As many of you know, I am an ubuntu user; Ubuntu is one of the many flavours of Linux.

Linux is regarded by a lot of people as an operating system only suited to the ‘geeky’ type, with a computer science background. Admittedly, the majority of users do have a greater than average knowledge of computers. However, I think Linux, and in particular Ubuntu, can be used by the non techy type.

Anyway, some of the reasons I use linux:

Cost: it’s free. Unlike Microsoft, where you have to pay hundreds of pounds for a particular version of the O.S., Linux is free to install, and most Linux distributions can be upgraded to the next version for free.
Security: as most viruses are tailored to attack Windows, which has a larger population of users, Linux does not require anti-virus software. As Linux is open source, there is a community of dedicated developers working to ensure that the operating system remains secure. Patches can be released without restrictions imposed by budgets, release cycles, of large commercial firms.
Software:
There is so much freedom in choosing which software to use. Text editor, web browser, graphics editors, etc. Plus, the advantage of linux is that the majority of these are open source and free.
Command Line:
If all else fails, Linux provides the command line. To me, the command line is one of the main reasons I use Linux. The freedom to do so much without the need to launch a GUI is a powerful tool, which is indispensable when installing software and maintaining my computer.

There are many other reasons for using Linux over Windows, but I think the one word that summaries the advantages is “freedom”. The freedom to choose, the freedom to grow, the freedom to tailor your computer without having to deal with all the unwanted junk that comes with a non-linux installation.

However, obvious disadvantages, is that “with great power, comes great responsibility”. With all this freedom to modify the system, there is a high risk of screwing things up. To fully take advantage of the depth of this O.S. you will need some level of knowledge. Then again, for the basic Windows user only interested in surfing the internet, word processing, checking email, etc, Linux is more than capable of providing a satisfactory virus-free environment surpassing the Windows experience.