Aku sebenarnya lupa darimana tulisan ini aku ambil, ada gitu aja di harddisk aku. Kalo ada yang tau, tolong aku dikasi tau ya…aku kan nggak mau disebut bajak tulisan orang.

Morrison Hoyle wrote about why linux & talk about linux in general number of really useful local leads and other information for those who are keen to get started

Why use Linux? Some of the reasons that persuaded me to go down that path are:
Dissatisfaction with Windows, the “blue screens of death”, the box on screen stating that “this program has performed an illegal action and will be shut down”, the never-ending demand for money to get the newer version only to find that it has a new range of bugs just as the previous version had. Look at http://www.bugnet.com/ to see what might strike next.

The constant pressure to upgrade the PC because the latest version of Windows places ever increasing demands upon us for more memory, larger hard disks and faster CPU processing speeds.

The inability to “get inside” Windows to fix problems and improve performance resulting in the need to purchase utilities and books to try to overcome those Windows annoyances. The knowledge that successive versions of Windows are introducing “hidden features” that trespass on our privacy - see http://sillydog.org/mshidden.html.

The vulnerability of Windows to viruses, especially the Microsoft e-mail clients. Radio (computer) talk-back shows and Melb PC monthly meeting Random Access sessions seem to be dominated by the problems PC users have with viruses and in keeping their virus signature files up to date. Linux has so far been unaffected by viruses, because the commands embedded in them are not valid Linux commands. Some virus vandals may decide to attack Linux in the future but there is virus protection software for Linux version available for free download.

The restriction that the copy of Windows that has been purchased may only be installed on one PC. The severity of the penalties for ignoring this restriction are such that few would do so; after all, when you are on the Net, can you be sure that the registration number of your copy of Windows is not being reported to Microsoft? If you intend to ignore the restriction, look first at http://www.microsoft.com/australia/piracy/basics/using-licensed.asp and think again.

The concern about how many millions, perhaps billions of dollars are being sent overseas every year, principally to the USA to pay for the copies of software used by government, educational bodies and others to further enrich the world\’s richest companies and individuals. How much of our taxes are being spent in this way when the option of using open source software would free us and our nation from such a drain on our national balance of payments. If you would like to know more about the principles underlying Linux, look at http://www.opensource.org/ and the Free Software Foundation http://www.fsf.org/.

The final straw was the plan by Microsoft to license Windows XP in such a manner that users would be forced to go online to enable the system to function together with the revelation that the system would report the programs and versions loaded on my PC to Microsoft without my permission. What other breaches of my privacy might occur? XP even connects you to the Microsoft Web site when you are online without telling you or asking your permission!

Linux is an operating system, just as Windows, OS/2, OS X for Macintosh, VMS or even our old friend DOS but there is one significant difference. Linux is free. And you are free to install the system on as many PCs as you wish and to reproduce the CD-ROMs as well. It may cost you a little to obtain because naturally there is a cost to copy the version you want onto CD-ROM or to download the .iso files. I paid $30 for a boxed set of four CD-ROMs from Linux System Labs. If you want a nicely boxed set of CD-ROMs with printed manuals, there are suppliers ready to oblige but the cost will simply be that of manufacturing and distributing the package. Even the latter will only cost around $100. Later on I will let you know where to go for these.