Freedman's article- was Re: back for modem advice

[Bob Hemus]

The  isn't the best, but...
I 'What's Next I ByDazvid H. Freedman

Tec lt geeks have long praised open-source software. Now's the time
to see what the fuss is about

MICROSOFT'S RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT that the longanticipated new version of its 
Windows operating system, Vista, has been delayed into January
2007 leaves several questions hanging. Will Vista offer enough benefits to 
make it worth the cost of upgrading? Will those who hang on to the
current version of Windows end up locked out of new software and 
peripherals?
A recent report by the research firm Gartner asserted that as many as half 
of all pes will not be able to run many of Vista's most sophisticated
features. Given that, is upgrading even a smart option? But if the 
t'0nfusion over Windows is deepening, the opposite is true of Linux.
Linux, of course, is the alternative to Windows that comes from the world of 
open-source software-meaning no company owns it, it's available for free, 
and
it boasts a worldwide network of programmers constantly trying to perfect 
it. For the most part, Linux has been used by geeks who enjoy rolling up 
their sl
eeves and getting under the hood of their software. Even the mention of 
Linux is enough to pull most nontechie managers out of their comfort zone.
But the notion that Linux is a complicated, alien, experts-only operating 
system is no longer true. Not only is Linux becoming a mainstream product 
that can be
considered a reasonable alternative to Windows for just about anyone, it's 
actually easy for nontechies to install. Linux looks pretty much like 
Windows
these days, so you won't face a steep learning curve in putting it to work. 
And you'll probably never have to worry about a big-bang upgrade to a 
radically
new version because Liriux gets updated routinely every six months or so, 
incrementally, at little or no cost.
I'm not suggesting that switching an entire company over to Linux and other 
open-source software is a no-brainer. There are pros and cons that need to 
be assessed by a
smart tech person. On the plus side:
You'll save money on computing costs with Linux, you won't be locked into 
Microsoft (or Apple), and your computers will be safer from hackers and 
viruses. On the other hand, you'll have fewer options in application 
software than with Windows, and you'll need access to some new technical 
expertise. But let's say you're at least mildly intrigued about this notion 
ofless expensive software that leaves you free of Microsoft's strategies and 
whims. Perhaps you've heard of other companies in your industry switching, 
and you've had some of your own staff mention an interest in Linux. Why not 
see for yourself what the fuss is about? The Linux world has come up with 
some utterly painless and riskless ways for any average Joe to give Linux a 
test drive-on your own PC, in as little as a few minutes, no expertise 
required. Go for it. It's easy, it won't cost you anything, and if you're at 
all in touch with your inner nerd you might actually have some fun. What's 
more, it just might end up being the first small step in a revolution in the 
way your company approaches technology. There are dozens of versions 
ofLinux-called "distributions;' or "distros" -out there, but hold that 
thought. Your more immediate decision is how to get it on your Pc. There are 
three ways:

Live CD: If you want a truly riskless means for experiencing Linux, this is 
the way to go. Just stick one of these CDs in your computer, restart it, and 
Linux will fire up entirely from the CD, ignoring Windows. Until you turn 
off your computer again, it will operate as a fully functional Linux 
machine, albeit a very, very slow one. Pull out the CD, restart, and it will 
be as if the entire trial were a dream. You can even run some distributions 
ofLinux, such as Damn Small Linux, from one of those tiny USB drives.

Parallel installation: Some Linux distributions are easily downloaded and 
installed on your PC's hard disk alongside Windows, so that each time you 
turn on your computer you'll have a choice ofLinux or Windows. Your Windows 
world will remain entirely separate and unaffected. You won't be able to 
switch back and forth between the two operating systems while the computer 
is running-it's one or the other between restarts-so this wouldn't be a 
long-term solution for someone who really wants constant access to both.

