I have been trying different distributions of Linux for a few years. Every time a new version comes out for the big distro’s (e.g. Fedora, OpenSuse, Ubuntu) I am always excited to try them out. I still remember my first Linux was Mandrake which I got from Staples. Although Linux is supposed to be free, I was willing to pay a few dollars for a full OS and gave it a try (comparing to the cost of Windows, it was nothing and I didn’t have to download it with a 56K connection).

Why Linux?

For me, it’s just fun, and FREE. There are so many things to play around with in the Linux world and they are all free so you can try anything you want. It just gives me a peaceful mind without worrying about buying the expensive Windows each time a new one comes out. For those geeks who always want to try new things but don’t have much budget to get them, Linux is your solution.

Getting Your Hands on Linux

Many people are scared away by the impression of Linux being all command lines and expert-only. I must tell you that Linux has come to a point that it can be easier to use than Windows. I think it is just a matter of getting used to the OS. Comparing with Windows Vista, I am now more comfortable in using Linux (or Ubuntu to be exact) than using the newest Windows OS.

So if you are interested in giving Linux a try, I would suggest you to download the Ubuntu CD from their site. You can then boot directly from the CD and try Ubuntu without it touching, harming, screwing up or wiping out your hard drive. If you have decided to install it on to your hard drive, you can do so from the running Ubuntu that you have tested with.

If you are brave enough and want to learn more about Linux, I strongly recommend you to try compiling everything from scratch. I suggest you to give Gentoo Linux a try. They have a very good documentation in teaching you how to build your Linux system from the ground up. You will have the chance to customize Linux to your flavour. Do this 2 to 3 times and you will have a very good understanding on how Linux works and you will not be scared when you encounter any problems on your Linux system in the future. (Expect to spend a few days on setting up Gentoo Linux if you are starting from scratch. I did this a few times during my University years. Those are the years when I have the most free time and I am missing them!)