How to Become a Successful Linux User

October 3, 2006

In the six and a half years that I've been handling the mail here at linux.org, I've had to handle thousands of queries on a wide range of Linux topics. I've been fortunate, I think, in that a lot of these mails contain simple questions on basic setup issues. They're easily answered and both sides end up happy. However, there is a good percentage of messages that are angry in tone and express a great deal of frustration with Linux. They invariably include one or more of the following comments:

• I don't think Bill Gates is ever going to have to worry about losing his billions.
• Now I know why Microsoft is a monopoly.
• If I can't get my [some piece of exotic hardware] working, I'll just go back to Windows.

Most of these mails seem so bitter that I assume the user has given up on Linux and has gone back to his/her relationship with Microsoft Windows, however dysfunctional that it may actually be. And that's a shame. Applying some simple rules of common sense with respect to Linux would have made a big difference. Based on what I've seen over the years, I'd like to offer the person who wants to try Linux a few words of advice.

Know what you want to do

Many emails I've received start with some variant of: I've decided to stick it to Bill Gates and I've would like to try Linux ... Switching to Linux just to spite Bill Gates isn't going to have its intended effect. He's not going to notice the 0.000001 of a cent that he loses when you switch to Linux. The best reason for using Linux is to get to work with a more robust, stable and secure operating system. If you're using Windows to do general things (using the internet, word processing, storing your photos, listening to music), then a switch to Linux shouldn't be too painful. However, if you're using Windows and your computer has a direct impact to your livelihood, then you need to do an inventory of the programs you use. There should be substitutes that run under Linux, but there might not. The bottom line is that you need to be clear about what you're going to use Linux for.

Give Linux a Practice Run

The Linux community is fortunate in that we have a lot of very talented people who love to tinker. One of these talented tinkerers, Klaus Knopper, developed a type of Linux distribution that doesn't need to be installed. It is called a Live CD. He named his distribution Knoppix and it is available for free download from his website. All you need to do is burn it to a CD or DVD and boot your machine. This will give you a good idea what Linux is like. Knoppix isn't the only distribution that will do this. With the most recent version, the popular Ubuntu distribution also boots up as a Live CD. You can take it for a spin and there's no need to install anything, but you may do so if you end up liking what you see.

Choose a 'popular' Linux distribution

If you've decided to make the switch, I recommend using a distribution that a lot of other people are using. I think this is one of the keys to a successful Linux transition. A popular distribution has a large developer community, which means that are a large number of developers working on programs for the distribution. A large developer community means that you'll find programs that you need easily and they will be easy to install. With a less well-known distribution, chances are that you'll have to install a program by manually compiling its source code. If you're a beginner, this can be a frustrating experience. The popular distributions have prepared programs in 'packages' that are easy to install. Tools designed especially for a particular distribution manage these packages to make sure that programs run correctly right away. You may want to consult Distrowatch.com for a list of the most popular distributions.

Consider paying for your Linux distribution

A lot of Linux's fame has to do with the fact that the general public considers it 'freeware'. It is true that you can get a full-featured Linux operating system free of charge by downloading it from any number of sources. This is an excellent alternative to an operating system like Windows, that either has to be pre-loaded with a new machine you buy (which gets figured into the cost), bought separately or copied 'illegally'. It is my experience that most popular Linux distributions are easy to install. At the time of this writing, Ubuntu is a popular distribution that, in my opinion, passes the 'easy' test. It is also 'free as in beer', as we say in the Linux community. However, if you do run into some glitch (normally hardware related), you may have a frustrating experience. Although there are a number of excellent Linux support forums out there, personalized advice on your particular problem may be hard to find. So if your tolerance for frustration is low, then you may want to consider buying a computer with Linux pre-installed. Contrary to what the tech press often publishes, they do exist. I even bought one at Wal-Mart way back in 2002, so not only can you do this, but you've been able to do it for some time. If you'd rather use a computer you already have, you can also purchase a Linux distribution in a boxed set. There are several good candidates and they come with personalized support for a period of time. At the time of this writing, leading Linux distributions available for a price include:

• Linspire
• Mandriva
• SUSE Linux Enterprise by Novell
• Xandros

The price you pay for a boxed set of Linux is usually half of what you'd pay for a copy of Windows XP, the upcoming Vista or Mac OS X. And remember also that time is money. If you've spent the whole weekend searching internet forums for a solution to some problem, then your free operating system has cost you more than you planned on.

Get the latest version of your chosen distribution

I've receive a lot of emails from stymied people looking for installation help. After asking some clarifying questions, the answers I get back often indicate that the person is trying to install some older, often no-longer supported version of a Linux distribution. Before you purchase that used book on Linux that comes with a CD, check the date of publication. And don't try to install the Linux distribution that comes from a 5 year old magazine. If you have a good connection, go to the distribution's homepage and install the latest ISO images or DVD from an official mirror. If you're on a dial-up connection, there are several online retailers that will sell you a Linux CD or DVD at very cheap prices. The newest Linux distributions come with, logically, the newest drivers. The number of glitches you'll get in the installation process decreases with the newness of the version of Linux you choose.

Use an appropriate computer

You may have heard that one of the advantages of Linux is that it runs on 'old' hardware. But the truth is that you shouldn't plan on dusting off an old Pentium and expect to do any productive work with it. The confusion with respect to Linux on old hardware is mostly our fault because we often talk about using Linux to get more life out of old computers. It's true that old hardware will run Linux well, but that's if you want to run a mail server or a web server in a small or medium sized business. If you want to use Linux to do the same things that you would with Windows XP or Mac OS X, then you'll need the newest computer you can get your hands on. You should also avoid 'elite' video cards and new, exotic hardware. These things eventually get supported under Linux, but Linux developers don't have the advantages of Microsoft's agreements with hardware manufacturers. Microsoft can sign non-disclosure agreements while the gadgets are still on the drawing boards. Linux developers, working in an open environment, have no such luxury. In short, the best computer to use is something fairly new without being on the bleeding edge.

You're on your way

If you can follow the aforementioned guidelines, you'll get a good start on your way to a rewarding experience with Linux. I have found that those who approached their switch to Linux with many or all of these ideas in mind have gone on to become successful Linux users.

Michael J. Jordan is the webmaster of Linux Online. He can be reached at Michael.Jordan**AT**Linux.org