GNU/Linux Who can resist a free operating system with a lovable penguin as their mascot? Apparently more than three quarters of consumers. Wait, I take that back because three quarters of the internet is served by Linux computers. Believe it or not, this is the OS that makes the web survive.Linux was developed by Linus Torvalds in the ’80s as a replacement of MINIX, a unix inspired OS. Unix, one of the first operating systems in the world was developed as a text-based interface system. Being based on/inspired by Unix has empowered Linux with the stablility and robustness the server world wants.

However, the Linux community (more on this in a bit) has been vying for Linux to become adopted by the general user as their primary desktop. So on top of the linux kernel (core part of the OS), Linux users normally have a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that lets them interact with their computers as we are used to today.

That’s another great thing about Linux as a server…you don’t need the GUI for it to run. In fact, running a Linux box without the GUI and remotely improves its reliability and stability. However, this is not ideal for the general user.

That is where GNOME and KDE come into the picture. X Window, Gnome, and KDE are the three main GUIs for Linux. There are other add-ons available to add 3D GUI to your Linux box.

One really great thing about Linux is that it isn’t just one OS per se. Under Linux is an enormous number of projects based on Linux that have different options, defaults, and programs reinstalled. This can be a little overwhelming when picking your flavor of Linux but its all about distros (distributions).

The Rundown - Linux is a growing OS that has yet to prove its strengths to the world. It isn’t that the strength isn’t there, its just that noone is looking. IT administrators know about Linux, but it is still a hard sell.

If I had to categorize the perfect users for Linux, it would actually be two groups. The first would be computer enthusiasts who are willing to get into the software guts of a computer and make it THEIRS. I don’t mean just ownership. I mean complete personalization. The great thing about Linux is its customizability.

The second group would be the friends and family of the first group who have that Linux genius to turn to when they don’t know what to do. Sure, there is a vibrant community available to Linux users where you can go for help, but personal contact is so much better.

Unless you are willing to conquer the inevitable learning curve, Linux isn’t for you. However, if you have someone who has already braved the dire trek before you and is willing to show you the path, give it a try.

With Linux, you can dual boot and keep Windows to fall back on while you tinker and toy around.

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