Quezi

An example of a Linux screen. Photo by Roney. CC-BY

Do you have to be a geek to use Linux? Not at all, but the more comfortable you are with geeky things the better able you’ll be able to deal with any problems that come up. But the same thing is true of Windows, too, isn’t it?

If you’re not a geek, you might not be aware that not all personal computers (other than Macs) use Windows — a growing number use an alternative operating system known as Linux. The biggest attraction of Linux for newbies is that it’s free — that’s right, you don’t have to pay a penny for it. But computer professionals have known for years that its price isn’t what makes it attractive to its fans: It seldom crashes, it’s less likely than Windows to catch a virus, its infinitely customizable, and it can run on some older computers that get bogged down in Windows.

Within the past few years, Linux has started drawing users other than computer professionals. Some major computer dealers now will sell you a Linux machine for less than a comparable Windows machine. And people who use netbooks — those tiny laptops that you can throw in a backpack or even a coat pocket — have flocked to easy-to-use versions of Linux because it often runs faster than Windows on low-end computers.

Another good thing about Linux is that you can easily try it out — probably even on the computer you own now, and without erasing the Windows you already have. This try-it-to-see-if-you-like-it version comes courtesy of Ubuntu, by far the most popular version of Linux these days. (Because of the way is Linux is set up, anybody with the ability can develop improvements and even distribute new versions.) A London-based company, Canonical, has sponsored development of Ubuntu, which it gives away, then makes its money by selling optional support or customization services, and its goal is to make Ubuntu a real competitor to Windows. To do that, it has come up with a version of Linux that will be easy to learn by Windows users, and in some way it is actually easier to use — you can download hundreds of free software packages right from your desktop, for example, without having to search for it using the Internet.

Perhaps the easiest way to try out Ubuntu for most people is to use some software called the Wubi installer. If you’re using Windows and have at least 5 gigabytes of hard drive space, just go to the Wubi home page, download the software, and install it like you would any other Windows software. It will put Ubuntu on your hard drive, and then next time you start your computer, you’ll be given a choice of whether to use Windows or Ubuntu. Don’t worry if you pick Ubuntu — you can use Windows whenever you start your computer again. And if you decide you don’t want Ubuntu any more, you can delete it while using Windows just like you uninstall any other software you don’t like.

But be forewarned: You may get hooked. Although I still have Windows on my machine and use it occasionally, I’m writing this article right now using Ubuntu Linux that I installed using the same method I suggest here.