card number please?) - Ever called Microsoft for support after your Windows warranty expires? I haven't, but I am told it costs about $37 per incident. Need help with Linux there are hundreds of different Linux help websites, chat rooms etc. . They cost, ummm, nothing. See the difference?

  5. Security (Damn hackers!) -  Ever had your computer hacked? With your Linux system you can be as secure as the best websites on the planet, primarily because you are running the same operating system that they are :-). It only takes a few minutes to configure your home Linux system's security and then you are set. Try securing a Windows machine without spending hundreds in security software, I doubt if you could.

  6. Price (How much did you pay for Windows? More than you think!) - Perhaps you think you got Windows free with your PC. Tell you what, go to your favorite software store and check the price for the OEM version of Windows. Now subtract about 10% because your PC manufacturer buys in bulk. Subtract that from the price of your PC and there you go, that's what you paid for Windows. Now did you also buy MS Office or any other programs for your Windows system? How much did that cost? How would it make you feel if I told you that you can download Linux and the equivalent of probably every windows application that you have paid for, and it would all be FREE? Hope it doesn't make you feel too bad.....because it's true. You can set up a full blown Linux system, complete with top notch Office applications, games, Internet software, Internet firewall protection and Linux's built in virus protection for $0 in software costs.

  7. Why it's written (Why do those guys write Linux? Why do they write Windows?) - Let's start with Linux. Linux programmers write Linux because they want to. They write it because they know it can be done better. A new version of Linux is written almost every week. Because people who know how to program refuse to be forced to pay for an inferior operating system. Now it's Windows' turn. Microsoft writes Windows because they want you to buy it. Seems like they would make it great so that you would want to buy it, but if this version were great would you need to buy the next version? If people were truly happy with ME how could Microsoft sell XP to them? With profit as your incentive, you tend to release software when you want money rather than when it's great. When great software is your incentive, you only release software when it's great.


I thought of these reasons off the top of my head and wrote this document in about 30 minutes. Most Linux users could give you twice as many reasons in half as much time.
You owe it to yourself, your family, your security and your computer to use Linux. Linux truly is for everyone.