So, why use Linux?

This page sets out a few thoughts on why I like Linux.
Different people have different preferences and reasons to choose their OS. Variety is the spice of life, and diversity is just fine with me.

#01 - Control

My experience is that Linux does what I tell it. The only challenge is to learn how to get my wants across. The balance of control favours the user.

With the dominant OS, the balance of control favours the Single Dominant Software Vendor. The things I want to do and how I want it done is secondary. For example, the Registry is an effective way of keeping things out of the reach of mere mortals.

Linux gives me more control, and that's a reason why I like it.

#02 - Choice

With Linux, I have a choice of different distributions, different window managers, different applications.

It is natural for individuals to have their own preferences and needs. We don't all wear the same style and colour of clothes - why should we all use the exact same software applications? The open software / GNU Linux approach provides choice: choice of browser, choice of spreadsheet, choice of news reader, whatever.

The Single Dominant Software Vendor dictates a one size fits all approach. In some cases, it gives a choice of 2 - a light-weight under featured version and a bloated overweight version. The SDSV stifles choice and diversity - just look what it did to deny us a choice of browser.

I like choice, and that's a reason why I like Linux.

#03 - Innovation

Open standards and user freedom of choice allows innovation, it even promotes innovation. Users get to choose, which provides an environment of evolution and of survival of the fittest.

An environment with secret or proprietary standards and with no user freedom of choice is not conducive to innovation. The Single Dominant Software Vendor locks things down and allows change only where it gains. The SDSV gets to choose. For me, communism proved that centralised control doesn't work.

I want innovation and progress, and that's why I like open systems such as Linux.

#04 - Community

Linux is produced by a community of humans, cooperating with the aim of producing and sharing great software.

The Single Dominant Software Vendor is a massive corporation, whose interest is in making as much profit as it can out of me. It does this by denying me choice, not by offering higher value software.

I like the positive, generous, constructive approach of the open source community, with the focus on better software, and that's where Linux is at for me.

#05 - Access to Data

My data is valuable to me, and I want to be able to access it well into the future.

Proprietary file formats, such as those used by the Single Dominant Software Vendor, use secret coding so that access is difficult without using its proprietary software. If the SDSV ceases to support that format, I may find I can no longer access my own data. Or I may have to pay the SDSV so I can access my own data.

I don't want my access to my data to be dependant on some other party, particularly not one proven to perform unlawful acts, such as the Single Dominant Software Vendor. Software such as Linux allows me control of my data, and that's one of the reasons I like Linux.

#06 - Transparency

With Linux, the user can see what is going on. The user can read the configuration settings, review how software works, anything.

Closed source software is not transparent to the user. The Single Dominant Software Vendor makes it difficult for a user to understand their own system.

I prefer the situation where I can see what is going on, that's why I like Linux.

#07 - Ethics

Where possible, I choose not to support unethical or unlawful behaviour such as that exhibited by the Single Dominant Software Vendor.

To this end, I would be willing to pay more, and to tolerate less functionality in the software I use. (I don't have to, but I would be willing to do this.)

I'm sure the individuals who contribute to Linux have their own failings and are less than perfect. But it seems to me that, on balance, they are ethically far superior to the SDSV, and that's one of the things I like about Linux.

#08 - Intellectual Property

Should intellectual discovery / developments be private or public property? This is not a simple matter.

Copyright is good where it protects individual artists and rewards them for the value they contribute to society. But that is different to the case where copyright profits big corporations who didn't produce the art, and who continue to profit long after the artist is dead. The latter appears to be a way for corporates to extract $ from society far in excess of the value they provide. It seems to me that software is more in the nature of a scientiffic development, and should be publicly owned, ie royalty free to users. The alternative option has been recently displayed by the Single Dominant Software Vendor, who extracts massive profit, far out of proportion to the value it provides to society. There may be some cases (eg high development costs for a narrow user base) where closed source / proprietary software is appropriate. But in general, software should be publicly available, and that's one of the reasons I like Linux.

#09 - Enhancements

Software from the Single Dominant Software Vendor has only those features that it chooses to include.

This ability to modify or extend software, and to add features that I want is just neat. I'm not a programmer, so I'm not about to reprogramme much software,but this is still one of the cool things about Linux.

#10 - Privacy

A closed source software vendor can programme the software to do things that the user doesn't want or even know about. For example, it could send personal details to the software vendor independent of the user's will.

Closed source means the user doesn't even know if this happens or not. The Single Dominant Software Vendor has been accused of unethical behavour, and so this has to be a grave risk.

These sorts of underhanded tactics are just not feasible with open source software, which makes Linux a preferred choice.

#11 - Security

Security by obscurity has been widely discredited as ineffective. Even though it keeps it's source code secret, many flaws are continuously being found and exploited in the software sold by the Single Dominant Software Vendor.

Security by peer review on an open basis produces the strongest security, and that's a reason to prefer Linux.

#12 - Structure

Separation of the operating system and the applications makes good sense, for reliability, security and performance.

The Single Dominant Software Vendor designs system structure to suit its own purposes, not to benefit the user. Hence it designs for marketing reasons, and to disable competitors products, regardless of any negative impacts on the user. Why else would you integrate a browser into an OS?

I prefer a system structured for performance, security and reliability, ie designed for the user, not for the software vendor, and that's a reason I like Linux.