Lots of people argue why I should use Linux (any distro, I prefer Ubuntu) when I am currently using Windows or Mac. Given a chance to select your choice of operating system (OS), people may prefer to use Linux than anything else. The other thing which prevents users using Linux is the hardware support which is not that good currently for Linux. But that is because we have been living in a world where Windows is being forced to everyone when they buy PC. That’s why hardware manufacturers are also forced to support Windows first than any other thing. But this support has increased tremendously over last couple of years. At the same time Linux community has developed itself in making Linux (Ubuntu in particular) more user friendly.
Anyways that is an ongoing debate whether you should use Linux or Windows or Mac. And at some point it is a personal choice as well.
I thought of collating some reasons which might make you think twice while buying another Windows PC. And if you currently use Linux, then please add a comment to this post, why you use Linux and which distro you use so that others can get more information about it:
1.) Ubuntu is Free and so any other Linux distro. (Saved ~ $250)
2.) You don’t have to buy Office (Word, Power-point, Excel etc.) separately. It comes with OpenOffice preinstalled. (Saved ~ $200)
3.) You don’t have to buy costly hardwares for the basic need. (RAM. Processor, HDD etc.)4.)
4.) Ubuntu is more stable.
5.) You are free from Viruses so you don’t have to buy another upgrade of Norton or any other Antivirus software. (Saved ~ $75)
6.) When you have installed Ubuntu, you don’t have to install anything else to get you started with your productivity.
7.) You don’t have to wait for years for the bugs to get fixed. You can track them down in Ubuntu.
8.) You can update everything on your system with just one update manager. No need to run separate Update manger for all the softwares you installed. (Saves your system resources.)
9.) Don’t get tired restarting your computer all the time. You do it almost never with Ubuntu.
10.) You are free from Pirated softwares. With Ubuntu you can share it with as many people as you want and it is LEGAL.
11.) Don’t have to bother searching the web for new softwares. Ubuntu gets a whole lot of software free of cost to you.
12.) Play hundreds of games for Free.
13.) Your PC won’t get slower day by day. It happens in Windows only.
14.) Use MSN, AIM, ICQ, Jabber, Gtalk, Yahoo and many more with a single program. No need to install separate software for the same thing.
15.) Tired of managing multiple windows on your screen. You can use workspaces to manage your work.
16.) You old computer will get a second life. Because Ubuntu does not need those high resources as Windows.
17.) Jump into the next generation of desktop themes with Compiz fusion and all with lot less resources than Windows Vista.
18.) With Ubuntu, you are always free. Free as in Freedom and in Free Beer. Ubuntu is free and will always remain free. (Saves ~ $200 every 2 years when Microsoft releases a new version of its operating system and you have to buy it.
19.) All future upgrades of Ubuntu are provided free of cost. Upgrades are released every 6 months.
20.) Upgrades are installed automatically. You don’t have to bother about losing your data and redoing lots of personalization. Edit The updates are installed with your permission and only if you want them…not in the background without you knowing it. – Thanks freeber – A Ubuntu User
21.) You can tweak your desktop wallpaper or any other setting the way you want it. You can make it look like Windows or Mac (if you want.). You can even get the sidebar you were fascinated in Vista.
22.) You don’t have to defrag your hard disk every now and then to boost the performance. Ubuntu does it for you automatically.
23.) You don’t have to go to a shop to buy operating system. You can download it anytime you want it and burn it on a CD. You can even burn it on a re-writable CD to save some CDs.
24.) Thousand of user are there to help you with when you are stuck. Become a part of Ubuntuforums.
25.) You will get free and Long Term Support (LTS) for Ubuntu. Ubuntu 8.04 Desktop version also will get a LTS. (17 days to go for the release version.)
I think these many reason are enough to get you started with Ubuntu or any other Linux flavor. Keep visiting this blog for more information on Linux, Ubuntu in particular.