Ramble

Those who know me intimately enough to know my computing habits know that I prefer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux“>Linux over http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWS“>Windows. Okay, I have not yet tried http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/default.aspx“>Windows7. I might load it one day, but $200 is an impediment I am not willing to overcome soon. This decision especially holds true since for $0 I can download and set up an http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system“>operating system, one that becomes easier to set up each time.

But free does no one much good if what you get fails to deliver. So what do you get besides an operating system than is more robust, secure and way cheaper (free) than windows? For one, programs that you cannot find for Windows, free or not. For instance, I really love http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map“>mind mapping http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_software“>software and Linus offers many: http://kdissert.klik.atekon.de/” target=”_blank”>KDissert, http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page” target=”_blank”>Freemind, http://freehackers.org/~tnagy/kdissert.html” target=”_blank”>Semantik and http://www.insilmaril.de/vym/” target=”_self”>View Your Mind. Freemind is available for Windows, but I have trouble getting to run there reliably. Linux also offers sophisticated http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notetaking“>note taking software, programming software and environments up the wazoo.

Is Linux for everyone? Hardly. But anyone who can write programs or set up an application on a hosting server, setting up Linux will prove quite simple. The key? Have a plan for partitioning your drives. Especially make sure you set up at least one partition that only includes data. That way if you make a mistake, you have only lost the operating system and some programs, both of which you can easily restore.

Which distro to choose? There are many. Try http://distrowatch.com” target=”_blank”>distrowatch.com to learn of the (literally) hundreds of Linux flavors available. Having said that I really like http://linuxmint.com” target=”_blank”>Linux Mint for ease of setup, but I also have the latest version of http://www.ubuntu.com/“>Ubuntu on both of my machines.

The best way to learn? Dig out that old rig. Linux will run on as little 256MB.