In this post I’ll try to share my thoughts about the Linux OS after using it for more than 3 years (since 2013). This remain my personal opinion and according to my own experience .
Before starting , I would like to clarify the Gnu/Linux naming controversy.Many members of the free and open source software community use the word “Linux” instead of “Gnu/Linux” to refer to the operating system that use the Gnu software on top of the Linux kernel. Personally , I use “Linux” as a shortcut , every second counts nowadays , you get the point.
Let’s start with a quick definition of “Linux”. Enjoy !
What is Linux ?
Linux is an open source operating system with a market share around 2% in the personal computers market, and above 90% in servers market.
Since Linux is an open source OS , every one could change its source code to suit his needs and thus many companies and developers published their own version. At this moment, there are plenty of distributions available to download for FREE .
Why Linux ?
The first time I chose to use Linux as my main operating system , was simply because I got bored from the Windows OS and the main reasons are :
- Windows isn’t customizable , it doesn’t work the way I wanted.
- There is no frequent updates
- Closed source software
When I was using the Microsoft’s operating system , I felt like I’m a “Microsoft Slave” : Your suggestions AREN’T taken into consideration , You CAN’T customize your own PC , You CAN’T feel the freedom !
After making the switch …
” The best ever ! ” , this was the first word I said after installing and testing Ubuntu for a few hours .
Thenceforth , I gradually became an open source enthusiast and I started encouraging my friends to make the switch.
A few moths later , I joined the Ubuntu-TN community . I met a lot of amazing people that would help anyone with their knowledge . I remember well when I posted an issue to the IRC channel , I got a quick response and a personal support from a well experienced System Admin , if you know what I mean.
As any Linux user , I tested many distros to choose the best one that meets my needs.Here is a list of some distros I gave a try :
- Ubuntu
- Ubuntu Gnome
- Fedora
- Kali linux
- Debian
- Elementary OS
- Deepin
- Kubuntu
Briefly :
When using Linux , you’ll have much luck finding the distribution that meets your needs unlike Windows where you don’t have a choice.
Furthermore , when you use Linux your PC will be kept up-to-date because a new version will be available every 6 months (see Ubuntu releases schedule).
Another good reason to use Linux is that it’s built by a huge community of developers committed to make this operating system better and each one of them believe in the transparency and the “open source manifesto” .They make the source code available online so everyone could check if there is malicious software or backdoor.
The greatest thing is that you feel that you belong to the largest community, this means that there is millions of people that have the same values and interests as you ,and if you ever have any issue just post it to a forum and you’ll get a response in just few minutes.
Which is the best distro ?
Actually , there is no right answer to this question because everyone have his choices and his point of view . I’ll try to give you my recommendations though.
- If you’re seeking for a best looking distribution I suggest you to try Elementary OS
- If you’re a hacker, choose Kali Linux,obviously. It have all the hacking tools installed by default.
- And the recommended distro for the every day use is Ubuntu .it’s the most popular Linux distribution at this time .