I Don’t Like Linux Because …

Ten Reasons Not to Like Linux (with rebuttals inline)

1. It’s not like Windows

This is a no brainer. Linux is not like Windows because it is meant to be an alternative. You don’t use an alternative and expect it to be not an alternative in the same way you don’t buy a Toyota and complain that it isn’t an Oldsmobile. If you want Windows, use Windows. If you want an alternative get used to it as an alternative.

In many ways Linux is like Windows. It has a graphical user interface that has a Desktop, icons, menus, toolbars, windows, etc. Superficially it can be made to look and work like Windows. Some distros have tried this. Look  into Xandros or Freespire if you want a distro that looks like Windows. You can also pimp any distro so that it looks more like Windows, if that is your intention.

The differences stop there. Linux offers choice. There are over 300 distributions. On top of that you have a choice of  desktops, desktop managers, window managers and decorations.  There are dozens of window managers alone. There are thousands of permutations and combinations.

So, the next time you find yourself thinking that Linux is not like Windows, celebrate that it is not Windows. Embrace the differences and make them your own.

2. It uses the commandline.

Many Linux users shun the commandline and never use it. The problem is that many power users like the commandline and when you ask for help they will give you a solution to your problem that involves using the commandline. If you are phobic of typing commands into a terminal window then make that clear in your request for help.

There are many good reasons to use the commandline. When you use a GUI, it is made to work graphically with the user interface standing between you and the commands that the mouse click elicits. In other words, when you use the commandline you are closer to the action since the computer understands at a much more basic level than even the commandline. It can be faster and more powerful, if you know what you are doing. If you don’t, you can mess your computer up in a hurry.

There are many good reasons to avoid the commandline. If you don’t understand what you are doing, it is a sure sign that you are out of your element. If you can’t remember commands and syntax because you rarely use the commandline then perhaps you should either commit them to memory or find a GUI that does the same thing. If you are a poor typist then using the commandline may not be for you.

The bottom line is that the commandline is a tool, a powerful one at that, but it is not the only tool in the toolbox.

3. Linux is for geeks.

This is true. However, there are Windows geeks and Mac geeks. Geekdom knows no bounds. Linux has its share of geeks, but there are many non-geeks in the community. The key is that there is a large community and it has many users just like you, no matter your level or interest.

The Linux community is not perfect, but it is very good. Most users go out of their way to encourage and help. The problem is that not everybody has good advice because the community is open. There is somebody who has the same problem and they can usually help, but others will lead you astray with good intentions, but little skill. You need to be wary and cross check advice. Make sure that the information is up-to-date.

Compared to Windows where users are frequently on their own, it is a big improvement. The problem is that you are in a vulnerable position when you have experienced a problem and are in a new operating system. You want a quick resolution. This can lead to impatience and impulsive action that you may later regret.

4. I used it once but had problems and went back to my old operating system.

Linux is evolving. Nothing is static. The kernel is being constantly developed. Distributions have aggressive release schedules, often with new versions every six months. This means that what you once tried is no longer what you can expect today.

It is no secret that Linux has matured. It is ready for most but not all users. If you need Windows programmes, then you may want to consider dual booting or running them using a Windows compatibility layer called Wine. Or you could investigate using Windows on a virtual machine using a programme such as VM Server or VirtualBox.

Gamers will find that many of their Windows games do not work in Linux. Dual boot is your best solution. There are quite a few Linux games. Some are actually quite good. You could also look into Cedega from Transgaming or Crossover from Codeweavers, the makers of Wine, for some game support in Linux.

5. My equipment is not supported.

If you have really new or really rare hardware, you may find some things will not work in Linux. This is because Linux is just starting to forge ties with OEMs and many things are reverse engineered to work in Linux. That’s the bad news. You can expect a bit of a delay and in rare cases things won’t work at all. But, this is true in Windows, too. Vista users have found that some equipment will not work and cannot be made to work.

The good news is that if it works, you won’t need a driver disk. Linux detects the hardware and installs the driver seamlessly. Once Linux is installed you don’t have to feed your computer with disks for an hour or more afterwards. You are done.

6. Linux is hard to use.

Hard is a relative term. Anything new is harder to use at first because you need to become familiar with it. You need to separate the unfamiliarity and then see what remains hard before you use this excuse.

Linux is modular. It is built differently. It loads differently. It is structured differently. Different does not mean bad. Linux is hierarchical. It has protected areas. These things exist for your protection and to make it work better.

