FEAR, TRUTH AND LIES

First, I must apologize to the readers. English is one of the languages that I use the least, so you will find errors for sure.

Today I will write about something that you heard about zillion times, however, in a slightly different angle. Today I will write about operating systems, computer users, habits. Today I will write about fear.
In order to transmit my point of view, I need to explain few things before I start.

People

Nowadays, we are in a kind of a little non-violent world war between die-hard and technically educated users of Windows, linux, Mac and other systems. Not fully pointless, but one truth was missed; vast majority of computer users doesn't even know or doesn't even care to know what system they are using, what are pros and cons, how it is working and other similar, totally insignificant questions.
They go to Wal-Mart (or anywhere else) and buy the computer. Then they send e-mail, see some websites, write some recipe, see some video, listen to some music and chat with other people. They don't have fear because the computer they bought does the job which was bought for. You cannot explain to them to switch from Z to Y because they do not see the point and they cannot understand you.

Second kind of people are the ones with minimal-to-intermediate technical knowledge, because they are already computer/Windows users since the while back. They are the focus of my article, they feel all might of fear, all might of uncertainty and all might of doubt. They are also the most vulnerable to the war that was led by third kind.

Third kind are highly IT educated, leaders of their fractions, enterprises, small companies, groups and individuals that do create the war, which leads to fear, uncertainty and doubts. Their goals vary from profit, power lust, freedom, rebellion to the system etc. They are part of our modern lives, which could not be imagined without them.

Truth and lies

There is only one truth, but the truth is bigger than the words we could ever invent to describe it. So we have to satisfy ourselves with the vast palette of truth interpretations, which truth depends only of the point of view. Some interpretations are really true, but as a fraction of the truth, and lies - vice versa.

Some of the popular truths and lies are:

1. "Linux is free, free as a 'free speech', not as a 'free beer'. " - TRUTH! Anyone cares? Maybe. Majority doesn't.
2. "Windows is good/bad OS, Linux is better/worse" - LIE! OS is good/bad as it can/cannot fit our needs.
3. "Total cost of ownership (TCO) of Linux OS is higher then overall TCO of Windows" - malicious lie which became the truth due to FEAR and endless repetitions
4. "Linux is OS" - well, partial truth. More false then true, depends on a point of view.

My favorites are 1 and 4.
Linux is free as in "free speech", but I couldn't care less. I want to do with my computer what I do want to do with my computer, and guess what? - I do not want to pay for it.
My choice is based on Linux kernel. That is how I came to my other favorite, No 4.

Linux is NOT an OS. Technically speaking, it is Kernel (heart of OS), but not very usable without software/application/visual wrapper. Yes, it is OS as by definition, OS job is to work with devices and hardware components in a user friendly way, but to be HUMAN-FRIENDLY, it's just not enough. This is how we come to something which is called "Distro" - Distribution, flavor of Linux.
This is what OS really is (in human way of thinking).
Countless number of enthusiasts, professionals are using their free or paid time to make software that will wrap around the heart of OS to make it the most usable for the some general or specific purpose. All Linux-based systems are derived from and/or around the same piece of code to create a variety of operating systems, flavors which we nowadays call simply "Linux".

Microsoft, on the other hand, dreamed to create easy to use, general-purpose system that will provide instant and effortless access to all features that it provides. That required some compromises of security and other highly technical crap we could talk for hours. Also, they had in mind that all computers in the world run it. And they succeeded.
Whoever calls Windows a worthless piece of garbage is wrong. It gained billions and conquered the world, monopolizing the market. No garbage can do that!

FEAR

When the competition started to rise to seriously endanger the dominance of mentioned enterprise, which happened only a couple of years ago, they started to do counter-propaganda. They talked so much lies and garbage in a language that only people from the second category was able to understand. Remember? People from 1st category didn't care, from 3rd category couldn't believe their eyes and ears.

Since the people from the second category has access to information, likes to read etc, they wanted to find out who are they talking about and who are they against. Yea... Linux.
They read that it is excellent, they read it is bad. They read it is secure and virus free, they read that it is not compatible. They read it is free, they read it costs more.
To be frank, it confused me too. Confusion creates doubt. Doubt create fear.

Well, some of them dared even to install it (most of them on a virtual machine). Since they are very used on Windows and they think Window's way, majority gave up.
Me, of all qualities and flaws God has given me, I am damn stubborn son of a gun!

Why the people are afraid?
That they will loose some precious files, contacts and e-mails? Yes, they will. I did. Well, mostly because I never could remember to do the backup. But that's not the point.

That they will have problems finding their way in a new environment? Yes, they will. I did. But that's not the point.

That they will have to browse endless websites and read tons of books just to do some basic operations? Well, yes, partially. Nowadays with some nice distros like openSUSE, Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS etc. this is very very simplified, but this will not eliminate necessity of it. But that's not the point.

Point is that people are change resistant. People does not want things to change. It is just an effort, completely unnecessary (when there is necessity, all of the text written so far is obsolete).
That effort will require time, energy, frustration.

Q: So why to change your OS?
A: There is no particular reason.

But...

But some people are curious. Some people are just sick of reinstalling OS every other month. Some people don't want to loose files due to virus infection. Some people wants to learn. Some people wants to extract the last atom of power out of the machines they bought. Some people wants speed. Some people likes to be different.
At the end, some people just don't want to pay for something they can have it for free.

Whatever your reason is to use or reject Linux-based operating system, I support you!
(...as if you were asking for it, silly me!)