What is linux ?

Linux is an adaptation of Unix that was initially written by a computer student in Helsinki, Finland named Linus Torvald. Since then it has benefited from massaging by literally hundreds of professional coders worldwide.

At the very least, it is way cool and worth an additional 10 geek points if you have ever actually installed it.

With rare exceptions, you must install Linux yourself and, for new users, this is a daunting, but manageable, process. Linux is available from some laptop resellers and (ISTR) Dell and HP, although the resellers offer a broader range of hardware and variety of Linux distributions. Most people just choose to blow Windows off an existing computer with a Linux install and then, if they really can't part with Windows either run it in dual-boot mode or in a virtual machine running inside Linux.

Unlike Windows, Linux generally comes with all the software you will ever need for any purpose whatsoever. If you use Open Office under Windows, you will be please to find that there is no obvious difference in the Linux version. You can jump from one to the other with nary a hitch. If you decide you need additional software, sites like Sourceforge have a gazillion titles to choose from. Usually for free, sometimes a 'try before buy', occasionally an outright commercial offering.

Although you may have to change some of the details of 'how' you do something on your computer, Linux will allow you to do everything you customarily do such as work on graphics, send emails, create spreadsheets, surf the web and so on. However, it will do all of these things in an inherently more secure fashion.

Because of the way it's written, it will also cause your computer to act like you own a much more powerful machine. Unlike Windows, you can even adjust the underlying software to only run the code you actually need it to run then recompile it right on your computer and then reboot right into the new kernal. That's a topic for a little later, but it's definitely available to you and there are 'cookbook' tutorials that will walk you through every step of the process (there are about a dozen ... if you can dress yourself and get to work three days in a row you should be able to pull this off). This recompiling can turn a fast machine into a screaming head-spinner. It can also bring it to its knees. Pay attention to the cookbook and keep the old kernal handy for a while.

Maybe the biggest advantage that Linux has is that it simply isn't Microsoft. If you are the sort of person who enjoys learning for its own sake, Linux is for you. If you only use a computer because your job forces you to, leave Linux alone.

And, oh yeah, unless you opt to buy tech support (Linux has plenty of free support sources if you can wait an hour for your answer), most Linux distributions are $$free$$.

The more techie you are, the more you will like Linux, but the secretaries in Largo, FL liked it just fine, too. It can be set up to look like Windows (if you wish) so that many people really can't tell the difference. Or you can trick it out in ways that you won't find on Windows (multiple people all logged in to the same computer at the same time and able to see each others screens (with permission) and actually type in them. Home based web and email servers. Programming terminals with a TON of language compilers on hand. File servers for a Windows network. The list goes on and on.)

The NSA uses it. That should answer for its security. It is certified for use in live-fire controllers for the military. That should answer for its stability. It can be used to create super-computers using only COTS (common off the shelf) components to form what are known as "cluster computers". How cool is that? You could buy a half-dozen used computers for $50-$60 apiece and wire them together to get performance greater than you can buy without selling the spouse and kids into slavery.

So that's what Linux is ... it's opportunity. Opportunity to learn. Opportunity to do. Opportunity to explore realms of computing that you could never ever afford to try otherwise.

So what is the differance between linux and Win, Mac ? cause im still not seeing it,

The only stupid question is the one that remains unasked
~Niebr~

It's an Operating System like Windows and Mac, but it's open source, which means you can modify and distribute the code however you wish. It's a pretty good operating system, and I love it because there are a lot of "flavors" to choose from. You can get more information from the Wikipedia page too

Have a look at this post:

• Introduction to Linux