One example of this is that Windows has a central registry. It is unprotected. If it becomes corrupted then you must repair it or re-install Windows. It can become large and fragmented, slowing your computer down. Linux has no central registry. It keeps its configuration files in individual text files in a protected area of the computer. If one becomes corrupted it would be rare since access is controlled and password protected. However, if it is damaged it would not affect the system, only one programme that can be removed and re-installed simply. It never becomes fragmented or slows your computer down.

Once you understand the underlying logic then what seemed hard to understand becomes logical and even advantageous. Don’t change your operating system back to Windows, just change your thinking. It is no longer hard, but stronger.

7. My Windows programmes won’t work in Linux.

Some will. Some will not. This was partially dealt with above when we discussed Wine and virtual machines. There are a few things to add here.

Linux is based on FOSS. Linux is really just the kernel. It also has much added to it to make it an operating system. There are many libraries and modules from the GNU Project. Then developers add their own things such as desktops, window managers and more to make a combination of things that make it unique. This is referred to as a distribution or distro for short. When you install a distribution such as Ubuntu, you are benefitting from the work of many people such as kernel developers, Gnome developers, and Canonical developers. In addition there are many people working on all of the libraries and programmes, maintaining repositories and overseeing the community.  It is a monumental effort.

Software is built in when you install a distribution. You get a web browser, an email client, a graphics editor, and an office suite with any distribution. You can add to the pre-installed programmes from the repositories which are part of most, but not all, distributions. These are collections for programmes and libraries that allow you to work more efficiently. They are centralized and managed for your convenience. All are virus free and you can install them in confidence. Almost all are free under the GPL or similar free licence. Most welcome your donations, but none require you to give anything. None is crippled, expires and few require you to agree to a EULA.

Free software does not mean bad. Many are superior to programmes that you might pay big money for. They are the work of some of the same people who programme for money by day. They are their pet projects and reflect their own interests and as such are a labour of love. A programme such as Cinelerra for example is used professionally and commercially to edit videos. There are many such programmes available to you for free. Many like Cinelerra have no Windows equivalent or equal.

Instead of looking back on what you don’t have open your eyes to a new world of free software. You don’t have to search for them or to compile them. All of the work is done for you by the maintainers of the distribution’s repositories.

Linux is a team effort and when you use Linux you become part of the team. Consider beta testing new versions and help out the projects by reporting bugs. You are not only an integral part, but you are the focus of each project as the work is done with users in mind, not profits.

8. I paid for Windows, so I might as well use it.

Most new computers come with Windows. Yes, you paid for it. In the future, consider that you may not have to pay for Windows at all. When you buy a new computer, you can ask the OEM for a refund as long as you do not open your Windows disks and reject the EULA that pops up when you turn on Windows for the first time. It is right there in the words that most people click through.

Reasons not to accept the agreement are many. It is your computer. You paid for it. You need to consent to what goes on it. The agreement that most people don’t read takes away some of your rights. Microsoft and other vendors have the right to snoop on you under the guise of protecting their interests. Microsoft has been known to install things on your computer without your knowledge or permission. Some users have had WGA pop up and annoy them constantly or in rare cases effectively disabled their computers.

Putting your own operating system on is a way of establishing your own boundaries. From that moment on you have full ownership and control. You don’t have to worry about DRM or WGA or many other things that plague Windows users. There is no re-booting, no nags, few EULAs to read and no updates without approval. In addition, maintenance is a breeze. You never need to defragment. You have no viruses or trojans to worry about. You can download and read email in confidence.

In addition, you are freed from guilt associated with software piracy. Everything is free so you don’t need to steal.  It is indeed a brave new world (in the Shakespearean sense, not Huxley).

9. Microsoft has been good to me.

Microsoft is a corporation and has had a virtual monopoly for over a decade. They have been the chief beneficiaries of their actions. Bill Gates got rich for a reason.

Microsoft also has not been a sterling corporate citizen. They have been convicted of breaking the law on several occasions and have not paid all of their fines and they still maintain their innocence despite all of the evidence to the contrary. Let’s face it. Microsoft is in it for themselves and not for you.

Microsoft treats users like lemmings. They lead and your duty is to follow. It is top down and centralized. Nothing is done with you in mind. It is all about how to maximize profits. I am not saying profits are wrong. I am saying don’t give them credit for things that aren’t true.

