Changing operating systems requires a change in mindset

By Hamish Taylor
Saturday, 04 October 2008 08:34

Opinion and Analysis

In a continuing series of articles highlighting that GNU/Linux is a viable replacement operating system, today we're exploring how to do things the "GNU/Linux way".

Remember the good ol' days? Back when I was young, well things were so much better back then...

I actually remember using Windows 3.x. I also remember getting excited about Windows 95 when it appeared. I had it running nicely on a 486-DX25 then later a Pentium 166.

I tell you this, because until two years ago, I had really only used Microsoft products: Windows for the operating system (with the exception of ME!) and Office and various other applications for other tasks. I really am new to this whole GNU/Linux thing (which I will just call "Linux" from now on).

Over time, I have become a computer technician and then a networking "engineer" well entrenched into the Microsoft way. I have made my living doing such things from hunting down and "retiring" errant registry entries to setting up Exhange servers and so on.

I am familiar with Microsoft and many of the day-to-day things that I need to do are entrenched into my psyche, brain and fingers. Having done things so many times, I no longer need to think about them, they are ingrained and they just happen.

But this is a Linux blog, so what does that have to do with Linux?

I have been writing a series of articles outlining how good Linux is and how to use it. I have been reading and responding to comments, both on my articles and other iTWire writers. I have noticed that many people who are giving Linux a go, are still well and truly entrenched into the "Microsoft way" of doing things and are taking this approach over to Linux. However, this approach doesn't work very well and they are getting frustrated with Linux.

So, what is the "Linux way"? Please read onto page 2.