the air

In a little over two months, Microsoft will get ready to unveil their newest OS, Windows Vista. I’m sure there are hundreds of rumors on the web that you can find about Vista and its faults or advantages. However, I would like to take the opportunity and introduce another OS to the mix. For most people, Linux is not even a consideration. Many view Linux has a complicated OS designed for the computer savvy geeks. However, Linux has come a long way since its inception and I am definitely not a computer geek. If my computer was to go AWOL, I would literally not know what to really do other than simply reformat the machine and go about my merry business.

As of today, there are probably hundreds of different types of Linux distributions, commonly called “distros.” From my own experience and from what I have read and heard, Ubuntu is perhaps the most user-friendly distro currently available. Ubuntu prides itself on being able to work right “out-of-the-box.” In plain English, that simply means that as soon as you install Ubuntu, it’s ready to go. However, that doesn’t mean, everything will work the way you expect it to work. For example, Ubuntu will not install any codecs that will play .mp3 files or certain video files such as DVD’s .vob’s and Windows Media Video files. However, this can be easily remedied by running another application called EasyUbuntu or Automatix. Both will install the necessary codecs you need to play most dvd’s and mp3’s.

As most people know, Linux tends to come with two popular desktop environments, Gnome and KDE. Ubuntu relies on the Gnome environment and Kubuntu relies on the KDE desktop environment. You can spend an entire lifetime arguing which environment is better. It all really boils down to which one works best for you. Many Linux users will encourage you to use both environments and see which one works better. From my experience, I feel that KDE is best suited for people who are migrating from Windows to Linux for the first time. However, KDE is a very powerful environment that is intuitive and easy to customize. Once I started using Gnome, I have found that Gnome, itself, is a much more intuitive and fluid work environment for me. Your experience may and will vary from mine.

One question that begs to be answered is, “Is Linux ready for prime time?” The answer is simply not a yes or a no. In fact, to answer such a question, you really need to understand your own needs and desires. I use my computer for mostly work purposes such as typing up papers, surfing the web, chatting, emailing, etc. I do not use my computer for gaming or graphically intensive applications. For my purposes, Linux is a perfect fit. However, if you are into gaming, you may want to reconsider Linux as your primary OS. Linux cannot function without the user having an open mind. It’s important to approach Linux with the perspective that you are going to learn something new. Otherwise, Linux will not work for you and you will learn to despise it with all your might.

The road to Linux is not as complicated as people might think. I think the average Joe may have a difficult time at first, but, if someone teaches him/her to learn how to use Linux effectively, I don’t see why it cannot work for them. Linux does have some ways to go before it can become a superior competitor to both Windows and MacOS and grab users from both markets. Linux needs to improve its offerings and release software that is independent of your user desktop environment. Although progress is there, it is definitely not as fast as I would like. Preferably, I would like Linux to compete with Windows and MacOS by the end of 2007. However, since Linux is generally available to the public for free, most commercial software developers do not want to create versions of their software for Linux. This is due to the fact that most people can and will get software that is comparable for free and commercialization of Linux is definitely a challenge for many companies.

No Comments » | Random Post