Open Source- The way of the future.
In the following Q&A I will try to answer the most common questions people have about Microsoft and Linux.
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First, I will give you my background so that I may convey to you that I am not simply biased...
For the last six years I have been working with Microsoft, Linux, and Dell computers (servers and desktops). I have two degrees in Microsoft related fields(Computer Networking and Systems Administration). To the average computer user, Microsoft is part of the computer. But to any level of support technician it is not part of the computer and can safely be replaced by an operating system known as Linux! I get very excited when I talk to people about Linux and I hope I will answer most of the questions pertaining to open-source that you might have in the section below. The terms Linux and open-source will be used interchangeably in this document but by no means are they one product. Linux is a open source product just like Apache(a web server), the media compression format ogg vorbis (compare to mp3 which is licensed and proprietary), MySQL(a database system like MSSQL). The reason that I am using the terms interchangeably on this page is to emphasize what open-source can offer(products like the ones noted above). I fear that I am going to start boring the average user very soon if I haven't already, so I am now going to start with the Q&A section. It is very important for legal reasons that I note that the following is for informational purposes only - I, as the author have put forth every effort to determine
the truth in every instance below and have come to this conclusion through reading and experience. I have no purpose or intent of degrading Microsoft (liable) but only have the intent of informing the public of my past experience. Long live our freedom ...
- What is Linux?
- Linux/Microsoft Cost Comparison
- Linux/Microsoft Functionality Comparison
- What hardware does Linux require?
- In closing
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Last but not least -- Digital Rights management issues or simply DRM Microsoft embeds a technology within windows that forbids the burning of copyright DVD's and software! By no means do I support the making of illegal copies of software and DVD's but I DO like to make backups of my softwareand DVD's that I paid for and hold on to them in case the original is ever scratched or ruined. (This happens often to me)I should be allowed to do just that - Law allows me to do so and it SHOULD. Linux has no DRM and to my knowledge will NEVER include such nonsense! Freedom is allowing us to make a choice - because not allowing us to do so will make us feel as though we are guilty(at least guilty to them)before having done anything wrong. Good day everyone and I hope something was gained here by someone!
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Linux is an Operating System just like Windows. An Operating System(OS) is the interface that allows interaction to occur between the user and the hardware. The OS does the processing and data handling within the computer and in turn allows for the input presented to it to be "crunched" or processed and output to occur. Without input and output there would be no since in having a computer! Put simply - an OS is a complex set of instructions (presented in a non-complex way) to the user of a computer that allows them to control input and output of data)An Operating System could be likened to the steering wheelof your car ... You decide where to go, turn the steering wheel to follow, and that is where you end up in most instances. If you drive your operating system to a place that is dangerous on the web, you could get a virus and if you steer you operating system to make an error the computer could crash. After you crash it, if you get a bad mechanic to fix it, it could lead to more trouble. 'Nough said?
Microsoft Vista Operating System Ranges from 150 to 300+ dollars Linux Variants(Such as UBUNTU or Redhat) are free.
A. Is linux functional? Very! It can do all things Microsoft can! (MP3 and proprietary formats of media presentation can be added) Linux offers a 3d environment and advanced graphical user interface through the Beryl project as well as others. Microsoft ONLY offers it's Aero interface on the more expensive versions of Vista (home premium and ultimate) And guess what! The Aero (3d interface of Microsoft) was derived from coding that APPLE used! And guess what else! APPLES operating system was a derivative of UNIX/LINUX! B. Is linux easy to use? Very! With recent advancements in Linux operating systems, Linux has become very user friendly! Ubuntu Linux is so easy to use, anyone that uses Microsoft could use it quickly and effectively! C. What about an office suite? I gotta have one! Office, you say? - Ubuntu Linux comes with a FULL suite of office tools comparable to Microsoft Office! This suite is known as OpenOffice and has a database program, a word processor program, a spreadsheet program, and presentation software. D. Is this too good to be true? It is hard to believe, but it is true!
To make this simple: I have a 2.80 GHz AMD Athlon64 processor and 1 Gigabyte of RAM (DDR 400)and an ASUS motherboard that runs Ubuntu Linux (Feisty Fawn) seamlessly! To make my point - I first installed Microsoft Home Premium on this very same machine and it ran and performed MUCH slower than Linux!
Linux is all about freedom of choice - having no boundaries - unlimited potential. Microsoft on the other hand is a bully! They try to force everyone to conform to what they offer and even lie and use their superior capital and marketing skills to mask the truth. To present you with an example of some of the negative and poor ethical issues present in the Microsoft world. I will restate facts that were presented in a tech magazine that I read monthly. It was worded similar to the following: "B1 Visa expansion was denied, (B1 Visa's allow for imigrants to come here to work in case you didn't know) so Microsoft,being how they are moved an entire workforce of 200 people (immigrants) out of country to a Canadian location rather thanoffer our Americans the jobs!" This, to me is un-American and disgusting!