People often ask me why I run Linux, my answer is simple and straight to the point: It just works. Most people respond with, “Windows works”. With all of the virii and spyware out there how can one say that Windows actually works. You can spend more time fighting all of the bad-ware than doing anything else.
It is my belief that the average home user should run Linux. Most
users just user their computer for very basic internet applications
such as browsing the web and email. A switch over to Linux would make
their entire experience easier. With the user not having to worry about
virii and spyware they can enjoy the entire experience of the internet.
The main reason I see for more people not running Linux is the
fact that none of the well known computer manufacturers give the option
of Linux preinstalled. The task of reformatting and installing Linux is
a daunting task to most novice users. With Ubuntu
the task of installing Linux is quite simple, but most users do not
even think about what operating system they run. Much less about
switching to an “alternative” OS.
There is also the problem of
licensing of various things including the ability to play DVD movies
natively. It is not that much of a problem to get DVDs working, but it
does not work out of the box. Most people do not want to have to think
about playing DVDs and just want them to work. I can see where people
are coming from like Richard Stallman that want an operating system
that is 100% free of proprietary software. The issue is that people who
are used to Windows just want things to work, they could care less
about the licenses.
Linux is a great OS, but if we really want
it to gain a large market share something needs to get easier for the
average computer user. As long as Linux runs under GPL I don’t see this
happening. Hardware manufacturers seem to not want to release their
code so that it can natively be included in a distro. If Linux were to
drop the GPL and allow these proprietary “blobs” of code it would allow
for a better end user experience.
