The five most common misconceptions regarding Linux
Using Linux exclusively for almost four years, I can confidently judge that Linux can, but cannot. In no case, without pretending to solve all the problems, I will try to dispel some of the most common misconceptions.
1. Linux is hopelessly behind
We often hear: “ Linux is five years behind XP and 10 years behind Vista !” Well, here are the facts:
With this, Linux is constantly evolving. The Xen project has brought virtualization in Linux to an unprecedented level, and kernel developers continue to work on the built-in capabilities of enterprise-level virtualization [4]. Microsoft promised to include built-in virtualization - similar to Xen - in Windows Server 2008 next year, but then reported that the inclusion of the function is delayed and most likely will be implemented after the release of the new server [1], possibly in SP1, which will provide leadership Linux in the field of embedded virtualization for at least two more years before Windows realizes it.
2. Linux is too complicated
')
Many could not get any benefit from Linux, and the Linux-desktop in fact did not even see. Much more serious is the fact that many people who have a tendency towards technical creativity failed when they tried Linux during the rapid development of the Internet, removed it from their lives and never returned. These and other reasons have resulted in Linux being considered an overly complex system.
Okay, let's take a modern Linux distribution (for example, Ubuntu). Ubuntu has a convenient graphical user interface, Macintosh fans like OS X. But this interface is not the only one, it is possible to install both duplicates of Windows XP and special-purpose interfaces (for example, designed for weak machines or, on the contrary, flavored with ultra-modern graphic effects). In addition, many common tasks and functions, from system upgrade to full indexing, are automatically performed by default.
And all this is typical for any level of use of Linux. For example, Novell's Yast provides a simple and easy-to-use graphical interface for performing virtually any administrative operation, from installing and updating software to managing DNS, mail, and a web server. If there is no desire, then you can not look at the command line or configuration files at all.
All this completes the first-class installation process. The installation of Ubuntu comes from a full-fledged working environment that allows you to access the Internet, play computer games and send messages, as the installation wizard guarantees not only a flawless installation, but also a complete automation of the process, all that the user has to do is to know how to click the Next button. "(Of course, if he does not want to know more).
3. Linux has compatibility issues
Any program, from Maya and Oracle [7] to Firefox, is also on Linux. There are Linux and computer games, from Doom, Quake and the Unreal Tournament series to small games like Darwinia [8].
Along with native applications, the free (not) WINE emulator, as well as commercial CrossOver and VMWare, allow you to run almost any program, from iTunes to MS Office and Photoshop; and for $ 5 a month, Cedega provides computer-battles fans with emulation of several hundred Windows games, from Battlefield 2042 to World of Warcraft.
As a result, alternatives to Windows programs can replace the existing system either with minimal effort or without them at all. Apache can work with ASP code [13], OpenOffice reads and saves Microsoft formats, and any well-known distribution can easily join a domain or simply view Windows-files and shared printers.
Hardware support is as developed: in fact, Linux supports more diverse hardware than any other operating system. From a PDA to a computer center and everything in between, including equipment that is considered obsolete and no longer supported by Windows — connecting to a Linux machine will give you a chance to bring it back to life. Contrary to popular belief, supported by the mass of a variety of consumer digital devices, from video cameras to iPod, the latest video and wireless cards.
4. Corporations do not trust Linux / Nobody uses Linux.
Amazon and Google [15] will disagree - because their technologies are based on Linux. PSA Peugeot Citroen, the second largest car manufacturer in Europe, announced this year that it will not only transfer its 2,500 servers, but also 20,000 desktops, to Linux [16]. Famous companies of the rank of IBM and Novell experienced a rebirth, taking Linux as a basis, and plans to re-equip government institutions in Brazil [19], India [20], China and other countries foreshadow the entry into the Linux-community of tens of millions of new users.
And that's not counting the countless small institutions like the city administration of Munich [22], the school system of the state of Indiana [23], and the US Army Land Warrior program. By adding to this the millions of users covered by the One Laptop per Child initiative (a laptop for every child) and a massive presence in educational institutions, you will realize that outside the United States the world sees Linux as the basis of computer literacy of the younger generation.
Of course, Linux works great not only in manufacturing and in institutions. If you are browsing a website, talking on a cell phone, checking email, getting cash at an ATM, or just pressing the brake pedal with an anti-lock system, it is very likely that it controls all of these Linux.
In addition, about 70% of the market of supercomputers is listed for Linux [25]. All this means that Linux occupies a reliable position in the market of embedded systems, servers, and the latest hardware, without losing sight of the desktop.
