Linux and GNU/Linux distributions are becoming very popular these days. Maybe a clue on that are the facts that the company Valve has launched a beta testing version of Steam for linux, and there are rumors of Blizzard games for linux to be launched this year, just to mention some cases.
It's worth to ask, ¿how did Linux OS get to this point of popularity?. The main reason could be a combination of: the effort of open-source communities to spread the word while making things more accesible to inexperienced people, the fact that the internet allows the fast interchange of information, and the improvement or, if you prefer, the more user-friendly Linux distributions available as the Ubuntu distro by Canonical.
The first Linux distro i've used was CentOS as part of a computing course at my carreer's pensum. Unsatisfied, the first distro I successfully installed on my Desktop PC was Knoppix (by Klaus Knopper) a Debian based distro. I was amazed by the idea of using software without paying for it (as a Windows user, i knew very well this issue, and the need to pay for licenses and software use), but then, I gradually became aware of the free philosophy behind the free software, and understood that this was a great way to be followed ( in part at least, given some "by-practical-reasons" exceptions) then migrated to Ubuntu and then Kubuntu(a KDE desktop version of Ubuntu) and so on until I got Debian Testing installed about 3 years ago.
Since then, I use to make jokes about Ubuntu users (like the [1] here), or the emmerging Linux Mint (They have the Debian edition, a Debian testing based version of Linux Mint, but, still don't get the point of make a Debian-edition distro if you actually have The Debian GNU/Linux distrubution working) but just for fun, I really think that few people can say that their dive into Linux world and open-source programs was smooth and easy. That brings me again to the point of the user-friendly systems, may be the best way of getting to people is let them know that Linux systems are not too difficult to use/manage/mantain. I think that some of us must say "thanks" by that. Even stigmatized (of being too difficult) distros as Debian need to be acompanied of documentations, community forums, bug-reports, mail-listings, and the most important: The Debian Wiki (must take a look on that), and many of Debian users (as in my case) own their installed systems to those resources (or "recipes" some cases :P). It's worth to think that all those resources were made by more experienced users that took the time to do them, ¿what if they didn't? if they think that newbies do not deserve such guides?, This questions are directed to those who thinks that, by getting some "basic" Linux skills, feel like hackers or something alike, and treat the newbies as if they weren't one of them before.
Given a hypotetical law of "the software improvement is proportional to available users", I think the call is to make the free software and open-source community grow by helping others learn how to get the best of their machines and distros, and not scare them wanting to feel superior or something, that kind of selfish acts doesn't bring you to any higher level (Actually, helping others does it)
Maybe using linux could demand you some learning curve, but it really worths every minute spent.
If you are new to linux and want to choose a distribution, I really think that one of the best documented is The Debian GNU/Linux distrubution, they have the InstallingDebianOn project, so maybe your laptop (or PC) has is own how-to-install debian page.
No hay comentarios.:
Publicar un comentario