Quick Poll - Linux As Your Daily Driver?
There are several computer operating systems out there but the top three that are most widely used are MS Windows, MacOS and Linux. But if you ask the average home user if they have ever considered using Linux, they would say... "Huh? What the heck is a Linux?" So, we would like to take a poll to see how many of you have tried, heard of or use Linux as your daily operating system.
Hands down, MS Windows is the most widely used operating system. This is mainly due to it's ease of use. At the same time, it is the operating system that we hear the most complaints about, is the most at risk for viruses and vulnerabilities, and is under much controversy over the last few years with it's release of Windows 11 and how it was limited to only recent hardware specs. But to be fair, being number one, always puts you in the crosshairs. And honestly, I think Windows 10 was the best version of Windows they have ever released but sadly, very shortly, support for that OS is terminating.
Of course, Mac OS has it's followers. It is a fantastic OS for graphic designers and media editors, along with benefits for both daily home and office use. But what about Linux? Linux is an absolute powerhouse. You name it's use - Linux has you covered. And, touting a small footprint and ability to be very light on running resources, Linux is by far, the best operating system in my opinion - no contest. But why are so few people using it as their daily driver?
In the past, those who had heard of Linux feared it. Even those that had given one of the distributions (distros) a whirl became quickly overwhelmed. And, in all fairness, I don't blame them. It was very different and heavily relied on command line know-how that only the "techies" seemed to use and thrive on. So, in order to be a Linux user, you had to be a "tech-head". Well, that's not really the case anymore.
Over the past several years, Linux distributions have come a long way. No longer are they clunky, unfamiliar and needing a certification in coding to use. And due to the OS being from the GNU Project and Open-Source, the Linux community and it's support is enormous. However, with hundreds of flavours of Linux, it can be very difficult for a new user to pick one to begin with.
Today's Linux looks very familiar. While it definitely stands out uniquely, it has the familiarity of Windows and MacOS. Also, today's Linux is very easy to use and very user friendly, acting much the same as Windows does. Much effort has been put in to many distros to make it look and act like Windows and Mac. Most of the top 10 used distros are specifically recommended for new users to try that are coming from Windows. You can even run the OS live on a USB stick to play with and fully use, any time you want to, to get a full taste of what you have been missing.
Linux distros of today are beautiful, sleek powerhouses, efficient, highly configurable, highly secure, come packed with all the apps and software you need to get you started, very familiar, are great for beginners to the most advanced users, handle everything from office productivity, media creation and editing to gaming (yes Linux can now even be used for gaming), to your everyday computer needs, and... it's free. Remember the old adage - The best things in life are free? Linux proves that, and then some.
We'll get further into the benefits of Linux on another post but for now, onto our poll - Would you consider using Linux as your daily computing OS? Let us know by logging in and posting your answer in the comments. Here's your choices:
- Yes, I currently use it all the time and love it!
- I occasionally use Linux but not for my daily work/tasks.
- I am considering Linux but don't know where to begin.
- I have never heard of Linux. Is that a toaster?
