Filed under: Features, Linux, Open Source, Analysis
Flipping the Linux switch: My OS is okay, your OS is okay
by Kristin Shoemaker May 13th 2008
Today we're committing blasphemy. Okay, technically we're not. We're not saying that any one system or way of doing things is the only right way. Face it, the only place there was only one right answer to a question was eighth grade math class.
So while it may seem like it's blasphemy for us to suggest that Linux may not be for you (or your girlfriend, or your boyfriend, or your uncle), it might be true. You might be better suited to a Mac way of life, or a Windows sort of environment at the moment. It doesn't mean it'll always be that way. It doesn't mean, if it is always that way, that you (or Linux) are not up to the task. You're just not right for each other.
All right, let's quit the touchy-feely psycho-babble talk. There is a lot written about choosing distributions, desktops, and other fun stuff that comes with Linux. But how do you really know if it's something you want to invest time in trying at all?
There are liveCDs that allow you try to out a number of different distributions, and they can give you a pretty good feel of how Linux looks, and feels, and to some degree, how it works. You can see how your hardware is supported, and experiment a bit with alternative applications. That's great, but the truth is, it doesn't always give the whole picture of what you might encounter using Linux.
Who doesn't love choices? You can "have it your way" at fast food restaurants. No two cars ever cost the same, because of add-ons and price negotiations. We like choice. It's a good thing.
With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet.
They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...
