Linux Development - Open success storyby Jini M R (Software Programmer, Excellone Technologies)
Linux Open source Operating System is rapidly increasing
these days. Recent statistics say that it has about 20 million installations
all round the globe.
Now coming to Linux Development, it is the strong
foundation or base on which almost all other open source softwares
are resting. Linux is a stable, cost effective, easy and flexible
foundation for your software needs. Linux as any other commercial
operating systems has both good and bad sides. As an innovative
businessperson, you have to decide whether it would be wise to switch
on to Linux. Almost all details about Linux are put in black and
white down here.
- Linux with a strong and stable foundation can be a reliable
base for your computing needs for years.
- Linux, the modern standard based, strong production grade OS
puts before you a handful of computing acronyms (BMP, JF Protocol
memory, VM, etc.) compatible with any other OS.
- Linux can work easily on new or old hardware, 386, 486, Intel
Pentium, AMD, Power PC, SPARC, and IBM.
- Linux advises you to give rest to your old hardwares, which,
if you need can be put back in service with Linux.
- Linux is also a good hedge against premature hardware replacement
while giving you a big economic advantage.
- Linux is most likely to automatically recognize most hardware
upgrades & put it into service.
- Though all the software used for Linux is not free; most of
it is free, providing you with good proprietary application at
a reasonable cost.
- Linux offers free upgrades. One can get a new version of Linux
for all your systems, for free.
- With Linux you wont have to worry about software licensing.
In Linux, GPL (General Public License) is used, which allows you
to copy software to all the computers you want to, absolutely
free of cost.
- Linux involves an easy installation process, known as graphical
installation process, which automatically configures the system.
- Linux can easily be connected to any network, irrespective of
whether it is NT network, AppleTalk network, Novel or Unix.
- Linux can inter-operate, communicate or get along with computers
ranging in any other OS like Windows, Unix, Mac OS etc. Thats
why Linux is called flexible.
- Linux gives you a strong Graphical User Interface (GUIs) similar
to Windows environment. KDE & Gnome are the ones from which you
can select.
- Linux Development is designed by keeping security in mind. Virus
attacks are considerably very low in Linux operated system.
- Linux can assure a strong access to Internet, with all type
of connection DSL, Cable, Standard Medias, ISDN.
- Linux also supports mobile computers, like laptops, Palms with
its wonderful features.
- More than one user can use Linux as a single system. So its
a multi-user system, making it possible for more than one person
to share a machine. This cost saving measure allows PCs to be
replaced by simpler computers called Thin Clients.
- The ability to access and operate one computer from a different
computer, through remote desktop support, is remarkable.
- Linux Development's flexibility makes it possible to adapt to
the specific needs of clients. This is because Linux has a great
pool of open source software, which facilitates the fast addition
of company-specific function.
- Linux Development offers you with a developers toolbox, a complete
set of developing tools, which is free.
Linux has some negatives too: -
- Compared to the existing commercial OS like Windows, Macintosh
and Unix; Linux has only a short history in IT field. It began
in 1991 and became a notable software force only in 1997. This
means Linux cannot offer competitive packages in all software
categories.
- Linux is the strongest server software, but the weakest end
user machine.
- Conversion or migration, from your existing systems need additional
costs. So,the existing documentation data has to be converted
to comparable open source software.
Now that almost every aspect of Linux and Linux Development
is clear to you, it is upto you to decide, whether to shift
to Linux wholly or partially. For this you may have to consider
your prevailing system, the affordable budget and the area where
you require its service.
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