OK, I just installed Linux on my second hard disc drive. I just wanted to see what is so great about it. So, now that I have it, please tel lme what is so great about it.

which distro did you install?

For one thing, Linux is immune to most if not all of the viruses that commonly infect PCs. Is that enough?

Don't forget...no updates to worry about!

OK, I just plugged in my main hard drive again ( I have 2 hard drives one with Linux and one with XP.) And I am not sure of the distro or even what you mean by that. As I said I am still trying to get familuar wwith it.

distro = distrobution .there's 100's of Linux Distros like DSL (Damn Small Linux),PCLinux,PCLinuxOS,Puppy Linux,PCLinux Junior...etc ,there's too many to name all of them

Whisper, Congrats!!! Now when windows gives you trouble, you can keep on going without interruption.

I love Gnu/Linux based systems because:

1) everything I have ever wanted to do (except use certain wireless cards) is only a few commands away - and free of charge.. I'm constantly frustrated by the limitations (by design!) of windows software.

2) massive library of free, legal software at my fingertips - all packages managed automatically.

3) I can trust the software not to spy on me, or do other things some company may want that I don't want.

4) software is written by users FOR users - not for a marketing department - so it has all the features I actually want, and none of the 'features' I don't want.

5) A rich variety of choices - at every level of the system. Use a bsd or solaris kernel. There are a dozen+ different window managers, and any applications in each popular category. All are free.

6) easily automated/scripted

7) easy to see exactly what is happening with your system. no secrets.

8) Attention is often given to efficiency - getting more functionality out of older hardware, and -reducing the impact on the environment-.

9) It is fun and exciting to watch and experience first hand the rapid pace of evolution.

There's more of course....

anyone else?

Whisper, Congrats!!! Now when windows gives you trouble, you can keep on going without interruption.

I love Gnu/Linux based systems because:

1) everything I have ever wanted to do (except use certain wireless cards) is only a few commands away - and free of charge.. I'm constantly frustrated by the limitations (by design!) of windows software.

2) massive library of free, legal software at my fingertips - all packages managed automatically.

3) I can trust the software not to spy on me, or do other things some company may want that I don't want.

4) software is written by users FOR users - not for a marketing department - so it has all the features I actually want, and none of the 'features' I don't want.

5) A rich variety of choices - at every level of the system. Use a bsd or solaris kernel. There are a dozen+ different window managers, and any applications in each popular category. All are free.

6) easily automated/scripted

7) easy to see exactly what is happening with your system. no secrets.

8) Attention is often given to efficiency - getting more functionality out of older hardware, and -reducing the impact on the environment-.

9) It is fun and exciting to watch and experience first hand the rapid pace of evolution.

There's more of course....

anyone else?

Whisper, Congrats!!! Now when windows gives you trouble, you can keep on going without interruption.

I love Gnu/Linux based systems because:

1) everything I have ever wanted to do (except use certain wireless cards) is only a few commands away - and free of charge.. I'm constantly frustrated by the limitations (by design!) of windows software.

2) massive library of free, legal software at my fingertips - all packages managed automatically.

3) I can trust the software not to spy on me, or do other things some company may want that I don't want.

4) software is written by users FOR users - not for a marketing department - so it has all the features I actually want, and none of the 'features' I don't want.

5) A rich variety of choices - at every level of the system. Use a bsd or solaris kernel. There are a dozen+ different window managers, and any applications in each popular category. All are free.

6) easily automated/scripted

7) easy to see exactly what is happening with your system. no secrets.

8) Attention is often given to efficiency - getting more functionality out of older hardware, and -reducing the impact on the environment-.

9) It is fun and exciting to watch and experience first hand the rapid pace of evolution.

There's more of course....

anyone else?

Whisper, Congrats!!! Now when windows gives you trouble, you can keep on going without interruption.

I love Gnu/Linux based systems because:

1) everything I have ever wanted to do (except use certain wireless cards) is only a few commands away - and free of charge.. I'm constantly frustrated by the limitations (by design!) of windows software.

2) massive library of free, legal software at my fingertips - all packages managed automatically.

3) I can trust the software not to spy on me, or do other things some company may want that I don't want.

4) software is written by users FOR users - not for a marketing department - so it has all the features I actually want, and none of the 'features' I don't want.

5) A rich variety of choices - at every level of the system. Use a bsd or solaris kernel. There are a dozen+ different window managers, and any applications in each popular category. All are free.

