So here I am, downloading some new Linux distros for my next foray into over-multi-booting. (Some people overclock. So I have a slightly different hobby...) Since my last article on the subject, I have since backed down to just two operating systems, Windows 98 (which I almost never touch and keep for support reasons) and Windows 2000. I had done this as I was running out of drive space, but I intend on installing a third hard drive in the near future, doubling my current storage from 200GB to 400GB. So I figured it was time to install some more new shiny operating systems again.
As I was checking out all the newest and hottest Linux distributions and releases on DistroWatch, I was struck by a couple of interesting thoughts about the Linux community. First is the proliferation of the Live CD. This is really a rather brilliant move by Linux developers, as it helps to overcome one of the biggest problems with getting users to switch to Linux. Installing a second (or third, or sixth...) operating system onto a single computer is no simple task for the uninitiated, and even for an experienced user it can at times be hazardous to your existing installation. However, a Live CD allows you to boot directly off a disc into the operating system, without installing anything onto the computer. With a Live CD, you can just boot right into Linux, mess around with it and learn your way around a new operating system in your spare time. Then when you're done, just take the CD out, reboot, and you're back into your usual operating system, with no harm done (except maybe to Microsoft's ego). This method of course has it's pros and cons. It does make getting people to try Linux far simpler, but to me, use of a Live CD represents a half-hearted attempt at exploring an alternative operating system. It's great that it can draw new users into an easy way to try Linux, but as long as they're running it off a CD it can never hope to replace their everyday (Windows) operating system. That, and it also runs far slower off the CD, which can give new users the impression that Linux is inferior to Windows. Another note on the positive side, it can allow the hardcore Linux user to take their operating system with them and run it on virtually any computer they come into contact with. That, and some Live CD distributions have been decked out with system maintenance, network analysis, and forensics tools, making them an indispensible resource to the system administrator, or a dangerous weapon in the hands of a hacker. All in all though, I think it's a great development for Linux.
The other thought that entered my head was in part inspired by my new day job. I'm currently working in a call center providing cable internet technical support. As a result of my time on the phone there, I have concluded that there are three main types of computer users. Those who really know what they're doing, those that know just enough to get by, and those who are completely clueless but for some reason are in front of a computer anyway. Sadly, the vast majority of the population seems to fall into that latter category. Now this may seem like a crazy idea, but I'm beginning to rather strongly believe that these same clueless individuals may be the best candidates to target for a switch to Linux. Users who really know what they're doing can make the switch or set up a multi-boot configuration themselves, so they're not a problem. Users who know enough to get around usually have some little 3rd party programs or games that they use on a regular basis. This makes them less likely candidates to switch, as most often they can't take these programs with them and make them run on Linux.
But let's look at what average Joe Idiot does on the computer. He checks his email. He surfs the internet. And maybe he wants an office suite to work in. But that's about it. To him, it's a glorified typewriter with built in newspapers and magazines. Using Windows actually makes these tasks more difficult for Joe Idiot, if you ask me, because now Joe also has to worry about antivirus, anti-spyware, and firewall software to protect his PC. Joe also has to worry about making sure all of these programs as well as his Windows security patches are constantly up to date to keep him properly protected. Joe doesn't really realize it, but he also needs protection from himself, for he can inadvertently cause more damage to his computer than anything else.
Now let's put this same individual on a lightweight version of Linux, Vector, for example, with Firefox and OpenOffice installed on it. There are currently very few viruses that even target Linux, and most of those actually target specific Linux server applications. So there is no need for Joe to maintain or even install an antivirus program. Linux was also developed from the ground up to be a networking operating system, so it is very secure, and most distributions typically come with a firewall of some kind, else one can be downloaded and installed for free. Not only does Joe not have to worry about getting viruses in his email anymore, but by using Firefox on Linux he can also surf the internet unimpeded by popups, adware, or spyware. Firefox has an excellent built-in popup blocker, and since spyware and adware programs are written to run on Windows, even if they manage to infiltrate the computer they will simply not do anything on a Linux system. Using OpenOffice, Joe can do anything he could do in Microsoft Office, and in fact can open any of his old MS Office documents as well. Lastly, by making sure Joe is logged in under a user account and not as root (administrator, for you Windows folks), Joe is not capable of causing too much damage to the system as he simply does not have the proper access to really break it. Switching Joe over should be fairly simple too. He already doesn't know his way around Windows, so why not have him be lost on Linux instead? Just simply set him up with a Linux desktop with all the icons he'd need to do anything right in front of him, and he'll be fine. That's all he does in Windows, after all. Joe clicks on email, Joe gets email. Joe clicks on internet, Joe gets internet. Joe doesn't see viruses or popups or errors. Best of all, Joe didn't have to pay a cent for any of it. So Joe is happy. And the bottom line is that means he's calling me at work less, so I don't have to answer as many frickin' calls.
So what's wrong with this blissful model I present? Several things, actually. First, is support for Linux. If set up correctly, Linux should require far less support, but that doesn't mean it'll never require support. So who's going to fix it when Joe Idiot does manage to break it? Everyone supports Windows. Windows is always the same. Finding a technician to work on Linux, or even a tech support number that will give you Linux support, is all but impossible. Why? That leads to my second point. Lack of standardization. There are so many different versions of Linux available, and while they are all fundamentally the same, they are also all very different from each other in many ways. It's a support nightmare, especially from a call center point of view, where you have no idea what the person calling in is actually looking at. This is the conundrum that plagues the Linux community. Without standardization, it's impossible to consistently support, yet standardizing Linux ultimately takes away from what Linux is - open source and freely customizable. Until this dilemma can be solved, Windows will forever remain in the top seat. Also, sort of tying into the lack of support issue, thinking from the standpoint of a PC technician, what do you gain by installing a more stable and secure operating system on a customer's computer? They no longer need to buy your software. They no longer need to come to you every other week to get all the viruses and spyware cleaned off their computer. They no longer need you to reinstall their operating system on a quarterly basis because they've manage to hose it up so badly. So what's in it for them? Face it, as long as you're still running Windows, you're a cash crop to tech support everywhere.
Linux for everyone sounds like a great idea, and a lot of Linux fans have a hard time understanding why everyone wouldn't want to adopt a free, more stable, more secure alternative. But the harsh truth is that, while the software may be free, support never is. It's a problem that will continue to loom over the Linux community. Its diversity is both its greatest advantage and its biggest curse.