Is Linux Right for Me?

You've heard about it, maybe even talked about it. But you're probably often wondering, is Linux right for me? Wait, what exactly is Linux? Well, Linux is an open source operating system. Although 99% of the people won't really go into the operating system aspect of open source, open source programs are often high quality and well received among computer users. It's like "Windows Vista" or "Mac OS" or something similar to that. So is Linux right for you?

Well, answer these simple questions:
-Do you use the computer for just work?
-For browsing the internet?
-Checking your e-mail?
-Worried about viruses?
-Learn some programming languages?
-Show off?!
If yes to any, then Linux may be right for you! Before I go into why those are good reasons to use Linux, I must confess that Linux is not the ideal operating system for games. Sorry! Now...

If you use your computer for just work (good job), then Linux will be perfect. It is super efficient as it needs very little background processes. This means when you're dealing with massive amounts of documents open, you don't have to worry about the computer slowing down or crashing due to a program that you didn't even open!

So why is Linux better than just about everything else? Massive support and programs that make life so much easier on the computer. To begin, there's a little application called the Terminal. It's basically the Command Prompt of windows. A little scary at first, a quick glance at some tutorials every now and then and you'll be typing like a pro in just weeks. For the lesser experienced: it's easier to do stuff through an "explorer" but running applications, updating and just about everything else is much quicker on the Terminal. If you're feeling really lazy, you can create custom commands to do whatever you want; this is very helpful if you program and are too lazy to compile your thousands of lines of code.

Let's go through a quick run down of the most popular applications:
Firefox
Thunderbird
Eclipse (although I prefer the simple textpad)
Pidgin
Open Office

What are these? Programs that can be run on Linux; in fact, they are made for Linux and ported to Windows which means they'll be much smoother and more efficient on a native OS. Firefox is a web browser and if you're not using it, you should start now. Thunderbird is an amazing e-mail client that allows you to keep track of all of your email accounts (very helpful if you have three or more). Eclipse is an IDE, Integrated Development Environment; a fancy way of saying this is where you code stuff. Pidgin is an excellent program for your basic instant messaging needs; it does not support the more advanced features but it does have things that other applications do not! And finally, Open Office, a complete office suite that will soon make Microsoft Office obsolete.

The average person will probably only use three of the above programs on a computer. Everything else that could possibly come to mind is built into the operating system like a basic notepad or image editor. So the question now is, do you play games on the computer? Not web games, not "solitaire" but real games from CDs and even DVDs? If you don't, Linux is a good fit as it will handle all the things you will do but in a better way.

Finally, if you want proof of its superiority, consider this:
How to update in Windows:
...Go online, find site, go through useless pages, click update, wait a long time, select updates, finally update.
How to update in Linux:
...Go to Terminal, type "sudo apt-get update", done.