6) easily automated/scripted

7) easy to see exactly what is happening with your system. no secrets.

8) Attention is often given to efficiency - getting more functionality out of older hardware, and -reducing the impact on the environment-.

9) It is fun and exciting to watch and experience first hand the rapid pace of evolution.

There's more of course....

anyone else?

Whisper, Congrats!!! Now when windows gives you trouble, you can keep on going without interruption.

I love Gnu/Linux based systems because:

1) everything I have ever wanted to do (except use certain wireless cards) is only a few commands away - and free of charge.. I'm constantly frustrated by the limitations (by design!) of windows software.

2) massive library of free, legal software at my fingertips - all packages managed automatically.

3) I can trust the software not to spy on me, or do other things some company may want that I don't want.

4) software is written by users FOR users - not for a marketing department - so it has all the features I actually want, and none of the 'features' I don't want.

5) A rich variety of choices - at every level of the system. Use a bsd or solaris kernel. There are a dozen+ different window managers, and any applications in each popular category. All are free.

6) easily automated/scripted

7) easy to see exactly what is happening with your system. no secrets.

8) Attention is often given to efficiency - getting more functionality out of older hardware, and -reducing the impact on the environment-.

9) It is fun and exciting to watch and experience first hand the rapid pace of evolution.

There's more of course....

anyone else?

Whisper, Congrats!!! Now when windows gives you trouble, you can keep on going without interruption.

I love Gnu/Linux based systems because:

1) everything I have ever wanted to do (except use certain wireless cards) is only a few commands away - and free of charge.. I'm constantly frustrated by the limitations (by design!) of windows software.

2) massive library of free, legal software at my fingertips - all packages managed automatically.

3) I can trust the software not to spy on me, or do other things some company may want that I don't want.

4) software is written by users FOR users - not for a marketing department - so it has all the features I actually want, and none of the 'features' I don't want.

5) A rich variety of choices - at every level of the system. Use a bsd or solaris kernel. There are a dozen+ different window managers, and any applications in each popular category. All are free.

6) easily automated/scripted

7) easy to see exactly what is happening with your system. no secrets.

8) Attention is often given to efficiency - getting more functionality out of older hardware, and -reducing the impact on the environment-.

9) It is fun and exciting to watch and experience first hand the rapid pace of evolution.

There's more of course....

anyone else?

Whisper, Congrats!!! Now when windows gives you trouble, you can keep on going without interruption.

I love Gnu/Linux based systems because:

1) everything I have ever wanted to do (except use certain wireless cards) is only a few commands away - and free of charge.. I'm constantly frustrated by the limitations (by design!) of windows software.

2) massive library of free, legal software at my fingertips - all packages managed automatically.

3) I can trust the software not to spy on me, or do other things some company may want that I don't want.

4) software is written by users FOR users - not for a marketing department - so it has all the features I actually want, and none of the 'features' I don't want.

5) A rich variety of choices - at every level of the system. Use a bsd or solaris kernel. There are a dozen+ different window managers, and any applications in each popular category. All are free.

6) easily automated/scripted

7) easy to see exactly what is happening with your system. no secrets.

8) Attention is often given to efficiency - getting more functionality out of older hardware, and -reducing the impact on the environment-.

9) It is fun and exciting to watch and experience first hand the rapid pace of evolution.

There's more of course....

anyone else?

Wow - multiple posting.

I really only hit 'post' once, I swear.

(May be related to JSH's nightly maintenaince? am using blazer on a treo.)

I would like to add some caveats to massagetrade's post, by the numbers. Though I do want to point out in advance - this is just a different point of view - I agree in principal with much of what he said.

1) Very true. As a PC tech, I couldn't agree more.

2) Untrue. I've seen quite a lot of that massive library. Needing a coding degree to finish/recompile the software/your linux kernel just to run even the most limited, half-baked apps is not "managed automatically", in my book.

3) Don't expect that to stay true forever. With all the governments - many of which involved in internet scams and attacks - switching to linux for primary use, expect that invulnerabillity to fade.

4)See answer #2, and add is written to the barest level of function, probably lacking being compiled, an installer, or any support documents.

5) I actually do agree with this one. For raw customization and firepower, there is no superior to Linux.

6) See also: Easilly IF you have a formal programming education. or too much free time.

7) That's true. Very true. You can get reports on virtually any level of function. As a tech tool or security resource, it's fantastic.

