Five reasons to give Linux this year

Every year, folks ask me what kind of computer they should send their student to college with. My standard answer is Linux. After all, don’t you want your friends to be happy? Why would I not let them in on the best computer system on the planet? Most of your friends have no idea that they have options when it comes to computer operating systems. Just recently, two friends upgraded their computers without checking the options available. They went with clever marketing and purchased a new system at a premium price, and I’m willing to bet that they will be dissatisfied within six months or less. 

Here are five reasons you should recommend Linux to your friends and family. 

Linux is easy to use. Whether using Gnome, KDE, LXDE or any other desktop variant, the Linux option is just easy.  Distributions like Fedora, Ubuntu, PopOS, Linux Mint, and Raspberry Pi OS  come with loads of documentation and access to a user community eager to help. If you have a problem with Linux, you won’t have to wait in a long telephone queue for an answer. 

Hundreds of high-quality free software packages. My personal favorites are LibreOffice and GnuCash.  I cannot imagine any writing task beyond LibreOffice’s scope. I use it and recommend it to everyone I come in contact with. Why would you spend money to buy a top-notch productivity suite when the best one out there is free? You should consider contributing to the LibreOffice project, but the software is free. 

In a day and age when security tops most people’s list, Linux is secure. Viruses and malware are at a minimum. Each year I spend many days helping friends who own one variant or another of Windows that has been hacked or infected with malware. That just isn’t the case on Linux, and if you want to be doubly sure that no one has gained improper access to your computer there are plenty of open source solutions that can help prevent that. My favorites are ClamAV and RKHunter. Linux respects your privacy. It does not upload user data to proprietary company websites. 

Freedom to use Linux however I choose. Whether that is as a standalone workstation for personal productivity, a content server, or a firewall for my home network, unlike other proprietary desktop operating systems, you won’t be required to purchase an upgrade or extension to expand the capability of your system. There are no limitations. Best of all, I can give this away and encourage others to do the same. Isn’t gift giving the spirit of all the holiday traditions?  

Linux is reliable and stable. The operating system does not crash. When updates come, they don’t require a reboot in the middle of when you’re doing something else. If you’re using an older version of Fedora, Ubuntu, or Linux Mint and are happy with the status quo,  you are not required to upgrade. Support for drivers of legacy printers and other peripherals exceeds other operating systems. 

Linux could be the best present your friends ever received. Purchase some 8 or 16 GB USB drives, download your favorite distribution, and make some bootable USB drives to give away. You might consider volunteering your time helping your friends explore the “Live” editions of these distributions before they install, or if you have an old laptop or desktop around your home that no one else is using, you might consider loaning it out for training purposes. Most of your friends will have no idea what a wonderful gift you give them. In the process, you will discover the joy of giving yourself to others. 

If you want to buy your friends a new computer, I recommend looking at System 76, Dell’s XPS Developer edition, Lenovo, Purism, Mintbox or Entroware if you’re in Europe. If new is not your thing, you can find a good refurbished Linux computer at FreeGeek.