Making the Jump to Linux

Windows Vista promised computer users a new, fantastic experience. It may well deliver on that promise eventually, but for now it is plagued by bug reports and driver incompatibility. With all of the confusion, you may just want to throw up your hands and forgo Windows all together. If a Mac is not in your budget, you can break the Windows addiction by switching to a Linux based system. Linux is an open source operating system and most distributions are free. Linux provides almost everything a home user needs in an operating system, but there are some things to consider before making the switch.

Most Linux distributions provide wired networking capabilities, but many wireless card manufacturers, such as Broadcom, do not provide a Linux compatible driver. If you have a laptop computer or have a wireless network set up in your home, a Linux operating system will not be a good fit for you unless you can find a driver to power your wireless card. Most distributions do include web-browsing software, usually Mozilla's Firefox, so if you connect to a network, you can be up and surfing in minutes.

Standard office work and small business tasks are easily accomplished with the OpenOffice.org software suite that is included as part of most Linux distributions. Like Linux, OpenOffice.org is a free open source software package. It includes a word processor, database, spreadsheet, drawing application and presentation creator. The components are full featured and are compatible with major proprietary software packages like Microsoft Office. If most of your computer work involves typing documents or creating basic spreadsheets, Linux and OpenOffice.org make a good replacement for the Microsoft Windows/Office combination.

Graphics can be edited and manipulated with the open source GIMP image editor, but the learning curve is steep. Adobe Photoshop, the industry standard photo editor, is not compatible with Linux. If your work involves heavy graphics creation, Linux is probably not for you. If you like to create web pages, some Linux distributions include a web page editor, but they only provide basic functionality. Unless you write all HTML code by hand, creating a web page in Linux can be time consuming and frustrating for the average home user.

Audio and video players, as well as CD rippers are also included in most Linux distributions, so if you like to use your computer as an entertainment machine, Linux makes it easy. Some mp3 players that operate as a removable hard drive are compatible with Linux, but if you own an iPod, you won't want to make the switch to Linux. Apple does not offer a version of iTunes that is compatible with Linux, so syncing your iPod is not easily accomplished.

Linux provides a stable, virus-free operating environment for most home users. If your computer needs are basic and confined to web surfing, document creation and occasion multimedia fun, then Linux can help you break away from Windows, bugs and viruses.