Are you thinking of switching over to Linux or have you made that switch already? Either way it is a must that you should some basic information about this operating system so that you can use it in the best way you can. Obviously that kind of information is something that cannot be conveyed on a single article. Learning the basics of an operating system that is mostly unfamiliar would require a great deal more information.

Understanding Linux

The first thing that you have to understand is that Linux is an operating system.  An operating system is a program that permits you to interact with the computer and all the other programs and the hardware that are hooked up with it. In other words it is the program that lets you use the computer.  Without it your computer would be useless to you.

There are two types of operating systems in the world the one uses GUI or graphic user interface and the other one uses command-line. Windows is a GUI operating system. You can communicate with the computer using pictures and symbols that are on the screen. A command-line of operating system is DOS where you would be typing in certain commands and the computer would react to those commands.

Linux is a mix between the two types. You can use GUI features but also type in commands. Graphic user interface is a lot easier and simpler, but command-line makes it more flexible and it would allow you to do a lot more with the computer. Of course it takes a lot more information and knowledge for you to use command-line OS.

Using Linux has many advantages. For one thing Linux is very flexible. It can be installed in all kinds of computers from desktops to mainframes.  Another great advantage of Linux is that it is very reliable. It has a lot less down time than Windows so that means it would require far less time for maintenance. That also means you would have fewer worries.

Another huge advantage of Linux over Windows is that it has far more security features. That means you have fewer worries when it comes to security related issues which is a major problem for Windows. It also has a far stronger processing power which makes you do things a lot faster.

These are just some of the basic things that you need to keep in mind in connection with using Linux.