Comments on: Why Do You Use Linux?

By: claude

claude — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:01:09 +0000

how do you use linux for volunteerism
I am trying to think of ways to help with linux in third world countries can you give me some pointers thanks

By: Ralph H

Ralph H — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:38:04 +0000

@derChef writes:
>What is this weird obsession everyone has with switching their >parents/grandparents and wives/girlfriends to Linux?
>Normal people just want to use their computers, not join a >dysfunctional, pseudo-political crusade.

You miss the point entirely. It’s about the value we place on our time, not on our politics.

And normal people don’t want to spend all their time fixing their parents, grandparents, childrens, and girlfriends computers, since we value those relationships.

What would you rather spend time doing? Figuring out problems with drivers, or sharing a movie or nice meal? Windows steals time from me, while Linux has the “it just works” property.

By: Ian MacGregor

Ian MacGregor — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:53:13 +0000

http://ardchoille42.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-i-use-linux.html

By: InTheLoop

InTheLoop — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:49:06 +0000

derChef – While I see your point, sometimes your just looking out for your friends/family who might not know they have another option.

By: derChef

derChef — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:06:14 +0000

What is this weird obsession everyone has with switching their parents/grandparents and wives/girlfriends to Linux?

Normal people just want to use their computers, not join a dysfunctional, pseudo-political crusade.

By: Jan

Jan — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:02:33 +0000

I don’t use Linux at the moment, but I plan to switch at least partially. I used Windows, then switched to Linux in 2001, but bought an Apple in 2005. Since then I found myself using more and more software I could also get for Linux. I wrote my masters thesis in LyX, create flyers and posters with Scribus, record my music with Ardour and do the writing for my job on a simple text editor. All my mail, calendar etc. is handled via the Google apps and I watch my DVDs with VLC.

I switched my parents to Linux and they did fine, since they mainly use the OpenOffice stuff and some other simple things. But my mother needs Windows for her job, so they switched back – but they were really impressed with Linux and would have liked to continue using it (Ubuntu).

I’d like to switch my girlfriend to Linux since she can do pretty much everything there she does with Windows, but she had a bad experience with SuSE some years ago when it was a pain to configure things how she liked it, so I have to convince her a little bit more, I guess.

But Linux is finally usable, without the need to fiddle with some dubious text files in directories the average user doesn’t want to know and shouldn’t need to know.

In other words: there is no reason not to use Linux.

By: Paulo

Paulo — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 13:54:00 +0000

It’s open, and freedom is its biggest value. I don’t like secrets and when using Microsucks, that’s what it feels like, someone’s hiding something from me…

By: Bunkaido

Bunkaido — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:51:29 +0000

That’s a simple question to answer…

Q.) Why do I use Linux?

A.) Linux is NOT Windows.

By: enolive

enolive — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:55:09 +0000

Simple Answer: Amarok. Since the earliest versions I was fascinated how both powerful and easy-to-use a music player could be

Long Answer:

I was playing with Linux since 1995 starting with Slackware. Unfortunately, I’ve always found something unacceptable in the system, like crappy fonts, incompatible hardware, poor software…

Finally I’ve used only Open Source software on Windows like OO.org, LaTeX, cygwin, Firefox, Thunderbird, Emule, frustrated not being able to move completely to a free platform. With Ubuntu 7.04 I finally found an alternative to Windows that is in every important aspect better:

1. Maintainability through apt-get and its frontends
2. Flexibility through tons of easy-to-use software
3. Customization of the System (like GUI, remote Control)
4. Just works with all my hardware
5. Best support with a great community that leaves few questions unanswered
6. constant updates
7. freedom of speech (and of course, free beer as well )

I don’t think Windows is just crap or MS is the “evil empire”. However, MS sells software mainly because of their wide spread, not because of their quality. In fact, many of their products have major flaws.

I’ve already tried Mac OS X, which is a wonderful software, but I really hate iTunes for its unusable UI and miss easy customization when compared to Linux.

I haven’t used Windows for about 2 years on my personal computer. In my work, I am stuck with Windows for the moment, though

By: Nikesh

Nikesh — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 07:45:18 +0000

Then main reason I use linux is for security and freedom from Virus, spywares, etc …