Why I'm switching to Linux

Please don't take this the wrong way. I'm not a Microsoft hater or a Bill Gates basher. I wouldn't be where I am today without Windows. Our business would not be a success if we did not promote Windows software. And I made a living for many years writing about Windows, reviewing Windows software and helping magazine readers with their Windows computer problems in the PC Advisor magazine Helproom column. But I'm finally making the switch to Linux.

This isn't a sudden decision, but one I've been working up to for a long time. There is no one single reason for it, but a multitude of them that finally add up to more of a plus for switching than the actual hassle of doing so is a minus.

For example, I've long felt that Microsoft's dominance of the market for PC operating systems is like a straitjacket. True, it has simplified things for end users, most of whom probably couldn't care less what operating system their computer runs. According to many independent software vendors (ISVs) the ubiquity of Windows has made life easier for them, because they can just develop for Windows and forget everything else, instead of having the extra work of developing for several platforms, as they'd have to if there were several platforms each with significant market share. But it has led to the situation where if you don't like the Microsoft Way there aren't a lot of alternatives.

Take Windows Genuine Advantage (yes, puhleeese take it!) Believe me, it's not in my interest to support crackers and pirates, but no ISV would dare to implement such an intrusive and insulting anti-piracy scheme. At Tech-Pro we only buy PCs from top brand vendors like Dell, Toshiba and Acer, who are not in the habit of putting pirate copies of Windows on their PCs. Yet I've twice seen computers that worked fine up to yesterday suddenly refuse access because there was something wrong with activation. And like everyone else I suffer the hassle of having to undergo regular WGA checks before I can download something from Microsoft's website. Listen up, people. If it was genuine when it left the factory it should still be genuine now, so why are you wasting my time? You shouldn't treat your valued, legal customers this way. WGA has become a Windows Genuine Disadvantage.

Then there's Windows Vista. I mean, who on earth decided that what the world needed was translucent window frames? And what's the idea behind hiding the menu bar unless you press the Alt key? Many things changed so that you couldn't find them where you expected them. If you're busy, you don't want to spend time learning new ways to do what you take for granted. One of the most compelling arguments against switching to Linux was the amount of new stuff you'd have to learn, and the number of applications you'd have to find alternatives for. Microsoft's new version of Windows now comes with all those same disadvantages. Not to mention the bloat. What is all that 3GB of stuff for, and why do I need it when what I do with a computer is basically the same as what I did ten years ago when 3GB was larger than my entire hard drive?

The Microsoft Way is not where I want to go today, or any day. But in the past, any attempt to go a different route led to quickly getting bogged down. Linux seemed like a promising alternative, but when you actually tried it, the hassles led you to sigh, turn round and go back to Microsoft Way again. But now the obstacles that blocked the route to Linux are finally down. The path still isn't completely smooth, but it's navigable, and the destination looks worth getting to.

We'll still be using Windows at the Tech-Pro offices. Most people still want Windows software so we still need to be able to test it. But I'll be using Linux for home and hobby computing. We may even start using it on the administrative side, which is managed via the web anyway. I'll be writing more about my path to Linux in future blog entries.

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