Linux Course

Linux is not Windows. It is not Mac OS. It is a multiuser command environment that works extremely well if you stop thinking that point and click is the only way to do things. Keep in mind that wht you see on the screen is the GUI (graphical user interface) to the inner workings of a program. To complete the data on the screen is just a way to communicate with the program.

A simplified example : if you want to email someone, what is easier to do : open the menu, choose the right submenu, click on the email icon (or click on the menu bar if its there), wait for the program to open, stop the searching for new mail, click on the new mail icon, wait for the program to open, click on the address, type the address area, click on the subject area, enter the subject, click on the message area, start your email. Alternatively you open a terminal window, type mail -s subject friend@othercomputer.com press enter and start typing your message. When finished just press ctrl-d and go on with your life. A different way of doing things, but very much more efficient. If you get goosebumps and a sick feeling on your tummy, you can always get the graphical interface for the mailing program by clicking on the menu, clicking ....

Linux is about choices. You can choose to work in a terminal window, typing comands, or use the GUI of the programs. Both methods will work great.

Having a computer with an operating system is pretty useless if you do not have other programs to make your life easier. That's why we use and support Debian. Debian comes on three DVD's that will provide you with over 18000 programs. Everything you will need, and totally free and legal to install on whatever machine will run it. The needs of Debian is not much, and you will find that even older computers can again be used.

There is in our minds very little reason not to change to Linux, but you may be happy with what you have. If you read this far, you may be looking for something different. In a year from now, looking back at this moment, you may just realise that your view of the usefullness of your computer had changed drastically -- as we did!

You may want to look at our pages on what Linux is and why you should use Linux.