My experience with Open Source compared using Linux

The majority of businesses in the world uses Open Source and Linux. The following is always heard when these  are presented: 

• It is cheap 
• It is stable 
• It is popular in the cloud and server world 
• It gives you the freedom to change the code of software or kernel 
• It is flexible and hardware friendly 
• Less support costs (for big companies) – Offers options to try it out 

Why I use Open Source software

I can still remember those days when I was a Windows user  and was searching for cracks and patches to crack my anti-virus for  example, so I could update Windows. I also did the same with Adobe softwares. For  Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office I used KMSPico, which is known  for the patching (cracking) of certain Microsoft products, such as Microsoft Office. I have struggled for years with it, but from 2012 all these patches/cracks were available on Google. Sometimes I could even find some  cracks and patches on torrent sites, which are available till today.

My experience with Open Source/FOSS

One day my IT teacher described all operation systems (Windows, Mac OSX, Solaris, Linux, etc...), however Linux was a  new subject for me. At the end of our class my classmate and I talked  about it and we decided to get to know Linux. After having seen the Ubuntu Unity desktop I was wondering what I would be able to do with it.  The first time I saw it I created a dual-boot of Ubuntu with Windows Vista. I did not have much knowledge of Ubuntu, but spent half of the  day which I normally spent on Windows, on the Linux software. I was just doing some research with the file browser and the menu. Thanks to the Ubuntu Software Center I was able to install softwares. After a while I installed a cracked version Windows 8.1. It was normal for me to search for cracks and patches for a  commercial software. The reason for this was the fact that I was having  issues with the Windows Vista (Service Pack 1) regarding compatibility,  even towards the Windows 7/8.1. After about 2-3 months I decided to stop  using Windows 8.1, because I had discovered something better, Linux, and I also did not have sufficient space on my hard-drive. From that moment on I became a full Linux user. For years I have been a Windows user and I have found software, tools, tricks and also what Linux offers, in a nutshell all things that can give a pleasant time on a  machine. Some examples are: 

• The terminal
• The  performance of Ubuntu Linux (On amd athlon dual-core, 4gb ram DDR2 133mhz) 
• Open Source software which offers a unique/different environment
• Linux operates out of  the box and is easy to maintain in comparison with Windows, which means  no more troubles with backgroundprocesses. 

I have had moments where an operating  system on a laptop was strange to some people. Then I introduced them to  Linux en Open Source. It seemed like the people I knew were not  interested in Linux at all. Someone even recommended I should use Linux  Ubuntu, because I had a lot of experience with Windows ->  troubleshooting, repair etc. (I started when I was a teenager) What I  noticed was that people had the idea that Linux Ubuntu was for highly  experienced people (an IT professional), but then I was in Secondary  school and did not know much about it. 

Why people still use Windows

It is the most used operation system in  the whole world and laptops and computers are sold with Windows  installed with the standard Windows softwares. I personally experienced  Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 as very nice operating systems. I used it for  years and there are even moments when I look back at my old computer on  which I had Windows XP en Windows 7 installed. I am not trying to make a  statement that everyone should work with Open Source, it is just that  there are people who have never heard of Open Source or Linux. In the past I was a Windows user but I  switched to Linux/Open Source because I found more options with Linux.  You might also hear people saying that Linux is not for desktop or  normal computer users, but I do not agree with them. The idea that Linux  is at a lower level compared to other softwares is incorrect. Linux is  being updated every year and new features are implemented by the Linux  software developers who are doing a great job! 

This is a blog article I wrote 2 years ago laying around in some of my old document files. The next article will be about my experience with Arch Linux, CentOS Fedora and setting up company-based virtual machines. I hope you liked my article as much as I like sharing a little of my experience.