The Penguin is Your Friend!

In the beginning, there was one computer system. Created in 1969 by AT&T Bell Labs, UNIX served the computing needs of everyone (and still does to this day). Of course, in 1969 computers were pretty large, and people with computing needs were researchers. As the computer began to shrink to something smaller than a boxcar, people began to notice that UNIX wasn’t all that user friendly for the common man.

So along came Bill & Paul, who decided that they were going to make something more user friendly, but they were going to start from scratch. Bill & Paul created their own programming language: Basic. They took their DOS idea to IBM and Windows began to spring onto Personal Computer. But Bill & Paul weren’t alone. The Steves were also trying to make a more user friendly system, and they decided to use pictures (or icons) to help users navigate around. Rather than start from scratch like Bill & Paul, the Steves used UNIX and made it friendly, and thus the Macintosh system was born.

About 10 years later, a Finnish university student named Linus Torvalds decided he wanted a system that would allow him to do exactly what he needed to do, the way he needed to do it, the most efficient way possible. He took a look at the UNIX system, and decided that was a good place to start. Rather than building something for profit, Linus thought that the best way to achieve the most optimal way of doing something was to get other people to help. Thus, Linux was born and has remained free and open-source ever since.

Believe it or not, most people have been exposed to or dealt with Linux at some point. If you have the T-Mobile G1, you have a Linux phone. Many supercomputers and enterprise servers run Linux because it is lighter, faster, and more secure than either Windows or OSX. In fact, Linux is the about the most secure operating system there is. And, as computer makers are moving towards lighter, faster, smaller machines, Linux has surfaced as a very viable option (not least because of the price tag). Since so many Netbooks and other portable devices (not to mention some mainline PC’s from the likes of Dell and HP), I thought it might be good idea to talk about Linux (the other other white meat of computing), or at least one of the most popular Linux distributions.

Ubuntu (pronounced /u: ‘bu:ntu:/ oo-BOON-too), is a computer operating system based on Debian GNU/Linux. It is distributed as free software. Ubuntu's goals include providing an up-to-date, stable operating system for the average user, with a strong focus on usability and ease-of-installation. Ubuntu has been selected by readers of desktoplinux.com as the most popular Linux distribution for the desktop, claiming approximately 30% of Linux desktop installations in both 2006 and 2007.

Ubuntu is composed of multiple software packages typically distributed under either a free software or an open source license. Ubuntu is sponsored by the UK based company Canonical Ltd., owned by South African entrepreneur Mark Shuttleworth. Instead of selling Ubuntu for profit, Canonical creates revenue by selling technical support and from creating several services tied to Ubuntu including Ubuntu One, Landscape and Launchpad. Canonical has yet to turn profitable, however. By keeping Ubuntu free and open source, Canonical is able to utilize the talents of community developers in Ubuntu's constituent components.

The work of the Ubuntu team is driven by a philosophy on software freedom that aims to spread and bring the benefits of software to all parts of the world. At the core of the Ubuntu Philosophy are these core philosophical ideals:

1. Every computer user should have the freedom to download, run, copy, distribute study, share, change and improve their software for any purpose, without paying licensing fees.
2. Every computer user should be able to use their software in the language of their choice.
3. Every computer user should be given every opportunity to use software, even if they work under a disability.

Ubuntu Linux is free and available for anyone to use however they wish. I personally used it on an aging computer and extended the life be a couple of years, and was able to do everything I needed to do. Another nice feature of Ubuntu is that is infinitely customizable. For example, you can leave it looking like Linux,

you can make it look like Windows,

or you can make it look like OSX.

All for free!

Again, most people will probably be exposed to Linux on Netbooks or low-cost computers. If you are considering a one of those products, or have an older computer that doesn’t run Windows that well any more, consider giving Linux a spin. I did, and I’ve been in love ever since.

Sure, you can pay through the nose for an Apple with OSX or pay Microsoft another $120+ to upgrade Windows. And both of those systems have some wonderful attributes. But when considering that computer upgrade or purchase, the question you just have to ask yourself is not “Why pay more?” but instead: “Why pay?”