The other day I got into a somewhat heated discussion about why Linux is a viable alternative desktop OS. Despite my best efforts, I was unable to move the other side past the rhetoric and myths that seem to surround Linux. It is because of this discussion that I am writing this…as a way to give accurate information. Let’s start by looking at some of the most common myths.

You can install and run Ubuntu from within Windows without any risk of accidentally deleting your existing programs and files by using Wubi, an unofficial Ubuntu installer for Windows users.

A question from John.P in Texas: “…About the poll called “Are you considering a switch from Windows to Linux?” I see that almost 47% of visitors say “Yes” (so did I). I am an XP user and was wondering if you can post a short note for advice about switching to Linux?…“spacer_gif Switching From XP to Linux - Should You?

Locating files that you know exist, but you can’t remember where they are can be frustrating. There are a handful of GUI-based search tools for Linux and Unix, but if you prefer to work in the command line, or don’t have one of these special apps installed, you can often fall back on command line tool locate.

A very thorough analogy of web standards relating to the upcoming IE 8.0, its standards compliance, and the effect it will have on the net.

Ubuntu has become the most popular Linux distribution for new Linux users. It's easy to install, easy to use, and usually "just works." But moving to a different operating system can be confusing, no matter how well-designed it is.

What have you heard about Linux? An operating system which is hard to learn with a shell for typing complex commands?

Keeping with our Linux theme for the week, I present this week’s Orientation on, well, Linux.