Psst...have you heard the news? There's something better than Windows, and it's free! Maybe you've heard of it, it's called Linux, and it's not as scary as you might have heard.
November 10, 1998
Linux is challenging Microsoft on its own turf, the operating system market, and many users are finding it's giving Windows one heck of a fight. But how can that be? After all, you "can't go wrong" with Windows - why would you bother with some "hacker's operating system" that doesn't even have commercial support services?
A short history is in order to understand the Linux phenomenon. Linus Torvalds created Linux back in 1990. At the time, Torvalds was a student at the University of Helsinki in Finland. Having played with a stripped-down version of the powerful mainframe UNIX operating system, Torvalds realized he could build an operating system that did what he wanted it to, and it could be fast, stable, and free. That's right, Linux has been and always will be free. And even better, it can run on just about anything, from a Macintosh to a 386 to an Alpha-class server.
After building the base of the operating system (the kernel) Torvalds released it to the Internet, letting other developers suggest and build enhancements. In the end, Torvalds would decide what would be added and what would not. After a few years of incredible growth, he allowed a team of developers (some who've never met face to face) work on major parts of the code.
As time went by, Linux found early adoption as a tool for Internet Service Providers. When they needed something fast and stable, Linux was the obvious choice. It ran on relatively inexpensive Intel Hardware (breathing new life into 386s) and was flexible enough to adapt to any change in needs. Linux became quite popular as the Apache Web server became more popular. Many current Web servers are still running Linux and Apache in tandem.
What does this have to do with your needs, and how can it hope to crush Microsoft ? Well, there are several instances where Linux is simply a better tool.
First off, Linux is stable. Being built as a Unix-variant, it's a true 32-bit operating system, with support for multi-tasking and effective memory management. Unlike other operating systems that may be taken down when an application crashes, Linux just blows the offending application out of memory and keeps on chugging along. Some users report having rebooted their Linux server only once in a year, with unconfirmed reports stating up to three years without a reboot. Have you ever worked with Windows 95 or NT? Daily rebooting seems to be the norm, and don't even try to multi-task with an older Macintosh.
Linux is free. You can download Linux from many servers around the world and pay nothing. The base operating system is free for your use. No real strings are attached. If you want it on CD or disk, then you will pay for it (companies have to make back reproduction costs somehow). A Linux Distribution (a pre-packaged compilation of Linux and several applications) will generally carry a nominal fee. For example, Redhat (http://www.redhat.com) charges for their product as it contains CDs full of applications, a user guide, and limited tech support. The general rule is that you can download any distribution of Linux for free, but you pay if you need manuals and support.
Another advantage of Linux is support. Whereas most of us are used to calling a 1-800 number and/or paying for support, Linux has a user base willing to help one another. Instead of calling a tech support line, most problems are solved by perusing newsgroups and or getting on Internet Relay Chat and asking questions. I for one have never had an unsolvable problem, and I've never come across any issues where I was told "reformat, reinstall, and retry" as with so many other operating systems.
Probably the single greatest advantage of Linux is that it's flexible. If you think that editing ".ini" files in Windows makes things more flexible, try Linux some time. If you don't like a certain feature, or need a more lightweight system, you can prune the kernel (the core of the OS) to meet your needs. Try doing that with any other non-Unix operating system. Your server doesn't need soundcard support? Take it out! Don't need PPP support (yeah right), then take it out! It's amazing how flexible the whole operating system is. You can prune the kernel to the point where an entire Linux system is contained on a floppy, which you can boot into at your leisure. Now that's power.
The most common complaint I've heard against Linux is a perceived lack of applications. Many people fear that in using Linux, they lose their favorite applications. This was true several years ago, but now that Linux has switched to hyperdrive, applications are popping up like weeds. For example, I'm writing this article in WordPerfect beta 8.0, which will be released for free in November 1998. At the same time, I'm browsing the Web with Netscape Communicator 4.5. If you're a Photoshop fan, take a look at GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program), which is a close contender, and is totally free. There are some pretty strong indications that Lotus will be porting its Notes and SmartSuite packages to Linux soon.
For Webmasters, Linux may be the ultimate tool. It can act as your primary Web server, staging platform, and test area for new sites, applications, and scripts. All securely contained on your own desktop PC. Need FrontPage extensions on your Web server? Linux already has them available for download. If you think Active Server Pages are powerful, wait until you try PHP (http://www.php.net) or the PERL scripting language.
This has just been a very cursory overview of Linux. There are literally dozens of reasons to use it, as there are many against it. At present, it's not as easy to use as Windows/95/98/NT, which scares the heck out of home users and systems administrators alike. Also, you have to really understand what's going on inside your PC - you don't just
"plug and pray" with Linux. If you've never heard of or used a compiler before, get ready for a whole new world.
I've been using Linux for about 1 ½ years now, and I've found it to be an indispensable tool. With the new applications that have appeared, I've finally done away with my personal Windows 95 machine, and hope someday to do the same at my office. If you're looking for something more from your operating system, and are tired of "General Protection Faults" or "Error of type 3" problems, then maybe it's time to roll up your sleeves and give Linux a shot.
Linux Information:
Linux Online: http://www.linux.org
Slashdot News: http://slashdot.org
Win-to-Linux: http://www.worldstar.com/~brwood
Everything Linux: http://eunuchs.org/linux/
Ted Brockwood is the Information Services Manager for a real estate listing service in Oregon. His experience covers Java, Linux, UNIX, NT, Win95/98, Win3.x, and DOS.