If it was about the user, then you would have a choice. Everything would be done to protect you and to make things more convenient. Windows offers little choice. It is wide open with no built in protection. It has frequently been rushed to market full of known security holes and exploits that will be later patched, making your computer an unstable patchwork, rather than a strong bedrock OS that it should be. Given their resources you would think that they could get it right just once, but they never have. You have to ask yourself why. The answer is that they want to get it out fast to make as much money as possible and to meet deadlines reached at some corporate level, probably determined by the marketing people instead of the software engineers closest to the action.

Microsoft has championed such causes as Trusted Computing which they allege is for the benefit of the user, but really is about giving hardware and software companies control over you and your computer that they do not have now. If implemented it would  allow them to impose restrictions on the user and even disable computers. Does this sound user centred?

This is the lamest of all excuses.

10. I have nobody to help me if things go wrong.

You are assuming the worst. Things can go wrong with any installation of any OS. It happens with Windows, OS/X and Linux. That does not mean that they will. Most of the time, installation is quick and flawless.

First off, Linux makes it easy to try before you buy into it. Most distributions run off  a Live CD or DVD, that will run from the disk just like it was installed on the hard drive, albeit slower. You can install programmes and make changes, but nothing will be saved since the disk is read only.

Ubuntu allows you to install Linux from inside Windows using WUBI. Just insert the Ubuntu disk in the drive while in Windows and it will reserve space on your C drive and install it as one big Windows file which will be mounted when you re-boot as a loopback device and operate just as if it was a separate partition. Canonical the company that makes Ubuntu will even pay the shipping costs of sending you a free disk. Windows will be the default OS when it re-boots and you can later remove Ubuntu from the Windows control panel, if that is your choice. You can also download WUBI as a small exe file and choose from Ubuntu or other Canonical distributions such as Kubuntu which is Ubuntu with KDE for a desktop instead of Gnome.

You can also install Linux to run inside Windows or do the reverse, install Windows to run inside Linux. You could use CoLinux or andLinux which install similar to WUBI, but you never leave Windows to use it. You could also use a virtual machine in either Windows or Linux to run the opposite OS.

The problem is that when you run Linux inside Windows you do not gain much because you still have the problems associated with Windows, such as BSODs, file corruption and disk fragmentation. When you run Windows inside Linux you get no fragmentation and Windows problems will never crash the Linux host.

The point here is that you can step into Linux gradually easing into it at first, but knowing that the sky is the limit as your knowledge and comfort level increase. Before you start you might want to look at some of the resources available to you on the internet and to see some potential problems and test them for yourself on the Live CD. Just use your favourite search engine and include Ubuntu or any other distribution in your query.

It is all about you and what works best for you. Windows is a choice. You don’t have to use it, just because that is what you have on your computer. You can choose an alternative or stick with Windows or OS/X. The decision should not be made lightly. You need to know what you are leaving behind and getting into. You can go part way or all of the way.

It is your computer and it is all about taking ownership and responsibility for it. Microsoft’s vision is that you own the computer, but they control it or should. That does not need to be the case. In Apple’s case this is even more extreme. They want to dictate terms and control hardware and software.

I am biased in favour of Linux, but I am also very competent in Windows, having used it extensively since it first came out. Before that I was a DOS user. Microsoft and I go back a long way. Ours was once a love hate relationship, now it isn’t even that. I neither love nor hate Microsoft or Windows. In fact, I seldom think about it until it crops up in my writing or when a Windows user asks for help. Lately, I find myself dreading using it for even an instant. My Windows friends and family members know that it is an imposition to ask for help. My distaste is obvious.

There is nothing that I miss about Windows. I am not a gamer and everything that I want to do, I can do in Linux or in a VirtualBox VM running Windows XP seamlessly in Kubuntu with KDE 4.2. Now that is cool! I get a shared desktop with a Windows bar on the bottom with full access to Windows programmes and a KDE panel at the top with full access to Linux applications. I can share devices, drag and drop and cut and paste.  I can even use all of the eye candy that I like such as Compiz-Fusion. The only problem is that I seldom use Windows at all so my VM sits idle for months at a time.

I can dual boot, but it is such a pain that I have to summon the courage to do it. It can take several re-boots and a good ten or more lost minutes before I can start to work due to months of updates.

If you use Windows and like it, that is good. Users should like what they feel comfortable with and use. If want something new then consider exploring the almost endless possibilities with free open source software.

Yes, this was a shameless attempt to promote Linux in general and Ubuntu in particular. I don’t care what you use, but I want you to be happy. Don’t settle for second best!