Top 10 Ways to Convince a New User Onto Linux
1. Linux is free so instead of spending $400 on Vista you could throw more money at your PC/Partner. So either your machine will be faster or your partner will like you again - either way = win.
2. It's more secure - Brian Profitt from LinuxToday reported there being a known 863 viruses for Linux compared to 114,000 for Windows. So you're at significantly less risk than you are on Windows.
3. You can feel smarter than everyone else - but in a good way. Windows is about profit while Linux is an intellectual experiment. You've broken away from "the norm" to broaden your horizons - this can only be a good thing.
4. Linux gets updated all the time. I believe Ubuntu gets updated 3 times a year, so you essentially get a new version every couple of months and they do look new (if Edgy Eft is anything to go by when compared to Breezy or Dapper). While MS rolls out new O/S's every 6 years or so, you get regular updates with Linux.5. Freedom of choice! Ubuntu, Suse, Fedora, Knoppix, Mandriva, Gentoo, how many distributions are there? Have a look here for a full list, but it is a lot! So why is this a good thing? Your Windows choices are fairly limited (XP or Vista basically) whereas with Linux you have numerous distributions to choose from - so there's lots of choice, allowing you to find the O/S that suits you best, rather than making do with a generic package.
6. A caring community. The Linux community is incredibly helpful on the most part, with forums dedicated to each distro with a large user base - allowing you to get tailored support from real users. Which is clearly better than the "hit and hope" manner Microsoft deliver support. True, the extensive directory of support available at MS is useful but it pales in comparison the getting real support from fellow users.
7. Obtaining free software is very easy. Certainly with Ubuntu (and no, this does not mean piracy), using the Synaptic Package Manager makes life so easy... If you can use a mouse you can install software. True, some software is still a right spoon to install, but on the most part the days of command line headaches are gone.
8. Try before you commit. The LiveCD environment for Linux is fantastic - you chuck the CD in your drive when you're booting and it'll take you to an environment where you can play with Linux without having installed it. So, this would be a great way for you to play and see which distro you'd like to have full time.
9. Hop on the bandwagon! It's on the climb... Brazil trains its government sector on Linux, it's breaking into the banking industry... It's really taking off so don't you want to be able to say that you did it first?
10. Because it's just a good skill to have. Being tied to one operating system makes you dependant on it and Vista is going to cost a lot of money, so take the step and give Linux a try. You won't lose anything if you dual boot or have a separate machine for it.
11. I'll be your friend. - how could you resist? I didn't include it in the original 10 points because it's not really a valid reason, unless you want it to be :)
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Showing most recent 14 of 14 comments
Free software started in 1984, its more of an ideology that anything else. Around early 1990, a lot of people liked the practical part of free software but didnt like the ideology part and they took what they liked and dropped what they didnt like and called themselves open source.
free software, as a matter of principle, is against patents, mp3 file format is patented and therefore is not free software,
free software is against private owership, sun microsystem owns java, adobe owns flash, dvd encription is owned by somebody.
free software is against secrecy, DRM, encripted DVD is a form of DRM and free software is, as a matter of principle/ideaology, against it.
open source on the other hand dont care/have these ideological "crap" and they can pretty much float btw free software and closed source software
let me ask you a question, lets say you are a christian and you want to pray and someone ask you if you will want to use the bible or the quran to pray, as a christian, is that really a choice? the practical thing being praying/talking to GOD.
using linux because its free compared to windows is ideologically flawed argument.
using photoshop over gimp is practical but ideologically wrong if you believe in free software, its a non issue if you are an open source person
like i said before,
free software != open source and its wrong to use them interchangably
Linux is composed of many small parts, consisting of many projects around the world. The core, or the Linux Kernal is licenced under the GPL as are many of the apps released with it. There are even free (as in open source only) distros available. To all intents and purposes linux can be entirely Open Source.
The nice advantage Linux distros have over MS-Windows is those well-integrated and thoughly tested software packages are available from once place. With any major distro, I don’t have to go searching all over the internet to find thousands of ready-to-go apps -- that I can trust -- and install any of them with a simple command or a few clicks of the mouse.
why can’t i play mp3??
i am listening to mp3 right now on my ubuntu box
and in about an hour i’ll watch a dvd, an encrypted dvd.....
i was told all these things that you mention, but it really turns out to be more shit
who’s gonna come get me for it??
the microsoft cops?
I think linux will be better off if people will understand what free software movement is before they use linux.
I also think you will do linux a lot of favor if you tell people and try to make them understand why they cant play mp3, encripted dvd, cant have flash, java out of the box, why they have to install their own proprietary drivers and why that is generally considered unethical.
