Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Why do you use linux?

A member of our local community today asked me 'why do you use Linux?'. I was thinking about it to find some useful answer for him, but no luck. I use it everyday, every hour and every minute. It's just became part of my life. It was very strange, but very thoughtful question for me.

14 comments:

Andreas Nilsson said...

I use it because it's the only Operating System around that is free software.
This allows me to not be screwed over by a vendor whenever they feel like it, as the case is with the two other big operating systems.
I prefer me to be in control of my system rather than them.

Another nice thing is that I can give the software I like to a friend or family. I can't do this with with non-free software.

KAMiKAZOW said...

I use Linux for the following reasons:
Out of the box it offers the broadest hardware support -- better than other FOSS OSes or even Windows.

All software updates automatically, thanks to package management.

Better usability (Vista is annoying).

It's Free. :-)


"it's the only Operating System around that is free software."

That is so totally wrong. FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Haiku, Syllable, ReactOS, AROS, OpenSolaris, ect. are all Free Software.

martin said...

What andreasn said is the big one, plus:

I love being able to get the source code for stuff to see how it's built, and if I need a feature I can add it.

It's easier to install software using apt and various software components is much better integrated with each other.

Why do I use Linux instead of BSD or Solaris...? Because in this community people are aware about the benefits of freedom and take steps to protect it.

Darwin Survivor said...

I use it because of how flexible it is. I have an Ubuntu laptop and server. It is ncie having full control over my custom vpn/ssh/torrent/web/database server. I can log in via cli and run a GUI app from my home to my campus.

Windows does not support anywhere close to the flexibility you get from a FOSS OS.

andre klapper said...

My main reason is (for GNOME though) that it's way more logical for the way my brain works.
I find the options and menu items where I expect them, compared to other Operating Systems.

Ethan Anderson said...

It's the kernel Ubuntu uses, and Everything Just Works with it.

Unknown said...

I don't know how to do copy paste in other OSs.

Unknown said...

Cuz I like the "I'm in control" feeling, and not the other way around

Ulisse said...

well, what else should I use?

Brandon said...

Because of the powerfull cli OOTB, and the $$cost is low

Duv said...

You know, nearly a year ago... while I was at the Fedora release party for 9, I was asked this question...

Since then it's come up every so often, and my answer is the same.

Linux give me power, the power to do anything with my system if I so choose it...to craft and meddle with all aspects of my system (no matter how stupidly dangerous it might be), from the GUI's to the kernel itself, and so on.
Having been a power-user on Windows for a while, six to seven years prior to being asked. It is a refreshing change... to have my system, and all it's parts, open to me to tinker.
It's intimidating at first, but this one fact has kept me from going back to Windows. Or moving to Mac OS X/10.x...

Mind you, HaikuOS does have my interest.

Roshan George said...

Ease of use. Convenience.

Unknown said...

I started using it because my pc gave bluescreens all the time with win98 SE. My pc was not compatible with Windows 2000 which was a better system then win 98. I started looking for an alternative and found RedHat 7.1. I've been using Linux ever since. I use windows inside a KVM virtual machine on my Ubuntu (Jaunty) laptop.

I keep using it because I don't have to worry about:
- Licenses
- Upgrade's (incremental and inplace upgrades of OS-core and applications)

- I also like the gnome interface much better then the windows' one. It feels like it gets out of my way and lets me do my work.
- Eyecandy is better
- Hardware compatebility (New instal oon my laptop is: one download (ISO) and next, next, next, finish, get coffee, WORK!!
- User rights, system resources and user resources are seperate.
- Partitioning is easy, home is on a different partition, all my configureation is there. OS re-install is easy.
- My girlfriend can use is without me tweaking it and securing it with anti virus and stuff....


Downside: closed source apps suck: FLASH crashes all the time!! HELP ME ADOBE, PLEASE!!!!!!!

gudmund said...

it is more flexible than Mac OSX. And i altso prefer running a normal pc, so i havent found any good alternatives to linux =)