5. Linux is developed and maintained by amateurs.
Yes, the Linux kernel alone was written by a college student, but a lot has changed since then. Today, Linux is a global technology worth billions of dollars. The vast majority of code is now written by professional programmers [26]. During the past year, most of the code modifications were made by IBM, Intel, Novell, VMware and other large companies, all of which are not counted. In addition to actively developing code, other companies, such as Dell, encourage manufacturers to develop high-quality software for Linux [27]. And this is without taking into account the activities of educational and government institutions: an example is a security patch developed and applied by the National Security Agency for internal use, but available to anyone who wishes, - SELinux.
The level of support is also highly professional. Of course, countless forums, IRC channels and wiki are still available. In addition, help can be found in numerous books, technical descriptions or in reference to well-known companies, from IBM and Oracle [29] to Novell and Red Hat. 24-hour assistance in any of the dozens of supported languages ​​is available along with support for the free software community.
That's all in general terms. There are other interesting points, but the ones listed above are definitely the most serious misconceptions about Linux that are constantly on the ear. Basically, they arose because of ignorance and come from those who either did not work in Linux at all, or did not notice the rapid evolution of recent years. Of course, Linux, like any other software, is not perfect, but this is a topic for another article. Making a decision is a matter for the responsible administrator, who is able to calculate the company's benefits, has an open mind and weighs all the options, without discarding any suggestions from the open source software.
Translation made for Linux in Digg in Russian .
- 01. http: //www.microsoft-watch.com/content/server/longhorn_server_comes_when ...
04. http://www.linux.com/articles/59150
07. http://www.oracle.com/technologies/linux/index.html
08. http://doc.gwos.org/index.php/Native_Games
13. http://www.apache-asp.org/
15. http: //www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2002/08/54504? CurrentPage = ...
16. http://www.tectonic.co.za/view.php?id=1347
19. http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/news/2003/11/61257
20. http://www.digitaltippingpoint.com/?q=node/106
22. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6119153.html
23. http: //news.com.com/Indiana+schools+enroll+Linux/2100-7344_3-5820237.htm ...
25. http://www.top500.org/stats/list/29/os
26. http: //www.computerworlduk.com/technology/hardware/processors/news-analy ...
27. http://www.phoronix.com/?page=news_item&px=NTkxOA
29. http://www.oracle.com/technologies/linux/index.html
1. Linux is hopelessly behind
We often hear: “ Linux is five years behind XP and 10 years behind Vista !” Well, here are the facts:
- Windows began to distinguish between ordinary user and administrator accounts by default only in Vista, 15 years behind Linux.
- Windows applied a firewall in 2001, more than seven years after ipchains acquired Linux in 1994.
- Linux was the first operating system to support the x86_64 architecture, beating Windows XP Pro x64 by two years.
- Windows received an attractive 3D-accelerated GUI in Vista, a full year after the advent of XGL for Linux.
- The Linux package management system “can” install, uninstall, and update programs using a single interface. Any installed program, from Apache to OpenOffice and Quake 4, can be updated with one keystroke. Windows does not even plan this.
With this, Linux is constantly evolving. The Xen project has brought virtualization in Linux to an unprecedented level, and kernel developers continue to work on the built-in capabilities of enterprise-level virtualization [4]. Microsoft promised to include built-in virtualization - similar to Xen - in Windows Server 2008 next year, but then reported that the inclusion of the function is delayed and most likely will be implemented after the release of the new server [1], possibly in SP1, which will provide leadership Linux in the field of embedded virtualization for at least two more years before Windows realizes it.
2. Linux is too complicated
')
Many could not get any benefit from Linux, and the Linux-desktop in fact did not even see. Much more serious is the fact that many people who have a tendency towards technical creativity failed when they tried Linux during the rapid development of the Internet, removed it from their lives and never returned. These and other reasons have resulted in Linux being considered an overly complex system.
Okay, let's take a modern Linux distribution (for example, Ubuntu). Ubuntu has a convenient graphical user interface, Macintosh fans like OS X. But this interface is not the only one, it is possible to install both duplicates of Windows XP and special-purpose interfaces (for example, designed for weak machines or, on the contrary, flavored with ultra-modern graphic effects). In addition, many common tasks and functions, from system upgrade to full indexing, are automatically performed by default.
And all this is typical for any level of use of Linux. For example, Novell's Yast provides a simple and easy-to-use graphical interface for performing virtually any administrative operation, from installing and updating software to managing DNS, mail, and a web server. If there is no desire, then you can not look at the command line or configuration files at all.
All this completes the first-class installation process. The installation of Ubuntu comes from a full-fledged working environment that allows you to access the Internet, play computer games and send messages, as the installation wizard guarantees not only a flawless installation, but also a complete automation of the process, all that the user has to do is to know how to click the Next button. "(Of course, if he does not want to know more).
