In this site I would like to share something i have an interest in. That being the free alt operating system known as Linux.   Linux can be thought of like a lovechild between APPLE's Mac and MS-Windows If such things were possiable.  Linux is a

continuation of Unix in the modern age for a PC

Its birth started back in 1991 when a finnish college student decided to create a Unix like

kernel for a personal computer. And while at the same time a group of other college students

were creating software that could be given out freely and open sourcely . They are known as the GNU.  So the OS was in two parts a keneral without software. software without a keneral.  The merging of these two formed the first Linux operating system. Which I think to be DEBAIN <- All hail the grandfather of today's Linux.  After Debain other types of Linux came into existance.  So the major types of Linuxs Are Debain, Slackware, Gentoo and Red Hat.  Most types of Linux System out there are based in part or all on these four.

It is better to discribe these four by a more common name which is a distro. Different companies have different distro of Linux each packaged with software suited to the tasks they want them to do.  Why is this important you ask. Well Linux for the most part doesnt have the nice paid support you get when using Windows or Mac. There is no call center to phone or email into saying I have this issue please help. And help arrives within an hour, day, or whenever.  Linux works in terms of a community each distro of linux is in a sense its own family.  Major distros are easier for people to use because they have been around longer and more people work and fix the problems on their spare time then say a smaller distro would have. So Debain being the oldest Linux distro out there has a large community of people.   A question that is beyond what I can effectively explain would be the one of why is there so many different types of Linux out there. It would be the same question of asking why is there so many different ways to fix a hamburger.  Now as myself being a Window user who has ventured out into the realm of Linux  There were some interesting challenges to face. As such I felt that I had taken a ship from earth to the moon.  Linux to me at this time felt like a strange, odd world that was miles and miles away from the safety of my Windows home.  But by doing some research on the web i found a few things which made things a bit easier.  Since there are so many different types of Linux distros out there. The user levels are boiled down to Easy, Inter, and Hard. Some companies hoping to attract Windows users have  created Linuxs that have the look and some  feel of Windows. Making the transitional shock  less.  Ubuntu is one such Linux system geared towards linux newbies.  Ubuntu ranks first to me in terms of easyness. Mephis Linux, and Mandriva are both others which are easy to use.  if i could put them as both 2 i think i would.  finally coming in at number 3 is Fedora, based off Red Hat.  Fedora requires a bit more tinkering to use.  Fedora 11 or 12. everything worked great for me expect for the minor issue of getting the dvd content descramber system to work in order to play dvds.  Most people know this as the CSS stuff on a dvd. 

Next i suppose  it is only fitting to talk a bit about the Window's X  GUI's  (Graphical User interface for non-techies)

At the time of this writing there are only three Linux Graphical systems which I am impressed by. GNOME, KDE, ENLIGHTENMENT.

GNOME - has a retro feel of the Apple- Mac of the 1990's only updated. There isnt much

eyecandy to this type of desktop. But it feels like a desktop for working purposes.

Check out http://www.gnome.com

The biggest thing to look forward to is the gnome 3.0   

KDE - K-Desktop Enviroment.  This desktop types has the interesting feel of a windows clone desktop. Basicly its pretty but thats where the simillaries end.  KDE at this moment is there plasma desktops.  They feel sweet on a laptop with or without the battery plugged into the AC power unit.

For more information check out.  http://www.kde.com

Enlightenment 17- This type of desktop is just simply a wow tons of eyecandy. very  beautiful look as can be seen in the moonOS(based on Ubuntu)  Almost feel like it could be a next generation desktop enviroment. 

enlightenment.org

only cons i have to this is I wish there was more support for more resent verisons of Ubuntu!!

prepare to be amazed at these sites.  http://www.enlightenment.org

http://www.moonos.org

While all of this is nice. For the window user being bombarded by the tons of free software.

There is saddly one thing at which Linux lacks in having.  GAMES!

All the nice video games we Window users are use to through normal channels can not be imported to Linuxs. Here's something to make all those who program laugh just a bit.

If all things  wrote in C++ you think software would be universal portiable right?

Yes i can see the smiles on the faces of the programming gurus smiling at this one.

The problem is Microsoft writes most there games in VB these days.

Here is where we say oh no what ever should we do right?

Well since Linux was used as programming system. most of the programmers came up with a

interesting thing to fool the games and other software Windows has made inorder to port

to Linux. Enter WINE. Now a bit of word on Normal W-I-N-E its a beast to configure

so i want to wish all those who are thinking about configuring plain old wine Good

Luck! =) I mean seriously Good Luck.  A simpler way to do things is to go thru other programs based on WINE.   Wine-Doors for example is something i have had a  success using to port things as an interesting trial run. Also note that I do have a licensed copy of Windows.   

Cross Over is a type of software based on wine that people can pay a yearly fee to in order to port games and software over to linux.

 Now after reading all this I want to explain why some people choose to use Linux as an Alt to other Operating Systems.  Its Free software.  just about anything you can do with the paid windows programs a person can do with the freeware

An example dont feel like paying 500 or more US dollars on the latest MS-Office?

Try OpenOffice price Zero, Nada.  only fall back is that you can not create a Powerpoint Presentation on Openoffice and expect it to smoothly work on MS-Office

Want something for graphical editing like Adobe software?  Check out GIMP

yes there is some debates on the RBG and CYMK coloring stuff while using Gimp.

Want to create 3D and other animations graphics but cant fork out the tonage of cash for 3D studio max or software on par?  Try Blender (This is another one that can be thought to be beast like)

*Linux is simply Pirating done right, because it isnt Pirating its Boycotting. =) 

Chalk that one up to the founding Fathers.

*End SoftWare Pirating By Using Linux!

Freeware = Goodware 

*Use Linux To Help Tux Fight The InJustic Imposed By A Major Operating System.

According to Sources A Major Operating Systems Company Trained Best Buy's

Sales Representives To Misrepresent Information about Linux Claiming It To Be "Unsafe" To Use

 Be A Rebel Use Linux!     

 A T-Shirt with the Design of Penguins Liberation Force Looks Good On You!