Do you have friends who are constantly telling you that you should switch from Microsoft Windows to Linux? Have they gone as far as providing you with a Ubuntu CD to install on your computer? Are you starting to dread hearing the word Linux because your very happy with your current operating system? Well, to be honest, you are not alone. If Linux is so great why are only 3% of the computers currently being used running Linux? The reasons for such a low percentage of use is not really relevant because what is interesting is this — even if you have no interest in switching your computer operating system, Linux is in your home and effecting your computing life in many different ways.

Linux is not a new operating system, there has been a lot of talk about the operating system in the last couple of years so you may have just started to hear about Linux but the operating system has been around since the early 1990s. This means that Linux has been time-proven and thanks to the open-source community Linux is constantly being improved. This very reliable operating system is running many of the servers we connect to every day. Most internet service providers use Linux as the operating system on their servers. Highly visible web sites such as Google and Ebay use Linux-based servers as well. Think where you would be without Google or Ebay and how often do these websites go down? Companies that stake their reputation and their profit on a computer usually choose Linux as the operating system of choice.

Linux does not have the layers of bloat that other software operating systems are notorious for. In fact, Linux is small enough and reliable enough to run many of the electronics in our homes. Do you have a Tivo in your home? It’s running Linux. Do you own an Audi? It’s running Linux. The software is highly configurable which allows electronic manufacturers to build operating systems that contain only the necessary information needed to run the device. Linux is also free which can keep the manufacturing costs down.

There are relatively few viruses in the world that are designed to attack Linux. Linux may be solid and virus free but the community is still at the forefront of providing free security upgrades on-line. Before Linux started proving free upgrades on-line, upgrades were provided by either ordering a CD or going through a knowledge base of information looking for a download link. One click software upgrades were created on Linux first and when first rolled out in the mid 1990, the process was considered invasive to personal privacy. The success of Linux’s upgrade center led to Microsoft and Apple building their own free software download center that do the same thing.

Linux has shown that freedom of choice of software is important to consumers. Open-source software is fairly inexpensive to create which means new manufacturers can enter the market easily. If the programmers working on software solutions are not creating software to address the needs of their customers another programmer can step in and make a better product. With the abundance of choices, you can select the tools and software that meets your needs. Linux is proving that customers need and want more than one choice in their software because one company can not meet the needs of everyone.

Linux brought us interoperability. Before interoperability became standard, you could not connect a Mac to a Windows based network and you could not share files between different software programs. Linux users wanted to share files with other computer users and connect their computers to home and work networks which has caused interoperability to became a necessity. Once Linux users paved the path, Microsoft and Apple were not too far behind and now it does not matter what type of computer you are using, you’re able to interoperate with others.

Linux can also be thanked for the ideas of individual configuration. Linux was the first operating system to offer the option of individual profiles and user configuration. Each user can have his or her own individual profile on the same computer. This includes the look of the desktop, which icons you see, what programs start and even what language the desktop is in. Before Linux caused the individual profile and configuration ideas to be become popular, everyone had the same desktop look and all configuration processes effected everyone who used the computer.

Linux has been on the forefront of new ideas. The open-source community has been able to keep Linux free and evolving. And of course when something becomes popular it will eventually end up in the next versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple OS X operating systems. Even for those of us that have no desire to run Linux as our operating system, we have a great amount of computing and software ideas that we should thank Linux for.

Are you tired of constantly having to spend money on software to keep your computer running? Do you want to change up your computing style and learn new methods of handling your data? Or maybe you have tired of the constant need to fight off virus attacks and are looking for a better operating system. If so, it is time to take the plunge and replace your computer’s operating system and software with Linux.

Even after you switch operating systems and begin to run Linux, you will still be able to run all the software you paid for in the past. Using a program called Wine, you will be able to run many of the software programs that you find vital to your life. Wine is not powerful enough to run high end programs such as Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop. In order to run high end Windows programs you should consider installing a professional virtualization programs such as VMWare. Using VMWare you can even run programs written for the Macintosh. With Linux you can get the best of all the computing platforms, you can install extensions to your Linux operating system that make your desktop look and feel like a Macintosh and still have full Windows compatibility.

Linux users already understand the need to be able to search for new software in a quick and efficient manner. Linux users have created a searchable repository of all the great software available for use. This database has been used by Linux uses for over five years now and it is constantly being improved. WIth one click, you can install new software and update the software you have installed on your computer. No longer will you need to search for hours just to figure out if you have the current version of a piece of software. With Linux’s one-click software installation program you keep up with the latest versions of all your software without hassle.

When installing software for your new Linux computer, you will be shocked on how many programs are available for free. No longer will you be forced to spend hundreds of dollars on an email program or word processor. Instead, you will find many different programs available to you that will meet and exceed your requirements. If you find a program that you like but it does not meet all your needs, it is often very easy to contact the programmer and ask that the features you need be included in the next release. Many linux programs are created by individuals or small groups of people who love to engage with their customers and improve their software. No calls to unknowledgeable customer service representatives, you will be able to talk to the actual programmers and developers of the software programs you love.

In addition to the cost savings, you will find that you no longer find yourself breaking copyright laws when you use your software. If you have ever resorted to either gray-hat or black-hat methods of gaining software because of the high price of quality software, switching to Linux and using open source software may help you to rid your computer of anything gained inappropriately. The programs you once had to get illegally have comparable Linux operating system programs that you can get for free.

Whatever your computer security concern, you will be able to find a Linux application that can solve it. It you have data that needs to be encrypted, emails that need to authentic, or instant messenger chats that you want to protect, you will find easy to use encryption software and add-ins available for free.

Overall Linux is considered one of the most stable operating systems available and there are hundreds of computer programs who work on the operating system constantly to make sure it continues to be stable. There is a large community of people who are happy to help you with any issue that you have. If you have questions on installation of Linux, you will be able to get immediate assistance through many of the Linux users forums. Linux users are a community and they want to include you in that community. Using Linux is a constant learning process for everyone and new tutorials are being produced to help new users get up to speed very quickly.

In the end there is only one reason to choose Linux as your computer’s operating system, it’s cool and fun. You can find many different versions of Linux and chances are there are at least two versions that will meet your current computing needs. Once you have linux installed on your computer, you will find that there really is no learning curve. You’ll understand how everything works very easily and soon you will be showing all your friends. Be careful, you may end up installing Linux on every computer your friends and family own as well.