Most of what you have said make sense but you are looking at it from the practical point of view and you are leaving behind a very crucial think ..the ideology that makes linux great.
GNU/linux exists for a cause, you didnt mention a single thing about it ang that is just sad ..
To Tabser - I didn’t say home users needed Vista, but it’s likely a lot will end up using it anyway through not understanding their requirements and just being sold a machine, salesmen aren’t going to pitch to you yesterdays operating systems... Also, the huge diversity of Linux is good because you may think that if everyone focused on one; more would get done, but too many cooks spoil the broth, it’s good for Linux if it is able to move in many directions at once. In my opinion at least.
To AussieBear - I’m not pro-linux/anti-windows but you raise some good points, but I don’t see MS as the almighty evil that it sounds like you do! hehe, but you do highlight their bad elements rather well.
Here’s what I mean...Just a sample
(1) What’s behind all that legalese in the EULA for Windows?
http://www.linuxadvocate.org/articles.php?p=1
(2) Genuine Advantage? Trust? People are deceived into installing updates for WGA! (WGA has NOTHING to do with Windows security...One of the original promoted uses of Windows Update.)
http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/07/05/HNwgalawsuit_1.html
By the way...The future isn’t gonna get pretty.
http://dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4433
Its fine that MS is doing things to reduce piracy of their solutions, but when such things become very intrusive, or even mis-identifies them as bad, well, that just crosses the line for some people!
(3) Who gets priority in regards to fixes?
http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,71738-0.html
Certainly not the desktop user! Content Providers are the money makers for Microsoft! They pay more, so they get priority in a VERY TIMELY manner! I wish ALL MS updates come this quick!
(4) Flexibility.
You can’t modify or adapt Windows to meet your needs and requirements EXACTLY. I’m talking from desktop, to digital engine control, air defence system, Lunar unmanned vehicle, cluster, firewall, etc.
All without having to pay MS for the right to modify for your uses and sign some sort of NDA. (You don’t need to go through all this red tape nonsense with open-source solutions).
(5) Restrictions.
No matter which version of Windows you adopt, you will always be restricted in some way and "encouraged" to pay for more features.
Even upcoming server solutions and features are restricted!
http://www.linux-watch.com/news/NS7530619440.html
(6) Maintenance.
With Windows Update, they do NOT cover applications that MS does NOT make. You must resolve third-party app security issues yourself!
With a typical Linux distro, assuming you use the package manager to install your apps, (be it DEB, RPM, etc), you are covered from head to toe when it comes to application and system updates. So a simple click on a GUI frontend updater or a single command line is all you need to update!
And I haven’t even mentioned the constant attention you need to give Windows in regards to security! AV subscription and updates anyone? Did you know the rise of the security industry is largely thanks to Windows? Its not worth a few million, but a couple of BILLION!
Your hard disk slowing down again? How about that Defrag? :)
(7) With every new Windows version, you need to upgrade your hardware!
What if my existing hardware is perfectly fine? Too bad! Its gonna be made obsolete!
Want to enjoy those future DirectX 10 games in all their graphical glory? You need to upgrade!
You see the above? They’re points that NO Microsoft fanboi can refute without some thought!
Do some research my friend, and you’ll find some pretty interesting things about Windows and Microsoft in general. ;)
The immunity to viruses and spyware however is a huge plus. I’ve known several Windows people who threw out machines or paid expensive technicians to clean out their machines.
And I think point 5, the huge diversity of Linux is a huge drawback. If every coder who wanted to help with a desktop-oriented Linux chose the same one, Ubuntu, OpenSuse, whichever, it would increase in quality much faster. (There is room for a few distros other than desktop- a server one, a firewall one, an outdated hardware one, but much more than that is an unnecessary duplication and waste of effort.)
On Point 7, with Linux it is easy to get a lot of free software now, but this isn’t really a plus over Windows, it is easy to get a lot of legal free stuff for Windows as well.
free software != open source
therefore linux != open source
there is a free software movement and open source movement, they have somethings in common but arent the same.
get your facts straight
MS’s schedule for updates is more of a schedule for fixes -- there is a difference. Linux evolves quickly to give more and better while ever improving and maintaining the status quo. The MS so-called community doesn’t come close.
Why should average users dual boot? For the average user, that’s akin to having cable AND satelite so you can get some free channels on one that the other doesn’t offer. If 95% of what they do is surf and check email, why bother with another partition and OS that does exactly what their Windows partition does?
Windows is updated constantly as well, so it’s a fallacy to say it’s only updated every 6 years. That’s not to say MS’s schedule for updates is perfect, but don’t use a fallacious argument to promote Linux. There are better ways to do it.
I use both and see the plusses and drawbacks of both Win and Linux. I just had to throw in my 2 cents.