8) Also very true - and the most commendable effort of the Open Source Community. No matter what hardware you find (well, maybe not the C64 in my basement) there's a linux distro that will make it not just run, but run well. The only problem for the inexperienced is matching the desired distro to the machine.

9) There is something new every day. Often something half written, or half baked, or very powerful but only intuitive to the designer - who did not write a user's guide, btw - or just indescribable.

Personal oppinion: lacking a marketting department - or even a person skilled in intuitive design - is not a big selling point for a product for me. It means no limitations, but some (a very few) limitations exist to HELP the customer - not just hurt them or be arbitrary for randomness sake. Linux is an OS for a person with a real desire to study, learn, and gain real perspective on how their computer really works.

It is not for:

People who want User Friendly interfaces
People who need step by step support
People who have little free time to figure out why installing that new video card disabled half of their IDE chain

But nothing said was untrue - from a certain point of view. His oppinion is that of a satisfied customer. Mine is the oppinion of a dissatisfied customer. Somewhere between the two is the truth.

Otherwise everyone would use Linux. Or no one would.

For #2 I was speaking of Debian's stable branch, not compiling from source. By failing to specify I overgeneralized. I trust (assume) it applies also to red hat's and gentoo's repositories. Ubuntu's is smaller but adequate and easy to install/use - but does not apply to source.

For #3, of course there will be malicious builds made. TiVo has shown the potential. But how will I personally lose my freedom to install only from trusted sources?

Edit: "easily scripted" to "readily scripted"

There are a lot of OSS trash 'apps', which can (thankfully) be ignored by most users.

User-friendliness varies widely with the distribution. PCLinuxOS and LinuxMint are pretty nice, Ubuntu is getting there.

Agreed.

There are quite a few varients out there, as mentioned - one for virtually every desire and purpose. I've worked with a lot of Operating Systems in my time - I've even played with things like the Amiga and C64 interfaces which weren't really OSs (closer to talking to the computer in assembler, truth be told). For sheer adaptabilliy of the User Interface and handling of it's security levels/protocols alone, Linux is one of the best I've seen.

Which brings up a point. One REALLY cool thing about Linux is Modular Design. I think we both missed mentioning that one. For the benefit of the person who asked about Linux, what I mean is that Linux is designed to impliment new changes in a seperate, controlled manner from the core of the OS. This allows for removal or retroactive changes to a program/driver/the OS itself without the risk you run with Windows systems of the OS becoming unstable. *laughs* Pulling a non-essential library out of a Linux system won't kill the machine, generally.

Mac also uses a modular format, but takes it to an even further extreme. You could think of Linux as the middle ground, in that regard. You're still installing items into the OS, but not shifting a monolith to do it like a Windows machine, and not installing changes in total isolation like a Mac.

My only gripe with the Open Source community is that they never seem to finish a project. *laughs* for a couple years now I've been trying to inspire some coders I know to work with designers - even if it's just their wives/husbands/coworkers. I realize linux is "utillity oriented", but a little spit and polish and a good installation doc for the uninnitiated wouldn't kill anyone, either ;-)

Just to add my .02 cents to this conversation. I have been trying to get away from windows since win98. I have tried many variations of *Nix systems since then and I have even tried BeOS (which by the way IMHO is one of the best that didn't make it, hoping the Open Source version does). I am just now to the point to were I am finally away from a systems that tells me what I can and can't do on a system. But in general with flexibility, generally comes complexity. Companies like Canonical, Novel, and even Red Hat (shudders), try there best to simplify the UI. I for that for the most part (even though it is just eye cany) Novel can be thanked for XGL, which brought 3rd effects to the *Nix desktop before Vista was released. An even better example of great things and the polish you are probably looking for is Ubuntu's Add/Remove programs. It just works, and every app that is listed in there is "supported" by Canonical (but my want to go to there site for the fine print on what that means). There are so many great things happing in this community right now that I am very hopeful of what the future of computing will bring. Me personally I have use FreeBSD, but that is defiantly not for your average user. But for the most part all the same apps run in it as in Linux. Heck with the built in Linux runtime layer, and Nvidia providing native drivers, I am able to play Unreal Tournament 2k4.

My .02 cents is that Linux Ubuntu 7.04 feisty fawn beryl rules.
**The desktop experience is awesome.
Sure it might take a few weeks for you to get updates, but it is worth it in the long run.
***Hey and it's FREE.

You actually have to use it to see it's greatness. To see it's superiority to windows.