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Blog: Can you afford Microsoft?
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I’ve used Windows for years, along with a free alternative that I think could be useful for many. While I have heard much complaining about Windows, most do not know that alternatives exist.
One such, is GNU/Linux. No longer an operating system just for geeks and Universities (although they still do use it), it has come along in recent years to be a well rounded, stable, secure and almost completely virus free OS (operating system).
Yes, you can listen to your music, watch movies, surf the Web, write articles, do 3D or vector based graphics, open and save your old MS Office documents and much more. But what I enjoy most is the cost; nothing. Except time to download and learn what I have.
Look you have to learn Windows ,right? Why not learn something that many agree is better and yet is free. So how can it be free, there must be a catch?
Nope. The software is licensed under the General Public License which basically means you are allowed to use, install, modify and redistribute the software as long as you keep the original source code (what the software is made up of) intact.
Why would someone write free software? Because many are tired of bad software and they made others. They use it and work to improve it. Then they redistribute it for the benefit of all and sometimes to be known as the person who innovated something. I guess a little ego is not always that bad.
Either way, free software exists. Used Firefox lately? Yup, it’s under a similar license. What about Open Office? You guessed it. Same type of license.
Linux is spreading and quickly. I recently saw a Windows based magazine in our local Wal-Mart speaking of how Linux can be used for your daily benefit.
I find it particularly useful for schools and educational institutes. Businesses can benefit hugely from it. For home, I haven't used anything else. All my systems (including some older ones XP and Vista won't run on) use Linux. And all my software is legally free! Imagine that.
So who uses it anyway? Millions of individual users worldwide, Google runs a cluster of over 1000 Linux servers, IBM, worldwide and local governments, major world and local banks, major film industries like Industrial Light and Magic, Amazon.com apparently recently switched and saved 17 million, many cell phones, PDAs and even the Vatican.
If you would like more information visit the Hinesville Linux Project at http://www.hinesvilleonline.net; it’s free.

Blogger: siafulinux
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