But chances are you'll soon decide you want to either commit to Linux or 
ditch it. Windows replacement: This is going whole hog. Windows is wiped 
out, freeing up your whole disk, so you're all Linux, all the time. Going 
back to Windows requires a full-on reinstalL

Now, on to the question of which distribution of Linux to try. An 
exploration ofthe tradeoffs of the multitude ofLinuxes would take a small 
book. But it's worth noting that while the majority of Linuxes are available 
for free, a companywide move to Linux might best be undertaken via one of 
the major vendors that offer business-oriented support, most notably Red Hat 
and NovelL If you're also in the market for new PCs, consider buying them 
with Linux preinstalled from HP, or on the cheap from upstart Koobox. If you 
prefer to do business with a physical store, Micro Center carries Linspire 
Linux, available with support. Some companies, including SpikeSource, offer 
businesses third-party support for Linux and other open-source software. But 
if your main interest is in giving Linux a test run, then you'll want a 
distribution that provides a full range of installation options with the 
least fuss. I recommend that you consider Ubuntu Linux. Though not yet 
widely known outside the programming community, Ubuntu is winning raves for 
ease of installation and use, as well as for its robust functionality. 
Ubuntu will send you CDs for free, or you can download the program. You'll 
have a choice of running it as a live CD or installing it either in parallel 
with or instead of Windows. I tried Ubuntu both in the live and install 
versions with a year-old Dell Dimen- sion 2400, a fairly standard desktop 
PC, and I found it significantly easier to install than Windows XP Home. 
Most notably, it did a better job than Windows did of automatically 
recognizing my wireless network, local and network printers, and even an 
off-brand external DVD burner that never quite worked right with Windows. 
Equally impressive, it also installed and ran perfectly on an eccentric 
four- year-old Sony Vaio laptop that's crash-prone under Windows Me and 
nonfunctional under Windows XP.  Ubuntu fires up right to a Windows-like 
desktop, complete with OpenOffice.org-a sophisticated clone of Microsoft 
Office with word process- ing, spreadsheet, slide show, database, and 
drawing software. Also included are an Outlook-like e-mail and calendar 
program called Evolution, the Firefox browser, multimedia players, and many 
other nifty programs. Most of these applications even worked with my 
existing Windows files. Everything ran perfectly and intuitively. Did I 
mention that all this is free? And when a new version of Ubuntu or anyone of 
these programs comes out, you can pick that one up for free, too.  That 
you're not in Windows-land anymore hits home when you want to install 
software that is not included with Ubuntu-in my case, a program to play 
DVDs, left out by Ubuntu to avoid legal hassles with entertainment 
companies. Doing that and other things in Linux occasionally requires some 
fancy tech footwork, and I was initially intimidated. But it took only a few 
minutes on Ubuntu's extensive and well-organized online forums-you'll find 
much the same for most major distributions ofLinux-to get a simple, 
step-by-step recipe for the job. Even better, a new program called Automatix 
automates the process of adding dozens of programs you might find handy. And 
that's typical of the Linux world: By the time you wish for something, 
someone else will already be working on providing it. And usually for free, 
as I may have already pointed out. If you just can't see taking the time to 
play around with Linux, you can dip your toe into open-source software 
without leaving the comfort of Windows. There are versions of OpenOffice.org 
and Firefox that run on Windows, and soon the e-mail and calendar 
application Evolution should, too. No need to replace anything; try them out 
in parallel with your current software and see if the open-source world does 
anything for you. Oddly enough, you can even run Linux itself on Windows:

A version of Damn Small Linux is available for Windows, and others are in 
the works. Conversely, there is software for running Windows programs under 
Linux, including Wine and Code Weavers CrossOver Office. And newer PCs with 
"dualcore" processors should be able to switch between operating systems 
without having to reboot.

Maybe this sort of gentle approach to trying out Linux will convince you to 
take a closer look at the idea of switching over your entire company. But 
don't kid yourself. That sort of jump wouldn't be without its trials and 
tribulations. The biggest potential hurdle: If you're reliant on 
enterprisewide software such as a customer-relationship management system, 
you might have trouble getting it to run on Linux PCs and you'd probably 
have to replace it with a Linuxfriendly product.

That's a conversation to have with your top tech person, of course. But ifhe 
or she pales at the mention of Linux and tries to get you to dismiss it out 
of hand without clear reasons, you may want to consider the possibility that 
it's not just your operating system that might need replacing.

David H. Freedman (whatsnext at inc.com), a Boston-based writer and Ine. 
contributing editor, is the author of several books about business and 
technology.