What good is Linux for you?

Let’s start by looking at where Linux can help you as a user and what should drive you to try this operating system on your desktop computer.

There are many reasons why professionals in the world of computing decide to work on Linux systems, but what about the common user? Is Linux only for computer scientists, programmers and others?

Below I will explain that there are also many reasons why a user who is not professionally dedicated to computing can find great help in Linux to carry out the tasks they carry out on a daily basis. It can even be a good way to understand those aspects that sometimes escape you about how a computer works.

Note: Before continuing with our article, a terminology issue should be clarified. When we refer to “Linux” technically we would only be referring to the core of the operating system, known as “Kernel”. To refer to the operating system, it would be correct to use the term “GNU/Linux”, which refers to both the kernel of the operating system (Linux) plus the various administration tools (created by the GNU project). However, throughout this article and the entire manual that we are going to publish on .com, we use the word Linux in its broadest sense, that is, the complete distribution of the operating system plus the software utilities for its management. If you want to find a more detailed explanation about these terms and about what GNU is, you can read the article: .

Why you should give Linux a try on your machine

The main reason I could give you to start using Linux is that it is a free and open source operating system. I am not referring to the fact that it is free, which is undoubtedly also important, but to the implications that the system code is not hidden, but in view of users and developers.

An important consequence of making the code available to everyone is that the system becomes more secure, since a whole community of developers that uses it as a working tool observes it and actively contributes to its performance improvements. and development.

Contrary to what many people think, it is not a low number of users, and therefore a lack of interest on the part of the attackers, that makes Linux safe. In fact, Linux is a widely used operating system, not only by large and small companies, but by a growing number of users at the desktop level.

The real reasons that make Linux more secure are, among others, its system of users and the allocation of different permissions to each of them. Perhaps at first the Linux privilege scheme may seem strange, and even annoying, at least for the majority of users who are approaching the system for the first time, but believe me, this is what nobody or anything gets on your system , you can’t delete things you shouldn’t, install inappropriate programs, or “wreck” important parts or system settings. Later we will go into more depth to explain in depth this system of users and permissions that is based on the foundations and philosophy itself on which Linux was built.

Another reason that makes it more secure is that Linux is not a huge machine of enormous dimensions that has to move in a block and therefore difficult to move, repair, correct or change. Linux works more like a gigantic group of very small machines that work in perfect synchrony and symbiosis. In this system, each part, each function to perform (from the window manager, to the program installation system, passing through each part of the operating system), is a small independent program and therefore it is easy to remove, repair, reinstall or replace.

There are many other reasons why this security is a demonstrable fact, but this is not the only content of this article, so again we will also deal with it later when we have begun to know the different parts of this operating system.

You may also be thinking now that it is something more intended for those supercomputers that professionals must use. The truth is that in reality most of the tools that software developers use do not require a large amount of resources. In addition, it turns out that the thing is exactly the other way around, Linux makes very responsible use of your machine’s resources, both for its way of working itself, and for its high configuration possibilities. So much so that even a Linux distribution can be a good option to give new life to that old tower or laptop that you have at home because “it is very slow” and it has already become outdated.

Lots of software at your disposal

Perhaps you are worried that when we talk about Linux we start to get very technical and you cannot follow us because you are not an expert in the field. Nothing is further from reality. In this sense, you should know that the great developers have also gone through this stage and surely they have had doubts even more basic than yours. However, now we are going to a part that you will find easy to understand and surely very attractive.

If you use a Linux distribution, you have at your disposal an unimaginable amount of software for free and what is more important, of all kinds. Today there are free software solutions to respond to all kinds of user needs, whether they have a professional profile and work in a company, or for those who want to use Linux individually.

The best of all is that it is very easy to install and uninstall programs in Linux and also without worrying about not knowing if these programs have left “remnants” of their installation around as it happens in other operating systems. One more reason why your Linux will always remain “in shape”.

In this type of system, you will not have to browse hundreds of Internet pages looking for software that works for you, download it, follow its installation process, or misuse proprietary programs for which you do not have a legal license. By contrast, Linux software sources work through a series of centralized servers (which we call “repositories”) where programs are stored in a controlled and secure manner. As you will be able to verify and we will explain in the Linux Manual, the operating system itself takes care of looking for any software package for you when you request it.

Do you have any idea how easy things can be when you get used to doing them like this? I am going to tell you something else that is derived from this type of operation. The system is updated very often. Each of the small modules of the operating system receives its own updates and fixes. Therefore, the system itself will also automatically provide you with each new update of all the software on your computer, whether it belongs to the kernel of the operating system itself or to any program that you have installed afterwards.

Now that you may have cheered up… where do you start with something you don’t know?

We will start with Ubuntu

Do not you worry about anything. To walk you through the process of introducing you to the philosophy of Linux, we have chosen a specific distribution. This will allow you to follow each step that we are taking, in a defined and reliable way. The distribution we are going to use is Ubuntu.

Many connoisseurs are likely to favor more “technical” layouts, but it is not our intention to push you into the pool without a float, but rather to walk you from the shore step by step until perhaps you will eventually be able to traverse on your own. Count a whole sea swimming. Our idea is that each step you take in this process is relaxed, comfortable and understandable. Only in this way will you be able to become an experienced and independent user, sure of choosing for yourself the distribution you want to use and perfectly capable of handling it.

The reasons why we have chosen this distribution are based precisely on that philosophy on which we want to work. We understand that Ubuntu will provide you with a comfortable and safe environment, where you can take your first steps into the world of Linux. It is widely used by thousands of users around the world and is often the gateway to Linux for many people.

This means that there is a huge user community that continually makes contributions and from which it is extremely easy to request information in case of doubt. In fact, there is a lot of information written in Spanish about and everything that surrounds it.

The Ubuntu interface will surely be quite intuitive and friendly, which will facilitate your learning and experimentation. We will explore each part of the system and you will be able to know it in depth, in a progressive way. What’s more, if you don’t want it, you won’t even have to get rid of the operating system you’re currently using, it’s easy and we’ll explain how.

conclusion

Here, therefore, begins a path that we hope will bring you many rewarding experiences. It starts with just reading an article, but it will allow you to enter a territory where you can have real control over everything that happens on your computer. Ultimately, Linux will make you a freer user, like the operating system itself.

But we are not going to deceive you either, doubts and small difficulties and challenges to face will surely arise, not only because of having to familiarize yourself with a new way of doing things, but also because of the characteristics of your computer and the configuration and customization needs. However, if you continue reading this line of articles, we will be with you to help you in the most common tasks and there is a large community behind it that is constantly publishing a multitude of documents on the Internet that will help you in any possible conflicts you encounter.

In this sense, we also want to downplay the issue, since as new versions of Ubuntu or any other distribution are released, the different needs of users and the hardware of each machine are being solved. Nowadays, on very rare occasions, you will have to worry about issues such as the drivers necessary for all the devices on your computer to work. In addition, we will teach you how to ensure that both Linux and other operating systems that you are currently using coexist in harmony on your machine.

In the end, we are sure that solving the small problems that you may encounter will cause you a personal fulfillment that will surely motivate you to go further with your new Linux friend.

In the following article we will explain how to install your Linux system in 30 minutes!