With all of the hype over the new, mainstream operating systems for desktops, people argue… With all of the hype over the new, mainstream operating systems for desktops, people argue constantly over whether they should move to a Macintosh computer or stay with Windows.

And when buying a new computer, everyone has an opinion about whether you should make that epic switch to Windows Vista or give Microsoft some more time to get the kinks worked out. But with the exception of the true inner-circle of computer discussion, everyone seems to ignore the little outsider. While it does share some similarities with the operating system family from which Mac OS X is derived, this outsider isn’t a single operating system at all. Linux is a complete world of computing most people don’t even realize exists.

For those completely unfamiliar with Linux, it’s a predominantly open-source set of operating systems. The Linux family is quite large and contains interesting brand names such as Debian and Ubuntu. From what used to be a small culture of tinkering computer nerds, additional flavors of Linux designed primarily for business and official computing have also developed and flourished.

Linux takes its “-inux suffix from its predecessor, Unix. Software engineer Linus Torvalds decided he should rewrite a Unix-type operating system that would be available freely on the Internet. From Linus’ original code sprung multiple distributions, each with its own set of included software, and each with a slightly different personality.

Why should the average computer user, who’s perfectly happy with the Windows laptop they use every day, consider Linux? Well, certainly there are pros and cons.

The major pro, celebrated by most Linux gurus, is the fact that Linux is completely free and available on the Internet. No more paying Microsoft to upgrade Windows for better network capabilities. Also, a large majority of the software designed to run on Linux is free and open source. If there’s popular commercial software to perform a task, more than likely someone has written a widely available, downloadable version.

Games and graphics comprise a large portion of the software available for free on the Internet. OpenGL, the open source answer to Microsoft’s DirectX, displays graphics wonderfully, and helps open Linux to a world of amazing graphical capabilities.

The Gimp, a popular open-source utility, provides an excellent (and completely free) alternative to programs like Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia Fireworks. A Linux machine can stand as an excellent platform for artistic and creative production.

As office or dorm workstations, Linux can run a popular and versatile office program called OpenOffice.org, now releasing its 2.0 edition. OpenOffice.org is phenomenally compatible with Microsoft Office and has an impressive list of features.

Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird are equally compatible with Linux – in fact, they sometimes seem more comfortable on a Linux box.

And most importantly (for some, at least), AOL Instant Messenger has an open source equivalent, GAIM, which installs automatically with many Linux operating systems.

Another excellent aspect of Linux is its security and reliability. When Linux is set up properly, it provides layers of protections from hackers that Windows lacks. It also has more control over the fundamental operation of the computer and can therefore be more reliable when an application fails or causes an error. During the setup of Linux or when Linux does display an error (because no operating system is infallible), the Linux community online provides extensive help texts and is always available to answer questions.

There are, of course, drawbacks. Linux, because it’s distributed as open source, lacks the commercial edge Windows enjoys. For a long period, Linux operating systems were not distributed with easy, point-and-click installation routines.

On average, a Linux user must know a little more about his or her computer before even beginning to run Linux. Also, the open source community lends itself to compatibility issues. Many smaller or discount hardware designers and producers do not fully support Linux yet, and Linux programmers can sometimes overlook certain off-brand hardware.

When considering compatibility, some distributions are significantly better than others. Ubuntu, now releasing its version 6.10, has both an advanced, graphical installer and a routine for automatic hardware detection. For most mainstream computers (Dells, Compaqs, etc.), installation of Ubuntu Linux will go smoothly and all devices will work on the first startup.

RedHat’s Fedora Core version of Linux is similarly well supported. Both Ubuntu and Debian contain handy routines for easily downloading and installing software.

Linux might not be a complete replacement for Windows. There are still some sectors of the computing world that Linux has yet to conquer. Linux might not be as trendy as Macintosh OS X or as new and exciting as Windows Vista, but it provides an excellent alternative.

Linux provides a great way to learn about the workings of a computer while running a stable, secure operating environment. As you progress your knowledge of the computer and its fundamental operation, you can tinker with Linux’s code.

Unlike Windows, Linux distributions can be completely customized and tailored for operation. And if you are not quite ready to eliminate Windows, you can always dual-boot.

Ubuntu is a nice place to start if you are completely new to Linux. For more information or to download a complete, free copy of Ubuntu 6.10, visit www.ubuntu.com.