There is a popular myth that Linux is complicated and hard to use by a non-techie. While there are distros and advanced Linux functionality that do require tech skills, this doesn’t mean Linux is hard to use. On the contrary, there are lots of things in the philosophy and functionality of Linux that make a user’s life easier.
1. What Is Linux?
Linux is a household name for sure, but still you can bet there are millions of users outside the tech community who don’t know about it. In a nutshell Linux (or more accurately, GNU/Linux) is an operating system, like Windows or Mac OS. Unlike them, Linux isn’t produced by a particular company but by a huge community of developers.
Linux is open source and is free – that’s right, you don’t need to purchase a license to install and use it. What is more, most of the Linux software is free, too.
2. Easy to Choose the Most Suitable Linux Distro
One of the most distinguishing features of Linux is that it offers a huge choice of distros. A distro, or a distribution, is a version of the software with particular features in it. For instance, there are distros for beginners, like Ubuntu or Linux Mint, or distros that are optimized to run on old computers, like Puppy Linux, or distros for gamers, or multimedia distros, security focused distros, etc. – the list is endless. This huge choice of available distros makes it easy to choose the one(s) that are most suitable for you.
3. No Need to Install It – Just Run It
Another remarkable aspect of Linux is that many distros can be run from a USB. This means you don’t need to install it on your hard drive – just get a bootable USB stick with the distro of your choice, plug it in a USB port and run it. Can it get easier than that?
Additionally, installing Linux software is pretty simple. Most of the software the typical user needs can be found in centralized software repositories. You just find it in the list and install it in a second. You can install dozens of apps at a time, and this rarely involves restarting your computer.
4. Better Security and Privacy Protection
Linux is also known for its security and privacy protection. This applies to the average distro, too, not only to the security-focused ones. Of course, you can’t say malware is unheard of under Linux, but the amount of viruses and other threats is much lower than with other operating systems. You can get an anti-malware program, if you insist, but for Linux, unlike Windows, this isn’t a must.
5. Linux Runs on Old Hardware, Too
In addition to the zero cost of the software license, another benefit of Linux is that it runs decently on low-end and/or old hardware, too. Sure, with a more powerful computer, things will be faster, but even a ten-year old machine can be used to run some Linux. Not every distro will run on a ten-year-old machine, but almost any of the distros made specifically for old computers, such as antiX, will perform just fine.
6. Customize It the Way You Want
One more way in which Linux makes your life easier is with its huge customization options. Don’t like a particular feature, functionality, look and feel, etc.? Chances are you can change it. You can’t change absolutely everything, but still customization options in Linux are thousands of times more than in any other operating system.
You can probably think of many more ways in which Linux makes your life easier, but even these few points show its advantages. If you have never tried Linux because you think it’s too complicated for you, this may not be the case, and you might want to consider trying it. In the beginning the journey might be kind of rough, but after a while you’ll see you are on the right track.