Why Linux?

What is Linux?

Linux, or GNU/Linux, is an operating system made possible by the linux kernel and the GNU toolchain. It is a unix-like operating system used by tinkerers and hobbyists. Though some would prefer the term GNU/Linux, I think Linux would suffice for this post.

Why Linux?

Due to the free (as in freedom) nature of Linux-based operating systems, it is possible to configure the system to be exactly what you want. Do you want it to look like windows? Do you want it to look like a Mac? Or has it ever occured to you that people could interact with computers beyond the UX of the 2 aforementioned operating systems? I would like to invite you to take a look here. Here you can find the creativity of the Linux community in full display. Linux can look like whatever you want it to be.

But beauty is more than skin deep. How the system is arranged in Linux is built on the well-established and well-thought foundations of the Unix Operating System. Though components of Linux have changed over time, it is mostly for the better (some might argue that Pulseaudio, Systemd and even Wayland is turning Linux into the devil himself), and this is possible because most of the Linux tools and programs do one thing, and do it well (this is called the Unix philosophy). The aforementioned components that were/are controversial are controversial because they add complexity and counters the Unix philosophy. Though this seems disastrous, these tools have been widely adopted because the circumstances that necessitated their creation have forced us to adopt newer principles that are more forward thinking and in the long run, might be able to keep things simpler. This is the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) philosophy at play, and it might seem strange that sometimes to really stick to KISS, we must accept a degree of complexity. But I am going off-tangent. Linux is a KISS operating system, and that allows many well-written software to play nice with each other. Systems with stable versions of Linux distributions (we call the different variations of Linux “distributions”) are able to run with years of uptime without needing to restart and this is a testament of how robust the system is. This is why most servers and supercomputers use Linux. You can trust the system to get your job done.

Because of its design, it promotes a habit of exploring and tinkering. Don’t you want to know how your machine ticks? Though Linux looks difficult and niche, it is the easiest operating system to tinker and yet still have a somewhat-stable machine to still daily drive. This is possible because the inner workings follow the KISS philosophy and can be understood by normal human beings if people just put a little time into reading the documentation. Speaking of documentation, there is a wealth of documentation by just Googling the right terms. But we don’t even need Google, because “–help” arguments and man (short for manual) pages are available with every program.

With enough tinkering, you will eventually tweak the system to be exactly what you need it to be. All the excess cruft and bloat can be shaven away, not that computers nowadays needs to be optimized to the megabyte, but your computer should reflect the state of your mind: having only what you need and not having baggage that distracts you from life. When you log into your Linux machine, you automatically feel more productive, because it has been optimized to the point that you can’t help but do some work on it. It invites you to use it to better yourself. Your computer shouldn’t own you. You shouldn’t adapt to questionable design choices that big corporations try to force down your throat. You deserve better. You deserve your own operating system, and with a little work, Linux can be that operating system.