3. Linux has compatibility issues
Any program, from Maya and Oracle [7] to Firefox, is also on Linux. There are Linux and computer games, from Doom, Quake and the Unreal Tournament series to small games like Darwinia [8].
Along with native applications, the free (not) WINE emulator, as well as commercial CrossOver and VMWare, allow you to run almost any program, from iTunes to MS Office and Photoshop; and for $ 5 a month, Cedega provides computer-battles fans with emulation of several hundred Windows games, from Battlefield 2042 to World of Warcraft.
As a result, alternatives to Windows programs can replace the existing system either with minimal effort or without them at all. Apache can work with ASP code [13], OpenOffice reads and saves Microsoft formats, and any well-known distribution can easily join a domain or simply view Windows-files and shared printers.
Hardware support is as developed: in fact, Linux supports more diverse hardware than any other operating system. From a PDA to a computer center and everything in between, including equipment that is considered obsolete and no longer supported by Windows — connecting to a Linux machine will give you a chance to bring it back to life. Contrary to popular belief, supported by the mass of a variety of consumer digital devices, from video cameras to iPod, the latest video and wireless cards.
4. Corporations do not trust Linux / Nobody uses Linux.
Amazon and Google [15] will disagree - because their technologies are based on Linux. PSA Peugeot Citroen, the second largest car manufacturer in Europe, announced this year that it will not only transfer its 2,500 servers, but also 20,000 desktops, to Linux [16]. Famous companies of the rank of IBM and Novell experienced a rebirth, taking Linux as a basis, and plans to re-equip government institutions in Brazil [19], India [20], China and other countries foreshadow the entry into the Linux-community of tens of millions of new users.
And that's not counting the countless small institutions like the city administration of Munich [22], the school system of the state of Indiana [23], and the US Army Land Warrior program. By adding to this the millions of users covered by the One Laptop per Child initiative (a laptop for every child) and a massive presence in educational institutions, you will realize that outside the United States the world sees Linux as the basis of computer literacy of the younger generation.
Of course, Linux works great not only in manufacturing and in institutions. If you are browsing a website, talking on a cell phone, checking email, getting cash at an ATM, or just pressing the brake pedal with an anti-lock system, it is very likely that it controls all of these Linux.
In addition, about 70% of the market of supercomputers is listed for Linux [25]. All this means that Linux occupies a reliable position in the market of embedded systems, servers, and the latest hardware, without losing sight of the desktop.
5. Linux is developed and maintained by amateurs.
Yes, the Linux kernel alone was written by a college student, but a lot has changed since then. Today, Linux is a global technology worth billions of dollars. The vast majority of code is now written by professional programmers [26]. During the past year, most of the code modifications were made by IBM, Intel, Novell, VMware and other large companies, all of which are not counted. In addition to actively developing code, other companies, such as Dell, encourage manufacturers to develop high-quality software for Linux [27]. And this is without taking into account the activities of educational and government institutions: an example is a security patch developed and applied by the National Security Agency for internal use, but available to anyone who wishes, - SELinux.
The level of support is also highly professional. Of course, countless forums, IRC channels and wiki are still available. In addition, help can be found in numerous books, technical descriptions or in reference to well-known companies, from IBM and Oracle [29] to Novell and Red Hat. 24-hour assistance in any of the dozens of supported languages ​​is available along with support for the free software community.
That's all in general terms. There are other interesting points, but the ones listed above are definitely the most serious misconceptions about Linux that are constantly on the ear. Basically, they arose because of ignorance and come from those who either did not work in Linux at all, or did not notice the rapid evolution of recent years. Of course, Linux, like any other software, is not perfect, but this is a topic for another article. Making a decision is a matter for the responsible administrator, who is able to calculate the company's benefits, has an open mind and weighs all the options, without discarding any suggestions from the open source software.
Translation made for Linux in Digg in Russian .
- 01. http: //www.microsoft-watch.com/content/server/longhorn_server_comes_when ...
04. http://www.linux.com/articles/59150
07. http://www.oracle.com/technologies/linux/index.html
08. http://doc.gwos.org/index.php/Native_Games
13. http://www.apache-asp.org/
15. http: //www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2002/08/54504? CurrentPage = ...
16. http://www.tectonic.co.za/view.php?id=1347
19. http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/news/2003/11/61257
20. http://www.digitaltippingpoint.com/?q=node/106
22. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6119153.html
23. http: //news.com.com/Indiana+schools+enroll+Linux/2100-7344_3-5820237.htm ...
25. http://www.top500.org/stats/list/29/os
26. http: //www.computerworlduk.com/technology/hardware/processors/news-analy ...
27. http://www.phoronix.com/?page=news_item&px=NTkxOA
29. http://www.oracle.com/technologies/linux/index.html
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/31266/
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