3 Reasons to Switch to Linux

A few years ago I discovered an alternative to Microsoft Windows, and I haven't looked back. It's easy to use, aesthetically pleasing and saves me hundreds of dollars each year. No, I didn't buy a Mac. I downloaded Linux.

There are many reasons I continue to use Linux as my day to day operating system...here are three of the biggest ones.

Wealth of Software. When I first started using Linux, I was amazed and the amount of quality software that was available...for free! Everything from the killer media player Amarok, to the pro-quality OpenOffice.org office suite was available at no charge. Applications like the GIMP and Firefox are included with most installations, and let me do everything I need to do...from organizing my photo collection to creating print-quality graphics to send to t-shirt print shop.

Security. I started to look for alternatives to Windows because I was paid for virus protection software, but I was still getting viruses! Spyware and crippled my computer, and I was forced to re-install on multiple occasions. 5 years since my first Linux install, non of my multiple computers have been infected with a virus (with no virus protection installed), and I've never even heard of spyware being installed on a Linux machine.

Ease of Use. In my opinion, Linux gets an unfair reputation in this area. It's popular to talk about Linux and spout off all kinds of geekspeak that can confuse and intimidate the new user. Realistically, though, almost all versions of Linux come with highly integrated and intuitive graphical user interfaces. If you're fairly comfortable using Windows or a Mac, the learning curve is fairly small. Distributions like Ubuntu and Fedora have made installing Linux easier than ever...You can even install it inside Windows, like any other application! Also consider buying it pre-installed.

Cost Effectiveness. One of the biggest draws of the Linux operating system and Open Source in general is the fact that it is free of monetary cost. This means that computers that come with Linux pre-installed are generally less expensive than their Windows counterparts, and definitely cost less than comparable Apple systems. Every six months I upgrade to a fully modern and secure release of the Linux operating system that comes with thousands of dollars of software. I'm able to do things like compose music, edit graphics, and even experiment with animation software completely free of charge...imagine the doors that could open for you!

Of course, no operating system is perfect, but in my experience Linux comes pretty close. Think about it!