Taking Linux for a Spin
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| But if the confusion over Windows is deepening, the opposite is true of
| Linux. Linux, of course, is the alternative to Windows that comes from the
| world of open-source software--meaning no company owns it, it's available
| for free, and it boasts a worldwide network of programmers constantly
| trying to perfect it. For the most part, Linux has been used by geeks who
| enjoy rolling up their sleeves and getting under the hood of their
| software. Even the mention of Linux is enough to pull most nontechie
| managers out of their comfort zone.
|
| But the notion that Linux is a complicated, alien, experts-only operating
| system is no longer true. Not only is Linux becoming a mainstream product
| that can be considered a reasonable alternative to Windows for just about
| anyone, it's actually easy for nontechies to install. Linux looks pretty
| much like Windows these days, so you won't face a steep learning curve in
| putting it to work. And you'll probably never have to worry about a
| big-bang upgrade to a radically new version because Linux gets updated
| routinely every six months or so, incrementally, at little or no cost.
|
| [...]
|
| And that's typical of the Linux world: By the time you wish for
| something, someone else will already be working on providing it. And
| usually for free, as I may have already pointed out.
|
| [...]
|
| Maybe this sort of gentle approach to trying out Linux will convince you
| to take a closer look at the idea of switching over your entire company...
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http://www.inc.com/magazine/20060601/column-freedman.html
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