For most computer users, Windows is the only operating system (OS) they’ve ever used. There are many operating systems out there, some are good and some are bad. This list is about Linux, a free open-source operating system. Whether its different flavors of ice-cream or different brands and types of shirts and pants, we like to have a choice.
There is a chance you have never heard of it, and even if you have you probably carry a few misconceptions about it. I’ll try to dispel some of these misconceptions starting with the most common:
1) Help! Where to Look for help?
Google is always the Swiss Knife for troubleshooting if you are able to get help online! There are many User Forums, IRC Channel with thousands of people out there to help you! Linux has a proud user base who help each other forming a Linux Community! But you can also get technical help from popular distros like Fedora , Ubuntu , Opensuse!
2) Ok! Linux is great , but how can i dual boot it with Windows?
Popular Linux Distros present you with option of keeping your Windows installation intact while installing Linux on a seperate partition and giving you a boot option each time you turn on your PC.
3) Oh i want to try Linux but how?
Trying Linux is now easy like never before! Many Linux Distros are now giving Live CDs which you simply insert and boot into a Working Linux Desktop! You can try it out without installing it!
Plus install it if you like it!
Linux has the advantage to be booted from a USB which makes it a Portable OS for Users on the Wheel.
4) I cant work on Linux!
Linux Distros are now packaged with Office Production, Graphics, Multimedia, Internet, IMs and many application to do your work ! OpenOffice, GIMP, Totem Player, FireFox, Pidgin , e.t.c are some packaged with Ubuntu Linux.
5) No New System comes pre installed with Linux
Dell is now shipping systems preloaded with Linux, plus many Netbook vendors are shipping preloaded Linux optimized for Netbooks.
6) No one around me is using Linux
Oh Come On! The Linux User Base is ever increasing as the result of some Successful Linux Distros i.e. Ubuntu, Fedora, OpenSuse! Ubuntu has about 8 Million Users!
The majority of the World Wide Web is standing on the shoulders of Linux and GNU software. Because Linux is modular and secure, it’s the most logical choice for a web server. Not only that, every year, more and more users recognize the advantages of using Linux,and are using it at home.
7) Installing a software on Linux is like digging a well
This is still true is some cases of Linux Distros! But majority of the Software is Click , Next , Next , Install!
Many Package managers are available with the popular Linux Distros which make searching, and installing Software packages as easy as 1,2,3! Example rpm, deb packages.
Linux is for Geeks!
It was as a matter of fact used by geeks , because the power of Linux is best understood if you do nasty (Geeky) stuff with it! But with today’s Linux Distros it is targeting all Computer Users whether Home, Office, or Students!
9) Linux is Black and White! No Graphics!
This Misconception was true about a decade ago, but today the Linux is available as a Desktop OS, with a lot of different themes. It has got different GUI’s Gnome, KDE Being the most popular!
The Aesthetics of these GUIs will take your breath away!
10) Linux is an OS!
Linux is not an OS, it is actually a kernel which is the middleware between your Apps and Hardware! The Better the Kernel, the better the system responds! and better error handling!
The proper name for an operating system using the Linux kernel would be “GNU/Linux”, because the Linux kernel wouldn’t do much for you without the GNU project software. You can find more on that on Google. But, for the sake of readability of this list, we’re going to use the word “Linux” instead of “GNU/Linux” to refer to operating systems that use the Linux kernel.
The Complete OS is called a Linux Distro! there are many like Fedora, Ubuntu, Gentoo, OpenSuse , e.t.c
