Linux, at its core, is an open-source computer operating system that’s free to use and distribute. It’s also incredibly versatile, powerful, and customizable. Despite this, it hasn’t seen as much adoption as some of the other major operating systems (i.e., Windows and Mac OS X). The reasons for this are somewhat unclear, but one thing remains certain: If you’re not using Linux software today, you should be!
10 Best Reasons To Start Using Linux
1) Online Safety
Whether you’re accessing your email or ordering a book online, chances are you’re entering personal information that could be used against you. Protect yourself by keeping all your usernames and passwords locked away in an encrypted file. In addition to protecting your password information, encryption allows you to backup important files like financial documents and tax returns. This is useful not only if there is a fire or flood that destroys all of your paper files, but also if there is an issue with your computer’s hard drive. The training to become a Certified Ethical Hacker helps people and organizations stay safe and counter such safety issues.
2) Better Protection Against Ransomware
Ransomware is one of today’s most pressing cybersecurity issues, and it’s only getting worse. Hackers use ransomware to encrypt important files and force you to pay for access to them. With a Virtual Private Network (VPN), your traffic is encrypted, making it much harder for hackers to snoop on your information or hold your data hostage. That said, there are still a few downsides. VPN services have been known to slow down internet connections when they’re engaged, which could be frustrating when trying to stream videos or download large files.
3) Privacy
The open-source nature of Linux means all you need to do is download an ISO, burn it onto a disc, and start using your system. There are no activation codes or security features that limit who can use your system or access your information. If you purchase a Mac or Windows computer, there’s no way of knowing what security features (if any) will be enabled on it when you take it home.
With Windows 8 due for release in 2012, many people feel Microsoft is infringing on their privacy rights as well with its new operating system. If you have concerns about privacy issues with Microsoft products, consider making a switch to Linux OS; today!
4) Dual Booting With Windows
Dual-booting allows you to keep Windows on your computer but use it less frequently. For example, set up your computer so that whenever you startup, you’re prompted with a screen that asks whether you want to start Windows or Linux. If you choose Windows, it will load just as before; if you choose Linux, it will launch into its own operating system and any apps or documents saved there will be accessible to you right away. This way, no matter what operating system is booted, everything is in one place!
5) Security and Privacy Add-Ons
As a bonus, there are also security and privacy add-ons available for Linux systems. These will further enhance your online safety, making it harder for data to be stolen or tracked. There are many choices in security and privacy programs, but you may want to start with a few like OnionShare and BleachBit. In addition to being useful tools on their own, they’re both simple ways to get started with Linux.
6) FSF Endorsement
There are a number of reasons why free software is superior to proprietary options, but security and reliability are among them. As you can see from FSF’s guide to using free software on your computer, there are many reasons why anyone should choose it—especially anyone concerned about their online privacy or who just want something that actually works without problems. The GPL doesn’t just guarantee that you have access to your own computer; it also keeps your digital life private and ensures that it runs well without any nasty surprises along the way.
7) Security by Design
It’s a common misconception that open source software is less secure than closed-source one. The reality is quite different. There are more eyes looking at open source code and more people fixing vulnerabilities. It gives the opportunity to report flaws and help developers build better products and fix bugs quicker. Having that kind of feedback loop allows developers to constantly improve their products and make sure they have fewer bugs in them.
Linux has a huge base of users, who provide thousands of important bug reports for many popular applications available for it like Mozilla Firefox, LibreOffice, or GIMP. This makes them safer to use even on sensitive computer systems that handle critical information or control our infrastructure.
Every software needs testing, but many corporations tend to spend time on proprietary solutions while ignoring free and open ones. Corporate standardization also tends to focus around Microsoft Windows instead of free operating systems such as GNU/Linux where everything just works out-of-the-box without expensive vendor lock-in.
8) An Open-Source Operating System
The idea of sharing, creating a community for hackers and developers all over to help one another is a wonderful concept. In fact, many of you who are reading right now probably own a piece of technology that has at least some open-source code. The most popular operating system in use today is open source: Linux!
Beyond just being free to download and use, it’s incredibly secure and easy to navigate with—the perfect choice for beginners looking to get into computing. Here are ten reasons why you should start using Linux Operating System today!
9) Freely Available Education Materials on the Internet
Freely available education materials will make your transition to Linux much smoother, so use them! First, try websites that offer tutorials and step-by-step guides. If you’re lucky enough to live near a public library, hit up their local section on Linux; it might even be worth signing up for a library card if you’re not already one.
Furthermore, if you have any friends who are already using Ubuntu or other popular distributions of Linux on their personal computers, find out what resources they used when learning about it. This is especially relevant for those of us who grew up with computers running Windows: we tend to pick things up faster than people coming from other platforms like Mac OS X or Android.
10) Openness and Freedom
Whether you’re a small business owner or an individual, chances are there are more solutions to your computing needs than one. If you’re just beginning to take advantage of cloud services, Linux is a great way to get started. Some of these solutions are open source, which means they don’t cost a lot and that others can work on them with you. Open source also means that most programs will run on any operating system you choose—not just proprietary software that runs on only one or two operating systems like Windows 8.
Conclusion
The real reason why you need to start using Linux is that it’s awesome. Seriously, though. It’s easy to install, easy to use, and doesn’t slow down your computer. You don’t need to be a computer expert or understand how all of its various parts work together in order to effectively use it – it just works!
