Linux Myths
From TWUUG
Linux is hard to install
Actually, most people report that installing Linux is now easier than installing a boxed MS-Windows. For one, Linux has far more hardware support from the start. If you can install MS-Windows, you can install Linux. In fact, it is usually installs in HALF the time, too.
Linux is hard to use
If you can use MS-Windows or MacOS, you can use Linux's KDE or Gnome desktop environments without any problems. Yes, some things look different, and there will be a learning curve, but (for example) the same is true if you upgrade from XP to Vista.
Using Linux requires using a text-based command-line
While it is true that Linux (like Unix) has a very powerful command-line, knowing how to use it is not a requirement for using Linux. Most Linux distributions have a full management GUI, just like MS-Windows and MacOS.
Linux is just too new
Linux first emerged in 1991 and built on Unix technology that has been improving and evolving since 1970! So, although it might be new to you, but it is not new or immature.
There aren't many Linux users out there
It is impossible to know just how many Linux users or machines run Linux because it is all free. Linuxcounter.org estimates there are over 30 million people who use Linux regularly or exclusively, but many believe that estimate is too low. Plus, that number does not include embedded devices such as DVR's, GPS systems, and phones.
Businesses don't use Linux
In 2009, a survey showed that 472 of the top 500 super computers in the world run Linux. A survey by Saugatuck Research estimates that nearly half of all enterprises run mission-critical business applications on Linux. In 2009, an IDC survey found that 55 percent of the 300 IT executives surveyed already had Linux systems in use and nearly 50 percent expect to accelerate adoption of Linux on the desktop. In 2008, even Microsoft reported that 60% of business servers run Linux.
There are no real companies supporting Linux
Most of the biggest names in the computer industry stand behind Linux, including IBM, Dell, HP, Novell, Oracle, and Sun.
There is no Office type application for Linux
There are a several good MS Office compatible type suites for Linux, the most famous being the free OpenOffice. Plus there are hundreds of stand-alone productivity applications.
Linux is a fad that will disappear in a few years
Time has already proven this myth incorrect. Linux has continued to grow, expand, and become more and more sophisticated over the last 18 years. Being Free and Open Source Software, Linux is assured a long future that is not easily corrupted.
There are not many software applications for Linux
Each Linux distribution has literally thousands of free, open-source applications that can be installed with just a few clicks. Some repositories have over 20,000 packages in them. While it is true there are less commercial applications for Linux than for MS-Windows, there is no lack of a robust user experience.
Using Linux requires giving up my MS-Windows software
Most MS-Windows software can run under Linux using WINE. Also, MS-Windows can be installed inside Linux with programs like [www.virtualbox.org VirtualBox].
Because Linux is free, it must not be very good
Some of the best things in life are free. Thousands of people volunteer their time to making Linux and other FOSS better. But more importantly, hundreds of businesses spend their resources enhancing and improving Linux, so they must place value on it.
Microsoft will just buy out Linux and take it over
While Microsoft might have many billions of dollars, they can't directly “take over†Linux, because Linux is Free and Open Source Software. Linux is not a company or product that can be bought.
You can't buy a computer with Linux pre-installed
While this is usually (but not always) true for local chain stores (like Best Buy and Office Max), most of the major computer manufacturers offer at least a few models with Linux pre-installed and available for purchase on-line.
Linux has no games
While it is true that Linux has far, far fewer games than MS Windows or gaming consoles, there are still hundreds of very nice games available. Plus, some games can be run under WINE, like World of Warcraft.
Linux is not compatible with MacOS or MS Windows Files
While it is true that without emulation you can't run program files from MacOS or MS Windows, Linux is compatible with the majority of file types from both. Whether it is a JPEG photograph, an MP3 music file, or an MS-Word document, it is likely there is a Linux program that can open it.
Apple MacOS gives all the advantages of Linux
While running MacOS goes have a lot of advantages, it is not free, open source, and multi-platform like Linux is. Linux also tends to be more configurable and customizable and is not used to promote proprietary file formats, DRM ("Digital Rights Management"), or brand lock-in.