People have heard of Linux, but most don't know much about it.  Even if you are a die-hard fan of other computer operating systems such as Apple's Mac or Microsoft's Windows you should know two things about Linux.  One it is the operating system now used widely across the internet to bring you all kinds of information.  Two it is the operating system embedded into many of the latest personal electronic devices.

If you work with computers on a daily basis and didn't know about Linux, don't feel bad.  Up until now if you were to browse the shelves of almost any store in the U.S. it is unlikely that you would come across it.  You see Linux is not the product of one company.  It is the work of thousands and thousands of computer programmers all over the world.  Some are paid by their employers while others volunteer their time with the hope that their combined efforts will provide a better computer platform for everyone.  If that sounds idealistic, you are right, it is.  And guess what...  You can download and run Linux for free.  Like Mozilla's Firefox web browser, Linux is open source software.

At this point, I am not going to argue the technical merits of Linux.  Companies are adopting Linux in droves because it is both free and easily customized to meet their computer needs.  As a curious person you might want to get a copy and install it on a computer you own for similar reasons.  Think of all the money spent in the purchase of  a new computer.  Sure you bring it home and then you have to go out and buy more software just to get it to work for you.  Today you can go down to Wal-Mart and buy a computer with Linux and many compatible software applications pre-installed for approximately $200.  Yes, I'd venture to guess that this is roughly 10% - 20% of what you would spend to get a desktop computer from an Apple Store or pre-loaded with Windows Vista.

What you do with your computer is your own business.  A lot of people these days are just sending email and using a web browser to manage their finances and read the news.  To you, I say, why not use Linux?  Many of the sites that bring you the news are running Linux too.  Google, for example, uses Linux to crawl the web and provides you with results from their search engine.  I can't remember the last time when there was news of Linux being susceptible to computer virus.  The more I think about it the more I realize why Linux is right choice for me.