How can one say Linux is $-free . . . ?

[Gilles Gravier]

Many people argue the meaning of free.

The most accepted idea is that Linux is free as in "free speech". It 
comes with almost zero strings attached as to how you may use it, what 
you may use it for, what you may use it on, what you decide to add to or 
remove from it... You are FREE to use Linux as you like.

Now... about cost. Everything has a cost. As you state... it can be 
money... but it can be time. Time often equals money. Companies that 
decide to go to open source often find that there are significant costs 
attached in any case. If only because nobody deploys a mission critical 
infrastructure (even open-source based) with out world-class support... 
and that is never free... not if you want SLAs for your support.

So you just noticed that Linux, in order to use it, you need experience. 
Either you HAVE that experience... or you need to aquire it... spending 
time to learn, or money on an expert. But you think Windows doesn't come 
with this same price? You are wrong. Let me tell you why.

When you install Ubuntu, you get tens of applications pre-configured, 
pre-integrated on your machine. All that works together once you've 
spent a bit of time configuring it. When you buy a PC with Windows 
pre-installed, all this is done for you by dozens of engineers who have 
invested hours of time to get it right so that consumers can have a 
great experience.

What you need to compare it is taking a blank PC... installing a simple 
pure Windows XP CD... Then going out there and getting the same high 
quality applications for your machine so that you can burn CDs (take 
Nero) view DVDs (CyberLink Power DVD) manipulate images (Photoshop 
Elements), view mail in a safe way (remove Outlook, add Thunderbird), 
surf safely (add Firefox, configure it as default), install Java, 
install an anti-virus (you don't need one for Linux), an anti-spam, an 
anti-spyware, get the latest drivers for your devices... This usually 
takes for somebody who really knows what they are doing, a day. For 
somebody who does it for the first time, it takes weeks.

Don't abandon yet. You are just getting to the point were you know as 
much about Linux as you need to know about Windows... but your operating 
system (Linux) is inherently more stable, secure, performing... so you 
are actually way ahead of the Windows race. Keep up. Ask questions here.

And enjoy Ubuntu.

Gilles.


YAGNESH N DESAI wrote:
> Friends;
>  
> I just shifted to Linux and have tried on laptop read a lot about the
> meaning of Free. But just was wondering is it really $-free . . . ?
>  
> I have invested 40hrs and still counting on getting and installing 
> Linux and
> trying to make it work. (Though it was fun but its not yet working to 
> my full
> satisfaction and I am at it).
>  
> While above time does not includes my time participating in such 
> discussions
> and preparing pages on my experience.
>  
> Also after all this efforts I am not able to compile
> many of the softwares in ubuntu I tried to compile Mplayer from its 
> official site. . .
> Many of the downloads compilations are in .rpm package which means do 
> I need
> an RedHat based Linux too on my laptop?
>  
> I know I am putting a cat among the pigeons.
>  
> Replies awaited . . .
>  
> Yagnesh

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