[TriLUG] Why Linux For Me

[Steve Litt]

On Mon, 29 Oct 2012 14:05:05 -0400, Grawburg said:
> I currently use OS/2 and Windows XP. 
> Windows is used only for Excel (I do contract work for a single
> client), writing ladder-logic programs for PLC's, Skype, and loading
> MP3s to my player. I'm retired and do some work at a local museum and
> must use their Windows machines.
> 
> I use OS/2 because I have a client who has it installed at his
> business, AND because I don't want to use Windows. I use Lotus
> WordPro and Lotus Approach (OS/2 and Windows) for the majority of my
> personal work. Although I sometimes use Open Office/Libra Office for
> small word processing projects. I do not want to stop using either of
> the Lotus products.
> 
> I do not play games.
> I do surf the Internet and have a small blog (unrelated to computers).
> 
> I wonder, what might Linux give me that I don't already have...other
> than not being Microsoft?

Hi Brian,

A lot of people have given great reasons. Let me add a few I haven't
seen mentioned...

Both OS/2 and Windows restrict you to one desktop environment (though I
hear Win8 has a way to drop back to Win7's desktop environment). Linux,
on the other hand, has probably close to 50 desktop environment/window
managers. I like Xfce, which is a lot like the Win98 desktop, but can
be made to look and perform very differently. Ubuntu's Unity is coming
along with a search facility, called HUD, that can go inside of
applications. I'm watching that pretty closely. KDE, which I don't
like, integrates all its applications so they all know what each other
is doing. Gnome has great tools. Awesome is built for simplicity and
touch-typing and modification (you can write your own mods and applets
in Lua. With Linux, you don't get forced into a single user interface.

Another cool thing about Linux that Windows and OS/2 don't come with is
a HUGE assortment of programming languages. C, C++, Java, C#, Perl,
Python, Ruby, Lua, Lazarus, and many, many more. You might be thinking
"I don't program, and don't want to." But once you have something as
simple and easy as Python to help you make your computer do EXACTLY
what you want. After you've programmed your computer to do a
specialized repetitive task that you used to have to point and click
ad-nauseum, you'll sing the praises of doing simple programs yourself.

One more thing: If you use Linux, and free software in general, you'll
never again worry about the software police knocking down your door.
See the decision the Ernie Ball company made:

http://news.cnet.com/2008-1082_3-5065859.html

HTH,

SteveT

Steve Litt                *  http://www.troubleshooters.com/
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